Windows Mobile smartphone

Looking for an easier way to stay organized in the midst of your hectic and chaotic schedule? Windows Mobile smartphones make it easier than ever to stay connected and organized while on the go, allowing you to access computer functionality anywhere and make the most out of a few minutes of downtime.

The smartphones run on the same Windows system as your computer, making it easier than ever to sync your phone and your PC applications. All of those photos that you take with your phone and never get around to downloading? With Windows Mobile smartphones, you can easily email your photos or post them directly to the web (the latter being a particularly great feature for bloggers).

One smartphone in particular is the gorgeous Samsung Omnia:



The Omnia combines all the features of a digital camera and cell phone into one, slim device. The professional, auto-focus camera features panorama capture, cropping capabilities and smile/face recognition.

Even professional photographers have used the Omnia in place of a regular camera. A National Geographic photographer took the 5.0 megapixel Omnia on photo shoots to Easter Island and Peru and found that his photographs rivaled those taken with a professional camera. And at the reasonable price of $199, the phone can't be beat as an all-in-one gift.

Visit Windows Mobile for more information on the Omnia as well as other phones.

Be FireSmart This Holiday Season

Did you know that there are over 47,000 fires each year during the holiday season? Liberty Mutual has started a project to help promote fire safety awareness to parents, children and educators. BeFireSmart.com uses an interactive approach on their website.

Children age 5 and under are twice as likely to die in a fire as the rest of us. So it is vital that parents check out the section dedicated to them on the site by clicking here. There are tips to make your home safer, interactive quizzes, and more.

For children, there is a wonderful video on the "Where's The Fire" exhibit by Liberty Mutual at Disney's Epcot Center. The video is filled with information on how to prevent fires in the home (which account for 80% of all fires). There are also games for your child to play, as well as a coloring book to download.

If you are a homeschooling mom like me, or in any other education position, check out the section for educators. Many children will hide in the midst of a fire and all of the equipment that a fire fighter must wear can be very intimidating to a child, making it harder for a rescue worker to find them. So I highly recommend the tool that teaches how to ease a child's fear of fire fighters.

There's even a section for our brave fire fighting heroes, complete with awards and honors.

From my house to yours, may your holiday season be fun AND safe!

Good Deals & Smart Steals Winner

Congratulations to Jaclyn! She has won a copy of Good Housekeeping's Good Deals & Smart Steals.

Thanks to all who entered and to Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. for sponsoring this fabulous giveaway!

Picture Play

With all of the picture-taking that's sure to be going on during the holidays, you can be sure your toddler gets in on the fun with the Parents Look-At-Me Camera.

This pretend camera, designed for ages 12 months and up, combines realistic sounds and a mirrored lens to provide hours of fun. The best part in my opinion? The disco music button so that kids can "vogue" for the camera. So adorable.

The front of the camera contains a "big fish-eye" mirrored lens so that the little photographer's subjects can see themselves posing. The camera makes flashing and shutter sounds and there's even a button to push to tell everyone to "smile."

The camera is available exclusively at Target and retails for $9.99. Check out the details here. Target's website says that the camera is not available online right now, so if you want to snatch one up before they're all gone, head to your nearest Target store to see if there are any left there. Good luck and happy picture taking!

Lands' End Holiday Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Claire! She was selected at random as the winner of the Lands' End Holiday Giveaway!

Thanks to all who entered, as well as Lands' End and Fleishman-Hillard Inc. for sponsoring this fabulous giveaway!

Baby Einstein

With the birth of my nephew a few months ago, I finally get to have fun buying baby goodies again. I LOVE shopping for babies and have been so sad since mine have grown older. I have had to turn my head at all of the adorable things there out there.

Until now.

Among the many gifts I'm getting for my sweet nephew, Baby Einstein is at the top of my list. I had the privilege of reviewing a CD, DVD, and board book from their collection and can't wait to give them to Baby "B."

