Rave and Review

Superstructs Wacky Machines from WABA Fun

Holiday Gift Guide - Day 1

I’m sure you remember wooden rod and connector building sets from your youth, but chances are that you have purged all of the annoying things that come from building with those wood sets.  I was recently reminded of all of these as I sat down to build with my nephew and we opened the box to find 90% of the pieces were broken.  Of course that didn’t deter us, so we set out to create a kid-sized soccer goal that we could use as part of our indoor “field day” we had organized.

One sliver, a lot of frustration, and a lopsided structure later and we were ready to play… at least until the whole thing crumbled underneath itself because the wooden pieces no longer fit together tightly.  Really, is there anything more frustrating than seeing a structure you built topple before you were ready to destroy it?  Not, apparently, to a 5 year old.  Luckily aunt Leanne remembered this and got the coolest replacement ever for us this year – a case of Superstructs Wacky Machines from WABA fun!

If you’ve never built with Superstructs before and think they look like those same wooden building sets from when you were young, look again.  See how there are no broken pieces and the connectors fit together snug enough so you can actually play with your creations?  Yes, that’s how they are different.  Instead of wood that can splinter, break, and lose its shape, Superstructs are different in that they allow you to create playable structures.  With designs and directions to make cool things like working fork lifts, rolling race cars, lawnmowers with “blades” and more, it gives you the ability to create all sorts of works of art… that actually work. 

Superstructs may start innocently enough with a bunch of brightly colored plastic rods and connector pieces, but it’s all the accessories that make it seriously cool.  Their newest set, the Superstructs Wacky Machines takes playable construction even further with the addition of different sized gears and special EVA foam pieces that can take your creations to the next dimension and bring motion to your design. 

Since we absolutely adore Superstructs and how fun they are for kids and adults, we were thrilled to receive the Superstructs Wacky Machines set this holiday season to see what kinds of masterpieces we could create.  What do you think, did we do amazing or what?  Yes, that’s a lawn mower… with a moving “blade” and wheels.  Impressed?

The best part is that in addition to being the coolest building sets anywhere, their high quality construction holds up to everything kids can dish out {including being run through the dishwasher!}.  No more broken wood or cardboard pieces and no more models that do nothing but sit there, Superstructs are designed to be hours and hours of fun as well as encouraging creative thinking on a whole new level.  In fact, our kids have been mowing our carpet daily since we created this {not always at parent-approved speeds} and it still looks great and is holding its shape.  You certainly can't say that about most building sets. 

With all this coolness, is it any wonder that we have decided to kick off our holiday gift guide with the 175-piece Wacky Machines set?  Just ask the reviewers at Oppenheim Toy Portfolio who have awarded Superstructs Wacky Machines its coveted Gold Award all about the set and they will tell you it’s “like Tinkertoys on Steroids”.  I couldn’t have said it better myself. 

Check out the full line at http://superstructs.com/ and don't forget about their great customizable Superstructs sets that we were raving about last year that are perfect for holiday gifting!

A big thank you to WABA Fun for sending their Wacky Machines set for review.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Our Hillshire Farm #GourmetCreations Journey

Over the summer, I scored 5 packages of cheap turkey dogs for under $.33 with coupons and discounts, and we’ve slowly been working our way through them.  While cheap, they certainly aren’t the most flavorful hot dogs I’ve ever had, and every time I cook them for the family my husband tells me how much he would like a good bratwurst or sausage instead.  So, when I was chosen to do a Hillshire Farm Gourmet Creations Shopertunity, of course he was ecstatic. 

We immediately made a date to check out our local Walmart that was said to stock them in the refrigerated section and headed there after work one day.  Unfortunately, when we got there we saw the entire section was a mess and the Hillshire Farm section was the worst, badly in need of a restock.  Since the next Walmart up the street was close enough, we decided we would just head there instead.  We got there and realized they didn’t have them, either, so we had customer service call the next closest store for us to see if they had them in ahead of time.  They said they did, so we headed off to go pick them up.

Unfortunately they were looking at the wrong section, because when we got there we found the same basic selection we had found at the other stores.  Dejected, we left thinking we may never find the elusive Gourmet Creations from Hillshire Farm.  Two days later, we decided to go on a family road trip to take some pictures and enjoy the fall weather and found ourselves near another Walmart, so of course we popped in to check out their selection.

What we found was the best organized Walmart store we’ve visited yet, with clear signage, good merchandizing, and a whole bunch of other products I wish the stores near us would carry.  Included in that vast selection was two different flavors of Hillshire Farm Gourmet Creations that looked so delicious we got both kinds.  {BONUS: check out the coupons, right on the package!}  After that we headed to pick up some hotdog buns and some miscellaneous lunch stuff that we go through so fast, and then we were off to go make something awesome with our new finds. 

