I know that my boys are a bit addicted to books. And for the longest time I think I was a bit addicted to buying them for them. That is, until my huge bookcase became overflowing and they starting to infiltrate the nearby dresser. I’ve since weeded some of them out and now I’m a bit more selective about what I choose to add to their library. After seeing the adorable cover and synopsis of the children’s book, Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue by bestselling author Molly Coxe I thought it was a perfect time to add a new book into the mix! With real photos an adorable mouse and elephant heroes, how could I resist?

Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue is a truly unique picture book that delivers a pint sized view of a larger than life adventure. Photographs of incredibly detailed dioramas and a story chock-full of ingenious plans, humorous situations and surprising twists make this endearing tale of Benjamin, a fuzzy mouse and Bumper, his true-blue elephant friend, an instant bedtime classic. Skillfully photographed by Olivier Toppin, Coxe’s uncommonly endearing felted wool characters are wonderfully alive, and her carefully gathered props of buttons, antique toys and cracked dishes are perfect for kids who delight in searching the illustrations for all of the tiny details that reveal themselves at the turn of every page.

Check out this video to get a closeup look at this fun adventure!

Both my boys were captured by Benjamin and Bumper. I wasn’t sure what they would make of the wool characters and if they would see them as heroes or simply stuffed animals. I needn’t have worried. Warren has a favorite stuffed elephant that he must sleep with each night so he loved being able to imagine him as Bumper. I think both of them enjoyed the story even more knowing they could imagine their own adventure using their stock of animal friends.

It is a longer story but one that easily kept my boy’s attention, with their interest engrossed in both the adventure and detailed photographs.  This sweet tale is sure to be a hit with your children as it was mine.

In order to add to the fun, I’ve got a giveaway that not only includes a copy of the book but also a Make a Mouse Kit, which will make two mouse friends for your child! (Don’t worry if you aren’t crafty, sewing is optional and I will send you instructional video!)

Buy it:

You can purchase Benjamin and Bumper to the rescue at a list price of $16.95. It is currently available for a reduced price with free super saver shipping on Amazon and can be purchased from Barnes and Noble or try your local bookstore. If the mouse kit is just what you are looking for, you can purchase it from Brave Mouse Books for $14.95 (plus $3 s/h) or as a set with the book for $28.44 (plus $4 s/h).

{ GIVEAWAY }

One of my readers will win a hardcover copy of Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue and the Make-A -Mouse Craft Kit, a $28.44 value!

MAIN ENTRY: Tell me why you’d love to win and who the book would be for!

Want more entries? (I have no doubt!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Like Brave Mouse Books on Facebook
-Give a little comment love on the Brave Mouse Books Facebook wall & reference this post
-Enter any of my other current giveaways and tell me which one (leave a comment for each)
-Like Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow Baby Loving Mama publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Follow BLM on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (You can do this daily!)

Win an adorable Benjamin & Bumper to the Rescue Book & Mouse Craft Kit $28 value! @babylovingmama http://bit.ly/bgnCzi #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my button to your blog
-Blog about this contest (must be at least 30 words) with a link back here and to Brave Mouse Books (3 entries)

This contest will end on 9/15/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S. & Canada residents 18+ only. The winner will be drawn via random.org and will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review.  This has no bearing on my completely honest thoughts above. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared are 100% my own.

Moon Dough is a new molding compound from Spin Master, the makers of Moon Sand. Moon Dough is different in that it never dries out so you can use it over and over again. It is super soft and very light, similar to marshmallows or cotton candy. Another bonus is it is hypo-allergenic wheat-free.

We had the chance to try out the Moon Dough Barn Set which retails for $19.99. It contains three packages of molding compound in blue, yellow and white, a fence and hay bale mold along with a barn which spits out a cow, pig, horse or chicken. (Some descriptions include a sheep and don’t include a chicken or horse. We definitely received a horse and chicken but not a sheep.) All the molds are in 3-D and can stand on its own!

Our Experience

Both of my boys, ages 4 and 2, had a blast with the barn. They loved turning the crank and watching an animal magically be spit out of the barn door. I found it was easier to help them a bit with filling the mold or else animals missing faces or looking rather deformed popped out because not enough compound was used. (Not that they really minded.)

I opened two of the bags of compound but quickly went with my usual Play-Doh instincts and put the blue away. It is very difficult to play with more than one color unless you are fine with the colors being blended together.  The compound itself has a very cool texture and is super light and fun to play with on its own.

The two molds created very detailed haystacks and fence. The amazing part with the fence is that they can be interlocked together to create a very long fence. Once my older son Lucian discovered the molds that was all he wanted to play with. I did have to take them out of the molds for him and didn’t find them all that easy to remove myself.

Final Thoughts

Overall my kids were thrilled with Moon Dough. It kept them entertained for well over an hour until we had to put it away for lunch. My boys asked to play with it again later that day and keep asking about it daily. The only problem? This set isn’t as mess free as the makers want it to appear. While it is less messy than Moon Sand (which my kids also frequently ask to play with) it isn’t any less messy than Play-Doh, except that it is at least dry and doesn’t stick as bad. But the crumbles were every where after playing and I had to vacuum up the dining room rug and wipe down my son’s booster seat. As you can see the blue ink ended up on the chair but it did come out after washing.

I’m happy that this set makes my boys so happy but I’m not as keen on the mess it creates. This will be something that I take out again to play with for sure and will probably buy more modeling compound but we’ll only pull it out when I am able to cope with the mess created.

Buy it:

Moon Dough is available at Amazon, Toys “R” Us, Target, Walmart, Kmart, A.C. Moore, Michaels and etoys. The barn set retails for $19.99 while smaller sets are $9.99 and $14.99. You can purchase Moon Dough refill packs for $4.99 for a double and $2.99 for a single.

Disclosure: I receive this item for review from Moon Dough through Team Mom. I was not monetarily compensated for this post and my opinion remains 100% my own.

WordWorld is a creative yet educational show that can be found on PBS KIDS. Their world is made of letters that spell the word they represent and words come alive! You will find silly characters along with phonics, spelling and letter recognition!

Both my boys ages 2 and just turned 4 love WordWorld but often miss it on PBS because the timing of the show hits their nap time on our local PBS channel. Anytime we get a DVD we are thrilled for the opportunity to watch it anytime we like! The newest World World DVD: Pirate Sheep was no exception. Pirate Sheep was their favorite from this collection because they love the treasure hunt where they follow clues and rhyme! I love to watch them interact with WordWorld as they watch. With sounding out words and the letters they recognize, I know they are learning!

Expisodes included in this 60 minute DVD:

Pirate Sheep – Sheep, Duck, and Shark fins a message in a bottle at the beach which leads them to a special treasure! Like hearty pirates, the trio follows clues to rhyme their way across the sea!