The book, Baby Einstein Touch and Feel Farm Animals, actually caught my little girl's eye (or fingers, I should say) as it has a cute, fuzzy little lamb on the cover:



I have to keep reminding her that the book is for her baby cousin. :)

In addition to the "lamb's coat," the reader also gets to feel a pretend cow's nose, goat's beard, rooster's comb, and a horse's mane. The story is really cute, too and asks the baby what animal they see, then follows up with the animal's name and the sound it makes. I plan on reading this to my nephew as soon as he "opens" it. :)

The CD, Baby Einstein Lullaby Classics will be perfect for soothing my nephew to sleep when he visits us Christmas Eve:



The CD contains 17 tracks and is 35-minutes long. It's meant for bedtime but can really be used anytime a baby needs to be calmed. The CD features songs such as Brahm's "Lullaby," Beethoven's "Fur Elise," and Bach's "Minuet in G."

And here's a hint you might not have thought of. These songs are perfect for soothing.....are you ready....your pet! I have always played classical music for my Bichon when I have to leave her, but sometimes the songs on the radio aren't very soothing. This CD guarantees to quiet her, so if you have a pet with separation anxiety like mine, you might want to consider buying this CD for him/her.

Finally, the DVD Baby Einstein's Baby Mozart, helps you and your baby bond to classical music:



The fun, bright images and adorable puppet shows are real-attention grabbers. The bonus features on the DVD provide even more interaction with your baby, including "Discovery Cards," and several "activity modes."

Click here for some excellent viewing tips from Baby Einstein that will enhance the time spent watching the DVD with your baby. Here's one of my favorites:

"Make it a Family Affair
Consider using DVD time as a way to interact with the whole family. If baby has an older sibling(s) around, you can invite them to watch the DVD with you. Encourage your older child to point out the names of the animals, say the colors or even make animal sounds. They will love playing with baby and will be excited about showing off how much they know!"

No matter which Baby Einstein product you choose, you're guaranteed to have a fun and educational experience with the baby in your life. Click here to see all they have to offer!

Good Deals & Smart Steals Review and Giveaway

Most of us are feeling the pinch this holiday season and if you're like me, you're doing your best to score "deals and steals" while doing your shopping.

The makers of Good Housekeeping have long been respected as the go-to source for such money-saving ideas. Now, they've come out with a book filled with their tips.

Good Deals & Smart Steals: How to Save Money on Everything by the editors of Good Housekeeping, is a perfect book for frugal shoppers. Whether your shopping for big or small-ticket items, you're bound to find a tip to help you stretch your dollar.

Part One, "How to Be a Smart Shopper," covers everything from rebates, to negotiating, to "stacking" and more. Stacking is the process of combining coupons, rebates, and other discounts.

I was able to use this technique recently at Victoria's Secret online, where you're allowed to use three coupon codes at a time. Their $60 pajamas were on sale for $40, and they were offering a pair of free slippers with every pajama purchase.

I searched online for more deals and was also able to get a 20% discount and this free set of perfumes (containing over a dozen Victoria Secret scents) just by using coupon codes:



So for less than $40, I received a pair of luxurious pajamas, matching slippers, and a set of Victoria Secret's finest perfumes (all valued at roughly $130 combined). Stacking has to be one of my favorite tips in the book! You can even stack on top of stacking...I made a few more individual orders for gifts for the women in my family and scored the same deal over and over.

Part two, "Get a Good Deal," covers various categories of shopping such as fashion and beauty, entertainment and cars. Which part do you think I went to first?

Mmm hmmm....fashion and beauty. *grin* I love the blurb under this section:

"Sometimes half the fun of looking good is in shopping for the right clothes, shoes, and makeup, and getting your hair done perfectly. The other half comes from finding a bargain in all these areas, which is easy to do with the tips in this chapter."

A chapter after my own heart! :) One tip is to check for deals from your favorite stores online before buying in person. I use this method when getting my kids' hair cut at Cartoon Cuts. They always have a discount coupon that can be printed out for each child and I make sure I have those with me before we go.

Want to learn some tricks for yourself? Thanks to Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc., one lucky person will win a copy of Good Housekeeping's Good Deals & Smart Steals: How to Save Money on Everything
To enter, simply leave a comment here with your best money-saving tip. Be sure there is an email to be found or your entry will have to be disqualified.

For bonus entries, you can do one or all of the following:

~Blog about this contest on your site with a link to this post, then leave a separate comment here with your link.

