Pop On Pals Amusement Park Playset by Spin Master

Pop On Pals are round, pudgy little figures that are the perfect size for little toddler hands. The pals come with interchangeable rings that act as simple costumes to change the personality of the little pal. The Amusement Park is a colorful and active playground for your kids to explore through the Pals. The Amusement Park Playset comes with one Pal, three theme rings and the Park itself.

My older son did not find it very interesting; however, my toddler LOVED it. He took to the Pop On Pals right away. When my older son did want to play, they fought because this set only comes with ONE figure. That was a bit of a pain.

There are nine spots for the figures to explore including a strong man striker, milk toss game, dragon swing, Ferris wheel, and roller coaster. It’s a lot to do, with only one figure. I really think the Set would make more sense if it came with two Pals. (You can buy them separately, though since Little Dude is not as excited about it, I probably won't buy any more people-JR seems fine with just one.)

What I Loved:

My 2 year old really enjoy this toy. My son likes to make the Ferris wheel spin and switch the Pop-on rings and act out different scenes. Based on JR's reaction, I think Pop On Pals will be a big hit with toddlers.

What I Hated:

The Amusement Park Playset really should come with more than one Pal. Having only one Pal made it a toy that really couldn't be shared, even though multiple things could be going on at the same time, give you had more Pals for it. Also, I hated the fact there was no place to store the extra pieces-keeping up with the different arms and "outfits" was a bit of a chore, since there was not a good spot on the toy to snap them or stack them while not in use. Again, my older son, who is 4, did not play with this for more than a few minutes, then he lost interest in it completely, so I don't think preschoolers would be big fans. I also feel it is a little pricey for only having one toy with it-I do really wish there were 2 or 3.

Where you can get it:
The Amusement Park Playset is $34.99. It and other Pop On Pals, including Airplane and School Bus Vehicles and Mix & Match Pal Sets, can be purchased at stores nationwide like Toys R Us, Target and online at Amazon.

Thank you to Team Mom for supplying the Pop On Pals Amusement Park for review.

Safari Backyard Outfitters

Backyard Safari Outfitters equips young explorers like my sons with all the essential field gear they could possibly need for scoping out wildlife in their backyard or local park! From tools to catch insects, to binoculars for bird-watching, the collection includes more than 30 different products, including the practical Cargo Vest, the cool Bug Vacuum, and Mega View periscope shown in the photos below.

Now that we have this VERY fun set, my sons don't go outside without all their "explorer supplies"! Made of a rugged poly-twill fabric, it’s really good quality, and has held up to both of my sons sharing it on all kinds of outdoor play. There are plenty of cargo pockets, as well as six D-Rings and two shoulder pieces with snap closures that let you clip and hang all kinds of stuff! The large pocket is perfect for storing binoculars, and the clear-view chest pocket for the Pop-Up Field Guide, which comes with each Backyard Safari Outfitters product. It’s full of rich illustrations and ideas to inspire backyard exploration. The vest is a little big on my 2 year old, but on my 4 year old it is a comfortable fit. I’d say it easily fits a 5-9 year old and you can buy it for $19.99.

My favorite item from Safari Backyard Adventures? The Bug vacuum! It allows you to capture bugs without ever touching them! And for a mom of two little boys that LOVE to capture bugs, this is quite the lifesaver for me! Now I don't have to be scared of the bugs my kids want to catch-and they can build the confidence in catching the bugs themselves!

Both of my sons started capturing little, defenseless creatures like roly polies and then quickly moved up to bigger, scarier insects. I’ve also found it to be very handy myself, to get rid of spiders and crickets that I sometimes find in the house. I also love that they can catch a bug, observe it for a bit with the built-in magnifying glass, and release it outside. The Bug Vacuum retails for $19.99 and requires four “AA” batteries for operation.

The Mega View Periscope is very cool! 3 nested sections telescope for a reach of over four feet! This allows for stealth viewing over high bushes, backyard fences, and around corners. The water feature is neat. Flip the periscope upside down and a full 16 inches of it can be submersed into a pond, lake, or pool for under-water viewing. It would probably be fun to take to the beach as well! The wide-view face is easy to look through and the hand grips are comfortable, making it easy to hold. Indoor fun is enjoyed on the boy's bunkbeds too-they pretend it is a submarine and use the periscope for "observing" underwater fish and "bad guys". They both LOVE this toy. You can buy the Mega View Periscope for $24.99.

