Wubbzy Goes Boo (Giveaway)

***WINNERS PICKED 10/19 WITH RANDOM.ORG***
***CONGRATULATIONS!!!***

#13 Rebecca N (also wins a Wubbzy beanie since she was drawn first!)
#7 Alice H (non-blogger)
#30 Tina Reynolds
#9 CanCan



I've written before about how much my kids love Wow Wow Wubbzy!, so it should come as no surprise that when we were asked to review the new Wubbzy Goes Boo DVD, we had already bought a copy and watched it about a zillion times. Not only does it feature the little yellow bouncy guy, but it does so with a Halloween theme… our favorite holiday!



Here's a synopsis: Wow Wow Wubbzy! and his friends are back in an all-new DVD collection just in time for the fall season! Watch as Wubbzy, Widget and Walden clean up a crazy mess with Moo Moo’s magic wand, pick the perfect pumpkin and create the spookiest Halloween costume of all. There’s singing, dancing, trick or treating and kickity-kick ball too, plus plenty of positive values like creativity, patience and responsibility. It’s all here in the Emmy winning Nick Jr./Noggin hit that’s so much fun it’s scary!

Roo particularly enjoys the "scary" episode called "March of the Pumpkins" while Jasper's favorite is "Monster Madness" because he loves the mashup machine. It's an easy introduction to trick or treating with more silly than scary.

Check out the trailer:



To enter and win one of four Wubbzy Goes Boo DVDs, please comment on this post with your favorite Wubbzy moment. One extra-lucky winner will also receive a Ty® Wow Wow Wubbzy! Beanie Baby! (We bought two-one for each kid!- and they are super cuddly and cute.)


Entries will be accepted through October 14th and I'll pick the winner using Random.org. US readers are eligible.


For an additional entry, post my button on your blog (see code on sidebar), follow my blog, follow me on Twitter, fave me on Technorati or subscribe via email or subscribe via reader. Leave an extra comment letting me know what you did for each additional entry.


Make sure you leave an email address in your comment or that you have one accessible on your blog so you can be contacted if you win!


***Click Giveaways on my sidebar to see what else you could win!***

Click here to access a free Wubbzy Halloween coloring page!

Wordless Wednesday- Guest Photographers

What happens when Roo (5) grabs my camera:

still lifes of robot toys


her blankie (that thing used to be pale pink!)


a couple of self-portraits:



and lots of pictures of her baby brother!

There were about 100 more- thank goodness for digital cameras!

Pictures that Bob took while I was in NYC last week:









Share your own pictures this week at Wordless Wednesday HQ!

Vote for Motherhood!

Motherhood is a new movie that's opening in late October. It's about the trials and tribulations of parenting in the city. It stars Uma Thurman, Anthony Edwards and Minnie Driver… all stars who have spawned in real life, I believe. To celebrate the release of Motherhood, one of the most trusted brands from your registry list, Baby Bjorn, sponsored an essay contest. Entries are over and now it's up to the blogosphere to vote on who should win a to trip to the Motherhood New York City Premier and after-party. Just register and come back every day through October 2nd to vote.



I'd love it if you would vote for my essay and feel free to tell all your friends to vote for me, too. If I win, I'll buy a bunch of street vendor pashminas to give away on the blog… Remember- you can vote once a day!!!

While you're there padding the ballot box for me, don't forget to take the What Is Your Motherhood Identity? quiz for a chance to win a BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Synergy and BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light.

Over The Top

Alesha tagged me on this meme… I don't usually play along with memes but since I just got back from a trip and am procrastinating about catching up on blogging and since this one just requires some cutting and pasting and one-word answers, I thought I'd play along. Please consider yourself tagged if you're up for it!



Here are the rules for the Over the Top Award:USE ONLY ONE WORD! It’s not as easy as you might think. Copy and change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It’s really hard to use only one-word answers.

1. Where is your cell phone? Purse
2.Your hair? Lackluster
3. Your mother? Overprotective
4. Your father? Proud
5. Your favorite food? Pizza
6. Your dream last night? Truncated
7. Your favorite drink? Diet Coke
8. Your dream/goal? Sustainability
9. What room are you in? Office
10. Your hobby? Design
11. Your fear? Boredom
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Comfortable
13. Where were you last night? Airport
14. Something that you aren't? Conservative
15. Muffins? Bagels
16. Wish list item? Boots
17. Where did you grow up? Hawaii
18. Last thing you did? Laundry
19. What are you wearing? Capris
20. Your TV? On
21. Your pets? Cats
22. Friends? Forever
23. Your life? Mine
24. Your mood? Content
25. Missing someone? Family
26. Vehicle? SUV
27. Something you're not wearing? Shoes
28. Your favorite store? Target
29. Your favorite color? Green
30. When was the last time you laughed? Now
31. Last time you cried? Yesterday
32. Your best friend? Bob
33. One place that I go to over and over? School
34. One person who emails me regularly? Lots!
35. Favorite place to eat? Hawaii