~Post about the contest on Twitter for another entry, then leave a separate comment here with the link to your Tweet.

~Subscribe to this site (found under "subscribe" in the sidebar), then leave a separate comment here letting me know you've subscribed (if you're already a subscriber, you will still need to leave a separate comment so that I can give you an extra entry)

By entering, you automatically agree to all the rules and disclaimers listed here.

Deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Wednesday, December 17, 2008. Winner will be selected at random using Random.org, posted here and contacted by email.

Good luck!

Mom Central's Holiday Gift Guide

Mom Central is hosting a fun and exciting holiday gift guide for 2008. Mom Central is well-known for their work with innovative companies and they always stay on top of what's hot for parents and their kids.

There's a category for everyone on your shopping list: her, him, baby/toddler, teens, kids, tweens and even pets!

There's also a special "box" for giveaways so be sure to check that out while you're there.

To be eligible to win the daily prizes at Mom Central, simply fill out the Mom Central Panel Testing registration. It's fast, easy and free! Then, be sure to log-in and leave a comment on the post for the particular giveaway you're entering.

In addition, if you tweet or email friends about the giveaway, you can earn another entry. In order to earn the entry, you simply go back to the Mom Central Review blog and leave a second comment letting them know.

Have fun and good luck!

"Christmas Sucks" Winner

Congratulations to Sandy from Mom Forever and Ever! She has won a copy of "Christmas Sucks: What to Do When Fruitcake, Family, and Finding the Perfect Gift Make You Miserable" by Joanne Kimes.

Here's the story that Sandy submitted:

"back when I was learning how to cook I thought no one would notice when making a pumpkin pie you could subb formula- true story- oh my gosh talk about wanting to toss it all up- yep really a true story- I have learned and cooked probably thousands of pies since then- and learn what can be subbed- and not- I still experiment but never with formula."

I had so much fun reading all of your entries! Some were sad, some were hilarious, and some were both sad and hilarious. Thanks for sharing them!

This is the first time that the very first entry has come up as a winner on Random.org for me. Just goes to show you don't have to be afraid to be that first entry! :)

If you didn't win, no worries. There are still plenty of contests to enter here.

Special thanks to Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. for sponsoring this giveaway.

Video Gift Guide Giveaways!

Want a fun way to find gift ideas for the holiday season this year? Check out Mom Generations' Video Holiday Gift Guide Giveaways!

Today is Day 1 of the giveaway and you could win all of the fabulous prizes in the video, worth almost $300! Click here to check it out. (Winner has been chosen) Keep an eye out as I will be updating this post with the links to each day's giveaway:

~Day 2 is here. (Winner chosen)

~Day 3 is here. (Winner chosen)

~Day 4 is here. (Winner chosen)

~Day 5 is here. (Winner chosen)

~Day 6 is here. (Winner chosen)

~Day 7 is here. (Winner chosen)

~Day 8 is here. (Winner chosen)

~Day 9 is here. (Deadline 5 p.m. EST, Saturday, December 13, 2008.

~Day 10 is here. (Deadline Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 at 5 PM EST)

~Day 11 is here. (Deadline Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 at 5 PM EST)

~Day 12....coming soon!

Good luck!

Ultimate Party Meatballs

I'm hosting *two* Christmas parties at my house this year and there's one recipe that I'm definitely going to use at both: Ultimate Party Meatballs

I am not ashamed to admit that I hate to cook. So if I come across a recipe that's both delicious and easy, I am thrilled!

You only need three things for this recipe: 1, 16-ounce can of Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce; 1 12-ounce bottle of Heinz Chili Sauce; and 1, 2-pound bag of frozen, pre-cooked, cocktail-size meatballs.

Combine the sauces in a large saucepan, cook until heated and smooth, add the meatballs, then cook for 15 minutes until the meatballs are heated through.

You can also use your slow cooker to make the recipe. Just add the meatballs, then combine the sauces and pour on top. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.

Doesn't get much easier than that, does it?

To see the recipe, and dozens of variations of it, click here. While you're there, you can enter to win a $3,000 "Ultimate Party."

Enjoy!

Finding Your True North

Are you living your life to the fullest? Have you found a way to reach your biggest goals and dreams?

