2011 Product Reviews (Top 11 of 2011)

 I have reviewed so many great products in the last year.

Here are 11 of my favorites in no particular order

Keurig -  

We have had our Keurig for a year and LOVE IT.  We use it everyday. I love how quickly it warms up and the cup size option.  Everyone in the house agrees this is one awesome machine.

Black & Decker Pivot Vac 18V Cordless Pivoting Hand Vac-  

I have had this for a year and love it. It cleans up so many messes quickly both in our home and car. I do wish it would hold a charge a little longer but overall I love it. Well worth the price and has held up very well so far.

Dremel tools-

My husbands Pick. You don't know how many times Dremel has come in handy this year for fix it projects. Every household must have dremel.

Kolcraft Preferred Position 2-in-1 Bassinet & Incline Sleeper-

Kolcraft makes amazing baby products. I have used this several times with my best friends son when they spend the night and it is just awesome. Our future child(ren) will be spending there first couple months in it for sure. 

Infiniti Pro by Conair Spin Air Brush-

I use it almost every day.  Has held up great and makes doing my hair so much easier.  Definitely worth every penny. 

Theit Camera Bag-

The best camera bag ever. It goes with me everywhere. Built very well  and has every detail that makes transporting my equipment easier. It holds a ton and is super stylish. If it ever wore out I would buy another in a heartbeat.

Pediped shoes-

My favorite shoes for Shane. They are super durable and great for his feet. They last forever as one pair accommodates 2 shoe sizes because of the insert they include. Can't say enough good things about pediped.

Learning Curve Wooden Railway sets-

My sons favorite.  These sets are sturdy made of real wood. They take a lot of abuse and are still holding strong. They are easy to assemble and have provided hours upon hours of fun for Shane. 

SanDisk Clip Zip Mp3 Player-   

A great mp3 player for the price and features it offers.  My husband uses it every other day when he runs and he raves about it. He recommends over other brands he has tried and owned. 

 Progressive International kitchen Gadgets-

I have only had them for a short while but they have been so handy in the kitchen. They are reasonably priced and so far work great. I can't wait to add to my collection.  

Emjoi Micro-Pedi-

The best tool for removing dry skin and buffing feet smooth. I use it quite a bit and really like the results. I still haven't had to replace the rollers. They last a long time. It is a pricey product but is worth the splurge. 

 

 

My jcpenny Secret Santa is Revealed

I was chosen to do a Secret Santa exchange thanks to jcpenny and it was so fun. I was told to (be a secret Santa) pick out a gift for a fellow blogger and that another blogger would be my secret santa.


I received my Gift from Melanie from http://www.thecoupongoddess.com

Melanie picked a new 20 jar spice rack that will be going with us to Arizona and be on my new kitchen counter. I was very excited because, although I own many spices, I don't have a way to organize them and struggle to find them. This way I will have a beautiful rack with easy access to my most used spices:)


Using the jcpenney Santa Tag Melanie recorded for me I was able to hear a special Christmas message that made the gift all the more special and personal.

You can read more about how to use and receive the Qr santa tags in my post HERE.


I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of JCPenney and received a JCPenney Secret Santa Gift and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

New Years Goal use Chore Chart to start to give Shane more responsibility

Shane is going to be 4 soon and is already pretty helpful when asked. One of my New Years goals for 2012 is to give Shane daily chores and provide an allowance if he does his chores.

I found this awesome Chore Chart to help me keep tract of Shane's completed and uncompleted chores.

I set up a free account at goalforit.com and chose a Cool Pirate Theme that I knew he would love. I picked the chores and behaviors that I wanted him to complete and the assigned a reward for each one. Now we can log on the computer together and mark when he completes his chores or has good behavior and then it adds the rewards up for me.

I really love this chore chart because it teaches Shane many important things including

Responsibility; A Chore Chart is an ideal way to help your kids feel like they are making a contribution to their family by doing their part around the house.
Understanding right from wrong; Setting behavior goals is an important way to help children strengthen their character and judgment.
Healthy Habits; Teaching good habits involving nutrition and physical activity are the cornerstone of prevent obesity in children and adolescents.
Money Matters; The optional point system teaches children three important lessons for managing money; earning, spending and saving.



I am very glad I found this and I am looking forward to using it to help me keep Shane on track in 2012!

Wonderful Holiday weekend

We had a great Holiday Weekend. I wish it wasn't over. Shane opened all of his toys from Santa Christmas morning. Santa sure spoiled him :)

Then we had a yummy breakfast at my mil's house where Shane received even more spoiling. He got a Thomas puzzle set from Nana and a Thomas pillow pet and special engraved sword from his uncle Robert and aunt Ana sent from Germany where they are currently stationed with the Army.