I thought about doing some sort of pasta dish or casserole creation that would really knock the socks off of all of you when you saw my gorgeous pictures.  But then I realized that for the first time in 4 months we actually had good, grillable goodness that we could serve up with onions and peppers and let’s just say I had to do it for my hubby.  So, we grilled up the Beef with Jalapeno variety on the stovetop with some sautéed veggies {no added oil necessary!} and popped them in some buns and dinner was served.  While we had only cheap buns, you can still see how delicious dinner was, right?

My daughter, even with her 3-year old taste buds, was raving about the dinner and has asked that we have the Hillshire Farm Gourmet Creations for meals twice since we grilled our first package up.  I was a bit worried that the jalapeno taste might be too spicy for the littlest testers, but they were just fine and both of them asked for more. 

But, as much as we all loved our quick and easy meal, the person who was on cloud 9 was my hubby who has been dying for a dinner like this for so long.  Since we have an extra package of Apple Chicken Gourmet Creations as well as a package of the Hillshire Farm Beef Sausage on hand now from our Walmart tour, you can bet we’re going to be doing a whole lot more grilling in our future!

Check out our journey to put Hillshire Farm Gourmet Creations on our dinner plates by clicking on the picture below:

This shop was compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All opinions remain 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation influenced this Rave Review.

Danger: Zombies, Our HEXBUG Party! #HEXBUGHalloween

A few months ago, a HEXBUG Nano caught my family’s attention as it scurried across the floor of a restaurant we were dining at.  The entire time we ate, the little robotic creature made its way around tables, chairs, and around obstacles of all kinds.  By the time the meal was over, we were all cheering for it as it would momentarily get flipped over or trapped under the leg of a table or chair but then it would right itself and continue on its path. 

The amazing thing wasn’t that a little creature the size of a tube of chapstick kept our attention the whole meal, it’s how completely entertaining it was watching it move in such a life-like fashion.  In fact, my daughter thought that it was actually alive until we got up close to it and realized it was plastic.  The restaurant employees sent her home with it and she’s carried it in her purse ever since, bringing it out to play almost daily. 

Wanting to do something a bit different for our Halloween playdate, I was thrilled when I got a kit in the mail to host a HEXBUG Halloween party for our play group.  The kit arrived and I was seriously wowed by all the fun little goodies - so much so that I had to hide it until the day of the party to prevent little hands from digging through and playing with the pieces before all the friends could come over.

The night before the party, we set up some of the Glows in the Dark Habitat set and Elevation set {we left a whole set for the kids to add to the track during the party} and laid out the Hexbug Nano Mutant Zombies and the Hexbug Nano Galileo test tubes all ready for party guests to play with.  The funny thing is that even though I’m clearly out of the market demographic that HEXBUG falls in, I really had fun setting up the track and playing with the little creatures getting them all ready for the party.

Once the kids arrived, it was a flurry of activity as they came rushing in to see what this huge track was for and what all the zombie decorations were about.  Once they saw the HEXBUGS, the kids went crazy for them!  Even those that had never heard of them before or children that typically wouldn’t play with “bugs” were enchanted with these little robotic creatures like we were the first time we saw them.  Some kids, like my daughter, had played with Hexbugs before so they led the team and helped the others get started.  Once they had their bugs and knew how to turn them on and off, the real fun started. 

Picture the utter chaos of 16 kids crowded around the track with their creatures and setting them loose.  There was racing, there was missing bugs, and there was so much happy squealing that the video I took is almost entirely unwatchable.  Not surprisingly, the big hit of the party was the Mutant Zombie Hexbugs in their little coffins, which all the kids fell in love with and those were snatched up quickly. 

One thing to note is that having this many people around the Habitat did pose a bit of a problem in that the kids would lose track of their own bug as it raced around, battled, and maneuvered through the course.  Next time, I will definitely supply some small Halloween stickers so the kids can designate their little bug even after the playdate.  Luckily, the kids were easy going about whose bug was whose and they all played well with the Galileo and Zombie Hexbugs as they set up races, had battles, and watched as their bugs flipped themselves over and scurried along the habitat trail.

The party progressed and eventually costumes were brought out so the kids could play dress-up while they played with their bugs.  They played with the Hexbug Glows in the Dark so long that some of the batteries ran out, but luckily we had extras on hand so the fun could continue.  This was much appreciated as it gave us parents a chance to connect and relax while the kids kept entertained for so long.