Superhearo Sheep – Sheep becomes WordWorld’s first superhero, saving the day with the letter “S”!

Mail Mix Up – Duck offers to help Kangaroo deliver the mail to his Wordfriends, and causes chaos when he accidently delivers the wrong letters to everyone.

Wee Little Whale – Sheep rescues a tiny whale and brings her home to live in her haystack. But what happens when Whale starts to grow?

Bonus Features:

• “Wee Little Whale” Behind the Scenes
• Includes 4 Build-A-Word Songs
• “Take the Stage” Music Video

Another fun DVD from N Circle Entertainment is Dive Olly Dive! Under Pressure.

In Dive Olly Dive! Under Pressure you will find underwater adventures in world with bright and vivid colors and stories that teach children about working together as a team!

In one adventure, Olly and his friend Skid have trouble getting along when working with a powerful magnetic device. Suddenly, the two quarreling friends find themselves literally stuck together, which forces them to cooperate with each other and solve the problem.

Working together is also the theme of another sub-tastic adventure when Olly and his friends go on a daring rescue mission. The gang teams up to spring an old lobster, Grandpa Claude, from a lobster trap so he can celebrate his 100th birthday. Can they do it?

Whether they’re rescuing and old friend or helping return some lost jellyfish to their proper homes, Olly and his friends demonstrate how to successfully work together as a team.

Expisodes included in this 55 minute DVD:

• Sub Magnet
• Pressures’s On!
• Grandpa Claude
• Doug’s Apprentices
• A Jelly Old Time

Buy It:

Word World: Pirate Sheep and Dive Olly Dive! Under Pressure can be purchased from Amazon or directly from the NCircle Entertainment website.

{ GIVEAWAY }

N Circle Entertainment would like to offer one of my lucky readers a copy of both Word World: Pirate Sheep and Dive Olly Dive! Under Pressure DVDs!

MAIN ENTRY: Visit N Circle Entertainment and tell me another DVD not featured that you would love to purchase for your family!

Want more entries? (Of course you do!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Like NCircle Entertainment (DVDs Kids Love) on Facebook
-Leave a comment on their Facebook wall telling them what you think of this giveaway
-Follow NCircle Entertaiment on twitter
-Like Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow Baby Loving Mama publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Follow BLM on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (You can do this daily!)

Win the fun WordWorld: Pirate Sheep & Dive Olly Dive: Under Pressure DVDs @babylovingmama @ncircle http://bit.ly/8XrePI #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my button to your blog
-Blog about this contest with a link back here & to NCircle Entertainment (3 entries)

.This contest will end on 9/7/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S.  residents 18+ only. The winner will be drawn via random.org and will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received samples for the purpose of this review but no other type of compensation was received. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

Novica, which works in association with National Geographic, strives to bridge the gap between artisans around the world with customers who can appreciate their art of trade. With testimonials from customers and artist biographies, not only can you feel good and confident in your purchase, there is actually a connection made through the transaction.

We want to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow.

At the deepest essence of our philosophy, we want to create a bridge between you and the many talented artisans across the globe.

We want you to know about who you’re buying from. We want you to feel that attachment to the product and to the hands that created it.

In the spirit of the Internet, let us bring you together.

Novica has such vast selection of items from home decor to apparel to sterling silver jewelry. It can be a bit overwhelming to look at all the many options but with helpful categories that are broken down into sub categories you can browse a little easier.

I instantly fell in love with this Lotus Leaf Wall Art as soon as I saw it. I’ve always been partial to artwork and photography which features leaves, water or rocks. This piece in particular strikes me as being unique and a conversation starter.

These gorgeous silver filigree drop earrings, Laurels are just my style and I knew I’d love a piece of silver jewelry for more versatility. I really thought long and hard about whether I’d love to try out a pair of earrings or necklace. In the end, the necklace won simply because I’m more apt to lose an earring than a necklace.

This simple yet elegant Silver Pendant Necklace ‘Caprice’ by Jimmy Perez of Lima caught my eye.  While so many amazing necklaces made me think twice, this one I knew would be perfect for me.

The necklace came wrapped beautifully in artisan paper within a velvet pouch, perfect for gift giving. The order also included a artisan story card which I thought was a nice touch!

I am so happy with the quality of this necklace. So often you find a beautiful pendant but on weak chain. As you can see from the pictures that is not the case with this necklace. The chain high quality and sets off the pendant beautifully. I am so pleased with my choice!

The only downside to purchasing from Novica is the added time to receive the item since it comes from overseas.  You certainly need to think ahead. In my case it took just shy of one month by choosing the standard shipping option. There are however faster (and slightly more expensive) shipping methods available.

Buy it: The Silver Pendant Necklace ‘Caprice’ can be purchased for $69.95 and has a retail value of $130.95!

{ Giveaway }

Novica would like to give one of my lucky readers a $75 gift certificate!

MAIN ENTRY: Browse Novica and tell me something you’d love to get if you won!

Want more entries? (Why do I even have to ask??) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Like Novica on Facebook
-Leave a comment on their Facebook wall that BLM sent you & why you’d like to win
-Follow Novica on twitter
-Sign up for the journal updates (right sidebar)
-Like Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow Baby Loving Mama publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Follow BLM on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (You can do this daily!)

Win a $75 Novica gift certificate for jewelry, home decor & more! @babylovingmama from @novica http://bit.ly/avhMch #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my button to your blog
-Blog about this contest (must be at least 50 words) with a link back here and to Novica (3 entries)

This contest will end on 8/16/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S.  residents 18+ only. The winner will be drawn via random.org and will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received a sample for the purpose of this review but no other type of compensation was received. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

Pop on Pals is brand new world of toys from Spin Master. Pieces can be mixed and matched for added fun, allowing children to be anything they want to be with endless combinations.  Recommended for ages 2-4, this world is perfect for your toddler and preschooler. Since I happen to have a 2 and almost 4 year old it  I was certainly excited to see them in action at my house!

We got the chance to try out the Pop on Pals Amusement Park Playset.

The Pop on Pals Amusement Park Playset comes to life with lights, sounds, music, and more. Pop your pal in five different activation points for lots of action/reaction play. Pop on Pals encourages imaginative play and helps little ones develop fine motor skills. Pals are perfectly sizes for small hands to play with and the signature pop sound adds to the fun!