Then we went to Shane's Great Grandma's (memaw)and she made us a yummy roast dinner. Shane also received a Disney Cars 2 Bomb Blastin' Mater and a generous addition to his college fund.

After a Great Christmas, I was surprised by hubby on Monday morning when he revealed he had the day off of work. so I got to spend a whole extra day with my boys. Because we knew Shane would be overwhelmed with the toys Santa brought we decided to wait on our big present till yesterday.

Shane loves watching the cooking channel and helping me cook dinner. I knew he needed his own Kitchen so we surprised him yesterday with a new Step 2 kitchen :) Who knows we might have a future Gourmet Chef :)

Hope you all had a great weekend with family and friends. I can't believe it will be 2012 in just a few short days.

Merry Christmas

I hope you all enjoy your holiday weekend.

Tomorrow I am cooking a Ham dinner for Christmas eve. We are going to just chill at home and enjoy the day.

Christmas Day Shane will be opening his presents from Santa, then we will be having breakfast at Nana's house and then Phil's Grandma is making us dinner. I am sure Shane will sleep well.

We are looking forward to spending Christmas Next Year in Arizona (crossing Fingers) :)

Wishing all my readers a Great Holiday Weekend.

Moon Dough with all new dough formula

Moon Dough (for children ages 3 and up) has an all new dough formula! This amazing molding dough now features a better consistency for molding, and is less crumbly. This no-mess dough still never dries out, so you can use it again and again. With brighter and more vibrant colors than before, kids will have a blast sculpting the molding dough into fun creations.

My son Shane is such an artsy kid so I knew he would love moon dough ocean pals. we had tried moon dough before at his friends house but it crumbled easily and made it hard to mold into things but the new formula although still a little crumbly makes it so much better and fun. I love the little Ocean Pals he makes and that it really sparks his creativity. Although I wish the ocean scene mat was bigger.
The fact that it doesn't dry out is a major plus especially since kids don't always put things away quickly or seal bags correctly.

Moon Dough would be a great gift for kids 3 and up this holiday season.

Shout Free GIveaway

I have a 3 year old boy who spills on his clothes a lot, falls and manages to get very dirty. Sometimes those spills and stains are difficult to get out. I wash several times a week and it can be very stressful as I hate to see his clothes ruined because I am unable to get out a stain.

Shout Free has made doing laundry so much easier for me. It is great at taking out stains and I don't have to worry about my son having a reaction because Shout Free is Dye Free, Fragrance Free and has 99% Natural. Ingredients. Not only that but it works in all water temperatures. I really enjoy doing laundry more now.

Shane has sensitive skin and sometimes he gets a small rash from the chemicals in the laundry detergent and stain removers I was using but not with Shout Free. I am so excited to have discovered Shout Free. It currently is and will be a staple in my laundry room.

Want to try it?
Currently Shout is offering downloadable coupons on their Facebook page for Shout Free and Color Catcher with Oxi.

Shout has also offered 2 of my readers a chance to try samples of Shout Free.

Mega Bloks BloK Squad police Force Pursuit

Mega Bloks BloK Squad police Force Pursuit is a great toy for kids 5 and up. although Shane is 4 he loves anything building and enjoys this toy. the only downfall is the pieces don't stay together well sometimes.

All missions are possible when you team up with the three Patrol vehicles of the Blok Squad Police Force Pursuit! Build the Police Cruiser SUV – a top-of-the-line patrol vehicle with excellent control and zoom through the streets with your Blok Squad Police Officer! Construct the Police Force Carrier – a quick response Patrol truck designed to help transport Police Officers to the scene of an emergency and transport captured bad guys to jail! Assemble the Police Boat – a harbor cruiser captained by your Blok Squad Naval Police Officer. It is designed with high-performance engines and advanced radio equipment to help catch fleeing fugitives on the water!

Band together with all three Patrol vehicles to secure a major accident site, lock down a crime scene or find a missing person!

Mega Bloks BloK Squad police Force Pursuit is $19.99 and can be found HERE.

iCaughtSanta.com : Catch Santa in your own house and Show your Kids

Imagine the look of wonder and surprise when a child receives a photo of Santa caught in the act in his or her very own home. iCaughtSanta.com is a unique website that helps visitors create those memorable keepsake photos.




In three simple steps anyone can upload a holiday photo, add Santa Claus and print it as proof… or share it via Facebook and Twitter. Last-minute shoppers can purchase Gift Cards and eGift Certificates for loved ones with children, making iCaughtSanta.com a great gift idea even if you don't have kids yourself.

Merry Christmas!

iCaughtSanta.com is offering 50% off your entire order! Just use code: SANTA50 and get your entire order for 1/2 off!

