Parents® Critter Conga

Parents® magazine is one of my favorites out there. It is full of great parenting advice, kid activities AND they have a FABULOUS line of toys!

My current favorite is the Parents® Critter Conga. It is a super fun Conga Drum, filled will percussion instruments. The Drum looks like a leopard, with an easily removable tambourine lid, slithery snake drumsticks, giraffe themed maracas, crocodile cabasa and clacker, elephant conch, and antelope slide whistle, and a water bird warble that sounds like the real thing!

The Critter Conga is designed to encourage tots to create and enjoy music and rhythm. My toddler is in love with the set and I am reaping the benefits of watching him enjoy and learn a love for music.

The only thing I don't like? My toddler is in love with the drums, and my 6 month old loves the tambourine....except the tambourine is the drum top, so the boys can't play with them at the same time. Parents® already thought of this though (ah yes, I love Parents®) and have made it so you can buy extra instruments without having to buy a whole new drum set, perfect for families with multiple kids that will want to jam! You can buy The Critter Conga instruments individually at Target under the collection name Safari Song for $10.00 each.

Want to know where to get your Parents® Critter Congo? You can get The Critter Congo at Costco for $30.00, and it is recommended for ages 18 months and up.

Delgo

I love movies. In fact, I still dream of running off to be an actress (hey, moms can have space out moments too)and anytime I go to a movie I watch the credits. Oh yea, I am that person in your row that won't move, so you have to crawl over me or go out the other way. I LOVE to watch the credits-to see all the names of the people who worked so hard bringing the story to life. I know just a little of how hard they worked too, because I have been an extra before for movies; let me tell you, making a good movie is hard work for everyone!

So, when I come across a GREAT movie-I am in love and fascinated with learning all about it. What great movie have I come across lately?

Enter the visual feast of Delgo. Delgo is a stunningly artistic animated movie with hints of a Romeo and Juliet type love (though in a little kid and a family friendly way) intertwined around wonderful messages: the importance of family, the importance of our differences, and the importance of embracing those differences. Learning to value family, work together and use our differences as strengths to reach a common good is the major theme.

What more of a loving moral and ethical lesson could we hope to teach our children? And though the magical world of Delgo, that lesson is easy to pick up on and learn, even for the youngest in our family without being overly obvious they are trying to teach a valuable lesson to our youngest of citizens (and perhaps even some older ones that missed the lesson when they were younger)

What I love the most about Delgo? The ART. Oh my goodness. The whole world seems like a dream scape-with rich and interesting colors that bring as much to the story as the characters. I would actually say the tapestry of colors and visual feast presented by the background, it itself a character. You really can't take your eyes off the screen because of all the details. I just know that the next time I watch it; I will pick up on more and more details I missed the first time around.

For a wonderful family film, Delgo is going to become an instant classic.

Delgo will be coming out nation wide December 12, 2008 and is the first production from Fathom Studios, an independent film studio. I have to say, Fathom Stuidos has reached the stars with Delgo, and I am very excited to see what future movies they will dream up. The stellar voice cast includes Freddie Prinze Jr, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Anne Bancroft (in her last performance), Val Kilmer, Michael Clarke Duncan, Chris Kattan and more.

To learn more, and see a sneak peek movie trailer, go check out www.delgo.com! And don't forget the popcorn; once the trailer starts, you aren't going to want to leave your computer. And then you are going to cry for more.

The Bender Ball

After having a baby, the biggest thing most moms are thinking about is getting back into our skinny jeans.

Well, through a good diet and exercise, we all can achieve goal, my problem is when to find the time to workout! I have two little kids and recently realized that trying to push two kids in a jogging stroller is HARD. And not very motivating to working out.

So what is a new mom to do? The Bender Ball!


It is a great exercise ball that gives you the perfect position for Core Training, Ab and Body Sculpting and Pilates! It works by giving you a bigger range of motion while doing normal crunches, stretches, sit ups and more-so you get more impact with a simple, quick workout. I am in love too, because I simply pop in the DVD, get out on my mat, and in a quick 1/2 hour I am able to get through all my tough to sculpt areas, get my heart rate up, and feel more energetic.

I have yoga and Pilates DVD's that I enjoy; they are calming, relaxing; however, sometimes I just don't feel I have gotten my heart rate up to the target workout rate. With The Bender Ball, I don't have to worry, I know I am getting a great workout, and I can feel my heart working out too, but it isn't so hard or strenuous that I dread doing it.

Results started showing up fairly quickly for me-which we all know is the key to sticking with a workout routine!

You can learn more about The Bender Ball by visiting their website: www.benderball.com. You can order your own, check out free meal plans, tips on maximizing your workout results, and a healthy eating guide.

Queen of the Road: Book Review

When asked to review Queen Of The Road by Doreen Orion I was not too terribly excited, simply because a true life novel about life in a bus didn't really appeal to me. I truly figured reading Queen Of The Road was going to be a chore.