My boys were so excited when they opened the box to find this toy inside. They were immediately attracted to all the activities, bright colors and sounds. The excitement I felt wore off almost instantly when I realized the set only comes with one pop on pal. Since this set can hold a whopping 9 pop on pals not only does it feel bare to only have one, it doesn’t allow my boys to easily play with each other. The boys did enjoy checking it out but having to wait to use the pop on pal (while a lesson in itself) wasn’t all that fun. I also found that because the rollercoaster isn’t attached it is hard for my two year old to get it on the track properly so the pal doesn’t go flying before it gets all the way down.

What I did really like about the set however, is the number of activity spots and knowing that this set can interact with others that are in the Pop on Pals collection. I also thought that the sounds and music in this set were not annoying or loud which is a huge plus.

Other Pop on Pals Sets include  pets, vehicles, an airplane, a school bus, deluxe rings and pals. I think the vehicles would be a hit at our house and am definitely going to consider them for my son’s 4th birthday next month.

BUY IT:

Pop On Pals Amusement Park Playsetretails for a suggested price of $34.99 and can be purchased at such retailers as Target, Toys “R” Us, and Amazon. For a complete list of retailers visit the Pop on Pals Buy page.

Disclosure: I received this playset from Team Mom and courtesy of Pop on Pals/Spinmaster. This review was not influenced by any monetary compensation. My thought are my own and yours may differ.

I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve been using a rather cheap vacuum. I got it in my early 20′s figuring all I really needed was something basic to get the job done. Well I should say that I was using. Because I have finally seen the light. Not all vacuums are created equal and you certainly get what you pay for in this case.

I remember the excitement we felt when our new Dyson DC23 Turbinehead vacuum arrived. My husband immediately starting vacuuming every room in the house. I barely got the chance to try it because he was so excited. Excited by the cool features, like the maneuverability of the head to easily go around corners and the shocking way the clear canister was filling up with dust and debris. It had only been a few days since we last vacuumed and yet it was obvious that our old vacuum was leaving a lot behind.

• Compact canister vacuum with Level 3 Root Cyclone technology ensures powerful, consistent suction
• Air-driven TurbineHead brush bar is ideal for cleaning medium and short pile carpets and can be turned off for hard floors.
• Lifetime HEPA filter with Bactisafe screen that traps and kills bacteria, mold and allergens on contact
• Telescopic Wrap System allows the hose and wand to be compressed
• Great for cleaning stairs

To see the Dyson DC23 Turbinehead in action, I put together this video to demonstrate the features.

MY OVERALL THOUGHTS

This vacuum is such a step above my old one that I don’t think I can make a good comparison. I have fallen in love with many of the features including the automatic cord keeper (no more wrapping the cord around the back of the vacuum) and ease of corner cleaning.  Because of the turbinehead design it can easily go under furniture where other vacuums can not. I am thrilled I no longer have to buy bags and can easily switch between cleaning hardwoods and carpet. And let’s not forget the Dyson design is certainly lightweight and beautiful.

Thinking of ways for improvement, I wish the hose could stand up on its own. Instead I have to lean it against something or put it down on its side. For storage you can remove the head and attach it on the side of the unit but I find that to be a pain and simply store the whole thing together in our closet, with the hose flopping over. And while I don’t have to buy bags, I do have to wash the filter every three months.

If you have hardwood floors and shorter pile carpets, this model is perfect for you. If you have thicker carpet I would consider a different Dyson. While it certainly can still be used for our shag rugs, it works much better on our other surfaces and takes a bit more strength to move it over the thick pile.

Buy it: The Dyson DC23 Turbinehead vacuum can be purchased directly from Dyson currently for $399 with free shipping or from Amazonfor the same price.

Disclosure: I received a sample for the purposes of this review but no monetary compensation was received. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

My family is in love with an adorable, smart and super funny sheep. His name is Shaun and he is the central character in Shaun the Sheep. If you haven’t had a chance to see this award winning series, you simply must. With absolutely no talking but rather sounds and music, Shaun the Sheep will have you laughing out loud at the antics of these crazy characters. You may recognize them from the five minutes shorts that air on the Disney Channel.

Shaun the Sheep: One Giant Leap for Lambkind is the newest in the collection of barnyard adventures and with six episodes featuring close encounters with another kind and the usual hilarious situations found on the farm. Since we have become big fans of the series, my entire family gets excited when we receive a new DVD.

My almost four year old’s very favorite episode is Hiccups where Shirley is up to her usual tricks and drinks lemonade too fast. Shaun and his other barnyard pals try every trick you can think of to try and cure her hiccups, with the usual giggle inducing results. You can’t even guess what eventually cures her and I’m not about to spoil the surprise. I also love The Visitor and the interesting method of fuel for the alien’s spaceship. I won’t claim this to be my very favorite Shaun the Sheep DVD but it is still a great one to add to your collection!

Episodes include:

* “The Visitor” – All is quiet at night on the farm when a bright green glow and strange noises awaken the flock. A space craft crash-landed! Can Shaun and his woolly friends help its giant green occupant get air-borne again?
* “The Bull” – Shaun learns it’s not safe to wave anything red in front of a bull. But the Naughty Pigs thinks it’s funny to add red paint to the sheep’s bath. What to do with an angry charging bull and all those red sheep?
* “Hiccups” – Shirley drinks Bitzer’s lemonade too fast and gets the hiccups. Shaun tries all the usual tricks to cure her with hilarious results.
* “Bitzer Puts His Foot In It” – Even with Bitzer guarding the fresh concrete the farmer just poured, Shaun and his fearless flock of friends can’t resist treating it like their own personal “Walk of Fame”
* “Save the Tree” – The Farmer wants to turn the tree in Shaun’s field into firewood, so the flock must take desperate (and humorous) measures to stop their beloved tree from getting felled!
* “Shaun Encounters” – Two naughty alien kids land at the farm one night and run riot. Can Shaun and Bitzer stop them before they wake the Farmer?

Buy it: Shaun the Sheep: A Woolly Good Time can be purchased from Amazon currently for only $11.49 or visit Hit Entertainment!

{ Giveaway }

I have a copy of Shaun the Sheep:  One Giant Leap for Lambkind to give to one of my readers!

MAIN ENTRY: Tell me why you’d like to win and who the DVD would be for!

Want more entries? (You know you have someone who would love this!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Visit the Hit Entertainment Shop and tell me something that caught your eye!
-Follow my blog publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Become a fan of Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (You can do this daily!)

Win the hilarious family friendly DVD Shaun the Sheep: One Giant Leap for Lambkind @babylovingmama http://bit.ly/9uQyZp #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here  (3 entries)

This contest will end on 8/6/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S. residents 18+ only. The winner will be drawn via random.org. The winner will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this DVD for the purpose of this review . This has no bearing on my completely honest thoughts above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

While perusing the selection of frozen seafood products, I tried to imagine which I could get my picky little eater to try. I settled on Seapak Popcorn Shrimp, which I would tell her, is “like chicken nuggets,” when she asked me suspiciously what “shrimp” was.