If so, Frito Lay's TrueNorth wants to hear from you. Frito-Lay's TrueNorth™ brand of nut snacks is built on a core belief that we all have inspirational stories to share and to celebrate, and they are dedicating themselves to using that brand to discover, document and share those stories with the world.

What is a "True North?" Here's the definition direct from the site:

"A true north is that singular passion in life that causes you to leap out of bed in the morning and think, 'This is why I'm here.' It can be something that leaves a legacy, empowers others, or simply makes the world a more interesting place to live. It could involve a handful of people or connect entire communities across the globe. While every true north is unique, we believe that each one has the power to inspire millions more."

Head over to the site to tell them how you, or someone you know, is pursuing your life's passion.

One story will be chosen to share with the world in the form of a 60-second commercial aired during the 81st Annual Academy Awards® broadcast on February 22, 2009. The inspirational spot will be directed by Oscar®-winning actress Helen Hunt and the winner will receive $25,000 to help in the pursuit of his or her passion.

While you're at the site, check out the inspiring stories of others such as Teddy Gross. Gross started The Penny Harvest when his four-year-old daughter asked how she could help the homeless. The Penny Harvest has now become the largest child-philanthropy program in the U.S.

I'm personally rooting for a mom to win the award. I would love to see the everyday efforts of mothers given the recognition they deserve.

My family is my true north. Being a wife and mother is the best thing that ever happened to me in my life and I wouldn't change a thing! While our day-to-day tasks may not seem heroic or unique, we are raising and nurturing the future of this country. That is no small thing!

What is your true north? Feel free to share it here in the comments as well as Frito Lay's TrueNorth website.

Lands' End Holiday Giveaway

Doing any last minute shopping for the holidays (like I am)? Look no further than Lands' End, where there is something for everyone on your holiday list.

Cashmere is definitely one item that most women would love to receive. I was fortunate enough to review Lands' End's Women's Regular Long Sleeve Cashmere Tee Sweater. Oh my gosh! It is SO comfortable I want to sleep in it! Land's End uses Inner Mongolian Cashmere — the world's finest — in an exceptionally soft yet substantial knit. You really have to feel it yourself to believe it.

The very first time I wore it out, I got a compliment from my friend on how much she loved the look of it too (including the color I chose...True Blue Heather). Here's a photo:



If you're looking for gift ideas for the women in your life, I highly recommend this tee sweater! Right now, there is a $10 discount ($89.50 marked down to $79.50)

I also received Lands' End's Men's Regular Down Vest in Loden Green for review:



At $29.50, as Lands' End states, it's such a good deal you'll want more than one! Right now, if you buy three or more, you'll save $3 on each one.

I was so impressed with the jacket that I'm gifting one to my dad for Christmas. As with other Lands' End outerwear, the jacket is so lightweight, yet keeps you warm. The fill is made of 500 fill power goose down (70% goose down/30% feather). Warm AND snugly soft.

Finally, for the children in your life, Lands' End offers an adorable selection of Sleeping Bag Sets. Natalie was able to try out the "Soft Jade Horse" style:



Lands' End really is the King of Comfort. As with all of their other products we've tried, this sleeping bag is SO comfortable and soft. The 100% cotton cover is quilted with 100% polyester fill, making for a cozy night's sleep. Natalie loves it so much, she's tossed her regular comforter aside and wraps herself in the sleeping bag every night instead.

The set comes with a sleeping bag, coordinating pillowcase and a storage bag. The pillowcase and storage bag can be monogrammed with up to 10 characters including spaces. You can monogram their name, initials or a simple phrase like, "Good Night." (how sweet)

I was really impressed with the design, too. Natalie loves horses so this was right up her alley. There's also a "Pearl Pink Floral" design, as well as a "Light Sea Blue Stripe" that's perfect for boys.

The set is $59.50, and you can add a monogram for $5.00.

Want to win one of the above products for yourself (in your choice of style, color and size)? Thanks to Lands' End and Fleishman-Hillard Inc., one lucky person will win their choice of either the Women's Regular Long Sleeve Cashmere Tee Sweater, Men's Regular Down Vest, or Sleeping Bag Set.