While the kids certainly had a great time at the Hexbug party, you should have seen their faces when they were told they got to take one of them home to play with.  We even had a few extras from our kit, so the kids with siblings that weren’t there got to take one for them, too, which made them all really happy.  From how much fun we all had at the party, I would definitely host another HEXBUG playdate for our group throughout the year.  Even though the sets we played with are marketed towards Halloween, the cool thing is that they are also year-round fun.  If you wanted to, you could even remove the Glows in the Dark exoskeleton from the Mutant Zombie Hexbugs and they become regular bugs.  At least until they are “bit” again by another Mutant Zombie!
Our kit included: Hexbug Nano Glows in the Dark Habitat Sets, a HexBug Nano Elevation Glows-in-the-Dark Habitat Set, Hexbug Nano Glows-in-the-Dark Galileo Micro-Robotic Creatures, Limited Edition HexBug Nano Halloween Mutant Zombies, Hexbug Larva, Hex Bug Power Cells.  Most of these glow in the dark HEXBUG items can be found at numerous local retailers including Toys R Us and other local toys stores, but the limited edition HEXBUG Nano Halloween Zombies with the coffin-shaped packaging and a glow in the dark exoskeleton are found at Radio Shack for $5.99.

BUY IT:  Find out more at www.hexbug.com and see the whole line of micro robotic bugs, spiders, and more!

Complimentary party items were provided courtesy of Hexbug, through Mom Select and Mommy Parties.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Winnie The Pooh on Blu-ray & DVD 10/25! {Giveaway & $5 Coupon Code}

Have you seen Disney’s new Winnie The Pooh movie?  We were sad we missed it in theatres, so I was really excited to review the new Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack a few days ago and have a movie night with the family.  Having seen numerous trailers for the release, I had thought the film would be cute, but it turns out that it’s adorable.  If you haven’t already seen the film, prepared to be enchanted. 

If you are a fan of Pooh, you will love the classic rendition of the gang and the common themes throughout all books, movies, and stories in the Hundred Acre Wood.  But, what’s really cool is that even if you aren’t a big Pooh fan, it’s still a fun and lighthearted movie the whole family can enjoy.  Scenes such as the knot/not done in a “who’s on first” style were absolutely hysterical and something we still talk about.  Really, that whole 10 minutes around the knot/not scene pretty much made the movie for me.  Not only were they classic Pooh, they also felt very current and fresh even after decades of watching the gang throughout my childhood. 

The movie has a running time of 63 minutes but it really felt more like 40, and we were all sad when the final credits rolled and family movie night was over.  Thank goodness there were bonus features, music, and mini adventures to keep the fun going after the movie had ended.  “Pooh’s Balloon” was a favorite mini feature and had us all laughing and watching it over and over.  Of course, as a fan of the band She and Him, we also loved the musical stylings of Zooey Deschanel and will be heading out to get the soundtrack soon as well. 

Here’s some more Winnie The Pooh fun!  Click below for video tutorials by famed Disney animators Andreas Deja and Mark Henn with instructions on how to draw your favorite characters!

Want to get $5 off the new Winnie The Pooh movie from Disney Movie Rewards?  Click below to print their special offer before it expires!  Be sure to stay connected with the latest news and information on Winnie The Pooh by liking them on Facebook and on Twitter!
 

Want to win Winnie The Pooh on Blu-ray and DVD?  Of course you do! 

To enter, simply tell me your favorite Winnie The Pooh character 

 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 us both {daily Tweet, just post link here}

Winnie The Pooh on Blu-ray/DVD #giveaway from @raveandreview and @DisneyAnimation!  http://bit.ly/vgieep

3) "Like" Winnie The Pooh on Facebook

4) NEW!  "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook! {2 extra entries}

5) 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}

6) Place my button in your sidebar on your blog or website  {1 extra entry, must have an active link to R&R}

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

On November 11th 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.

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered and congrats to:

108 Jenn S. said...  Email subscriber.

Thank you to Disney Animation for sending the film for review.  All opinions are 100% ours and no monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

FoundIt: Get Back Your Stuff {Review & Giveaway}

We all know that kids lose stuff.  Whether it’s their brand new handheld video game or their baseball bat, it’s pretty much a given that at some point you will be calling around to your kid’s friends asking if they’ve seen such and such.  What we can oftentimes forget is how easy it is for us parents to misplace things.  Think about all that you must carry with you at all times and how organized you must be and it’s easy to see how we could forget to pick up our iPod off the dock at a friend’s house or leave your personal laptop at work. 

While there are cutesy labels for children who forget their backpack or sippy cup, there hasn’t been any good solutions for all the stuff us parents cart around with us, especially when you consider that the items we lose are likely to be in public and thus with strangers.  That’s where FoundIt, a Seattle based company, comes in.  Instead of labels with your name or address, FoundIt labels have a special code that good Samaritans can enter through a text-based service to help recover anything you might lose.

