Scrutiny by the Masses

Hexbug is a Heck of a Lot of Fun

I was provided with one of these nifty little toys in exchange for this blog post. I have posted their press information, but the opinions are all my own.  

We received the Hexbug, a cute little creature that came packed in a test tube. When we turned it on, it ran all over the house, scaring the pants off my younger girls - so I can cheerfully say that it was a great success for my 10 year old boy! They are cheap enough that I think we are going to buy a couple more and let them roam around. I love the online options and the fact that my son can answer questions for points and he had great fun trying to solve quetions I didn't even know he understood!

The Hexbug, a micro robotic creature, is now available at Toys “R” Us and RadioShack stores nationwide for an MSRP of $7.99.  When revelers find the small, energetic micro robotic toy packaged within a sleek test tube case for easy transport, they won’t know if it’s alive or programmable!  Powered by a tiny motor, and 12 fixed, angular legs, the industrious critter quickly masters complex mazes using the physics of vibration to speed around on smooth surfaces, seeking a way to escape. 

Possessing an uncanny sense of balance, the HEXBUG Nano can even flip to its feet and zoom forward when turned on its back!  When coming into contact with an object in its path, the energetic insect will switch directions and scurry away on a new path due to its persistent random behavior.   

What is more, each HEXBUG Nano is assigned a unique serial number and point value system that owners can use to register their Nano online, earn points by answering quiz questions about great scientists in history, achieve levels in an online game that requires players to use scientific principles to build their own virtual Nano, and hunt for rare creatures with the highest point values. 

It’s tiny, obedient and intelligent- a welcome change to some of the distant relatives you’ll be visiting with over the holidays!  Available in purple, red, blue, green and orange, the HEXBUG Nano retails for $7.99 and can be found at ToysRUs and RadioShack stores as well as www.hexbug.com/nano.

Sara Lee, Hillshire, WalMart and the Holidays

I was provided with a gift card and coupons as thanks for this blog post.

The holidays are coming. The holidays are coming. The holidays are - oh, ok, already, I've got it.  One of the best things about the holidays is getting together with people. One of the hardest things about getting together with people is trying to figure out, exactly, what in the WORLD I'm going to serve those same people. I've been known to walk blindly around the grocery store, picking up random foods and trying to figure out what, exactly,will taste the best. If I was to do this at Wal-Mart in the next couple of weeks, I know what I'd be sampling - Lit'l Smokies (those oh so addictive little hot dog things). For the next couple of weeks local Wal-Marts will be hosting demos and passing out product samples.  I think I'm going to be planning some extra trips to the grocery store. Surely we'll be out of milk more than once,right?

One of my favorite ways to eat these freakishly addictive sausages is in the ubiquitous grape jelly and bbq sauce combination. Or wrapped in crescent roll dough. Or just, you know, out of the wrapper. Yum.

A few pointers:

-Lit’l Smokies have been a cocktail party favorite since they launched, and with 2/3 less fat than regular Lit’l Smokies, Turkey Lit’l Smokies are sure to be a hit. 
-Lit’l Smokies are the perfect addition to any cocktail party or entertaining occasion and can be prepared a variety of different ways: 
o       Wrapped in crescent rolls or corn bread. 
o       Dipped in barbecue sauce, honey mustard, cheese sauce 
o       Simmered in a crockpot with chili sauce 
o       Skewered with your favorite veggies or fruit 
Lit’l Smokies Cocktail Links are ideal for parties and also make a quick and fun protein-filled snack! They’re fully cooked and packed with flavor!

Power Rangers and Ben 10 Toys For the Holidays

I was recently sent two Power Rangers toys in exchange for posting this information.

Check out Power Rangers and Ben 10 toys from Bandai America, perfect for battling rogue robots or fighting off evil aliens. These action-packed gifts for kids stretch the dollars of value-conscious shoppers this holiday season.  The dynamic lineup of Power Ranger and Ben 10 role-play, vehicle and play-set offerings will inspire kids to create their own out of this world adventures well into the new year.

The Power Ranger toys range in price from $12-$25 and the Ben 10 toys are especially affordable, starting at just $7. I know that this year, more than ever, I need to have inexpensive options on my gift giving list.

The Power Rangers RPM Nitro Blaster was right up my 10 year old son's alley. He especially liked the ability to transform the gun into a sword - one of his most FAVORITE toys to play with EVER. I'm actually sick to death of being slayed by a sword, but it's a game that he loves. The sound effects on this gun were true to life and the catch phrases sounded as if they really came from the Power Rangers shows. I'm waiting for him to discover that it glows in the dark.:)

The Power Rangers Trax Guardian was the perfect size to stick in the car and keep on hand to have something to play with while waiting for his siblings. The cool thing about this toy is the ability to collect and combine with others to have the complete set. Now I know what to get for my son for Christmas.