To enter, simply leave a comment here letting me know what you love about Lands' End. Be sure there is an email to be found or your entry will have to be disqualified.

For a bonus entries, you can do one or all of the following:

~Blog about this contest on your site with a link to this post and to Lands' End, then leave a separate comment here with your link.

~Post about the contest on Twitter for another entry, then leave a separate comment here with the link to your Tweet.

~Subscribe to this site (found under "subscribe" in the sidebar), then leave a separate comment here letting me know you've subscribed (if you're already a subscriber, you will still need to leave a separate comment so that I can give you an extra entry)

By entering, you automatically agree to all the rules and disclaimers listed here.

Deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Friday, December 12, 2008. Winner will be selected at random using Random.org, posted here and contacted by email.

Good luck!

Pillsbury Winner

Congratulations to Helen! She was selected at random as the winner of the Pillsbury giveaway.

Thanks to all who entered, and to to Pillsbury and Exponent PR for sponsoring this fabulous giveaway.

Returning Soon

Thank you for your patience with the lack of site updates here. I took a short break for the Thanksgiving holiday, after which a crisis hit and I've been dealing with that now.

I am trying to get back into a groove and will start firing things back up here soon (including picking and announcing the winner of the Pillsbury giveaway).

Thanks for your understanding!

Cash in on Cashmere at Lands' End

Shhhhh! I've got a secret for you! There is going to be a HUGE sale on cashmere items at Lands' End tomorrow that most Lands' End shoppers don't even know about. I was given a tip to share with all of you that tomorrow's "Daily St. Nick Pick" at Lands' End will be a sale on some cashmere items....$50 for items normally priced at $89.

I'll be doing a review soon of Lands' End Cashmere Long-sleeve Tee Sweater, but let me tell you now that it is AMAZING. So comfortable that I want to sleep in it!

So if you're looking for a good holiday deal, head on over to Lands' End tomorrow to take advantage of this amazing sale!

Christmas....Sucks?

I know. Shocking title, right? That's what I thought too when I first heard about the book by the same name, "Christmas Sucks: What to Do When Fruitcake, Family, and Finding the Perfect Gift Make You Miserable" by Joanne Kimes. (author of "Pregnancy Sucks")

If you're not one of the many people who dread the holiday season, then you probably at least know someone who does. I myself am a Christmas fanatic. I cannot get enough of the holiday and am so excited when I see all the lights start to go up in the neighborhood (as they have now). I'm like a little kid every December.

My husband on the other hand, is a definite Christmas scrooge. And I can understand why as he's the budget-runner in our house. I probably wouldn't be as cheery as I am if I was the one to face the bills!

So when I saw this book, I immediately thought of my husband and knew he'd get a kick out of it. When it arrived, I handed it to him and said, "Here. This is for you." And he laughed as soon as he saw the title, nodding his head. I'm sure he was grateful that there was someone out there who understood him.

Now I will warn you. If you are easily offended, you'll want to avoid the book. Kimes is definitely the Sarah Silverman of the book world! I personally found her hilarious (as did my husband) and I'm going to have the book out on the coffee table for our Christmas party. Though I'll make sure it's not within any child's reach, of course.

Speaking of Christmas parties, here's a quote from the book on the disadvantages of cookie swap parties:

"You may get stuck with some truly crappy cookies. Sure you leave with an assortment of cookies instead of all one kind, but there are always some loser cookies in the bunch, like the candied fruit lavender surprise or the ones with nuts you hate, or the dried-out cookies that the baker claims to be biscotti but you know are only called this to cover for the fact that they were overcooked."

See what I mean? I love her humor. Sarcastic and snarky? Yes. But also down-to-earth and real. Kimes is the kind of friend who would flat out tell you that, yes indeed your butt does look big in that dress. And while you'll get mad at first, you'll inwardly thank her for saving you the humiliation of wearing that dress in public.

Her rants will amuse you and her many tips just might save you some sanity this Christmas!

Click over to Sucks and the City, Kimes' blog, to learn more about "Christmas Sucks."

And while you're there, check out her blog description for further proof of her hilarious sense of humor:

"Let's be honest. I know you only found this site by surfing for either "Sex and the City" info, or a porn version of said film. But I think you'll enjoy this site as well, so take off your coat and stay awhile."