As cool of a service as I thought FoundIt was, I really didn’t think I would use it all that much considering it had been a while since I personally had lost something {knock on wood}.  As it turns out, I found out three days after receiving my MacDaddy Package and applying my labels what a cool service it really is.  Picture me leaving a Red Robin restaurant carrying my 12 month old, his portable high chair, enough cheerios to feed a small army, my gigantic {overflowing} purse, my toddler’s leftovers, and two sippy cups.  Is it any wonder I left my HTC smartphone on the side of the table, underneath the beverage menu, surrounded by color crayons? 

When I realized what had happened as I searched my purse and dialed my phone using the house phone, I was oddly calm.  Even knowing that I had no idea where my phone was and whether I had left it in the car, the department store, the restaurant, or somewhere else entirely didn’t make me panic.  So, when the Red Robin manager finally answered on the 6th ring, I was incredibly calm and let him know I would be back in mere moments to collect my phone. 

Once I got to the restaurant, it was already closed for the night, but the kind manager met me at the door, phone in hand.  As he handed it to me, I asked if he had texted the FoundIt number and we ended up getting into a conversation talking about the service, how it works, and how cool of a thing it is for forgetful moms like me.  It turns out he didn’t text the number {his phone was dead}, but he was planning on doing it as soon as his phone was back operable.  He said he had seen the sticker and was really intrigued and although he was happy to hand the phone back to me that same night, he was actually secretly excited about texting the service just to see how it worked. 

So, how about that, a stranger looking forward to tracking you down using a text based service… what an awesome endorsement!  Not that I’m going to be running around sprinkling belongings wherever we go {knock on wood}, but it certainly is reassuring to know that if I do happen to lose something, there is a much, much greater chance of it ending up back in my hands.  So, yeah, I love FoundIt. 

Here's some statistics on lost items if you're not convinced yet:

-56% of us will lose or misplace our phones once a month.

-164,383 phones will be lost, stolen, or damaged today in the U.S.

-70% of items that are turned into lost and found are NEVER claimed. 

The MacDaddy Package - $29.99:
 · 4 Years of Access to the FoundIt Network
 · 62 FoundIt Stickers & more each year
 · 2 key chain tags
 · 4 Backpack/Bag tags
 · 2 Round Tags (Pet Tags)
 · FoundIt ID Card/Luggage Tag

Find out more at FoundIt.net and see how you can give your stuff the best possible chance of ending up back with you at the end of the day. 

Want to win your own MacDaddy FoundIt Package?  Of course you do!

To enter, simply tell me what you would place your tags on

 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 us both {daily Tweet, just post link here}

Sick of losing your stuff? Enter to win a @FoundItToday prize pack #giveaway from @raveandreview! http://t.co/DtBzrEu1

3) "Like" FoundIt on Facebook

4) NEW!  "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook! {2 extra entries}

5) 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}

6) Place my button in your sidebar on your blog or website  {1 extra entry, must have an active link to R&R}

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

On December 9th 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.

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to: MIke said:

https://twitter.com/#!/mtdoonmeister/status/139477432209129472 mtdoonmeister at gmail dot com

Thank you to FoundIt for giving me peace of mind as I leave my kid's and my belongings wherever we go.  All opinions are 100% ours and no monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Baking with White Whole Wheat Flour {Gold Medal Prize Pack Giveaway}

Cozy At Home Event – Day 3

We’re all trying to eat better these days, making things from scratch whenever we can and substituting healthier ingredients when possible.  This is where Gold Medal white whole wheat flour comes in, as it’s a fabulous way to get your family to eat whole wheat products… without them having any idea. 

Traditional whole wheat flour is brown in color and has a different texture than all-purpose flour, thus leaving your baked goods looking and tasting a bit different than you might be used to.  While this doesn’t bother me or my family a bit since we’ve been eating whole wheat for quite some time and substituting Gold Medal whole wheat flour whenever possible, there are certain foods that are hard to make with whole wheat flour because of the different texture.  Gold Medal white whole wheat flour is 100% whole grain but with a lighter taste and color, which makes it a great substitute because it not only looks more like traditional white flour, it also produces great baked goods that are moist and flaky like all-purpose white flour.

I was thrilled when I received a Gold Medal white whole wheat flour pack a few weeks back in the mail and got to try it out in my own kitchen.  After using traditional whole wheat flour for so long, it was really fun to try a white flour to compare in some of our favorite dishes.  It’s been a long time since we have had white bread around the house and I think I actually forgot how delicious it can be for sandwiches and more. 