What I Loved:
Everything. I have no complaints about any of their products. I even loved them so much that I went and bought a second set so the boys don't have to share anymore and can now both be "explorer men". They LOVE this stuff.

What I Hated:
Nothing. I think this is the perfect set for a boy or girl to really get out and enjoy observing nature. Hands down some of the best toys I've reviewed. We have had these toys for months now and the kids are still so into them.

Backyard Safari Outfitters allows kids to not just walk through nature, but experience it with these products that encourage kids to get active, play outside, and explore! Best for kids ages 5 and up, this essential field gear is available now at Toys ‘R’ Us, Walmart, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, and Target. For more information about Summit Toys and a complete list of Backyard Safari products, please visit www.summittoy.com.

We were very excited to try out the Backyard Safari Outfitters cargo vest & bug vacuum!Backyard Safari Outfitters periscope thanks to Team Mom.

K'NEX 400 Pieces Tub

With a husband in construction and two boys in the house, we do a lot of building. We have blocks everywhere and it is so fun to see what Bill and the boys will create next.

Except, JR, our "baby Godzilla", often finds more joy in destroying what Little Dude has worked so hard to create, rather than creating himself, much to Little Dude's dismay. On these occasions I do have to referee, because it is the one thing that will get them fighting (Little Dude) and biting (JR).

So when I got the chance to try out the K'NEX 400 Pieces Tub, I honestly wasn't terribly excited. I mean, after all, we already have TONS of building blocks, and it already causes enough of a fight when the "buildings" get knocked down.

You know what though? K'NEX are different-they snap together! They are easy to do! AND they withstand a swat from baby Godzilla!!! I know. I'm in love. Little Dude can snap them together all by himself, and the K'NEX 400 Pieces Tub comes with an instruction book with ideas for 20 different models, AND it works with other brands, like Lego!! How awesome is that? The K'NEX 400 Piece Tub also comes with lots of movement parts-wheels on the cars, propeller on airplanes, Ferris Wheel and merry go round spin in encourage after building play. Awesomee.

Building toys, like K'NEX, stimulate creativity and curiosity, offers open ended building activities to encourage imagination, has easy snap rods and connectors plus bricks to help develop and strengthen fine motor skills and enhance hand eye coordination. Also, the flexible building system lest your child explore and build both 2D and 3D models.

The suggested price is $20.99 and you can by it at Target, Wal-Mart and Toys "R" Us.

Would you like to WIN some K'NEX? You can enter the K'NEXion video contestt (see official rules here) from until Dec 7th-simply put the video on your own blog or website and submit the link with a completed entry form to knexvideocontest@knex.com,. Learn more here.

Good luck!

*I was given a 400 Pieces Tub for product testing but was not paid for this review*

Crazy Love with Michael Buble

I recently got to review the new Michael Buble cd, CRAZY LOVE, and is it cheesy for me to say it's love?

Crazy Love featured two original songs-written by Michael-and fantastic covers of some of my very favorite era themed songs. All I Do Is Dream Of You is a song I have loved forever-it is from my favorite movie ever, Singing In The Rain, with Gene Kelly. It was one of the very first DVDs I bought and it is very well loved. But I digress.

Hearing Michael sing All I Do Is Dream Of You gives the song a really wonderful breath of fresh air, with a great jazzy band playing accompaniment. Crazy Love starts off with cords that remind me of a James Bond theme, which goes well the the lyrics.

Oh and my NEW very favorite song in the world? I Just Haven't Met You Yet. This song was written by Michael Buble AND features a marching band in the video, which I added in below so you can all hear and see why CRAZY LOVE is playing all the time at my house AND in my car now.





Doesn't that just make you want to dance? You can buy CRAZY LOVE now by going here: http://bit.ly/Mbamazon

Myth Busters Weird World of Water

My sons LOVE bath time. Really, they love anything to do with water. We had a fire pit party with our neighbors last week, where we cooked smores. The kids enjoyed the smores, of course, but you know what my sons REALLY loved? Helping me spray down the area around the firepit with WATER.

I have a coupled of water lovers on my hands, so when I got to try out the Mythbusters Weird World of Water science kit, it was a HUGE hit. The Mythbusters Weird World of Water science kit goes through hands on, kid appropriate discovery experiments that show the different sides of water. Freezing, Boiling, and Turning into gas were big hits for my sons.

Though JR was a little young, he, of course, wanted to take part, so for most of the experiments we worked through over the past week, he got to observe, though was too young for hands on items. He could touch the water before and after freezing, but I doubt he understood that the ice was the water he had splashed earlier; however, he had a ton of fun!

