Rave and Review

Gnomeo and Juliet Pre-Release Movie Screening and Prize Pack {SEATTLE Giveaway with Multiple Winners}

Have you heard of the new film GNOMEO AND JULIET?  My daughter certainly has and has been talking about it ever since she caught the tailend of a preview a few days ago. 

As soon as the preview ended she turned to us and said, “I want to see that movie nowday, please.”  Not that I blame her, the movie looks absolutely adorable!

If you haven’t already heard about upcoming Touchstone Film GNOMEO AND JULIET, which hits theatres February 11th, you can check out the trailer at the official Gnomeo and Juliet movie site.  I must admit we’ve watched the preview over a dozen times because my daughter thinks it is so hilarious. 

So you can bet we were thrilled when we heard we had the chance to attend one of the pre-release Movie Screenings in Seattle next Saturday the 5th, and even more so when I heard that I could giveaway a few tickets to the screening with some prize packs from the movie!

http://www.gnomeoandjuliet.com/

 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a Gnomeo and Juliet Pre-Screening and Prize Pack!  The giveaway Prize Pack includes a t-shirt, beanie, notepad, some valentines, and a ticket which admits two to the advance screening in Seattle.

 To Enter: Simply comment below with who you would take to see the film

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Tweet about this Giveaway after following (daily Tweet, just post link here)

I want to win a Gnomeo and Juliet SEATTLE pre-screening + movie prize pack from @raveandreview (http://bit.ly/fsc06Q)

3) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

4) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R)

5) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

6) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

7) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry, just tell me what rank R&R has)

On February 3rd at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have mere hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen because of the tight timeline and making sure we can all get to the theatre to claim seats.  Giveaway open to anyone willing to drive/fly/swim to Seattle for the screening.

Winners, winners!  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to:

#21 Tricia

#2 Marci

#17 Bianca

 

 

A big thank you to Disney/Touchstone Pictures for providing a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  Please keep in mind that screening tickets do not guarantee admission, you must arrive early in order to claim your place in the theatre.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Rösle Garlic Press {Review & Giveaway}

I resolve to… buy quality cooking gadgets (…and thus cook more)

A few years ago my husband and I decided that since we couldn’t go out to a fancy Valentine’s Day dinner, the next best thing would be to cook something special at home.  We came up with the idea for each of us to think of a dish we wanted to make and then to go buy a cooking gadget we could use to make it on Valentine’s Day. 

The great thing is that it actually was a lot of fun looking forward to cooking together, and it was also neat to be able to use a new kitchen gadget to make it extra special.  Even with the special kitchen gadget exchange, the dinner in for the holiday was still substantially cheaper than a fancy dinner out, and we each got to open something on the day of.  Even better was that each Valentine’s Day gadget purchased added to our collection and every time we used it throughout the year it would remind us of how much fun we had cooking together.

Now that Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, I am once again searching for my perfect dish to cook and the best gadget to surprise hubby with.  If you read my earlier post when I professed our love for all things Rösle, it’s not going to come as any surprise that they were the first place I turned to find something practical, beautiful, and incredibly high quality.

When I found the Rösle Garlic Press I knew I had found the perfect new kitchen tool for us.  Just look at it, it’s beautiful, right?  When you actually hold and feel how great it feels in your hand, you will literally be searching for dishes to use it in.  Since I personally think fresh garlic tastes good on 82% of all the dishes I cook, it really didn’t take long for me to plan a menu that would be perfect to create with the new Garlic Press.

As pretty as the press is, what really stands out is how completely practical it is as well.  The large wedge shaped basket can handle huge cloves as well as numerous smaller cloves at once, and can even press unpeeled garlic cloves easily.  The leverage mechanism is incredibly easy to press with minimal effort, which makes it practical to use even for large amounts of garlic without wrist strain. 

The crushed garlic all comes out evenly and is very uniform, something I wasn’t expecting because I was thinking it would essentially work like a mini ricer and it would come out fast at first and then taper off.  I read up a bit more on the Rösle Garlic Press and realized that the special shape of the basket and the sharpened holes give it the most uniform size and texture, which gives you a better finished product.  This may not seem that exciting until you start using the press and see how the garlic is completely smooth so it can spread easily on breads, meats, veggies and more as well as making it easy to add to recipes.   

Then, when it’s time for cleanup, the sieve component swings open for easy cleaning with no parts to remove and nothing to lose.  You can wash it by hand or in the dishwasher, as is the case with just about all Rosle products.  Once it dries, we will simply hang it up on our Rösle open kitchen system by the round ring in the handle and it will look gorgeous as well as be easy to grab for quick garlic additions.  
   
If you’re looking for something special for the cook in your life, you should definitely check out all Rösle has to offer.  From the simple and basic essentials to the obscure but beautiful, they have a whole range of gadgets that would make any cook’s day. 