However, I quickly learned that I was VERY wrong. I started reading on a Friday at 10pm, figuring I would try to get a few pages in....I stayed up until 4am so I could finish. I could not put Queen Of The Road down. Not only is Queen Of The Road an interesting testimonial to a year in the life of two psychiatrists traveling the US in a bus it is HILARIOUS! Between the crazy bus mishaps and the interesting people they meet along the way, there were many times I laughed so much I started crying!

Doreen Orion captures the ups and downs of life with a witty humor I haven't enjoyed since Erma Bombeck. Doreen tells about how she "upends" her very material and career driven life to travel the states in a bus when her husband, Tim, has his "midlife crisis" As she journeys onward with Tim, she quickly comes to realize it is the journey and not the destination that makes a trip (and life) wonderful.


As a self proclaimed "princess" Doreen is very proud of her work from home job and her ability to multitask everything possible while not leaving her bed or even getting dressed. Yes, she is quite the indoor girl and obsessed with designer items, especially shoes.

But, as a complete surprise to Doreen, the bus trip turns into more than just a way for Tim to explore his inner "nerd" and get out into his beloved great outdoors; it becomes the key to opening Doreen's eyes to what is important in life.

In a witty, humorous and utterly lovable way, she gently reminds us of that lesson too. It is not the latest gadget, the greatest job or the hundreds of shoes that matter, it is the time spent with those we love, because that time passes all too quickly. An important lesson for us all during the Christmas season, when it is all too easy to feel pressure and stress to buy items for people instead of just enjoying the time together.

Doreen experiences changes in her worldview that are not earth shattering, but feel genuine and inspiring through her great connection with the reader. For anyone wanted to get away from the expectations of the world, reach outside the box of the "everyday" routine , Queen of the Road is a GREAT read with a lot of laughs along the way.

To get your own copy, go to Queen Of The Road; trust me, you won't be able to put it down.

Build A Bear Wii Giveaway

Oh here is something fun for us all this holiday season! Thanks to the Family Review network and The Game Factory, you can help raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities, a charity I have always loved since my days of taking orders in "the hole" at my hometown's Mickey D's.

How can you get involved? It's a win-win for everyone; you win on ebay by bidding on celebrity built Build A Bear Workshop bears and autographed copies of Build A Bear Wii games-your kids (young and old!) are going to love it.

The one of a kind bears were built by celebrities like Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott (yes, I was a 90210 fan; I LOVE Tori), the Jonas Brothers, James Gandolfini (whom my husband loves, Melissa Joan Hart, Bonnie Hunt, Mitchel Musso, Meaghan Jette Martin and others!

You guys get to score really cool gear and games made and autographed by celebrities while also sharing in the gift of giving to our most vulnerable, yet most important, of citizens: our children.

And you know what is even better? The Game Factory has a Build A Bear Wii game for me to give to one of my readers!! Whoo hoo!!! Here is some more about the new Wii game you could win:

An interactive family-friendly experience, Build-A-Bear Workshop® A Friend Fur All Seasons allows families to share the interactive Build-A-Bear Workshop® experience using the Nintendo Wii™ system. Originally made for Nintendo DS, Build-A-Bear Workshop® entertainment experience allows up to four players to name, groom, feed and dress their bear using the revolutionary Wii™ remote. The game allows players to join their customized bear on adventures to explore islands, meet inhabitants and help furry friends.

Build-A-Bear Workshop® A Friend Fur All Seasons allows full interaction between the player and her/his furry friend in a variety of 20 fun mini-games, from throwing Frisbees to ice-skating. Four islands season-themed wait to be explored and six treasure spots hold magical chests! Developed for children and families, Build-A-Bear Workshop® packs fun for the whole family and allows players to take full advantage of the unique features of the Nintendo Wii™ game system.

Build A Bear Workshop® A Friend Fur All Seasons information:
*Rated E for Everyone

*1-4 players

*retail price of $39.99

*Available now online and at retailers nationwide like Target, Wal-Mart, Amazon.com and others.

*Explore the four season-themed islands in the Adventure mode and play lots of fun mini games in the Playground mode

*Enhanced interactive experience with 20 fun mini-games, including ice skating, build a snowman, a croquet party, a cool ride on a ladybug, throwing a Frisbee, and jumping on a jump stick. Some mini games even include surprises!

*Fun for the whole family in single or multiplayer party games with up to four players.

*Discover six secret treasure spots hidden around the islands and dig up a magic chest with a hidden surprise just for each player.

*Collect bear medals, rewards and exciting items to use in players very own Build-A-Bear Workshop® experience. Choose from more than 80 items available for your furry friend!

*Natural and innovative game play takes full advantage of the unique features of the revolutionary Nintendo Wii™.

Doesn't that sound like a fun game to play with your children? I wish I could win!! If you want to win, leave a comment here or on my main blog page: Coordinated Chaos to win your own copy of the game. To make it fun, let me know if you ever worked at McDonald's or not in your comment. I worked for the golden arches from the age of 15 to 19 and had a BLAST while saving money for college.

Be sure to go check out the Ebay Auction to get involved and help out children this Christmas. And if you don't have the money to bid on anything, don't worry, simply leave a comment to enter my giveaway for a copy of Build-A-Bear Workshop® A Friend Fur All Seasons!