When I began to prepare the shrimp, I was surprised to see that they only take 10 minutes to bake in the oven. Other frozen products I have tried, particularly in the realm of seafood, tend to take longer. The popcorn shrimp was done in the time it took to make a box of macaroni and cheese. There was even downtime in the midst to have a bubble-blowing “dance party” with my 3-year-old.

Seapak Popcorn Shrimp are bite-size, and coated with oven crispy breadcrumbs. They can be baked in the oven, deep-fried, or pan-fried. I chose to prepare them in the oven.

My daughter is usually somewhat reluctant to try new things, but it only took a little prodding to get her to try her shrimp, and she gobbled them up pretty quickly after that. I liked them too because they emerged from the oven perfectly golden, and not over or undercooked. They didn’t stick to the pan or leave any residue behind. And, Seapak Popcorn Shrimp contain 135 mg Omega-3′s per serving. You can’t go wrong with this product; it’s a quick, easy, and delicious way to get the recommended 2 servings of seafood per week.

Visit Seapak for more information, promotions and some tasty looking recipes!

Sometimes I feel cool. It doesn’t happen all that often but when it does happen it is sweet. This past weekend I had that dang I’m kinda cool feeling when my family got the chance to watch a pre-screening of the new 3D CGI movie, Despicable Me. This is my first opportunity to see a movie before it is open to the public. And don’t steal my thunder, I AM cool even if my kids are too young to realize it yet.

Synopsis:

In a happy suburban neighborhood surrounded by white picket fences with flowering rose bushes, sits a black house with a dead lawn. Unbeknownst to the neighbors, hidden deep beneath this home is a vast secret hideout. Surrounded by an army of tireless, little yellow minions, we discover Gru (Steve Carell), planning the biggest heist in the history of the world. He is going to steal the moon (Yes, the moon!) in Universal’s new 3-D CGI feature, Despicable Me.

Gru delights in all things wicked. Armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays and battle-ready vehicles for land and air, he vanquishes all who stand in his way. Until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen: a potential Dad.

One of the world’s greatest super-villains has just met his greatest challenge: three little girls named Margo, Edith and Agnes.

Trailer

I hate reviews that contain spoilers or tell so much about the film you wonder if you still need to see it. I think the trailers have done a great job of showing you enough without giving away too much. So instead of doing a complete play by play of the movie, I’ll try to keep my thoughts general so as not to ruin any surprises!

Special Effects

I have to admit (a bit embarrassingly) that my husband and I hadn’t yet seen a movie in 3D before. Our boys are just getting to the age of watching movies in the theater and we don’t get a chance to see them ourselves often. Let me tell you the 3D was A-W-E-S-O-M-E. My husband kept joking afterward that if you had never seen a movie in 3D before you can just go to see this one and have all the cool tricks covered in a single movie. Favorites included a long skinny balloon being blown up which appeared like it was coming right at the audience, an apple being squeezed where the juice and bits fly out of the screen and a fun rollercoaster scene that really makes you feel like you are riding alongside the characters. The CGI animation was amazing as well so I highly recommend seeing this in the theater for that alone. I was pleasantly surprised that my young boys did a good job of keeping their 3D glasses on, although a kid sized version would have been easier for them to keep up on their face.

Characters

Steve Carrell does a fantastic job as Gru. The unique accent Carrell gives Gru reminds me of what Mike Meyers did for Shrek. It is memorable and makes an unlikely hero seem more likeable somehow. It seems wrong but even though I know I wasn’t supposed to like Gru (at least to start) I found myself laughing at his antics from the very beginning. His day to day frustrations match the average person’s but the way in which he deals with them is way over the top. What Gru does is what we all wish we could do but never would. He struggles with being thought as a failure as a villain and feelings of inadequacy, especially from his mother, played by Julie Andrews. Gru is a completely relateable character who has just gone on the wrong path. It is enjoyable to watch him grow as a character. Seeing him read stories to the girls is so funny and heartwarming at the same time.

The three girls, Margo (played by Miranda Cosgrove), Edith and Agnes are so adorable and their need of a parent really tugs at the hear.  Without getting into too much detail, I did leave wishing I knew more about their back story and how they arrived at their situation in the movie.  Being a parent,  I can laugh at their antics and can see my own children in many of their actions.  The youngest, Agnes will crack you up with her love of unicorns.

And of course how I not mention the minions?  They provide a lot of comic relief and are scene stealers. I thought I might find them annoying but actually they are very lovable and sweet characters. It doesn’t take very long into the movie before you realize they aren’t exactly what they seem.

Overall Thoughts

If I had to rate this movie I would give it 3 out of 4 stars.  We had plenty of laughs during the movie and my boys can’t stop talking about the minions. Even with a couple of holes within the storyline we left with a smile on our face. The memorable characters and special effects really make this movie and it has a good underlying message. I would recommend seeing this one in the theater to enjoy the 3D!

See it

Despicable Me hits theaters July 9, 2010 and is sure to be a blockbuster hit this summer you don’t want to miss!

{ Giveaway }

I have a Despicable Me Prize Pack to give to TWO of my readers. Each winner will receive a youth shirt, youth hat, moo-can (it really moos!), pencil with minion topper, balloon and minion ink stamp.

MAIN ENTRY: Tell me if you plan to go see this movie and who you would take if you did!

Want more entries? (Don’t deny it, this is  so much fun!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Like Despicable Me on Facebook
-Leave a comment on their Facebook wall & tell them I sent you
-Follow Universal Pictures on twitter
-Follow my blog
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Like Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway

Check out a Despicable Me movie review & win a prize pack from the movie! @babylovingmama http://bit.ly/bCKXe9 #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to Despicable Me (3 entries)

This contest will end on 7/15/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S. residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org. The winner will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received samples for the purpose of this review . This has no bearing on my completely honest review above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

Sleep sacks and swaddlers were a lifesaver for me when my boys were babies. Since I live in a rather cold climate (a.k.a. Minnesota), it was very important early on that I figure out a way to keep my boys warm, especially during the winter months. When they were very young I loved to swaddle them with a combination of both receiving blankets and swaddlers to keep them warm. I did everything I could to avoid those horribly cold hands if they broke free from a loose swaddle. When they outgrew swaddling I moved on to sleep sacks which always gave me piece of mind. But even now that my kids are a bit older I still find them often without any covers during naps and at night. I wish I would have discovered  Merino sleep bags earlier but they do have a product perfect for my boys now!

The Merino Kids Baby Sleep Bag is the ultimate stylish and functional baby sleep sack for discerning parents and it was awarded the Seal of Outstanding Design Quality in the prestigious 2007 International Forum Product Design Awards. Its award-winning design, remarkable natural merino fabric and quality workmanship set it apart.