Something we have learned in our quest for high quality and exceptional cooking gear is that if your tools and gadgets are beautiful, functional, and incredibly fun to use, you actually will.  You may even find yourself looking forward to using them throughout the year and thus looking forward to cooking, making it the gift that keeps on giving!
 
Item #: 12782
Size: Length: 7.9 inches
Price: $39.00 
http://www.rosleusa.com/

 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a Rosle Garlic Press of their very own!

 

To Enter: Simply comment below another Rosle item you would love to own - good luck choosing one!

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Subscribe to the Equip My Kitchen Blog (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

3) Tweet about this Giveaway after following us both (daily Tweet, just post link here)

Who doesn't want to #win a Rosle Garlic Press from @raveandreview and @equipmykitchen? (http://bit.ly/i7DOF9)

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

5) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R)

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

7) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

8) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry, just tell me what rank R&R has)

On February 28th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US Addresses.

Winner, winner!  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to: #267 Pizza Lover said... The pizza cutter

A big thank you to Rosle for providing the sample for review as well as offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Giving back with the Pediped Foundation, one adorable shoe at a time

I resolve to... give back 

I love it when I find a company that makes good, quality products and then learn that they are as committed as I am to giving back and supporting charities that are making a real difference.  Pediped is one of those brands and they have quickly made it onto the list of one of new favorite brands.  Besides having adorable shoes (and they do!)  they also have created the Pediped Foundation that gives back to children in need.

But, before I get to all the great things about the Pediped Foundation and how to give back, I want to talk about all the adorable shoes they carry that are truly awesome.  Designed to give parents a footwear option for little ones that are “the next best thing to bare feet”, Pediped knows that kid’s shoes shouldn’t just be miniature versions of adult shoes.  Rather, they should give your child good support and the most flexibility possible so they can be active and move naturally.

To help you find the best fit for your child, Pediped categorizes their shoes into three main lines: Originals for pre-walkers that mimics barefoot walking, the Grip n Go line that helps toddlers transition from early walking, and the Flex line that combines soft and flexible rubber soles with older styles for your active kids.  I love that this makes it easy for new parents to navigate the site, and was thrilled that the site gives you a great sizing tool to help find the best fit for baby, toddler, or kidlet. 

We got to try out a shoe, or rather a boot, in the Flex line for my toddler and instantly became big fans.  The Elizabeth Shearling Lined Boots by Pediped Flex are stylish, easy to put on thanks to the side zipper (yes!), and reportedly are very, very comfortable.  They have this amazingly squishy and soft sole that Pediped calls a “gum sole” and I really wish they came in my size.  Approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association for promoting healthy foot development and with cool features like a 2mm insole to customize the fit for your child and extend the length of time your child can wear them (included with all Flex styles), you will love these shoes as much as your little one will.    

But something I love even more than adorable shoes is giving back, so I love that Pediped is dedicated to donating to children’s charities.  Since the company’s inception 5 years ago, Pediped has donated nearly $700,000 in monetary and product donations to children's charities.  And now with the newly established Pediped Foundation, they are poised to raise even more. 

To kick things off, during the Purchases with Purpose fundraiser (thru February 4th, 2011), select styles available on pediped.com will be marked down as much as 50 percent and half of the sales from the promotion will be donated to the pediped foundation™.   The funds will be used to provide monetary support to organizations including Make-A-Wish foundation and other worthy children’s charities.  Yes, that’s right, just by buying a pair of Pedipeds, you’re helping children in need and teaching your children the importance of charity. 

Pediped offers a full footwear collection that can take you from first shoes up to sizes for your 6 year old.  Visit the Pediped site for more details on their different shoe lines as well as where to purchase.  You can also connect with Pediped via Twitter & Facebook to stay up to date on what’s happening. 

For more information on the pediped foundation™ visit www.pedipedfoundation.org or http://www.pediped.com/

A big thank you to Pediped for sending their Flex shoes to be reviewed as well as providing us with information on the awesome pediped foundation!  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Amazing Cows! by Sandra Boynton {Review & Giveaway}

I resolve to… learn more about cows

It’s a running joke in our house that “we just don’t know a whole lot about cows”.  In fact, it might be the most common thing joked about on long car rides.  The joke stems from a conversation my husband and I had a few years back in which I overwhelmed him with questions about cows as we passed one of Oregon’s many cow fields.  As it turns out, neither one of us knows much of anything about cows. 

But, as it turns out, our favorite kid’s author, Sandra Boynton, knows a whole lot about cows.  She knows things like how to speak in cow {it turns out “my name is Floyd” is pronounced “moo Floyd”} and why you should never play Red Rover with 80 cows named “Tino”… 

Come to think of it, I’m not sure Sandra knows much about cows, either.  