Back from Ninja Launch and NJ

I just returned from a whirlwind trip to New York City for the launch of the Ninja Master Prep. The organizers of the event were kind enough to extend my return so I could visit my relatives in New Jersey. It was a lot of fun, even though I missed the kiddos an awful lot.



I got in late on Wednesday night but managed to meet up with some other bloggers and take a stroll through Times Square with Kim and Drew.



The Ninja launch was at the Mandarin Oriental, which has to rank as one of the most stunning hotels I've ever seen. Even the elevator doors were beautiful! I'm surprised that I didn't whip out a camera to take pictures of the lobby bathrooms, but luckily Kristin took some that you can see here.



Since this was my first real blog event, I think I was flustered at the concept of taking photos AND paying attention. Check out the iPhone pictures I took during the presentation. Nice, right? Not! Robin Miller and Euro-Pro CEO Dann Provolo were funny and engaging while showcasing the many uses of the Ninja Master Prep. Both used plenty of personal experiences about parenting and cooking. I was a little worried that the product might be sketchy since it's about to go on the infomercial circuit but I was relieved to see that it is, indeed, more than just another blender.



Ninja Master Prep was pitted against a high-end blender (Cuisinart, if you must know…) in an ice-chopping contest and you could hear the gasps in the blogger-filled audience as the blender stalled while the Ninja produced SNOW. Seriously- powdery, finely crushed ice which Robin proceeded to make into slushy mojitos and mock frappucinos. She suggested freezing leftover coffee into ice cube trays to make an even stronger coffee drink. Good idea!



Being skeptical bloggers, there were quite a few questions about the plastic that the Ninja vessels are made of. Apparently it is made of SAN, a non-polycarbonate plastic that is BPA-free and dishwasher/freezer/microwave safe. It won't craze and it is break-resistant and shatterproof. The Ninja comes with a pitcher base and a cylinder base and lids to cover them with and the local NY bloggers were happy to hear that it all stacks together to take up less storage space. Another thing to note is that the Ninja Master Prep has a lifetime guarantee that includes blades, motor, etc.



Robin made us so hungry, preparing Tortilla-Crusted Salmon with Tropical Fruit Salsa, Miso Mushroom Soup with Udon Noodles, Curried Cashew Chicken Salad on Toasted Raisin Bread, Mango-Habanero Pork over Cuban Guacamole, Blueberry-Cranberry Sorbet and Raspberry-Orange Sherbet. The one that really got my mouth watering, though, was her Chicken Fra Diavolo which smelled amazing and literally took seconds to assemble with the Ninja Master Prep.



After Robin's demo, we were treated to hands-on demonstrations of the Ninja Master Prep and Euro-Pro's amazing Shark cleaning appliances. I can't wait to try these at home so I can tell you more about them! I am especially excited about the Steam Cleaners, which use water and heat to disinfect surfaces in your home instead of harsh chemicals.

After the product demonstrations, there was an amazing buffet featuring all of the recipes that Robin had prepared for us using the Ninja Master Prep. The food was amazing. I especially enjoyed the pork and the black bean hummus. The view was just amazing, looking out over Columbus Circle and Central Park.




One thing that amused us was the fact that the catering crew obviously didn't use the Ninja Master Prep to make their frozen mojitos because the ice was too chunky… It was great having some time to mingle with some bloggy friends I hadn't seen since BlogHer and to meet new friends but I wish we'd had a little longer together. We all went our separate ways and I got to hook up with my aunt and cousin for dinner and a show before heading back to New Jersey to spend the weekend with my grandpa.

Thanks to Euro-Pro for a great trip! I look forward to telling my readers more about the Ninja Master Prep and Shark cleaning appliances as soon as I have a chance to try them out at home.

Gone for a Day…

… and I already miss them.

Wordless Wednesday- Back in the Day

I'm in transit today, en route to NYC for the Ninja Launch. This picture is from late summer 2007. What a difference a couple of years makes…



Share your own pictures this week at Wordless Wednesday HQ!