The Gold Medal white whole wheat prize pack we received not only included a coupon for free flour, a canister to store it in, and some great recipe cards, it also had a conversion guide for you to follow.  The white to whole wheat conversion guide from Gold Medal walks you through substituting it in your family’s recipes, gradually introducing it in place of your traditional white flour for more delicate items.  This is something I love since it’s hard to know how to best use a new pantry ingredient and it’s always nice to have a guide. 

The included recipes are also great because they certainly don’t look or taste like foods made with healthy whole wheat flour, they are just like what you might find in a bakery case or restaurant.  Seriously… gingerbread cupcakes and double-chocolate lava cake?  Don’t mind if I do!

As much as I love the Gold Medal white whole wheat flour, my favorite thing in the prize pack would have to be the Gold Medal ceramic canister with its retro charm.  Since we have Tupperware overload in our cabinets, we decided to use the canister as a “cookie jar” of sorts for goodies in the house that we could keep on top of the fridge.  Not only is it completely adorable, the kids now know not to even try digging through the pantry because the foods they are looking for are up too tall for them to possibly get at unassisted by us. 

If you haven’t had a chance to check out Gold Medal white whole wheat flour, I would highly recommend trying it.  Not only is it a healthy substitution you can make easily for your family, it’s also really great tasting – in baked goods and everything else you use flour for.  Check out the Gold Medal site to see tips and tricks for mastering the use of the new Gold Medal white whole wheat and for recipes, nutritional information and more!

Tips for Baking with White Whole Wheat Flour
•    Gold Medal White Whole Wheat Flour looks more like all-purpose white flour because it’s made from a different kind of wheat—hard white spring wheat. Most whole wheat flours are made from hard red spring wheat.
•    Substituting some white whole wheat into recipes will enable you to sneak some whole grain into baked goods while maintaining a similar taste and texture of those made with all-purpose flour.
•    For recipes that depend on the flour for most of the flavor, such as bread and pizza dough, or baked goods that call for sugar and fat—such as cookies, muffins and brownies start by substituting white whole wheat for 25 to 50 percent of the recipe’s flour content.
•    White whole wheat flour absorbs more moisture than all-purpose flour, which can make for deliciously moist and flaky recipes, but also means that baked goods won’t stay as fresh as long as those made with all-purpose flour. If your family won’t be eating what you baked in a day or two, consider freezing the freshly-baked goods until you need them. Place cooled baked goods in a resealable plastic freezer bag.  Freeze quick breads (like scones and muffins) up to 3 months, or unfrosted cookies up to 12 months.
•    Chocolate Chip Cookies are a great recipe to freeze to keep on hand, whenever you want homemade cookies. For a “fresh-baked” cookie anytime, simply microwave a frozen cookie on a paper towel on Medium-Low (30%) about 1 minute 45 seconds or until the edge of the cookie is heated; then move the cookie and paper towel to the counter to stand about 30 seconds or until the chips are cool enough to eat. (Time may range slightly, depending on the wattage of your microwave.)

Want to win a Gold Medal Prize Pack filled with goodies to get you in the baking mood?  Of course you do! 

To enter, simply tell me what you would make with the new Gold Medal White Whole Wheat Flour {click for inspiration}!

 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 us both {daily Tweet, just post link here}

Have you tried White Whole Wheat Flour? Enter the prize pack #giveaway from @raveandreview! http://twrt.me/bjimi9

3) NEW!  "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook! {2 extra entries}

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  {1 extra entry, 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!

On November 21st 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.

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to: #62 Amber said... I "like" r and r on facebook #2

The Gold Medal White Whole Wheat flour product, information, and giveaway have been provided by Gold Medal through MyBlogSpark.  All opinions are 100% ours and no monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Blok Squad from Mega Bloks Saves the Day {Review}

Who doesn’t like Mega Bloks?  We’ve talked about our love of building toys numerous times in the past and how there’s really no better activity for problem solving, building fine motor skills, and letting your imagination go wild.  So, naturally we love Mega Bloks, the company with the most diverse building products for kids anywhere.  From toddler all the way to teen, Mega Bloks has the perfect set for you little one’s age and stage. 

We got to review a set from the new Blok Squad line and chose the Blok Squad Construction Mission.  This is mostly because we’ve got lots of developing going on in our neighborhood and I thought it would be fun to play with all the big vehicles we see up our street, but also because my daughter is fascinated with all things that dig right now.  This was a great way to use the set as a great learning tool that was a whole lot cleaner than real mud and could be played with in the comfort of our living room. 