But that didn’t stop her from writing a book and filling 89 pages with all sorts of things that might be true about cows {but probably aren’t}.  The book, Amazing Cows!, is the witty and whimsical humor we’ve come to expect from Sandra Boynton, only this time it’s geared towards the older set and is more than just a simple rhyming board book {if you can call the genius that is Snuggle Puppy a simple rhyming board book} and quickly became a favorite book for both the kiddos and us adults. 

Pick up Amazing Cows! by Sandra Boynton and you'll get "two cow stories, three cow poems, eleven or so cow jokes, one cow myth, a cow comic book, and way too many unexplained chickens!"  Tempting, isn’t it?  From page one of Amazing Cows! we were all laughing hysterically, learning all we ever wanted to know about the udder amazing-ness of cows and busy quoting and re-quoting it to each other as if we hadn’t all just read it together. 

Okay, so “learning” might be stretching the truth just a bit, or more likely, a complete lie.  We didn’t learn a thing except that cows truly are amazing.  Not that they actually DO anything amazing, they just ARE.  And we learned that not knowing anything about cows might be funnier than knowing all about them.  Or maybe we already knew that and instead enjoyed reading and laughing together as a family without learning getting in the way.       

While Boynton on Board books are some of our favorites and not likely to be handed down anytime soon, it’s really nice to have a Sandra Boynton book to grow into with the kids that is just as hilarious as you would expect from Sandra.  With her great mix of smart humor and irreverence that make her books fun to read over and over {and over} again, Amazing Cows! is destined to have a special place on the bookshelf. 

Go to http://www.workman.com/boynton/ for more information, downloads and extra features!

 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win their own cow!  Okay, so they don't actually win a cow as much as they win a copy of a book about cows by the hilarious Sandra Boynton, which is probably a better deal anyway.

To Enter: Simply check out the Sandra Boynton page and tell me your favorite book, digital download, or feature

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Tweet about this Giveaway after following (daily Tweet, just post link here)

#win some Sandra Boynton genius, the new book Amazing Cows! from @raveandreview http://bit.ly/gGTMu8

3) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

4) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R)

5) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

6) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

7) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry, just tell me what rank R&R has)

On March 4th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US Addresses.

Winner, winner!  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to: #109 Soha Molina said... http://twitter.com/#!/sohamolina/statuses/40498198401253376

A big thank you to Workman Publishing Co for providing the sample for review as well as offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Excerpted from AMAZING COWS by Sandra Boynton Copyright 2010 by Sandra Boynton
Used by permission of Workman Publishing Co., Inc. New York. All Rights Reserved

Total Computer Protection with Kaspersky PURE {Review & Giveaway}

I resolve to... protect my digital world

Until a few years ago, I naively thought that my PC would be entirely safe just because it had a security software icon in the applications menu.  Since most of our computers were secondhand, I had not spent much time protecting much of anything, including my daily use laptop.

Recently, though, that secondhand laptop started running about as fast as my newborn and I would spend ALL DAY LONG waiting for pages to load or even waiting for the text I typed to finally appear in my word document.  Since a lot of what I do involves a computer, I'm sure you can imagine how fun I was to be around when it took all day to send one email.

I sent the unit in to IT and we heard the dreaded news: it was a virus, the kind that is almost impossible to detect until it slows your productivity to zero.  Thankfully, the computer contents were somewhat recoverable (after we paid a whole bunch to the professionals to clean it off again) but I learned a valuable lesson - my "security" software hadn't been working at all and I had blindly been trusting it with all of my precious digital files.

So, when I just got my brand new shiny laptop, literally the first thing I did after taking the plastic off the screen was install Kaspersky PURE on the hard drive.  The best part is that Kaspersky PURE all-in-one security is sold with a 3 computer license, so I was able to secure my new device, my husband's laptop, and our desktop dinosaur at the same time, all with the same software.  Even better is that you can actually control the settings for all computers on your network through one computer so you don’t have to update settings all three separately.

 We all know how easy it is to catch a virus from someone you spend a lot of time with, so it doesn't make sense to protect one computer from viruses and leave the other ones in close proximity exposed, especially if they are networked or are sharing files, as is often the case.  Whether you run your home network through one computer or simply do a lot of emailing files, sharing pictures or media libraries, it just makes sense to get them all protected at the same time.

After installing the software on all of our computers there are some things I noticed right away that I love and they go a long way in making me feel like my computer and home network are both finally secure.  The Kaspersky PURE application page is easy to use and shows at a glance that your computer is protected as well as the last time a scan was carried out.  It also serves as a great reminder to run file backups regularly, set and monitor parental controls, and secure your passwords.  It also shows you how many more days you have of protection at the bottom of the screen, a feature I love because I will then have enough warning to re-purchase the software before my last day runs out. 