Instead of buying multiple sacks for your child, the Merino sleep bags fit your child from 0 to 2 years or from 2 to 4 years so you won’t have to keep buying different sizes. Crafted from New Zealand’s pure unbleached merino wool, this fabric is 100% natural, renewable and biodegradeable. It is also allergy safe!

The extraordinary fineness of merino fiber and its natural crimp produce a luxuriously soft fabric laced with millions of tiny air pockets that trap air to insulate your baby on the cooler nights. Merino fiber breathes exceptionally well, absorbing and releasing moisture to cool or warm your baby’s body as their room temperature rises and falls throughout the night.

When I agreed to try out the Merino Kids Sleep Bag in cornflower blue I had my two year old son Warren in mind. But when I pulled it out my 3 1/2 year old son Lucian immediately exclaimed, “Is that a new sleep sack for me?” With so much enthusiasm I couldn’t resist letting him try it out. Even at this age, Lucian is often outside his blankets during the night.

The first thing he noticed, as did I, was just how amazingly soft this fabric is to touch. Lucian kept cuddling into it and Warren wrapped up a small elephant like a baby in it and tried to run away. It really does feel like the most amazing blanket. Soft but not super thick and warm but not hot. (I’m sure that doesn’t make much sense but you would have to feel it to believe it.) The quality is fantastic and definitely made to last.

My favorite feature of the sleep sack is that either of my boys can wear it if they like because it is made to grow with your child. I also like that the zipper goes down the side so I don’t have to worry about my two year old taking it off then proceeding to get naked as he did with our sleep sack from last winter. I can’t wait to try this out for the our bone chilling winter months!

Here is a short clip of what Lucian thinks of his new sleep sack. (Ignore the little brother trying to annoy him)

One downside I can see to this sleep sack is the price.While it is a bit steep if you look at it from the standpoint of getting two years of use combined with the added features and benefits it starts to suddenly appear worth it. It could also be bothersome for a child who can’t open up the zipper but needs to use the bathroom in the night. Lucian can unzip this himself so it isn’t an issue that I worry about.

Buy it: You can purchase a Merino Kids Sleep Bag for $139.99 through babysleepbags.com with fulfillment through amazon. It has free super saver shipping! Also look for the current promotions within the product description for added savings.

{ Giveaway }

In honor of America’s Kids Day, I have one Merino Kids Sleep Bag to give to a lucky reader in their choice of color and pattern (subject to availability)!

MAIN ENTRY: (you must do both for entry)

1. Tell me what color Merino Kids Sleep Bag would be perfect for your child!

2. Join the babysleepbags mailing list (on lower left sidebar)

Want more entries? (Why do I even have to ask??) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Add babysleepbags.com as a friend on Facebook
-Leave a comment on their Facebook wall that BLM sent you & why you’d like to win
-Follow babysleepbags.com on twitter
-Like Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow me publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (You can do this daily!)

Win a Merino Kids Sleeping Bag in your choice of color worth $140! @babylovingmama from @babysleepbags http://bit.ly/aN6y1R #giveaway PLS RT

-Add the my button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to babysleepbags.com (3 entries)

This contest will end on 7/12/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S.  residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org and will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received a sample for the purpose of this review but no other type of compensation was received. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

Organically Raised: Conscious Cooking for Babies and Toddlersis an amazing cookbook written by Anni Daulter with Shante Lanay. I took the following from the Organically Raised website to succinctly sum up the cookbook.(www.organicallyraisedcookbook.com).

“This book is meant to inspire you to get cooking for your little ones in a way that is simple, healthy, fresh and organic. The book offers information on how to set up a conscious kitchen space, mindful eating and meal preparation, breast feeding, special diets including gluten free and vegan, best first bites, baby blends, is packed full with amazing big kid recipes and even has a no sugar sweet treats section for the whole family to enjoy!”

Anni Daulter uses her skills as a professional cook and wisdom as a mother to share her passion about wholesome, colorful and tasty foods. She has also created her own food company, Bohemian Baby Fresh Organic Baby Food, created out of the desire to help parents feed their children with fresh, organic and cultural foods in a convenient and tasty way. She was once taught about “conscious cooking” as an art demonstrating awareness and presence into the preparation of the meals.

I love what she said in the ‘My Story’ section of her book, “Food can nurture more than your body; when prepared with positive intentions, it can feed the soul.

I am going to have to resist gushing over this book, so I’m really trying to contain my excitement – stay with me! I love to eat healthy and surely consider myself health conscientious, but to be honest, sometimes get stuck in my same ol’ same-two-week-recipes. I often go online to try to find new recipes to feed my family (that they will enjoy), its hit or miss. Seriously, I don’t know what I want to make for dinner (on many days)! Something healthy and tasty I always say…so when I got a hold of this cookbook – man – my dinner woes have seem to be at a standstill. Why would I need to have dinner woes when nearly EVERY recipe I can see myself cooking for my family!?

I received one copy of Organically Raised for this review, and in the short time I have had it I have made recipes from the book several times already! The first recipe I made was Ginger’s Asian Stir Fry with the Simple Brown Rice along with a side of the Griffin’s Stir-Fry Chicken Pot Stickers (like wontons). I’m glad I decided to buy the special items this recipe called for, they really made the dish. Aeowyn ate about 5 of the Pot Stickers even before dinner was totally done! It was soo incredibly tasty! And the pot stickers – I made 35 of them, and when we were done with the meal (there were 4 adult and one child) there were ZERO pot stickers left and nearly all the stir-fry was gone…let me tell you that this recipe makes a lot too!! My mother-in-law was very impressed as well. I actually made this again only a few nights later.

Then I made Tennie’s Spanish Veggie Burger Bites with Flaxseed – which my husband picked out. I think one of my favorite aspects to this book is that she really uses many of the same ingredients, so its easy to go from one recipe to the next without having to go shopping between every meal. I really enjoyed this one, but unfortunately my husband and daughter did not like this one…I think there was one strong taste that we couldn’t pin point that was just a little funky. So that was too bad…I’m still really enthralled with this book and all the wonderful ‘mama and daddy mantras’ that each recipe has. I’m not sure if it was me, or the recipe that has some funk to it.

This book would be for anyone who enjoys or is interested in feeding healthy, nutritional, colorful and tasty foods to their children. It’s for advanced health food advocates along with beginners to eating healthy. I think a wide range of people would enjoy this cookbook. Though she speaks in a nice length to special diets, I often wish there were more recipes that spoke to this. That would be one of my only improvements to be made…and a rather picky one at that.