Little Dude LOVED doing all the experiments, and he really enjoyed doing the "school" type projects and loved getting to stand in a chair and observe how boiling water became steam.

The kit was super great; though I would suggest that older kids would enjoy it even more and would get to have a more "hands on" approach; whereas I did most of the experiments while Little Dude had to watch (like boiling the water, he obviously could not be at the stove, though I did let him stand on a chair by the table so he could be tall enough to see everything, but too far way to possibly touch it.)

The Weird World of Water kit also lets you test the power of whirlpools (THAT is COOL), create a liquid rainbow (which Little Dude said was for GIRLS) and launch your own water-powered rocket (Little Dude gave it a "TOTALLY DOMINANT" rating.)The rocket I had to mostly do myself, since Little Dude seemed too young to do it.

The Mythbusters science kits are available now at Toys R Us, Target, and Walmart for around $19.99

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition

I am one of the biggest Disney fans out there. I even got to work at Disney World as an intern when I was in college, and I often joke that since Bill's company has an office in Orlando, we really have to get transferred there!

So, when I got the chance to review the new Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition Blu-Ray, I was so excited. But trust me, I already own Snow White-I bought it back in 2001 (the last time it was released, which was while I was in college, not married, and no kids) and I can still some of my friends thinking I was so weird, though in the last few years they have all come knocking on my door to borrow tons of my Disney movies for their kids.

Anyways, I was excited, mostly because I JUST got a Blu-Ray player for my husband for his birthday, and partly because I knew I probably would not have ever bought Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on Blu-Ray, since I already own the regular DVD. And because I figured that Blu-Ray really couldn't make a difference on such an old, hand-drawn cartoon. Ohhhh boy, was I WRONG.

I am SO GLAD I was able to see what a difference Blu-Ray made! I seriously though that there was no way to improve upon on old movie with fancy High Definition technology. I thought that it pretty much was what it was. So, when I got the Blu-Ray in the mail, I immediately popped it in our player, and watched it. STUNNING.

Though I have to mention I wasn't a fan of the Disney View (where they added side background art so you could see it as a widescreen presentation without black edges). Since we use a projector and watch the movies up on a big screen (yes, I am a movie freak and love the theater experience in our home, widescreen is always my choice of movie format.) The added background space was lovely, but I'm a purist when it comes to movies-I like their original forms. Movies with added new songs? Hate. Movies with added deleted scenes? Hate. Old black and white movies with added color? Hate. I found the added artwork one the sides distracting, so I didn't like the Disney View, though if you like the above mentioned items, you probably would love it. And if you are like me, don't worry, you can play the movie with our without Disney View added.

OK, so back to Blu-Ray. I LOVED the movie-everything was so crisp and clean, but the real shock came when I watched my old DVD from 2001. I saw flaws I had not noticed until I compared it with the Blu-Ray. Like scratches in the drawings that showed up throughout the film, or how the color was not so bright, or how grainy everything was. I really was blown away at the difference the Blu-Ray presentation made.

And what was really fun with the Blu-Ray? Coming out TODAY, the combo pack includes the regular DVD as well, for use in your car, or to give to grandparents (or as the one you loan out to friends; seems half my Disney movies are with the friends that used to poke fun at me for buying them way back in the day) AND tons of bonus features, including a look at Walt Disney's original studio and the birth of Snow White. (As a movie buff, I LOVED watching that). AND-this is HUGE-Blu-Ray is more kid friendly. That's right, it is TOUGH to scratch or mess up, so you don't have to worry as much about the movie getting ruined and skipping! Hallelujah!

Also, Disney has taken full advantage of the Blu-Ray technology by creating the option for a customizable Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition experience for viewers. The Magic Mirror will guide you through the menu, remember what you have seen, where you left off in the film if you stop while watching it, where you left off in bonus features, and remind you of other parts of the DVD and bonus features you need to check out. Pretty cool!

Needless to say, I am all over the Blu-Ray craze now. I see why so many guys in Best Buy are drooling over the high def items-it really does make an amazing difference, and not just with new movies created for high def, but old movies as well. I will certainly be out getting my favorite Disney movies on Blu-Ray now and passing my regular DVD's on to others. Don't have a Blu-Ray player? (Well, you really should try to save up for one, trust me it is worth it...) Don't worry, November 24 the regular DVD version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is coming out for a limited time. I would highly suggest getting the Blu-Ray combo pack though, because for only $10.00 more than the regular DVD, it comes with with the Blu-Ray DVD, the bonus features Blu-Ray DVD, and the regular DVD. Pretty nice deal, if you ask me!