 

 
As great as it is to see all of my security at a glance in the Kaspersky PURE application screen, I also love that I get alerts when the web page I am going to does not have an up-to-date security certificate, and really appreciate that downloaded files must be confirmed first and then are all scanned before downloading, because you would seriously not believe the amount of crazy attachments I get in my inbox each week.  Whether they are begging me to download it to get paid (P.S. if anyone DOES want to pay me, feel free to send cash from now on) or claiming I have won 1,000,000 pounds in a UK lottery I have never participated in, I am confident they won’t worm their way into my computer ever again. 

Kaspersky PURE will be available to the public January 24, 2011 at the Kaspersky Lab (Americas) home page or you can visit the PURE Product Page.

And, here's why Kaspersky PURE is worth waiting for:

• Award-winning protection against all Internet threats
• Run scans on any PC in your household to make sure they’re secure
• Automatic file backup and restore functions
• Data Encryption and File Shredder to make sure your private information stays private
• Award-winning parental controls keep your kids safe online, even when they are out of view with ability to limit access to the internet, web content, applications, games, and social networks
• Control over when and for how long your children can be online, or on the computer at all
• An integrated Password Manager to protect your identity
• Scheduled backup protects your photos, music, and financial data
• Encrypted vaults securely store valuable files
• On-screen Virtual Keyboard protects your passwords
• PC clean-up tools keep your system running smoothly
• Fix security issues before they become problems
• Best-in-class firewall blocks hacker attacks
• Small, frequent updates won't slow you down

 

Find out more at the Kaspersky Lab (Americas) home page: http://usa.kaspersky.com
and the PURE product page: http://usa.kaspersky.com/products-services/pure-thank-you
Be sure to connect with them Facebook and Twitter! 

 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win their own 1 year 3-user Kaspersky PURE software!

To Enter: Simply check out Kaspersky Lab and tell me something you learned about their software products

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Like Kaspersky Lab on Facebook (just leave your FB name here so I can verify)

3) Tweet about this Giveaway after following us both (daily Tweet, just post link here)

Total security in one package with the Kaspersky PURE I'm hoping to #win from @raveandreview and @Kaspersky (http://bit.ly/gY7H7Z)

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

5) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R)

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

7) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

8) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry, just tell me what rank R&R has)

On February 5th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US Addresses.

Winner, winner!  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to: #10  Cathy W said... http://twitter.com/cjwallace43/status/29074980645904384

A big thank you to Kaspersky PURE for providing the sample for review as well as offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Emile Henry Flame Top Tagine {Review & Giveaway}

I resolve to... get creative in the kitchen

One thing our family absolutely loves is traveling, and while traveling we love to try new and exciting foods that are popular where we are.  It’s always fun to try something new and authentic and the best part is, whether it’s good or bad, you at least have a good story to tell.  A couple of years ago when we were in Morocco we put this theory into practice when we stopped for lunch and all had local meals cooked in tagines. 

We had been dying to try something from these crazy looking pots ever since we had first seen them, and thankfully, the food did not disappoint.  We decided right there that we needed to get a tagine of our very own to bring some of the flavor of Morocco home with us.  Unfortunately, as we looked around at the local shops it seemed most of the tagines we found were more decorative than functional and we ended up leaving empty handed.

Once we returned home the search was on again, and it continued until we found the Emile Henry Flame Top line of cookware.  After having fallen in love with their pizza stone, we knew theirs was the Tagine for us.  The Flame Top line is a series of ceramic cookware that you can use on any type of cooking surface, from your stove (gas, electric, halogen and even induction with an adapter), oven (traditional, convection and microwave), and even on your BBQ.  Best of all, because of their super strong outer glazing they are extremely easy to clean, either by hand or in the dishwasher.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, a Tagine is a clay dish with a domed, witch hat shaped lid.  The clay construction allows for excellent heat transfer and retention, and gives you the ability to cook gently and slowly.  But, the real secret is in the lid.  The unique shape of the lid allows moisture from whatever you are cooking to circulate around the pan in the form of steam, which ensures you get the most tender meat possible, and that every last bit of flavor swirls around the dish and right back into your meal.

This amazing ability to make the most of every flavor and spice is great because there are some really delicious tagine recipes to choose from both online and included with the cookware.  These are some of the most flavorful dishes you can imagine and fall-off-the-bone tender meats that you will ever try.  This combination of self-basted tender meats and flavorful infusion of flavors is perfect for traditional curries, stew-like dishes served over rice, or exotic flavors common in the Mediterranean.