The Construction Mission set includes 218 pieces, and is enough to make 2 vehicles {woohoo! Enough for all the kids to play!}, a Front Loader and a 4X4 Truck, using the detailed instructions.  It also comes with two construction workers, some tools and accessories, construction debris, and traffic diverters like we are very used to around here. 

Everyone knows that making your Mega Bloks creations is half the fun, so I love that each vehicle has just the right number of pieces – not too hard, not too easy.  It’s labeled for kids 5 and up and I would probably stick pretty close to that unless you want to do most of the building for your little one.  While younger kids can enjoy the toys {and LOVE them}, the building process is a bit complicated for those under 4.  If younger kids are participating in the building, I would anticipate needing to make minor repairs here and there if pieces fall off.

Of course, with all their details and their moving parts, the finished Blok Squad creations are just as fun as they look.  Once they are completed and the decals applied, the next round of play will inevitably start as you create your own mini construction site.  My daughter has been busy playing construction foreman for the past few days and is loving coordinating her crew to “dig a pool”, “plant a garden” and other fun tasks that involve dirt. 

We’ve had so much fun playing with all of our creations over the past few weeks, pretending to be architects and urban living planners with our new construction vehicles as well as making up our own special construction tools {front-loading dozer truck, anyone?} and seeing how we can use our imaginations to explore even more.  I am excited to check out the rest of the line and eventually expand our set to include all of the Blok Squad Construction pieces to really get some dirt moving around here.

Whether you like to dig in the dirt, save lives, or serve and protect, there’s a Mega Bloks Blok Squad set just for you.  Check out all the options at MegaBloks.com and click on their Where To Buy link to find them near you!

A big thank you to Team Mom and Mega Bloks for adding some nice, clean fun to our afternoons.  All opinions are 100% ours and no monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Calico Critters from Growing Tree Toys

Calico Critters Margaret and Halley's Shop Play Set Review

My daughter simply adores Calico Critters.  She first came upon them at a friend’s house and ever since then they have been a major topic of conversation, especially once she picked up the Calico Critters catalog.  For instance: “I’m going to ask Santa for this super cute nursery set, mama” or “wouldn’t it be SO FUN if I had this toy and we could play with it all day long?”.  I must admit, she’s pretty convincing.  So convincing that eventually we caved and got her the Calico Critters Connor and Kerri Carriage Ride Set for her birthday.

Once we opened it, I realized that there was something strangely familiar about the critters; They reminded me of Sylvanian Families, which were some of my favorite toys growing up.  One quick google search and I found out that Calico Critters are basically the same toys I had adored growing up, they just go by a different name now in the US.  While they may have a new name and packaging, they still were the same quality toys that I had remembered, with poseable limbs, removable clothing, and accessories galore. 

Knowing that we were going to be getting her some more sets soon, I couldn’t believe my luck when I got the kind of email that my daughter’s been dreaming about that started out with “congratulations, you’ve been picked to review the Calico Critters Margaret and Halley’s Shop Play Set!” and was followed by a delivery to our front porch. 

All week long my daughter worked hard to earn the toy, cleaning her room, taking care of her brother, and helping me out with dinner, all the while telling me how incredibly excited she was to open her bears.  The moment when she earned opening the toy and began to play, I felt like the best mom ever.  We sat down and set up a whole scene where Margaret and her baby, Halley, go shopping and included all the critters from her Carriage Ride set.  We had a lot of fun having the mamas and babies pick out their outfits and then stroll with their babies and new purchases back to their “homes”.

While my daughter loves all the little accessories – like the yellow purse, necklaces, compact, and teddy bear – I love the dress forms that come with the set.  The dress forms are made of sturdy plastic that hold the extra outfits perfectly, no slipping straps or clothing that falls off too easily, the clothing display stays just as you lay it out for the shopping trip, something I love. 

I’ve now logged hours playing with the two Calico Critters sets and see a whole lot more critters in my future.  They have held up nicely to our playing, but I will caution that little brothers aren’t the best Calico Critters playmates.  They tend to suck on the fuzzy limbs of the critters, hide the accessories, and generally cause mayhem.  For this reason, we’ve put away some of the teeny tiny accessories and make sure we play with them only when it’s his naptime or bedtime.

Now, having checked out Calico Critters vast selection on the Growing Tree Toys site, I am eagerly looking forward to buying more adorable critters and accessories to extend our play.  From houses to playsets to families and more, Growing Tree Toys has everything a Calico Critters enthusiast could hope for.  In fact, if anyone is looking for anything for my daughter for the holildays, I could tell you what is on her long {long, long} wishlist from Growing Tree Toys.