Want to experience "The Fairest of them All" in the most beautiful and breathtaking presentation ever? You can go out now and get your own Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack of the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition where movies are sold, but only for a limited time. So even if you don't have kids yet, but think you might in the next 8 or 9 years, you better go buy Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs now, because I won't be letting this Blu-Ray out of my sight anytime soon.

Zooni ConFEETi 3D Socks

I received the Zooni ConFEETi 3D Socks for free in exchange for my review.

Now that I have two boys, aged 3 and 1, I usually only buy white socks. Why? Well, because I am awful at losing socks, and I swear there really is a monster in the dryer eating up all the socks. So, to keep it simple, I buy the same type socks in the boring white color.

Now though, after having SO much fun with the Zooni ConFEETi 3D Socks, I had to buy a couple more pairs for the boys. I received one pair free (see the picture of JR wearing them on my main blog) that fit JR, and so I ordered 2 pairs for Little Dude and another pair for JR. The best part? The size is on the sock.

Because even though I solve the missing socks and different sock sizes problem by just sticking with one color, it is still annoying to sort them, since the boys feet are close in size already.

So, with Zonni ConFEETi 3D Socks, the boys get CUTE animals and characters on their feet PLUS I get the skid proof textured bottom that displays the sock size, for easy, quick sorting.

I've also washed them a few times already and they have stayed just as soft and snuggly while the textured bottom has not torn or cracked, which was the one complaint I had with the textured bottom socks you can find at Target or Walmart. (Those seemed to crack or tear after just the first few washes).

Looking for some fun socks as a baby shower gift, or even just as a fun item for your kids to enjoy? Then I highly reccomend the Zooni ConFEETi 3D Socks, and you can buy them here. Who knew kids could enjoy playing with socks? JR is in love with his puppy dog ones, and so am I!

Eating Right Kids

I work part time from home, which is really hard to do with my two little boys. I love my job, and I love that I get to stay home with my sons, but meshing the two together can be a huge juggling act.

Something that will now be making my life easier? Eating Right Kids, a new food line from Safeway and Warner Brothers. Eating Right Kids is a line of affordable, healthy, quick food choices for busy families. What I love? My sons love the fun characters on the packages-can anyone say no to Bugs Bunny?-and by seeing the label, I can trust that the foods are nutritious,healthy, packed with vitamins, and free of harmful additives.

Sounds like I have a new time saver, and I am so happy that my grocery shopping has just gotten a little easier. Now instead of spending time staring at labels, trying to decipher serving sizes, saturated fats, and figure out what the dirxanthexWhatChaMaCallIt additives ARE, I can spend that time doing more important stuff. Like enjoying a fun picnic at the park, chasing the boys around, or even finding some quiet time to myself(I can dream).

Would you like to make sure your kids are Eating Right Kids? Keep an eye out for the Eating Right Kids products coming to grocery stores now.

My kids were able to try the ravioli (made with wheat and veggies), the granola bar (packed with vitamins and low fat/low sugar), all natural 100% juice drink and the fruit cups (in real fruit juice, not syrup) and it all disappeared FAST. There wasn't even any left for me to try! .

But I don't mind, seeing my kids eat every last bit of whole wheat pasta and veggies is enough of a taste test for me and the Eating Right Kids food products will now staples in our pantry.

*I was given the Eating Right Kids food items, ravioli, granola bar, fruit cup and juice drink for free in exchange for my review.*

TRIO Blocks by Fisher Price

My little boys love building with everything and anything they can get their hands on. My downstairs often looks like a construction zone, as towers, tents, tunnels and more are created and in progress constantly.

My husband enjoys the building fun, as well, though my Tupperware was not always as happy. Now though, we can have even more fun, thanks to the new Fisher Price TRIO blocks! TRIO blocks are created with kids aged 3 and up, but they don't have the "baby" feel that younger aged Lego's have.

My son, Little Dude, even decided that the TRIO blocks are for "big boys" while the larger building Lego type blocks we also have have been labeled "baby toys". Can you tell he is in love? Oh he is. He has already pointed out how he NEEDS the Fisher Price TRIO construction set for Christmas...

What is different though about these blocks? They are EASY to snap together and build with AND they are a great shape and size for older children that are still just a little young for Lego's (or any other type small building blocks). TRIO building blocks also come in great packages, like construction, castle, and more, to create fun building adventures.