So what are you waiting for!! Try this AMAZING cookbook (or recipes which some are also available on her website) and give your children, your family and yourself the appreciation and gift that eating and cooking with awareness and health brings!

Buy it: Organically Raised: Conscious Cooking for Babies and Toddlershas a list price of $21.99 but it is currently available at Amazon for only $14.99 with free super saver shipping! (Check out the amazing reviews while you are there!) It is also available at Barnes & Noble and Borders.

{ Giveaway }

I have a copy of Organically Raised: Conscious Cooking for Babies & Toddlers for one lucky reader!

MAIN ENTRY: Tell me why you’d love to own this amazing cookbook!

Want more entries? (Why do I even have to ask??) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Like Organically Raised on Facebook
-Leave a comment on their Facebook wall that BLM sent you & why you’d like to win
-Follow Organically Raised on twitter
-Like Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow Baby Loving Mama publicly
-Subscribe to the Baby Loving Mama feed in a reader or by email
-Follow BLM on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (You can do this daily!)

Win Organically Raised:Conscious Cooking for Babies & Toddlers Cookbook @babylovingmama @OrganicRaised http://bit.ly/bUjwkZ #giveaway PLS RT

-Add the Baby Loving Mama button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to Organically Raised Cookbook (3 entries)

This contest will end on 7/11/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S.  residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org and will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received a sample for the purpose of this review but no other type of compensation was received. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

When I think of bubbles I can’t help but think of fun! Both my boys love to play with them and even mentioning the word gets them excited and running for the door. If you’d love to see some video of them showing their love of bubbles, check out my We Love Bubbles post from last year. (I dare you not to crack a smile at their total cuteness!) We’ve been using Gazillion bubbles because we loved the signature green and purple bottles with a convenient handle and they always create quality bubbles. Of course I wasn’t going to turn down the chance to try out some of their other products on my bubble loving boys!

I thought that since Lucian doesn’t yet right a regular bike he would not be able to use the Gazillion Bubble Bike Exhaust but that was not the case at all! It worked great on his trike and he had a blast riding it around in our drive way and looking back to watch the bubbles come out. They release as a stream of bubbles but there are pauses so you don’t immediately run out of bubbles. I like that it gives off a nice amount of bubbles without being overwhelming.

The overall favorite product though was the Gazillion Bubble Machine. It releases a whole heck of a lot of bubbles and even drew the attention of a passerby walking a dog. The bubbles caught her eye and she had to come and look! Both the boys loved running through the bubbles. It was a little comical to watch Warren try to pop them as they came out. They can both easily work the machine and enjoyed turning it on and off. I highly recommend this product and can see why it won a iParenting award. My only word of caution is that it could be overwhelming for some kids because of the sheer volume of bubbles.

Here is some video of them playing with their bubble machine for the first time.

The Gazillion Bubble Rocket is made for ages 6 years and up, unlike the other two products which are meant for 3 and up. Since the rocket requires stomping power to launch it, it was a bit difficult for the boys to generate enough power to really let it fly. They still enjoyed trying and my husband and I had fun helping them out. Only complaint is that it is a bit messier than the other products because the bubble tray is open.

Lastly we got to try the Gazillion Bubble Flyer which is also made for ages 6 and up. This was our least favorite product and not something I would personally buy. My husband played with it and had issues with it leaking. He was also disappointed that it didn’t seem to go very far or release many bubbles.

Have some adorable pictures of your kids enjoy Gazillion bubbles? Enter the Ultimate Gazillion Bubbles Photo Contest that offers the chance to win monthly $250 Toys “R” Us gift card prizes, Gazillion Bubble products, and a Grand Prize of $1,000 Toys “R” Us gift card! The contest ends on July 23rd, 2010.

I’m thrilled to also tell you that you can win all four products I received which are shown below! Imagine the hours of bubble fun at your house this summer…exciting, right?

Buy it: Looking for where to purchase these products? You can find Gazillion in major retailers near you like Target or Toys ‘R Us.  Visit the Gazillion Product Page and click on “Where to Buy” within the product description!

{ Giveaway }

Funrise would like to give one of my readers a Gazillion Bubbles Prize Pack consisting of a Gazillion Bubble Machine, Gazillion Bike Exhaust, Bubble Flyer and Bubble Rocket, a $50 value!

Update: Due to a reduction in inventory, the Bubble Rocket received by the winner will be Toy Story themed.

MAIN ENTRY: Browse Gazillion bubble products and tell me what product you’d most love to try!

Want more entries? (Don’t deny it, these are so much fun!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Like Funrise Toys on Facebook
-Leave a comment on their Facebook telling them I sent you & why you’d love to win!
-Follow Gazillion Bubbles on twitter
-Follow Funrise Toys on twitter
-Follow my blog
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Like Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway

Win a Gazillion Bubbles Prize Pack worth $50! @babylovingmama from @gazillionbubble http://bit.ly/bLe6m5 #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to Funrise (3 entries)

This contest will end on 7/8/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S. residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org. The winner will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received samples for the purpose of this review . This has no bearing on my completely honest review above and was not influenced by any type of monetary compensation. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

My daughter is not typically into video games, but I noticed recently that she is developing an interest. So when I got the chance to review the VTech MobiGo Touch Learning System, I was curious to see if she’d like it.

The product just looks cool with its slide-out keyboard and touch screen. The MobiGo is the latest portable educational gaming system from VTech. It features sturdy, rubberized grips on either side, a 3” LCD touch screen, and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard to familiarize children (ages 3-8 years) with computer skills.

Now you see it…. (the keyboard, people!)

Now you don’t!

The MobiGo games hone the skills of vocabulary, math, problem solving, music, math, letter and phonics, fine motor, and visualization and memory. In addition, it teaches science concepts, boosts cognitive development, and encourages independent and creative play.

MobiGo comes with the “Touch and Learn” game cartridge. Six adorable games are featured: “Ice Escape,” “”Fantastic Forest,” “Music Maestro,” “Space Challenge,” “Shooting Gallery,” and “Wild Fun.” Each game can be played in “Easy” or “Difficult” mode. My favorite games were “Ice Escape” and “Music Maestro.” “Ice Escape” involves helping a little penguin move blocks of ice to form a bridge so the penguin can cross the water to eat a fish. This is a great spatial visualization exercise and just plain cute.

“Music Maestro” is reminiscent of Rock Band-esque games. The player chooses a song (“Old MacDonald,” “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” “Ode to Joy,” “This Old Man,” “Oh Susanna,” and “Bingo”) to play along with. As the song plays, music notes float down over piano keys, guitar strings, or drums, depending on the song. The player is to tap the keys when they light up to play the song. This game can also be played in “Free Play” mode, where the player may tap the keys and compose music of her own choosing!