Want to win a copy of "Christmas Sucks" for yourself? Thanks to Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc., one lucky person will win a copy of the book. Simply leave a comment here describing a funny/embarrassing/silly moment you've experienced during the holidays to be entered. Be sure there is an email to be found or your entry will have to be disqualified.

For a bonus entry, blog about this contest with a link to this post, then leave a separate comment here with your link.

By entering, you automatically agree to all the rules and disclaimers listed here.

Deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Tuesday, December 9, 2008. Winner will be selected at random using Random.org, posted here and contacted by email.

Good luck!

Keep Your Child Safe With SeatSnug

I'm a firm believer in using booster seats until children reach the required age and weight for regular seat belt use. My state (Virginia) has one of the strictest booster seat laws in the country, requiring the use of a booster seat until the age of eight.

But while my youngest is eight-years-old, she is very petite. So even though I can legally have her out of a booster seat now, I'd rather be on the safe side considering her height and weight. She doesn't mind the seat, so that makes my decision even easier.

Even with the use of a booster seat, however, there are still many dangers. Because of "seatbelt slack" (looseness in the lapbelt), children are still at risk for injury or death while in a booster seat. In fact, the auto industry cites seatbelt slack as a major contributor to injuries and deaths in vehicular accidents.

A loose seatbelt leaves room for a child to be thrown around during normal vehicular use. In sudden stops or front-impact accidents a child could possible "submarine" under the lap belt. In rollover accidents, children can be actually be ejected from the seatbelt even though the seatbelt was buckled.

While this information can be very concerning, there is a solution. Keeping the belt tightly secured is obviously the goal and a new product on the market, SeatSnug, does just that.



Here's a description of the benefits of SeatSnug from their website:

"The brand new SeatSnug® allows the lap belt to be lightly tightened around a child’s hips while riding in a vehicle, preventing seatbelt slack or looseness from developing.

By gently securing a child while riding in a booster seat, SeatSnug® substantially eliminates bouncing, rocking, tipping, falling over, submarining, and ejection, thus reducing the potential for injuries and death in vehicular accidents. At the same time, SeatSnug® improves child stability and comfort."

The device is simply clipped onto an existing seatbelt, and it works by keeping the lap belt tightly secured over the child's hips, while still allowing the freedom to move the shoulder belt for comfort.

This is the same technology used for keeping drivers safe on a race track, so you know that this has been tested and proven to work. Click here to read more about this CG-lock technology.

From SeatSnug:

"The CG-Lock technology received The National Parenting Center’s Seal of Approval as a unique car safety device that stabilizes children in booster seats to increase child safety and comfort. SeatSnug® is a CG-Lock technology product designed specifically for children, to provide peace of mind to Moms and Grandmoms, while they drive children around."

Here's an important comparison video that demonstrates the dramatic difference between a booster seat with SeatSnug and one without:



Visit SeatSnug today for more information on how to protect your child.

The Secret Mountain

As I've said here before, we have a thing for books in our house. My kids still love for me to read to them and they read to themselves every night as well.

So I'm always delighted to come across new publishers and books that I can share with my kids. I recently was able to review three books from the amazing publishing group The Secret Mountain:

Down at the Sea Hotel



Dream Songs Night Songs



A Duck in New York City



My personal favorite is "A Duck in New York City." My kids seemed to like that one best, too, most likely because we just traveled there this summer for vacation.

Here's a description of the book from the publisher:

"An original work by well-known singer-songwriter Connie Kaldor that tells the story of a little prairie duck with a big idea – making it on Broadway. It’s a long shot, and New York’s very far away. Luckily, a truck-driver named Big Betty comes along, offers him a ride, and gives him that extra little boost he needs to fulfill his dream!"

What sets these books apart from most others is that they come with a CD filled with music to accompany the stories. Lyrics and illustration files are also available for printing on the CDs.

The books themselves are high-quality. They are hardcover, well-bound, and the illustrations inside and out are dazzling!

The Secret Mountain books are going down on my favorites list. Head over to their site now to check them out for yourself. Enjoy!