Besides being delicious, the fact that the meal is cooked entirely in one pot and is extremely easy to clean by hand or in the dishwasher makes for a super quick cleanup, something we can all appreciate.  And, the fact that the whole family has loved each recipe we’ve tried in the Emile Henry Tagine makes this one of our go-to pieces of cookware when we are looking to get adventurous. 

While tagine (or tajine, depending on where you are) cooking is very common in the Middle East, Europe and surrounding areas, it doesn’t just have to be for ethnic recipes.  We have used our Emile Henry Flame Top Tagine for a whole bunch of dinners, both with the domed lid and without, with the base becoming a great all-purpose clay cooking pot.

When not in use, the Tagine is so beautiful that it could easily be displayed on a shelf, an open cabinet, or even on the stove top to add some color to your kitchen.  We have it displayed with the pottery we picked up during our Spain travels and have received so many compliments on it as a design element.  Besides reminding me of our trip to Africa, it also serves as a great reminder that it’s okay to spice things up a bit in the kitchen and really get creative with our cooking.    

 
Flame Top Tagine, 2.6 qt, Red Item #: 615532  Size: 11" Capacity: 2.6qt Price: $135.00 
http://www.emilehenryusa.com/Flame-Top-Tagine-2-6-qt-Red-plu615532.html
 
Tagine Recipes from Emile Henry 
* Veal and Curry Tagine with Aubergines and Zucchini recipe  * Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon and Olives  recipe * Beef and Vegetable Tagine recipe * Lamb Tagine with Dried Prunes and Almonds recipe * Veal and Curry Tagine recipe

Emile Henry Flame® ceramic cookware advantages :

*A new ceramic technology for cooking on the stove or in the oven
*All types of stove tops: gas, electricity, halogen and all types of ovens: traditional, convection, and microwave safe.
*For use on all types of Barbeque Grills and can be heated to extremely high temperatures for searing
*Keeps hot longer and provides even heat distribution; coaxes out the natural flavors of the food and maintains natural textures and colors, results in better tasting dishes 
*Easy to clean, dishwasher-safe
*Light, easy to handle - 30% Lighter than all Cast Iron
*Manufactured in France from Burgundy Clay and other natural products
http://www.emilehenryusa.com/

 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win an Emile Henry Flame Top Tagine of their very own!

To Enter: Simply comment below another Emile Henry item you would love to own

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) Subscribe to the Equip My Kitchen Blog (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

3) Tweet about this Giveaway after following us both (daily Tweet, just post link here)

I'm hoping to spice up my cooking and #win an Emile Henry Tagine from @raveandreview and @equipmykitchen (http://bit.ly/hwm2yb)

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

5) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R)

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

7) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

8) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry, just tell me what rank R&R has)

On February 26th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US Addresses.

Winner, winner! This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to: #114 Lynda Del said... I'd love to own the Flame Oval Dutch Oven / Stewpot, Red.

A big thank you to Emile Henry for providing the sample for review as well as offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Bring on Tax Season!

Thank you to TurboTax for sponsoring my writing about household finances. Learn more about how TurboTax can help you find every tax deduction you deserve. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

Am I the only one who loves tax season?  Not only is tax time a great opportunity to show off how completely organized I am with my important paperwork, it also usually means a refund will be mailed out to me in just a few short weeks.

Seriously, I look forward to tax time every year and even starting in November I start to organize all my yearly documents so I’m ready to go as soon as I collect all my wage and earnings records in January.  Maybe this is the bookkeeper in me, but I just love adding up all my receipts and bills and figuring out what’s owed to me each April. 

Many of you may be asking, if I’m so tax savvy, why on Earth I would set up our deductions so that we would get a refund at tax time?  As someone who has worked in HR for many {no, make that too many} years, I have helped many employees figure out their withholdings so that just the right amount of taxes are claimed with each pay period.  I get it, it does make sense to put more money in your pocket each week, it lets you control how you spend it, and, as my brother-in-law always says, it doesn’t give the government your money "interest free" until tax season each year... blah blah blah.

While I can appreciate the person who has this all figured out and goes into tax season knowing that under $20 will be changing hands when the tax man cometh, I also think there’s something to be said for having a bit more in taxes taken out than you need to… just in case.  As in, just in case you win a large prize that you have to pay taxes on, have any 1099 income to report, or simply make more money than you expected and jump into a higher tax bracket.  While I’m still waiting on my winning number being drawn for a big ticket prize or that huge raise that’s going to jump us into the next tax bracket, I like having a “tax cushion”, especially when I see it as a refund in May.