These are cute, well made toys that my son loved.

Sports Authority Event HOT off the Presses

Do you live in Los Angeles or nearby? Have I got an AWESOME opportunity for you!

If you don't live in LA, I STILL have an awesome opportunity for you! It's at the bottom of this post! Read through to discover the prize.

On Thursday, Nov. 19, at the Sports Authority store in Torrance (located at 3610 Torrance Blvd.), CA (just outside of Los Angeles, CA) starting at 9:30 a.m. and runs until mid-day.....

Sports Authority will present a Wii Fitness Extravaganza.

From the Press Release"

Why:  
Sports Authority is teaming up with Nintendo to create a new way to experience fitness gaming. The collaboration will allow Sports Authority to sell Wii gaming consoles, Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus, as well as various accessories and games for the Wii, in its stores. To launch the product and to help customers get to know the Wii better, Sports Authority will create a "We know fit. We know fun." experience at 102 of their stores. Stores will feature a dedicated area with a demo unit and knowledgeable trainers to help customers try the Wii Fit Plus before they buy. This will help moms trade static workouts for ones that involve fun and fitness for the whole family.

Event Highlights:  
·       Jillian Michaels, from “The Biggest Loser,” will be in attendance.
·       There will be the “world’s largest Wii Fit Plus” demonstration featuring 102 people. Jillian will be part of the demonstration, doing what she does best – showing folks how to get in shape!
·       Lots of items to be given away, including copies of Jillian Michaels’ new Wii game "Fitness Ultimatum 2010" and Wii Fit Plus boards, as well as other prizes from Sports Authority, Nintendo and Nike.

Now for the cool part - I have a Wii Fit Board and a copy of Jillian Michaels' "Fitness Ultimatum 2010" to giveaway to one lucky winner. This would make an amazing holiday gift for someone special in your family. To enter, leave me a comment telling me your favorite Wii fitness game - or, if you don't have a Wii, what you'd like to learn to play from the games offered on Wii fitness. This contest is open from 11/17 to midnight 11/20 and is valid on for residents of The United States. (I'm sorry, Canada!) The winner will be chosen using random.org and will have 24 hours to get back to me with a valid shipping address or I will chose a different winner.

For more information:
·      Visit http://www.thewiiauthority.com/

Fruit Loops with Fiber

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Kellogg’s and received boxes of Froot Loops and Apple Jacks and a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

I will say that I don't typically buy these cereals for my kids. I find them to be too high in sugar and don't consider them to be a great breakfast choice. I was, however, intrigued enough by the claim of added fiber - with no discernible taste difference - to agree to sample these cereals. I know that my children don't eat enough fiber and this seemed to be an interesting way to handle that challenge. My kids ate them mixed with Cheerios - our typical MO for eating sugary cereals.  I find this to be a great compromise - this way, my kids get the experience of eating the more sugary cereals and I know that they have not eaten as much sugar as an entire bowl of it.

Like adults, 9 out of 10 kids lack enough fiber in their diets. Kellogg Company knows how tough of a time Moms have finding ways to increase their child's intake, and they came up with a great solution by adding a boost of fiber to some of their most popular kids' cereals. They started with two kids' favorites: Apple Jacks and Froot Loops cereals, which now have three grams of fiber per serving and are currently available on grocery shelves. These cereals include ingredients such as whole-grain corn flour, whole-grain oat flour, oat fiber and soluble corn fiber. In addition, Kellogg Company plans to extend the added fiber benefits to their other cereal lines over the next year.   

So, how did they taste? Absolutely the same. There was no difference in the flavor of the cereals with fiber added. We also made a version of Rice Krispie Treats, using Froot Loops, and my kids inhaled them. I could see these cereals as an occasional, special purchase for my kids.

My Baby: First Steps

I was provided a copy of this game in exchange for posting a giveaway.

Following in the footsteps of My Baby Boy or Girl, My Baby: First Steps continues the journey of raising a baby at 15-months-old. You will get the challenging, yet very rewarding, task of teaching their baby how to walk, talk and more. With so many games for girls out that send the wrong message, My Baby: First Steps lets little girls play baby dolls in a tech-savvy, 21^st century way. The game is available just in time for the holiday season.

See my earlier review of My Baby Boy and leave a comment below for a giveaway of this brand new Nintendo DS game!

Campbell's Soup and a Thermos AND a Lunchbag!

I was recently sent a great little gift bag from the lovely folks at Campbell's Soup, and they have graciously offered to donate one to a lucky readers. In the basket it a lunch bag, a water bottle, two cans of Sponge 8Bob chicken noodle soup ( our favorite go-to when someone is sick!) and two bottles of V-8 Fusion juice.