“Space Challenge” and “Shooting Gallery” teach number and letter recognition, as well as discerning patterns. “Wild Fun” involves picking out which wild animal is different, and “Fantastic Forest” helps the little monkey along by drawing his path. These games seem to be mostly oriented to younger children (like my 3 ½ year-old) but there are other games you can buy. The latest games available include favorites such as Dora the Explorer, Shrek, Toy Story 3.

A fun feature – MobiGo comes with a USB cord so you can connect to the MobiGo website to upload your kids’ scores and download awards and extras. The MobiGo is also equipped with a headphone jack and AC adapter port; these may be purchased separately.

My daughter LOVED it. I let her try it out while she was getting her hair and makeup done for her dance recital. She was completely absorbed and could not put it down. Also, it was easy for her to learn how to slide the keyboard and use the touch screen. This is definitely a good toy for car rides and appointments, and is small enough to carry in your purse. This is an all-around great product: educational, entertaining, portable, AND affordable. I’d definitely recommend it!

Buy it: The MobiGo has a suggested retail price of $59.99 while the licensed title game cartridges have a SRP of $19.99. This system will be available nationwide at major retailers and online at VTech starting in August. For more information about the MobiGo please visit VTech Kids. Get your hands on it first at Toys ‘R Us exclusively beginning today, June 7th!

{ Giveaway}

Vtech would like to offer one reader a MobiGo Learning System!

MAIN ENTRY: Tell me specifically what is most exciting to you about the MobiGo!

Want more entries? (I can’t imagine why not!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Like VTech on Facebook
-Leave a comment on the VTech Facebook wall (Include a link to this post!)
-Follow VTech on twitter
-Like Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow this blog publicly via GFC
-Subscribe to the BLM feed in a reader or by email
-Follow BLM on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (You can do this daily! Leave a link!)

Win the VTech MobiGo Learning System for 3-8 yrs worth $60! @babylovingmama from @vtechtoys http://bit.ly/bi8hPy #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add the BLM button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to VTech (3 entries)

This contest will end on 6/22/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S. residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org and will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before another winner is drawn.

Disclosure: I received a sample for review but no type of monetary compensation for this post. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

The wait is finally over. I think I’ve teased you enough about my gorgeous green apple KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer. You’ve seen it, you’ve wiped the saliva from the corner of your mouth as you’ve gazed at it’s beauty. I understand completely. Why? Because I’ve coveted this mixer for so long myself. I don’t even want to show you what I was using in its place to bake. Let’s just say it was less than $20 and leave it at that. So of course I feel like I am the girl who got upgraded from the pinto to the corvette. And let me tell you, there is no going back. I don’t know how I survived this long without it!

So let’s start by stimulating your brain with just a few of the details.

KitchenAid Artisan® Series model has a 325-watt motor, 5 quart stainless steel bowl with ergonomic handle, pouring shield and a tilt-back mixer head design that provides easy access to bowl and beaters.

Features:

• 10-Speed Solid-State Control
• Includes Flat Beater, Dough Hook and Wire Whip
• Power Hub for Additional Attachments
• Unique Mixing Action

Of course upon receipt I couldn’t resist setting it up to be displayed upon my counter top. I’ll be the first to admit that this thing is big. And one drawback is that it is certainly not light at almost 23 lbs. But what I will say is that it looks like a piece of art sitting out on the counter. So I’ve made room and ditched the bread box for a basket and found a way to make it work. And now I get to gaze at it right now actually since I’ve got a clear view from my usual spot on the dining room table. Are you green with envy? I think I’m jealous of myself.

Now what would I be with a mixer that was just a piece of art, to be displayed but never used? Not my mother’s child to be certain. Anyone who knows my mother knows I’ve been spoiled by and learned from the best. I grew up with some absolutely delectable baked good available at all times. My mother who has a cupboard overflowing with cookbooks and uses them as her regular fun reading material because she adores constantly trying new recipes. My mother who insisted on making Christmas baking an entire weekend experience as together with my sister we made a dozen or different things at least. So of course I needed to break my new mixer in and bake, bake and bake some more!

I made a pound cake. Which was a brilliant choice since it requires a lot of mixing.But mixing for a few minutes really is no big deal.

Instead, I just had to supervise only.

(Which really means I get to stand and watch it do all the work.)And this was the end result. Need I say more?I of course had to tackle some cookies too so I opted for sugar cookies.What a breeze these were!It doesn’t get any easier than this!Yummy!I just had to try working with cream cheese. With a hand mixer it can be a struggle.That is so not the case with my new KitchenAid mixer. It wouldn’t have turned out this smooth otherwise.It made the perfect filling for one of my favorites, a cherry topped brownie dessert!

If all these pictures is just leaving you unsatisfied, I’ve created a short video so you can get a real feel for a KitchenAid Stand Mixer in action.

Don’t forget to see the dough hook’s capabilities in my first run with making homemade bread post.  Be sure to watch for my next KitchenAid review and giveaway which will feature one of the many attachments available. Now it is time to just gaze at only a few of the colors available. Want to win it? Because I see no better way to end the giveaways from our Spring into Spring event than with a KitchenAid mixer!

Buy it: The KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer is currently on sale and available for $299 with free shipping!

{ Giveaway}

KitchenAid would like to make one of my lucky readers VERY happy by giving away the same mixer I received in your choice of color!

MAIN ENTRY: Visit KitchenAid and tell me your very favorite color from the Artisan Series! (It doesn’t have to be in stock but you must give it the proper name. No “blue one” or such answers allowed as there are multiple shades of the same color!)

Want more entries? (I can’t believe I even have to ask!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

-Spring into Spring! Enter the Namaste Handbag Giveaway at The Shopping Mama & tell me below!
-Tell me your favorite kitchen memory (for possible mention on the KitchenAid website or facebook page)
-Follow KitchenAid on twitter
-Like KitchenAid on Facebook. (Maybe even show them a little comment love on their wall)
-Like Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow my blog publicly
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (You can do this daily! Leave me a link!)

Win your choice of KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer, $300 value! @babylovingmama from @kitchenaidusa http://bit.ly/amwAnF #giveaway PLS RT!

-Add my button to your blog
-Have my Spring into Spring event button to your blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to KitchenAid (3 entries)

This contest will end on 6/16/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S. residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org and will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received a sample for the purpose of this review but no other type of compensation was received. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

KitchenAid made my day month year when agreed to let me test out this KitchenAid Artisan 5Qt Tilt Head Stand Mixer. The extra fun part was picking out a color! Isn’t this green apple mixer a real beauty? So far I’m loving how much easier it is to bake but also that it is pushing me to be more adventurous in the kitchen.