I should clarify that just because I have this cushion it doesn’t mean that I’m lax about tracking my taxes, charitable donations, and deductions.  In reality it’s quite the opposite and I have not only a bulging “tax file” I update numerous times a week, I also subscribe to tax sites updates that pertain to me and my family’s finances.  While some might argue this is a bit overkill, to me, I see taxes as one of the biggest financial decisions I make each year.  When you’re talking about potentially owing thousands of dollars, I like to go in with a plan and know that I won’t be hit with any surprises or miss out on a deduction.

In fact, I love keeping tabs on our tax situation so much that when I found the Tax Calculator function on the TurboTax website, I was so incredibly excited that I called my husband over and we played with the program together.  We spent a lot of time perusing the site and even figured out our projected refund for April now with our brand new tax deduction {aka our new baby boy}.  If you haven’t already, you should go play around with some of the really cool features on the Turbo Tax website and see how your big life changes like buying a house, having a baby, or going back to school, can affect your tax situation throughout the year – not just at tax time!

So, what type of tax planner are you?  Do you calculate everything before you go into tax season and already know what to expect, do you usually owe in taxes, or are you like me and plan it so you get a refund?  No matter what type of financial planner you are (diligent, lazy, or indifferent) you can make sure you know what to expect each year coming into tax time!

Lovable Labels Friendship Packs for you and your Valentine {Review & Giveaway}

It's no secret that kids love to see their own names, which is why my siblings and I were known for hand presonalizing a variety of other people's belongings growing up.  Maybe this stems from the fact that there were 5 of us and we were always bickering over whose stuff was whose whenever the items weren't color coded by child {my color was blue, if you're wondering}.  Perhaps my parents should have invested in the Lovable Labels Friendship Pack instead, allowing us to personalize everything with a simple sticker instead of having to color code everything we owned to keep the peace. 

Not only would this have made things easier on all of us if we all knew what belonged to whom, it would have made it much simpler as we got older and took our stuff to school, sports, and to friend's houses.  Even though I only have two young children, they already have a huge amount of cousins, friends, and neighbors who all have similar gear and sometimes it's really hard to tell it all apart.  I have already found sticky name labels to be pretty much the best thing ever, allowing us to tell at a glance what goes where and what needs to come home with us at the end of each playdate.   

This love of personalized name labels came after I found Lovable Labels back in 2009 and labeled just about every piece of plasticware, every serving dish, and sports bottle we take out of the house with our last name.  Fast forward two years and those labels still look great {even though they have each gone through the dishwasher and microwave numerous times}.  This is long lasting stick is due to the Lovable Labels' Perma-Grip backing that is super strong and sticks to every single surface I tried, even curved containers and slick surfaces that other stickers peel right off of.  

So, now that I've got two kids who each have their own gear that needs to be labeled specifically for them, of course I turned to Lovable Labels again to help me out.  And, this year for Valentine's Day, Lovable Labels has introduced something that I really think is cool, especially if you've got more than one kid to buy for.    

Lovable Labels’ Friendship Pack includes 120 labels for you and a FREE sampler pack for a friend with 40 labels!  This is perfect for two sibings {although you will have to choose which one gets the larger and smaller packs}, but even better for if your child has a friend that would love a sampler set of labels for themselves. 

We received a set to review and found that the quality of the Friendship Pack was just as good as the Back to School Mega Set we got in 2009.  Even better was how excited the kiddos were to see their own nicknames right on the label, which made them want to label everything they owned.  While we didn't let them go crazy claiming items for themselves, we did let them label quite a few of the items we take out of the house frequently that are easy to misplace or forget at the babysitters. 

Now that everything is labeled for playdates and for school, my oldest loves to find her cup in the sea of kids dishes when we're ready to go and to show everyone her special name sticker.  If {hypothetically} we were to run out without collecting our gear, all the other moms would know who to return it to the next time we see each other, which has happened more often than I care to admit. 

When you are ordering a Friendship Pack you can choose between Bedazzled (girly) or Majestic (boyish) as well as numerous different icons to personalize each label.  To order your own customized pack, just follow this link to review the package options.

Price: 24.99 CDN for 160 labels {120 + 40 FREE}

Be sure and 'Like' Lovable Labels on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to get updates on new promotions, codes, and other deals
http://www.lovablelabels.ca/

 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a customized Friendship Pack + Friendship Sampler Pack from Lovable Labels just in time for Valentine's Day!  Thanks, Lovable Labels!

To Enter: Simply visit Lovable Labels and tell me which of their amazing products is your favorite

And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) 'Like' Lovable Labels on Facebook and let them know R&R sent you (1 extra entry, just leave your FB name here)

3) Tweet about this giveaway using the following tweet after following us both (daily Tweet, just post link here):

"WIN a Lovable Labels Friendship Pack from @raveandreview and @MyLovableLabels http://bit.ly/dHLKwv!"