And unlike duplos or Legos, there are no tiny pieces to lose, and there is a great starter kit that comes with a storage box. Also, when you build with the TRIO blocks, you can create all kinds of things, from robots to towers, cars and planes, and you can get great instructions online or with your set to create an endless amount of creativity.

Little Dude even created a plane all by himself, after a few pointers from the instruction pamphlet.

These are the one blocks that I don't have to snap together or constantly get apart for Little Dude; however, they are also so fun and easy that I enjoy sitting forever and building with the boys! JR, though younger than the age the blocks are designed for (he is 15 months) also enjoys playing while supervised (Kids that might still try to eat the blocks should be supervised; they could choke!)The pieces are easy enough to snap together that JR can also join in the fun, but the blocks are also sturdy enough that he can't completely destroy whatever Little Dude builds with a swat. THAT is nice for mama!

Would you like to get some TRIO blocks for your children? Then enter my contest! Leave a comment telling me what TRIO set you like the best, and you will be entered to win the Fisher Price TRIO starter set with storage box!

The contest ends on September 25th. Have fun building!

Melissa and Doug Puzzles

A few weeks ago I was asked to test toys for a company called ebeanstalk. They sent out a number of baby toys and toys for 1 year olds to everyday moms for their review. Through reviews such as mine, this helps ebeanstalk select great learning toys . The toy they sent was the Geometric Shapes Puzzle from Melissa and Doug, who makes lots of wooden toys.

I was so excited when we were sent the Melissa and Doug Geometric Shapes puzzle to review with JR. I just love puzzles, but since JR is only a year old, we were not able to play with any of the other ones we had because they all had some pieces that were still small enough for JR to put in his mouth.

So, whenever Little Dude wanted to play with his puzzles, we would have to make sure JR was either napping or in another room, otherwise he would find a way to chew on a puzzle piece!

When the large Melissa and Doug Geometric Shapes came,from ebeanstalk.com, my worries about JR eating the pieces was put to rest. The pieces are LARGE and they have great nobs that are perfect for JR's little hands to grasp and move. The puzzle is also great because the shapes are color coded, as well, making it a great tool for teaching shapes AND colors. Jr is just in love with it, and that makes me love it, too. You can watch JR loving his new Melissa and Doug puzzle below:

Marketing In The New Media

When I first became a mom, I stayed at home while carefully watching the budget. Luckly, I stumbled into a work from home job doing website copy writing and marketing, letting us relax just a little on the budget.

So, when the Self-Counsel Press offered to have me review Marketing In The New Media, I was pretty excited. Since marketing for the internet is what I learn about and do everyday, I was interested to see how informative the author, Holly Berkley, was while presenting cutting edge internet marketing tips.

Rest assured, if you are looking for a book that covers tips on how to increas online exposure and sales, boost website traffic, and use consumer-generated social media to build page rank and readership, then Marketing In The New Media is your resource!

Holly Berkly has more than 10 years as a website producer and Internet marketing consultant, and helped create Vantage Internet Services. In Marketing In The New Media, she will teach you how to:
*Get the most out of Social Network Sites
*Reach high rankings in today's top search engines
*Learn how to form personal relationships with your customers with e-newletters
*Understand how to sponsor podcasts, video files, and video games
*Explore the world of mobile marketing, ie texting, Twitter, Facebook, and generate the most traffic from it
*Discover the secrets of successful website design and why it is key

No matter what company you have, you can no longer deny the power of Internet marketing and in order to survive a slow economy, you must take advantage of new, technology based advertising and customer analyzing.

Would you like to see if the tips in Marketing In The New Media can help you with marketing your website or business? Then leave a comment here or tweet me, I'm @michez, to win your own copy!

Do The Web Write

Do The Web Write is a wonderfully written business book from the Self Counsel Press Business Series. It covers tips, advice, and instructions on:

*Writing for and marketing your webite
*Writing persuasively for the web
*Marketing your website effectively
*Getting found by your target market

What makes this business stand out from others? It is funny! The author, Dan Furman, is an genius at capturing your attention while explaining a normally not-so-entertaining subject.

Mr. Furman does an amazing job of simplifing the rather complicated steps, skills, and processes you have to follow in order to write persuasive web copy. He expertly guides you on how to write for blogs, websites, landing pages, sales pages, and set your webite up for maximum conversion with page order, and information presentation.

And the best part? He keeps it entertaining, so you don't even want to put the book down! What better way to learn some important current web skills then by having a few laughs while you do it?

