Angry Birds Go! Telepods Review

My kids love angry birds! What is more fun than dive bombing birds into pigs? Not much around here, that's for sure. Ever since the original app came out I have had some version of it on my phone to keep the kids entertained for long car rides, any occasion in public when I need them to not be screaming, etc. I got the chance to review the new Telepods game and knew my kids would like it.

I showed Nate and he wanted to play it immediately. Arielle even took a break from her rock star dress up time (no I don't normally dress my toddler in pink pleather and sequins) to play with us. We set it up, the kids picked their cars and we were off to the races! The kids had fun blasting their cars to the finish line. Arielle liked it because she actually had a chance to beat her big brother at something, and did several times! 

 

Of course Nate checked out the box after we were done racing and noticed there was an app that went with the game. He and Daddy downloaded it and now it's the new favorite app in our house. It's not just for kids, folks. My husband is somewhat obsessed with Angry Birds Go! at the moment. Luckily it is fun and has a catchy tune! Hasbro has done so many fun things with the Angry Birds franchise. The mix of hands on and technology is definitely a hit with our family!

Disclosure: I received the Angry Birds Telepods game for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Yo Gabba Gabba! Live! rocked Boston!

We had the chance to go see Yo Gabba Gabba! Live! Get the Sillies out!  at the Orpheum Theater in Boston on Saturday. Both of my kids love the TV show and I knew they would have a blast.

My kids couldn't even wait until the show started to sing and dance in their seats. As soon as the lights dimmed they were cheering for their favorite characters, Plex and Foofa.The set is partly digital with a huge screen at the back of the stage. The screen images changed along with each song which I thought was pretty cool.

 

 

Of course they played a bunch of my kid's favorite songs like "Hold Still" which had them both wiggling and dancing in the aisle and "Hugs are Fun" which resulted in a rare snuggle moment between the kidlets. My husband, who is not a huge fan of most kid shows, actually said he loved the show. I am pretty sure the presence of Biz Markie helped with that.

 

I really liked that there were a bunch of kids dancing in the aisles and in their seats and as they performed the songs they encouraged them along. Nate had a chance to show off his sweet dance moves and managed to get a dancing buddy out of it in the form of my friend Joanna's (Baby Gator's Den) son. I definitely see a dance party play date in their future.

 

Over-all, the show was a perfect length, 80 minutes including a 20 minute intermission. I think it is just the right amount of time to hold my kids' attention. It was truly fun for the whole family, even though that sounds lame and cliche! There are still plenty of stops left on the tour, so don't miss out on this show!

Disclaimer: I received compensation for my posts in the form of 4 tickets to the show. All opinions and dance moves are my own!

Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! : Get the Sillies Out!

 

 

My kids love Yo Gabba Gabba! As parents, we are all subjected to kid shows on T.V. There are a small number of them that I actually enjoy watching with the kids and Yo Gabba Gabba! is one of them. I love that they teach kids important lessons, without them realizing it. They teach diversity, art appreciation, the importance of not biting our friends, and I can't count the number of times I have convinced one of my kids to eat something good for them by singing, "There's a Party in my Tummy". What is even better is they incorporate musicians that I like to listen to. My son is 5 1/2 and still loves to watch the show, so when I got the chance to take the kidlets to the live performance I jumped at it! I know we will love it and will tell you all about it after we go on Saturday! If you don't live in Boston, they have tour stops all over the country too.

"The sillies are crazy little creatures that live inside of us and need to be shaken out! DJ Lance Rock and everyone’s favorite cast of colorful characters are calling all fans in Boston to get ready to jump, shake and shimmy them out at the new live tour Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out!. Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get The Sillies Out! tour will visit more than 50 cities across the U.S. in 2013. Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! is touring in support of their first national beverage launch, a new line of toys, a new line of kids sportswear and a DVD/ CD collectors' edition."

 

 

Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! will have two performances at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston on Saturday, Jan. 26th (2pm and 5pm). CLICK HERE for ticket information for the shows. Tickets start at $23.50. VIP Party packages are available as well which include a ticket in the first 15 Rows, a pass to "Get the Sillies Out" in the private VIP room featuring a super fun party with the Gabba Gang (costumed characters) and more. Children under 1 year old do not require a paid ticket to sit on a parent's lap.

 

For a complete list of tour dates, cities and show times, and a preview of the show, visit www.yogabbagabbalive.com 

 

Dear Kate: Function meets Fashion

So, I can't say I ever thought I would blog about undies, aside from how many I have to wash during potty training, but here I am! As you might know I have become somewhat of a runner. I have taken a tiny break in the past, cough, 2 months, but I am back at it again!  Can I just tell you how awful it is to run in the wrong undergarments?? I usually know after the first 2 minutes of a run if I have selected the wrong ones for the task. They bunch, pinch, go places no underwear should ever go, etc. To add insult to injury, there is the lovely chafing that can occur after you have been running for over an hour. I find that it is due to a mix of sweat, the wrong undies, and the fact that my thighs really like to stay close together, damn thighs.