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (1 extra entry, just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

5) Place my button in your sidebar on your blog or website  (2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R)

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

7) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

8) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry, just tell me what rank R&R has)

On January 30th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn via Random.org, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 7 days to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to 18+ US and Canadian residents only.

Winner, winner!  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to: #99 jessica said...

lovable labels fb fan
jessica tang
jessicatang90 at gmail dot com

A big thank you to Lovable Labels for sending sample packs for review free of charge and for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

 

L’ovedbaby Basics and 4-in-1 Nursing Shawl {Review & Giveaway}

Some women don’t need nursing covers and instead can sneak away to feed their young ones in private each time they get hungry.  I’m not sure if I just happened to end up with two incredibly voracious eaters, but I feel like I would be spending my entire life in a back room if I went with that method.  Instead, we end up feeding on the go numerous times a day, oftentimes in large groups of people. 

To many this means propping up blankets, coats and more to nurse, something me and my wiggly babies have never been able to do comfortably.  Instead, I have found that I need to have a solution that moves with me and allows my child to eat and squirm comfortably. 

One of those solutions is the L’ovedbaby Nursing Shawl that is the perfect way to discreetly nurse in public, offering privacy, warmth and shade, as well as making it easier for baby to eat without distractions.  No more fighting with a blanket, no more struggling to stay warm, and no more banishing to the bedroom!   

The shawl itself is a one-size-fits-all design and is really lightweight and soft, especially the sueded top layer.  Although the shawl is a bit warmer than ones I have tried previously due to the two sided design as well as the fabrics used, we haven’t run into any overheating issues with my little one.  I have found it perfect for nursing in cold weather as well as indoors for both me and the babe. 

The L’ovedbaby 4-in-1 Nursing Shawl is a great full-coverage solution for nursing, with front and back panels that are long enough to cover your entire front and back.  The opening of the L’ovedbaby is scoopneck on both sides with no stiff edges that make it hard to fold.  Although this also makes it a bit more difficult for hands-free viewing of the baby, this feature is something that would be great for women who do nurse outdoors quite a bit or for those who nurse sitting down with others nearby and don’t want an open gaping neckline. 

If you are having a problem with your baby rebelling against a cover while eating but still want to cover up your upper chest, I found a really easy solution with the L’ovedbaby, which was twisting the cover so I was wearing it sideways with the longer front and back positioned at my sides.  This method of wearing it gives you fairly minimal coverage, hiding your décolletage but still leaving baby exposed and free to move about.

As with all great products for mom and baby, the L’ovedbaby Nursing Shawl is machine washable and dryable, and even comes with a matching drawstring pouch to keep it clean in between feedings.  When folded and placed in the pouch, the compact design is smaller than a paper back novel and only weighs 7oz, which makes it easy to pop into a purse or diaper bag. 

Besides a great design for nursing both away and at home, the L’ovedbaby Nursing Shawl really is multi-purpose.  You can actually use the shawl as a baby blanket, a carseat canopy, stroller cover, and even for covering up while pumping breastmilk!

Even if you aren’t nursing your little one or don’t need a breastfeeding cover, you should definitely check out L’ovedbaby for their great line of basics for birth to 12 months.  We got to check out a pair of their Signature Pants in their cotton basics collection and they are exquisite.  Besides being super soft and comfortable, they are also really stylish with a modern cut (no cuffed legs! no waistband pulled up to the nipples!) and they even have faux pockets in the front to add a little flair. 

I love that they can be dressed up or down depending on your schedule that day, which makes them one of the most well-loved pieces in the closet.  My son wears the L’ovedbaby signature pants for relaxed days at home as well as with his collection of adorable of tops for playdates and days out on the town. 

Need more reasons to check out L'ovedbaby?  Check out their current and upcoming promotions below:

Jan 15-31 To ring in the new year, L'ovedbaby customers get $20.11 off a $99 order

Feb 1-14 Valentines Day promotion. Receive a free L'ovedbaby teddy bear with any gift basket purchase

Every Thursday, is the BIG FIND, where customers get a huge discount on the chosen item of the day, for just $5!

Be sure and 'Like' L'ovedbaby on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to get updates on new promotions, codes, and other deals
http://www.lovedbaby.com/

 
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a 4-in-1 Nursing Shawl and a pair of Signature Pants in "Grand Sand" from L'ovedbaby!

To Enter: Simply visit L'ovedbaby and tell me another product of theirs you love or something you learned about the company

 And, as always, there are extra entries available!

1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)

2) 'Like' L'ovedbaby on Facebook (1 extra entry, just leave your FB name here)

3) Tweet about this giveaway using the following tweet after following us both (daily Tweet, just post link here):

"I'm entering to #win a nursing shawl and some adorable pants from @raveandreview and @LovedbabyLLC http://bit.ly/gOwspo!"