I've gotta tell you - my little girls LOVE the green lunch bag and small SIGG bottle - they fight over it ever.single.flippin.day and it's gotten to the point of needing to split the items apart and rotate them. Yeah. We have ISSUES.

Leave me a comment and one lucky reader will win cans of soups, two bottles of V-8 Fusion (the best juice ever, and we don't drink juice otherwise!), a green lunch tote AND a small SIGG water bottle.

Pop's Authentic

When I received an email, asking if I'd be interested in reviewing meat sticks, I'll admit, I laughed a little. After all, meat sticks - the concept is funny, the name is odd, and it's not my typical idea when I think "Snacks for my kids".

But I agreed. After all, a PR person who takes the time to personalize an email to me and actually sound as if she'd read the blog longer than .001 seconds - that person is due a second look as well.  And so I said yes, I'd like to sample your meat sticks.

And then, I can't help it, I snickered. Just a little, cuz I'm not a 17 year old boy.I have class, after all.

When the meat sticks arrived, they looked just like those ubiquitous other meat sticks, The Slim Jim.And I HATE those things, so I was not excited. Reading the promotional material was intriguing, though:

Pop's Authentic - Handmade Artisan Meat Snacks are locally sourced and crafted with the highest standards of quality by a family-owned company in small-town Missouri. Made from a family recipe passed down from Pop Jennings, the patriarch of the family, the snack sticks are the perfect addition to the lunch box, backpack or vehicle glove box!

I'll bite. How did they taste? Exactly like they were supposed to - and that's no mean feat. One thing I hate about Slim Jims is how ever loving SALTY they are - but these meat sticks were flavorful and not tough. They were the perfect snack to keep in the car for my son, who is always, always hungry. Offered in bacon, habanero and peppered, there was a taste for everyone in my family. I'll be buying these again, that's for sure, and now is the perfect time to do so, thanks to their newest promotion:  If you buy two 12-count boxes, you’ll receive one free. 

So the moral of this story is that the very words, "Meat Snacks" might make you want to laugh like a high school boy - but your mouth might just be too full to make a sound.

Greensbury Market Organic Meats Really Deliver

Recently I was sent two ribeye steaks and four chicken breasts from Greensbury Market Organic Meats to review. While I was provided the meat for free, I was not paid for this review and the opinions expressed are all my own.

The meats arrived at my house, packed in a styrofoam cooler with dry ice, frozen completely solid. I knew nothing about the company, however, so I took a few minutes to look at their website. The premise is solid:

Greensbury is a modern-day market specializing in healthy, great-tasting, certified organic meats. Launched in 2004, Greensbury is the vision of four “meat guys” with more than a decade of experience in gourmet food distribution. We believe in supporting sustainable agriculture, family farms, and organic practices that produce healthy, environmentally friendly food. We’ve traveled all over the country to find meats that are not only organic, but also tender, juicy, and delicious. We’ve visited dozens of farms and built relationships with farmers who do things the old fashioned way - meaning they take care of the land and humanely raise animals without antibiotics, synthetic hormones, or synthetic pesticides.

I absolutely believe in organic meat and organic produce. It's not in my budget, unfortunately, to feed eight of us organically on one salary - but if it was, I'd be there in a heartbeat, based just on the quality of the meat I was given to sample.The steaks were delicious, well marbled, tender and full of flavor, but the chicken breast was outstanding. I don't think I've ever eaten such tender chicken in my entire life, and the fact that it was organic meat from grass fed animals just sealed the deal.

What makes grass fed animal meat better? From the site:

Grass-fed meats also have two to four times more omega-3s than meat from grain-fed animals. Omega 3s are heart-friendly, “good” fats that play a vital role in every cell in your body. People with ample amounts of omega-3s in their diets are less likely to have high blood pressure and 50 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack. In addition, omega-3s are essential for proper brain functioning and may reduce the risk of cancer.

I highly recommend Greensbury Organic meats - if it's not in your budget for every day, perhaps for a special occasion or as a gift for a friend or relative. (Hint: Gift giving season is coming up, and my birthday is this weekend...)

Ice Age is Back and Better Than Ever!

There's a new Ice Age movie out, and it's better than ever! Ice Age and Ice Age: the Meltdown are two of my kids favorite movies, and the newest in the trilogy, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is already on their list of must see movies. I can't tell you how funny we all find these movies.

Want to win copies of the first two movies? Leave me a comment here, telling me your favorite character from the movie! This contest will close on November 5 and the winner will be chosen by Random.org

Good luck!