Click here to shop Calico Critters at http://www.growingtreetoys.com/

A big thank you to Growing Tree Toys for sending the Calico Critters Play Set for review.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

Positively Proud - Lunch Box Notes Parenting Pack {Review, Coupon Code, & Giveaway}

Experts agree that positive reinforcement really works – no matter what age you’re working with.  As the mom of a toddler and a preschooler, I do my share of positive reinforcement throughout the day and the results have been quite amazing.  Instead of kids that cry, whine, and fuss to get my attention, I’ve got little ones who can {usually} hang out in adult settings and situations and still manage to receive compliments from the other parents in attendance. While I can’t take credit for most of their good-natured attitudes, I do feel like the style of parenting my husband and I have adopted and the ways we reward positive behavior has played a role.

Because this style of parenting has worked so well for us, I have long been on the search for some positive reinforcement tools that could grow with our kids, allowing us to make the sometimes difficult transition into school, independence and self-sufficiency as easy as possible.  I found all those tools {and more} at Positively Proud, a company that is all about making kids feel special, loved, and important. 

Positively Proud is the most comprehensive system we looked into, complete with everything you could need to help keep things organized and your kids motivated – from toddler on up to high school.  Just one look at their site and you will find numerous ways to connect with your kids and show them how much they mean to you, and in ways that are age appropriate.  From sticker charts for younger kids to trivia and conversation starters for older children, there are all sorts of great tools for parents available at Positively Proud. 

The Positively Proud Packet is my favorite of our new tools and now is a vital part of our “parenting toolbox”.  The Positively Proud Packet contains awards, stickers, incentive charts, postcards, tickets, coupons, and even a few small prizes and is all packaged in a great accordion-style file system that allows you to quickly glance in and grab out what you need.  Not only does this make the kit completely organized, it also means it can fit easily on the kitchen counter, in the office, or even in a tote bag.  This portability is great because it allows us to use the system at home, while we are out, or even when we’re apart. 

As part of our Positively Proud sampling pack, we got to check out the book Lunch Box Letters that was written by Carol Sperandeo and Bill Zimmerman, two parents who swear by the benefits of lunchbox love for children.  Not only does the book tell you how {and why} to write to your child, it also includes 75 colorful sheets you can use to write your letters on.  When paired with the package of 30 fun pull-tab inspired Lunch Mail Miniature Greeting Cards, you could potentially have over a hundred days of special letters tucked into the lunchbox {or backpack, overnight bag, etc} for your little one, your husband, or someone else special.

Also included in our pack was the card set Kids TableTopics To Go, which is a spin-off of the classic TableTopics game.  Kids TableTopics includes conversation starter questions such as “On a scale of 1-10, how strict are your parents” and “what’s the secret to being happy” that would be good questions for that tween/teen age group that’s so hard to get talking.  There are some questions for the younger group as well, but as the aunt of quite a few tweens and teens, I think the game will be a great tool for helping break the ice and will definitely be using it more with them than my younger kids. 

We’ve only been doing the Positively Proud system for a few days now but I can honestly say that there has been a whole lot less coercing that needs to be done to convince my oldest to clean, stay organized, and listen, and we look forward to celebrating her successes together.  By using the incentive charts and sticker rewards with the fill-in-the-blank awards, it makes it easy to see what areas we are doing well in, what we still are working on, and where we should focus our energy next. 

One of the biggest benefits, though, has been that my husband can see, at a mere glance, how my day has gone when he gets home from work.   One glance at the fridge and he can see whether breakfast went okay, how smoothly we transitioned from school, and whether we should even attempt to leave the house that evening as a family.  Positively brilliant, Positively Proud. 

Here’s what was included in our pack, which is just a sampling of the Positively Proud line:
Lunch Mail: “I believe In You” theme * Lunch Box Letters Book * Positively Proud Packet * Kids Table Topics To Go 

BONUS - You can get 15% off by entering coupon code "blog15" at http://www.positivelyproud.com/

Want to win a $25 Gift Card {plus free shipping} to get your own Positively Proud products of your choice?

To enter, simply leave a comment on Positively Proud's Facebook page telling them your favorite product or what you would buy if you win the gift certificate.

 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 us both {daily Tweet, just post link here}

Tell your kids you love them all year long with a great Positively Proud #giveaway from @raveandreview! http://t.co/Zq6sDTwz

3) NEW!  "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook! {2 extra entries}

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  {1 extra entry, 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!

On November 12th 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.

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to: crystal allen who said: like you on fb crystal l allen

Thank you to Positively Proud for sending their awesome pack to be revewed.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.