4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (2 extra entries, just post the URL where I can find your writeup)

5) Place my button in your sidebar on your blog or website  (2 extra entries, must have an active link to R&R)

6) Comment love.  Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!

7) Email love.  Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)

8) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry, just tell me what rank R&R has)

On February 24th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  Giveaway open to US Addresses only.

Winner, winner! This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to #34  pamela james said...voted 4

A big thank you to L'ovedbaby for sending samples for review and for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

 

Raves Faves {2010 Edition}

Okay, I know most top 10 lists are done at the end of December to recap the year and January 16th is a bit late to be debuting our wrap up, but this list was the product of a very heated debate that took two weeks to finalize.  It started as a discussion of what we would grab if the house went up in flames (*after our children, naturally*) and then turned into a battle of wills, but the end result was a list that is, without a doubt, amazing.  If you haven’t checked out our reviews of each of these products, I invite you to click on the links below:

The Cricut.  Oh, what can be said about the ultimate crafting machine besides ‘I want one’?  From signs to scrapbooking to screenprinting, it’s really no secret we love our Cricut.  We even designed a special place for it in our new craft/play room.

BabyBjorn Travel Crib Lite.  Perhaps a better way to profess our love for this travel crib would be to tell the story of the vacation when we forgot the BabyBjorn crib at home.  Unfortunately, none of us want to remember that trip, a prime example of why the BabyBjorn crib is one of our top picks of 2010.

HearthSong Exclusive Wooden Retro Kitchen.  The thought of this kitchen ever being outgrown seriously brings tears to my eyes.  I’ve already decided I’m keeping it for the grandkids. 

Tassimo T20 Coffee Brewer.  My husband loves making a fresh cup of premium coffee in mere moments before he runs off to work.  I like waking up to the smell of his brewing coffee, reminding me that there is a snowman mug downstairs that’s calling my name and waiting for me to make my special brew so I can start my day.

Step2 Gather & Grille Playhouse.  Hands down the cutest thing in our backyard.  Well, unless of course my daughter is out there playing with it, and in which case it’s the second cutest thing in our backyard.

Shun Edo Chef’s Knife.  A true thing of beauty whether it’s in its wooden stand or effortlessly chopping.  My husband and I look for any and all excuses to use it.

Summer Infant Best View Handheld Color Video Monitor.  The best video monitor we have tried and the one we recommend to all of our friends.  Pan, tilt, zoom… awesome.

Zoku Quick Pop Maker.  Custom-made ice pops from your favorite beverages and fruit while you watch; what’s not to love? 

HABA Fay Finja Soft Doll.  Yet another reason to love Maukilo, as if you needed another.

WellnessMats.  Heaven forbid you accidentally stand on the Wellness Mat in our kitchen you will be firmly scolded by our two year old.  Please stay off of Mama’s Mat, she loves it much. 

MamaRoo.  I love this little baby seat almost as much as my son does.  I never take having two free hands for granted. 

Deuter EXP Starlight Youth Sleeping Bag.  It grows by inches in mere seconds, just like your kids. 

George Foreman Evolve Grill.  The Evolve Grill is my favorite kitchen appliance of 2010 and it’s to thank for some of my most creative (and delicious) new recipes.  I don’t know what I did without it.

Mauviel M'héritage Copper Cookware.  Perhaps you already read my love letter to Mauviel during our Cozy At Home Event, but if not you should check it out.  Every time I catch sight of the Mauviel pan hanging in our kitchen I feel like cooking.  How many other things can you say that about?

Waterpik Water Flosser.  Who said oral care is boring?  Not us with our fancy schmancy new gadget and our flair for mixing the perfect mouthwash-and-water cocktail, that’s for sure. 

KaZAM Balance Bike.  Adorable, practical, and tons of fun is pretty much the recipe all kids companies should follow and KaZAM got it right straight out of the gates.  I can’t wait for spring to arrive so we can zip down the bike trails with the wee ones on the KaZAM. 

Heart for Hearts Girls Dolls.  Playtime becomes an opportunity to learn about helping others and giving back to others.  Plus they are truly exquisite.

Flip SlideHD.  In over a year we took approximately 15 minutes of footage of our daughter with our old video camera.  In a little over two months I have logged over two hours of Flip video of my babes now that I’m always ready for action when they are. 

Magic Cabin Tree Trunk Fairy Home.  Adorable out of the package and even more so the longer you play with it.  Which, if I have my way, will be forever. 

ThinkGeek.  Okay, so this isn’t a favorite thing as much as it’s a favorite store.  A mind-blowingly awesome store that sells just about every cool gadget you never knew you needed.  We did two reviews for them {here & here}, that's how seriously awesome they are. 

Do you have any favorite posts from 2010?  Anything you would like to see in 2011?