To learn about Do The Web Write, check out the Self Counsel Press site at www.self-counsel.com, and to win your own copy of Do The Web Write, leave a comment below or tweet me @michez.

Creative Services Business

Ever since I started working from home, I am repeatedly asked how I found my job. How did I do it? My brother-in-law. He worked for my boss as a computer coder, and when they needed extra writing and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) I was hired. (It helped I had a B.A in English)

But if it hadn't been for my brother-in-law, I don't know that I would have even known where to start searching for a job I could work at home in my free time. What I would have needed was Start And Run A Creative Services Business, by Susan Kirkland.

In Start And Run A Creative Services Business, published by Self Counsel Press, is THE resource for figuring how how to turn your creative skills into a job. Learn how to become a freelance business owner, how to build your client lists and lock in loyal repeat business, and how to market your creative skills worldwide.

You will also learn:
*How to make money designing logos, corporate promotional materials, websites and advertisements
*What to do when clients don't pay
*How to start freelancing in an economic slump
*Create an electronic portfolio
*Target your market niche online
*How to distinguih yourself form the competition
*Tips, Techniques, Equipment, and more to start living them dream of self employment!

Would you LOVE to work as your own boss, or find a way to free lance and work at home? Then leave a comment here or tweet me, I'm @michez to win your own copy of Start And Run A Creative Services Business!

Rock of Ages Soundtrack

I love musicals. Any and all, whenever I hear about the "Broadway South" shows coming through our hometown, I start the sweet begging to see one.

My amazing hubby has been so wonderful in taking me to one show almost every year, and making sure we get great seats. We dress up, go eat, (maybe even do a double date night with some friends!) and then go enjoy the show. Yes, my hubby is a keeper, because, you see, he lothes musicals.

He did admit he liked the props for Miss Siagon, but I think that might have been because I kept trying to point out things he must have liked.

When I got to review the Rock of Ages Original Broadway Cast Recording, I knew my husband would roll his eyes and laugh while knowing that he would soon be taking me to see yet another "girl show" (as he calls them). So, while he made fun of me, I popped the CD into the car player, and sat back to watch his expression.

Boy, oh boy, did he respond! First, he quit making fun of me, and actually started to listen to the soundtrack. Then, realizing that Poision and White Snake hits where part of the soundtrack, he shushed me and started looking at the CD cover.

"So what do you think? " I asked.

"I LIKE it", sweet hubby replied.

That is the best review I can ever give a Broadway soundtrack. Anyone that knows me knows that I LOVE Broadway, and I am still sad I missed the 2006 tour of Lion King due to the birth of our son.

My husband though? He is your typical man's man. He loves doing manly stuff, getting dirty, building things, and going to musicals with me because it makes me happy.

But the Rock of Ages soundtrack might be turning him into a Broadway fan. Yes, Rock of Ages, a play set in 1987 in the legendary Sunset Strip rock club tells the story of a small town girl meeting a big city dream and falling in love to songs we all heard growing up: Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx, Reo Speedwagon, pat Benatar, Foreigner, Twisted Sister, Poson, Asia, and Whitsnake.

But you know what my husband (and I) really LOVED about the Rock of Ages soundtrack? The 22 songs aren't cheesy remakes of classic metal rock, but instead are wonderful, heartfelt presentations of the classics with story telling through the music and actors that allows you to enjoy the love story of the Broadway show just by simply playing the CD.

Yes, Rock of Ages Original Broadway Cast Recording is the soundtrack that will make straight men love Broadway.

Making of Soundtrack video: http://tr.im/rsVE

Link to buy album: http://tr.im/rvjv

Jump Start

I work on the computer, but somehow I never quite thought my toddler would be able to get around on it-boy was I wrong!

When I was offered the chance to try out and review JumpStart.com, I was a little hesitant, because I really thought my son would be too young to get much from an educational online game-but again, boy was I wrong!

Jump Start is FANTASTIC for teaching kids, the award-winning adventure-based 3D virtual world is personalized, imaginative and really entertaining, all the while teaching math, reading, and critical thinking skills so kids get a real "jump start" in life.

Since I used to teach preschool, I understand how much of an advantage getting that little "jump start" on understanding basic math, letters, and critical thinking can be your our children once they start school. Not only will having these basic school skills learned give your child confidence in their new surroundings-which may be a bit of shock if they didn't go to day care or preschool-they will also give your child a strong basis for learning the next level!