 

Enough about my problem, let's talk about the solution! Dear Kate to the rescue. They have a line of fashionable, yet super functional undergarments, that are awesome. I got the Leading Lady bikini (pictured below on a model...not me...no one wants to see that). From the photo I thought they would be a little tight, but they fit perfectly. If you are worried about that go a size up. They were the most comfortable undies to run in. They stayed put and absorbed moisture so I had no chafing at all.

 



 

They are designed with a three breathable layers, to wick away moisture and then absorb it. They were originally designed to provide backup during menstrual cycles, but have so many more benefits! Many women have problems when they are pregnant or after the baby is born that I like to call the "Achoo, oops I peed a little" or "Bwahahaha, that is hilarious. Ugh, not again!". These undies are the solution to those problems! They also have a maternity line and their basic line is so comfy but doesn't look at all like the granny undies I wore after my kids were born! I like the bikini so much that I am going to try the thong they make as well. They also have a fancier line that looks like Betty Page might have modeled them. Note to self...get skinny enough to be able to wear them in a boudoir shoot!  If you'd like to get your own Dear Kates, visit their site and use the coupon code below to save $10. 

Disclosure: I was provided a pair of Dear Kate underwear to test out in exchange for posting my honest opinion.

Unreal Candy

Last week I had the pleasure of hosting an UNREAL Candy party. I work full time and am the co-lead of my site's Parents Club, so I decided to introduce some of the lovely ladies at my work to these yummy treats! 

A little back story of why I was so interested in testing out this candy: My son was having some behavioral issues. We were concerned and decided to have him for possible ADD or ADHD. The appointment was scheduled a month away, but I was not happy just to sit idle and not do something to help him. I researched natural ways to help behavioral issues and stumbled across a lot of information on elimination diets. These diets remove things like processed foods and dyes from their diets and often times behavior improved. It was worth a shot. I emptied our cupboards of any unnatural foods and in a matter of a couple of weeks I could see a difference in him.  The hard thing was finding treats he could have that wouldn't send him into a behavioral frenzy. Enter Unreal Candy. I love the fact that their products have no preservatives, no artificial dyes, no GMO ingredients and no high fructose corn syrup. I was a little hesitant at first that something so "unjunked" could taste as good as their chemical laden competitors, but I was happy to discover that I actually like some of their products better.

We decided to have a pizza party and taste testing of the candy. I cut them up into pieces so we could try them all without getting sweets overload! The consensus was that we all loved the peanut butter cups and thought they tasted better than an unnamed famous brand. :)We liked that the natural peanut butter flavor is center stage. My favorite was the chocolate, peanut, caramel nougat bars. I could eat those every day! At only 200 calories a piece, they rival my favorite granola bars in nutritional value.

Most of the women I work with are also moms. We want our kids to enjoy sweet treats without worrying we are pumping them full of chemicals. Everyone was pleasantly surprised with the quality and taste of our candy.

We all got treat bags with all 5 varieties of candy in them. I know, ahem, mine didn't last all that long! So give them a try. I promise, real tastes good!

Disclosure:. I received product for my guests, and was compensated for my participation in this campaign. All opinions, as always, are my own.

Gutzy Gear Party and Giveaway

 

My son started Kindergarten this year and we were thrust into the world of school supplies, lunch boxes, and backpacks. I wanted a quality back pack that would last, but that limited us a bit when it came to the fun factor. Say hello to Gutzy Gear! I discovered this awesome company at BlogHer and knew my kids would love their products. They make backpack strap covers and removable patches that you can mix and match. What a fun way to personalize and jazz up a bag or backpack.

 

This weekend we had some friends over and introduced them to Gutzy Gear. The kids loved picking Gutzys for their backpacks! We played Bingo and the winner got to chose their patches first. The competition was fierce. :)  Even the kids that didn't bring backpacks got creative and put their covers on their arms. What I think I like the best about Guzty Gear is they are not permanent. My kids change their minds almost as much as their clothes so the option to switch out the patches is great. The velcro is really strong too so the patches stay in place and won't just fall off.

 

 

I have some Gutzy Gear prize packs to give away!  6 sets to be exact! The set comes with 2 strap covers and 3 Gutzy patches. I have 2 girl, 2 boy and 2 unisex sets up for grabs! 6 winners means great odds!

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