QuickSmart: Making Parenting Smarter… and smaller {Ride-On Toy Giveaway}

Get Out and PLAY Event – DAY 41

At the recent ABC Kids Expo in Kentucky there was one company that was generating a whole lot of buzz.  It seems everywhere I went I was asked “have you seen the stroller that fits inside the backpack?” or “did you see the highchair that folds completely flat even with the tray attached?” and I was happy to respond that yes, I was very, very familiar with QuickSmart, an Australian company that has recently made its way to the States. 

As a parent, there are few things I value more in children’s gear than clever design and ease of use, both of which are the very basis of the QuickSmart line.  Their innovative line of products is the stuff that I dream of, including that ingenious backpack stroller and flat-fold high chair everyone was raving about.  Not only do they make awesomely innovative products for both parent and child, their line is nothing short of amazing because of how compact and portable each piece is.  In fact, their stuff is so compact and portable that rumor has it that their entire line of gear can fit inside the trunk of a compact sedan… which includes 2 strollers, a portable 3-in-1 play yard, travel bed/bassinet/changing station, a highchair, and 2 ride on toys!  Awesome, right?

Speaking of their toys, how cute are their little ride on “bugs”?  They have two different types of ride-on toys for ages 1-3: The ScuttleBug with three wheels and a handle for steering and the ScrambleBug with four wheels that rotate for steering with your feet.  Not only are they completely adorable, they’re also perfect for the kid on the go.   Incredibly lightweight and portable so they can easily be tossed under a stroller, carried by a toddler, or even kept in the trunk… just in case.

All this compact portability is great because with how much the little ones love it, you will be glad that you can easily take it with you wherever you go.  Then, once you get where you are going, it is mere moments until your little one is cruising on their own with no assembly required.   You simply flip the legs into place and it’s ready to roll.  When you’re done, it’s just as easy to fold it up compactly with a great pinch-free design for little hands.

We got to try out the QuickSmart ScrambleBug ride-on toy this past month and love it so much we’ve taken it everywhere with us.  We chose the ScrambleBug that you can steer with your feet since we have both a 1 year old and a 3 year old and thought this way they could both use it easily. 

Once we saw the ScrambleBug in action we knew it was the right choice, especially for our youngest.  Because it has 4 castor wheels that each rotate 360 degrees, it has a freedom of movement that allows your little one to get around easily, even navigating out of corners, around obstacles, and from side to side, backwards, and more.  QuickSmart calls it “frustration free” and I couldn’t agree more.  Even my 12 month old is able to manage it by himself and scoot around the house without getting stuck around our kitchen island or sofas.

Because we have light wood floors that, as far as I can tell, are made of the softest wood ever, I really love that the ScrambleBug has non-marking and non-scratch wheels.  In addition to not marking up the floor as the little ones ride, the ScrambleBug wheels also make for a quieter ride, which makes it a great indoor toy.  Of course, it can also be used outdoors, so we were really happy we already had a helmet for our little guy so he could scoot off on his own happily.    

For products that are as clever as they are compact, you really can’t go wrong with the new line from QuickSmart.  From strolling, relaxing, eating or playing, there’s something in their line that will simply blow you away.  If you have a moment, you should head over to the QuickSmartGo site and check out all the amazing gear that everyone will soon be talking about.  Speaking of amazing gear, how would you like to win one of every single item in the QuickSmart line?  If so, you should head on over to the QuickSmart Facebook page and enter their HUGE giveaway today!  But, in the meantime…

Head on over to http://quicksmartgo.com/ for more information and to see some videos of their products in action.  You can also find the ride-on bugs for purchase on Amazon!

Want to win an awesome QuickSmart Ride-On "Bug" of your choice?

To enter, simply visit QuickSmartGo and tell me something you learned about one of their products and what ride-on bug you would like {including color preference - ScrambleBug comes in orange/charcoal or green/yellow and ScuttleBug is available in either red or yellow colors}

 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 us both {daily Tweet, just post link here}

Have you entered the awesome @QuickSmartGo ride-on toy #giveaway from @raveandreview? I really want to win! http://t.co/yoEOxScN

3) "Like" QuickSmartGo on Facebook BONUS - you can enter their HUGE contest while you are there and be entered to win their entire line! {2 extra entries, must be verified to count}

4) NEW!  "Like" Rave and Review on Facebook! {2 extra entries}

5) 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}

6) Place my button in your sidebar on your blog or website  {1 extra entry, must have an active link to R&R}

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

On November 10th 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.

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who have entered and congrats to: 156

Jennifer T. said... I learned that the Scramblebug was a Dr. Toy 100 Best Products winner. I like the Scramblebug Yellow (and green) Grasshopper.

Thank you to QuickSmart for sending their awesome ride-on bug to be revewed.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.