What is also great about Jump Start? You have to register and your kid's profiles stay private, so you don't have to worry about their personal information ending up on the internet somewhere. Your kids can play in virtual worlds, work on their math skills and learn valuable life lessons-like the Golden Rule-while also having a world of fun! The best part? You can print out progress reports of how your child is doing at the game and what skills they might need extra help with. How wonderful is that? So while your child thinks they are just having fun on the computer, you can enjoy the fact they are learning, and you can learn what skills you need to spend extra working with them to improve! Fantastic!

JumpStart.com is created by an award winning early childhood learning company, and provided me with a free trial of JumpStart.com to try out with Little Dude, who is not yet 3. This review was not paid and the online interactive world of JumpStart.com is geared for ages 3-10. You can find out more about joining Jump Start here.

Primrose Schools

Before I started staying at home with my munchkins, I worked as a day care provider for other people's munchkins and loved every second of it. In fact, if Bill's job had not transferred him to Tennessee shortly before Little Dude was due to be born, I would have gone back to work at the day care and just taken Little Dude with me. I loved my job that much and knew he would have a blast with the other teachers I worked with.

I loved working at the preschool/day care I worked at, and becoming an "adopted" part of each of my children's families was a huge honor. In fact, I still keep in touch with the majority of parents whose children I cared for over the years I worked.

So, I was super excited when Primrose Schools contacted me and asked me to take some time to review their preschool and new blog on early childhood expert tips and fun by Dr. Mary Zurn at www.DrZandMe.com. Can I tell you I am in love with Primrose Schools? I really enjoyed the preschool system I worked with, and would go back to working there in a heartbeat; however, Primrose Schools has so much to offer, like Spanish, Music, Physical Fitness and special programs for children with special learning needs.

My favorite part of Primrose Schools is their Balanced Approach to Learning. Most preschools/day cares go too far one way or the other. Some are purely child lead learning, and others are purely teacher lead learning-but Primrose has figured out the best way. They have a balance of child lead and teacher lead learning to help your child get the most time dedicated to what they are interested in while still getting the instruction and direction to try learning new things.

Their new blog, www.DrZandMe.com is a great resource, too. You can find summer time boredom solutions, rainy day activities, and you can ask Dr. Z all your early childhood questions. I know I will be calling on Dr. Z for help in busting the apartment boredom blues!

You can check out Dr. Z's blog now to get instructions on 10 summer time activities your children are sure to enjoy and you are sure to enjoy creating with them. Have fun!

Idbids

Iddy Biddy steps for a Greener World can be made by your children, thanks The Nature Conservancy! Idbids is a fun group of soft, plush toys and each one represents a different part of nature. With the purchase of each kit, a child can enter a code online that will help protect the habitats of animal friends through The Nature Conservancy's Plant A Billion Trees campaign, Adopt an Acre® or Rescue the Reef® programs AND your child can play along at www.idbids.com!

We got Waverly, the Water Drop Idbid, and he helps with The Nature Conservancy's Rescue the Reef® program. Once you buy Waverly, a donation to the program is made and you are able to go online to www.idbids.com with your personal code (that Waverly comes with) so you can pick out one of Waverly's friends and learn about how to help take care of your new friend's habitat.

The Idbids site is such a great learning tool for all ages of children, and my 3 year old just LOVED picking out a friend, naming him (Little Dude picked the clown fish and named him Nemo) and learning all about where "Nemo" lived. It was great fun for me, too, as my son and I got to explore and learn about how to "save Nemo".

So Little Dude is enchanted with Waverly, the Water Drop and I am too because of all the learning he is inspiring in my son (and me!) But most of all I love Waverly because he is an Organic USDA certified handcrafted toy. That means I don't have to worry about my youngest son chewing on Waverly, or wonder if it is OK for Little Dude to be sleeping with Waverly. Waverly is made with conserving nature in mind, so he is made out of organic cotton and the tag is printed in the US on recycled paper with eco friendly inks.

How's that for a company being responsible? You can learn how to get your Idbid at The Nature Conservancy and you can buy your own Idbid at NMCtoys.com.

Avon And Suze Orman

So remember how I got to talk to Suze? Yea, it was pretty awesome to talk to her about my financial questions on saving for the future. I am still in awe I got picked to sit on the panel of great women bloggers that got to interview her.

And you know was is really cool? Suze has teamed up with Avon to promote Avon as a way for busy working women (like us moms!) to earn extra money by working as little or as much as we want.

Well, you may be saying, yea, that's OK, but what is cool about that? It's cool because I have a bag of Avon goodies to give away to one of my awesome readers!!!

Cool, eh?