Go Picnic- Good Food on the Go

Go Picnic is a line of ready-to-eat boxed meals that are not only shelf-stable but also nutritious, featuring high-quality ingredients. Initially created to meet the challenges of feeding airline travelers, Go Picnic has evolved beyond mere grab and go convenience to include many offerings suitable for even strict dietary requirements such as Kosher meals, Gluten-Free meals, Vegetarian meals, and Halal meals as well as dairy, soy and nut allergies.



I received a sampling of Go Picnic meals and was impressed with the diversity of foods represented: everything from Nutella to hummus to tuna fish!



Go Picnic's forte is obviously to throw into your bag on the way out the door, but I found their meals are also a great way to sample brands that I might not necessarily want to buy a whole box full of at the health food store like Enjoy Life cookies or Late July crackers. The packaging seemed a bit excessive to me intially (every component of a meal is individually-wrapped within the main meal box) but much of it is recyclable and I have to admit that the small package concept was very successful with my kids. For example, I never would have suspected that Jasper would like salami, since he really isn't into meat! I have no idea why pre-packaged food is so much more appealing to children, but at least Go Picnic is committed to using as few preservatives as possible so you can be sure there aren't extraneous fillers.

Overall, I think Go Picnic is a great solution when you know you will be unable to find healthy food on the go and can't take a cooler with you.

Family Game Night

As part of TV Turn Off Week, which encourages families to resort to non-electronic forms of entertainment, Hasbro is challenging American families to spend some quality time together on Wednesday, September 23rd- tomorrow night! It's Family Game Night and everyone is invited to participate. Just gather your friends and family together for some unplugged activity… you might be surprised at how much fun you can have without staring at the boob tube. Or the internet, for that matter…

We received some Hasbro games to jumpstart our Family Game Night fun. A couple were old favorites: Guesstures, Boggle, Scattergories as well as one that's new to me: The Game of Things, which comes in a cool wooden box and is sure to get your friends giggling in no time.



The one I am most excited to play, though, is Connect 4x4, which is a 3-D update of the old Connect 4 game. My neighbors had the original when I was little and I coveted it! Now I can't wait to teach my kids how to play.



For more information and suggestions for age-appropriate games and snacks, check out www.familygamenight.com. For a limited time, you can earn bonus Box Tops for your favorite school with the purchase of certain Hasbro games.

If you're feeling adrift without some kind of electronic device plugged in, you can always pick up Family Game Night for Wii or PS2… just remember to play them with someone you love!

Mona does Wichita

Moxie Media sent their gal Mona on a whirlwind tour of the US (see below for more info) and we were pleased to be her tour guides smack dab in the middle… geographically, at least! Kansas is not where I grew up but my kids were both born here and we've learned to love the simple pleasures of the Sunflower State.



Invisible jets might be de riguer for superheroines but Roo felt it was her responsibility to make a carseat for Mona. Five year olds know best!



One of our favorite destinations is the Great Plains Nature Center. It gives you a glimpse of what Wichita was like, before the onslaught of suburban sprawl. This little bit of prairie is actually just across a busy road from the Home Depot but you would never know it from the peaceful trails…



Feeding the turtles and ducks with Mona:





Proof that Mona went a little wild in Wichita!



Thanks for visiting, Mona! We hope to see you again soon.

Moxie Media is hosting a week-long event called Around the Blogosphere in 5 Days which follows their mascot Moxie Mona as she crosses the country, visiting the sites of approximately 65 different blogs:

Monday, September 21

California: Forever Folding Laundry, The R Family Diaries, From Dates to Diapers

Oregon:Good N Crazy

Washington: Beauty and the Little Beast

Nevada: It’s a Beauty Filled Life

Montana: Sacred & Profane

Idaho: The Petersons Go Public

Wyoming:A Life Less Sweet

Utah: Pulsipher Predilections and Pooba

Colorado: Cheapskate Mom

Arizona: One Fish, Two Fish, Three, Four, Five

Tuesday, September 22

Minnesota: The Extraordinary Ordinary

Nebraska: Newly Wed, Newly Bred

Iowa: Fighting Off Frumpy

Wisconsin: Ann Rant’s

Illinois: Look It’s Megryansmom

Kansas: Superdumb Supervillain

New Mexico: Color Me Untypical

Texas: Baby Makin(g) Machine, A Southern Fairytale, June Cleaver Nirvana, and Tree, Root, and Twig