One area I’ve never tried is baking breads. I like to make the occasional cinnamon rolls but I always cheat and never make them from scratch. For whatever reason I’ve been afraid of yeast. I know it is somewhat touchy to work with and I stayed away for fear of messing it up. I also never thought to attempt to make my own bread because frankly, I always assumed I’d wait to get a bread machine for that.  The idea of relentlessly kneading and waiting forever for the dough to rise just seemed like too much work.

I used to think that. That is, until I wanted to test out the dough hook and decided to take the BYOB (Bake Your Own Bread) plunge.

I opted for the Rapid Mix Cool Rise White Bread recipe from the instruction and recipe booklet included with my mixer. I chose this recipe because it specifically states it is a faster and easier recipe for new bread makers. And since I’m a total bread making newbie I went with this more temperature tolerant recipe that adds the yeast to dry ingredients.

To make this bread, simply place 5 1/2 cups flour, 2 T. sugar, 3 1/2 t. salt, 3 packages of active dry yeast and 1/4 c. butter or margarine (softened) in your mixer bowl. Attach bowl and dough hook to mixer. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 20 seconds. Gradually add 2 cups very warm water (120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit) and mix about 1-1/2 minutes longer.

To see this in action check out this video I made that includes the entire process of making this bread with the KichenAid Stand Mixer.

Continuing on Speed 2, add remaining 1/2 cup to 1-1/2 cups flour (1/2 cup at a time) and mix until dough clings to hook and cleans side of bowl, about 2 minutes. Knead on Speed 2 about 2 minutes longer. While this might sound like a long, hard process, remember that the mixer is doing all the work so it is really quite simple.

Cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Let rest for 20 minutes. (Yes, I know those are penguins and snowflakes on my beloved Press and Seal but cut me some slack. I live in Minnesota where 8 months out of the year this is actually totally fitting!)

After 20 minutes your dough will have risen considerably. Divide the dough in half.

On a lightly floured surface, roll each half into a rectangle, approximately 9×14 inches.

A rolling pin will smooth the dough and remove gas bubbles.

To create the loaf shape, starting at the short end, roll the dough tightly.

Pinch to seal the seam.

Pinch the ends and turn them under.

While they didn’t turn out perfect, they did look like little loaves! I’m sure with practice I will get even better!

Place the dough, seam side down, in greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pans. (I had to improvise since I didn’t have two of that size.)

Brush each loaf with oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2 to 12 hours. When ready to bake, uncover dough carefully. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Puncture any gas bubbles. Bake at 400 degrees 35-40 minutes.

Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

Mmm…..bread. Doesn’t it look yummy?

Ok, if plain bread doesn’t get you, how about some lightly toasted bread with butter?

No? Then how about a little grape jelly on top? It tasted fabulous with my coffee in the morning.

Still not making you drool? Well if those don’t get you this one certainly will! This french toast turned out divine. Almost sinfully good. Because of the denseness of the bread, it almost seemed like a pastry. Light and fluffy on the inside and certainly more filling than any other french toast I’ve tried!

Now I’m officially on a homemade bread kick. My husband is begging me for a cinnamon raisin bread so I just might make his day soon and surprise him! I’m certainly going to be experimenting with different types of bread and can’t wait to share my experiences with you!

If you have a KitchenAid mixer and haven’t yet attempted to use the dough hook for making homemade bread, I highly suggest you try. It isn’t as complicated or time consuming as it might seem and I really enjoyed a sense of accomplishment at the end! Not to mention how extra good it tasted that night with our walleye.

If you don’t have a KitchenAid mixer what are you waiting for? Splurge and get yourself one or ask for one for your next birthday or Christmas gift.  It is currently on sale and has free shipping. How can you resist?

And if that doesn’t sound likely, never fear. Watch for my review and giveaway post this week and learn how you can win one on my blog. Maybe YOU will be the lucky reader who wins this amazing mixer in your choice of color!

Disclosure: I received a sample for the purpose of this review but no other type of compensation was received. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

Little Tikes is celebrating its 40th anniversary and with it comes some amazing new toys this spring, perfect to enjoy all those gorgeous spring days outside. You may remember from my Little Tikes review and giveaway last month that our boys love their Little Tikes Cozy Coupe 30th Anniversary Car and fight over who gets to drive it regularly. We purchased it for Warren’s first birthday and had a blast driving it around the house until spring last year. As anyone with kids can understand, having the option of getting another similar item was exciting for me. The Little Tikes Spray and Rescue Fire Truck was the perfect addition!

Our day started out with some tender loving care for my Mother’s Day present my boys picked out for me with Daddy. Watering has never been more fun for them and less stressful for me as they aren’t drowning my poor plant but they can squirt to their hearts content. Warren decided it would be fun to spray Lucian and it then turned into a fun game of cat and mouse.

The Little Tike Spray & Rescue Fire Truck is perfect for their outdoor adventures. I love that the fire hose will stay neatly stored in the back rather than flop around. The details are fantastic and the horn is certainly a favorite as well!

The boys then moved on to washing the car (a.k.a. the cozy coupe) with the spray hose. At first I thought they might want to pretend they were filling the Cozy Coupe with gas but they corrected me immediately to explain that the car was dirty and needed a wash. The pump used to start the water is fairly easy to pump, even for my two year old. I like that  it is teaching him cause and effect as plays and holds up to two gallons of water so I’m not constantly refilling it!

Doesn’t it look like fun? I snapped so many picture of the boys having a blast with both vehicles. While similar, we did notice features that are unique to each vehicle:

Cozy Coupe

• Removable floor for two options for play. A bit safer for a younger child as you don’t have to worry about catching their feet if you push them.
• Handy dandy cup holders. Two of them!
• Top which provides some shade
• Great handle for parents to push without having to bend very far
• Locking door

Spray & Rescue Fire Truck

• More room inside  so it works a great for older children
• No door to mess with so quick and easy to climb in and out
• Water hose feature that adds a whole new dimension to play. It allows the perfect cooling off and water play children crave outside but without all the mess!
• Can still push child using sides of truck but you will need to bend down further

Buy it: The Little Tikes Cozy Coupe 30th Anniversary Edition retails for $49.99 and the Spray & Rescue Fire Truck retails for $69.99. Both can be purchased from Little Tikes directly or from Amazon.

{ Giveaway }

Little Tikes would like to give one of my very lucky readers the Cozy Coupe 30th Anniversary Edition!

MAIN ENTRY: Visit Little Tikes and me another item that you absolutely love!

Want more entries? (Are you joking? Of course you do!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.

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This contest will end on 6/1/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S. residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org and will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway.

Disclosure: I received a sample for the purpose of this review but no other type of compensation was received. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.