I had actually never used Avon before, because honestly I have horrible skin. It is fine if I don't wear makeup, but as soon as I put any foundation or blush on, the next day I am sure to break out. So for the most part, I don't wear much makeup. I only wear it for those special occasions, like dinner out with Bill, or at weddings. Other than that, I skip it.

But you know what? I got to try out some Avon myself, (as a little perk of participating in on the Suze Orman interview) and I am in LOVE. I have worn it every day for the past week and not had a breakout yet! The mineral foundation is just amazing (and I have never tried mineral foundation before, but I really love it now) and the great lipsticks stayed on but didn't stain every cup I drank from. Fabulous!

Now I am sure you are asking how you can win the goodie bag, right? It is easy! All you have to do is email me at coordinatedchaos@yahoo.com OR leave a comment here sharing a story about your first time wearing make up.

Mine? The first time I wore full make up was to Prom my freshman year of high school; it completely made me feel like a princess...now if only my mom hadn't had to chaperone....but that is another story.

Diane Birch: Bible Belt

I was lucky enough to get picked to review Diane Birch's Bible Belt CD, which hit stores this week! I have to say a huge thank you the One 2 One Network for getting me involved in this great promotion.

I have to admit, that when I first started listening to the Bible Belt soundtrack, I was not sure what to expect, and the jazzy mix of blues and soul that belted out surprised me because 1: I had not realized it was a blues CD 2: I liked it! And I am not usually a blues fan.

If you like Nora Jones or Diana Krull, you'll probably like this album. It's bluesy yet modern enough to grab today's listener. And it quickly caught my attention. I gave it a couple of plays before deciding on what tracks I liked and which I didn't.

Blues isn't normally my genre of choice, but I was happy to receive this album to review. I really didn't know what to expect, as I'd never heard of Diane Birch before, but I was pleasantly surprised once I gave it a listen. The songs vary from uptempo and fun to slow and sensual, and I was rather surprised that I really ended up loving some of the slower, more soulful tracks. With the upbeat tracks intermixed with the slower ones, there is a nice range for every music lover out there.

The CD was available starting June 2 in music stores everywhere. Give it a chance; you will be glad you did. I know I am!

Thomas The Train

On the 18th, my sons got a huge treat: we were able to see Thomas The Train Live on Stage!! I have to send a HUGE thank you to the wonderful people at Mom Select and BSM Media for giving me the tickets. Since JR was young enough to not need a ticket we let Little Dude choose a friend to bring, and so his friend Cole got to come. Little Dude was SO excited to have his friend along!

The show was so wonderful and the Progress Energy Theater here in Raleigh, NC did it right. The kids had booster seats for the theater chairs and popcorn and soda was allowed in the theater during the performance. The Thomas The Train performance was all about a Circus coming to the Island of Sodor, so the popcorn and soda made the atmosphere just perfect.

The whole show was very interactive, and we were lucky enough to have seats in the very center, front section, (THANK YOU!!) and some of the train drivers, circus performers, and other cast characters came out to be interactive with the audience right around us. They did a great job of spreading the interactive characters out too, so that all the seating areas got to get up close with them. It was just GREAT. I can't express enough how much all three boys loved it.

Little Dude was just losing his mind at the show and all the fun and, oh my, the popcorn and SODA and the great circus tricks. Yes, the Thomas performers actually put on a little "circus" at the end, complete with some real circus type acts-it was just fantastic.

JR was even entertained the whole time and the best part for him was that every other kid in the audience was encouraged to sing along, yell out to the trains, and answer questions asked to the audience, so whenever JR decided to yell out, it fit right in and instead of interrupting (as I had feared) his little yells and babbles became quite a hit with the other parents around us who decided that JR trying to participate was the cutest ever.

My husband and I loved how interactive the whole Thomas and Friends show was and how very kid friendly the theater worked at being for the show. It is a show I would defiantly pay money to see next time it comes around-not only did my children LOVE it because they are IN LOVE with Thomas, but it was entertaining for me, and the great interaction the cast created with the children was just infective. You couldn't help but pick up on the joy and energy the cast and children feed to each other.

My only complaint? That the parking decks in downtown Raleigh don't take debit on the weekends...who knew? That lead to a nice little journey to find an ATM, but no fear, we made it in plenty of time to get all the kids with us popcorn and settled in time for the amazing journey to Sodor.

Would you like to see if the Thomas and Friends Live on Stage shows are coming near you? You can check here to see, and trust me, it is well worth the money to see the show at least once while you have children because it is so smartly geared to the whole family and so very fun for everyone.