Oklahoma: Decisionally Challenged

Arkansas: A Daily Dose of Toni

Wednesday, September 23

Louisiana: Crazy Adventures in Parenting and Keep It Classy

Mississippi: Flip n’Crazy

Georgia: The Blog Rollers

Florida: Live.Love.Eat

Georgia: Cutie Booty Cakes and Lattes and Life

South Carolina: My Three {And Me} and Momspective

North Carolina: The World According to Me

Tennessee: Suburb Sanity

Thursday, September 24

Kentucky: Alas 3 Lads

Michigan: Buried with Children

Indiana: Moosh in Indy and Adventures in Babywearing

Ohio: Chefdruck Musings

West Virginia: My Life As It Should Be

Virginia: Lulaville

Pennsylvania: Stacy’s Random Thoughts, Feels Like Home, and My iRish Twins

Maryland: parenting BY dummies and Barely Domestic

Friday, September 25

Maryland: Twofer Mom

New York: Yaya Stuff

New Jersey: Project Mommyhood

Connecticut: Always Home and Uncool

Rhode Island: Loving Mom Two Boys and A Wrinkle in Time

New Hampshire: One Dream, Two Hearts

Massachusetts: Jiggety Jigg

And, returning to California: The Scattered Mind of a Tattooed Minivan Mom, Ummmm, and Under the Sheets-shhh

The Heart of Our Home

Samsung Home Appliances and TwitterMoms have teamed to find out “Where Is the Heart of Your Home?” One lucky blogger (hopefully me!) will win a Samsung Steam Washer (WF448AAP) and Electric Dryer (DV448AEP) which both offer an extra-large capacity and stunning sleek, modern look. If it makes me even a smidgen as happy to do laundry as the model in the photograph, life would be goooood.



The heart of our home is our kitchen which is open through to the den/TV room. I would say we spend 90% of our time between these two rooms, cooking and eating and watching TV. These rooms are the backdrops for spontaneous dancing, singalongs, lectures, kitty wrangling… all the stuff from modern life! Here's a picture of the den with the TV cabinet closed and a sense of calm since we'd just installed the carpet and the coffee table and all the kids' stuff is kinda under control:



Here is Roo showing you what the den usually looks like:



Frightening, isn't it? The amount of… stuff. Jasper is standing in-between the kitchen and den in this picture, either asking for candy from the high shelf or for his favorite TV show to be turned on. Okay, it's more like he's demanding something. Welcome to my world, ruled by a two year old dictator and his five year old evil queen.



So… where is the heart of your home? Please leave a comment below and help me win this amazing prize!

Tamra Davis Makes School Lunch

I'm always really curious to see what other people feed their kids, probably because mine are such sporadic and unadventurous eaters. Tamra Davis is a filmmaker, mom and kid-cooking guru… not necessarily in that order. The Tamra Davis Cooking Show is an online guide to healthy family meals. The latest episode is about packing school lunches, a process that gives me palpitations since Roo frequently comes home with her lunchbox still full, barely touched no matter how much effort I put into it.



It probably dates me but I get a giddy thrill out of watching Tamra do tag-team cooking with her husband, who happens to be Mike D from the Beastie Boys. Ah, yeah. He packs the lunchboxes while she makes french toast. Perfect harmony, even though they both look about as tired as I do on the average weekday morning. (Admittedly, watching any guy pack a lunchbox is pretty foxy to me these days. Oh my god, I am such a mom…)



Tamra also published a cookbook: Make Me Something Good To Eat is filled with healthy vegetarian recipes, plus ideas for all sorts of parent-related cookery like dinner parties, bake sales, brunches, etc. And if you're swayed by celebrity opinions, keep this in mind- Gwyneth likes it. So there.

Ninja Trip

This time next week I'll be in New York City at the rawther fabulous Mandarin Oriental for an introduction to the Ninja Master Prep, a revolutionary kitchen appliance from global lifestyle brand Euro-Pro (the makers of the popular Shark line of vacuum and steam cleaners).



Food Network Chef Robin Miller will be demonstrating the many uses of the Ninja Master Prep to a group of bloggers from all across the country, including quite a few of my bloggy friends. Yay! We will also get to see demonstrations of other Euro-Pro items. (I am particularly interested in learning more about their steam cleaners because our master bath has uneven-surfaced natural slate tiles that are very pretty but a total nightmare to clean. I'm hoping they have something perfect for that, since apparently no one else does…) This will be my first big blog-related trip and I am so excited that it involves food and cooking.



An extra bonus to this trip is that I will be able to see my relatives (grandpa, aunt and cousins!) in New Jersey. I am sure I will have plenty to tell you about next week, stay tuned. You can also follow our Ninja Master trip by using #NinjaLaunchNYC on Twitter.