Vintage Couture Review and Giveaway

I love Vintage Couture! They have the most stylish clothing for boys and girls using vintage inspired fabrics.

Last year Shane received an amazing button up shirt from Vintage Couture and this year they were kind enough to send him a whole outfit.

Shane was sent the Back fleur de lis Jean and the red fleur de lis shirt

Such a great outfit and I know from the last time he wore his vintage couture shirt how many complements we will receive on this outfit.

http://www.vintagecoutureinc.com/ has been kind enough to offer one of my readers an outfit of their choice.

Need a quick last minute gift idea for kids -Toystate.com

Toystate.com sells some really great Cat toys. They would make great gifts for the holidays.

Check out this Cat Take-apart Truck

Includes motorized hand drill for assembly and removal of machine components.
Kids love taking things apart and putting them back together with the your kid(s) can take off the wheels and front and back of the truck using the Motorized hand drill and then re assemble it. Hours of fun.


or how about the Cat Shipping Port

Shipping Port-themed ‘Build & Play’ playset. The set includes 1 free-wheeling Cat machine, working gantry and container cranes, and a freight ship. Construction site sound effects, music and fun vocal phrases also included. Shane loves this playset. There is so much to do and it really sparks his imagination.

Toyslate.com also carries these Toys.

Check them out HERE for your last minute gifts!

These toy coupons could be useful

jcpenney Secret Santa

I love jcpenney and shop there often so I was super excited to do a Secret Santa along with some other great bloggers.

My mission to use jcpenney.com to pick a gift for my Secret Santa and then attach a QR Santa Tag.

I had so much fun picking out a gift for my Secret Santa. jcpenney.com has so many nice gift ideas and is super organized. I used the search to type in the type of gift I was looking for and then narrowed it down by price. You can also narrow your search by color, size, designer etc. They offer online exclusive items. I love shopping in my PJ's.

Shhhh! Don't tell anyone but I also found gifts for others on my list and added a few more things to my own list.

After I picked out something that I thought my Secret Santa would love I wanted to personalize a message so I attached a QR Santa Tag. The QR Santa Tag is pretty awesome.

How does The QR Santa Tag work

You scan the QR code with your smart phone and then enter your phone number. You will receive a call where you are prompted to record your message. Once finished you attach your QR Santa Tag to your present. When your recipient receives the gift they scan the QR code which allows them to play/hear your message.

Check out the video on the QR Santa Tags HERE.

I had so much fun being a jcpenney Secret Santa and I can't wait to find out who my Secret Santa is and reveal to you who I was a Secret Santa for :)




“I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of jcpenney and received a jcpenney Secret Santa gift and a promotional item to thank me for participating.”

Holiday GG 2011 Zillionz Talking Cash Register

Lately Shane has been really excited to learn about Time and Money so I was very excited to be offered the chance to review the Zillionz Talking Cash Register.

Zillionz Talking Cash Register includes a talking function in 3 languages, a light-up scanner that totals the sale, and barcode stickers that can apply to items that are scanned. It Scans real barcodes and the barcode sheet included. The cash register features a working calculator and a voice amplified microphone paging system. Includes lots of play money, coins, and a credit card. You can even use the cash drawer to store real bills and coins.

I love the Zillionz Talking Cash Register. It provides hours of play and learning. Shane loves its interactive features and it is helping him learn about the value of money and adding.

This would be a great gift for any preschooler or kindergartener in your life. It can be found on Amazon and http://www.zillionztoys.com.

Holiday GG 2011 Hasbro Bop-it XT and Rubik's Cube

One of my favorite things to keep me entertained in the car wen I was a kid was Rubik's Cube.

Hasbro has a Rubik's Cube that would make a perfect stocking stuffer. Every kid needs this classic game.

Scramble the colored squares on this 3-inch by 3-inch puzzle cube. Then, twist, turn, and rotate to match up the colors again on all nine sides! There are billions of potential combinations, but only one solution! Can you master the mysteries of the Rubik’s Cube? Rubik’s Cube comes with a display stand and a colorful solution hints book. It can be found for $9.99 on amazon.com.


Bop-it XT

It’s time to get moving. Can you keep up? When you turn it on, this totally cool Bop It game calls out commands. It’s up to you to “pull it”, “bop it”, “twist it” — or “flick it”, “spin it”, “shake it”! Can you keep up as the tempo revs?

Play Bop It! XT in party mode or solo — you can even plug in your headphones to keep the game all to yourself. Get it right and you can keep going, but if you get the moves wrong, your turn is up.

This is a fun game for both Kids and adults. We will be playing this with our friends when we host parties. Its even small enough to take along with you in a car or to events. Available on Amazon.com for $19.89.

Hasbro Bop-it XT and Rubik's Cube would both make excellent gifts for the holidays this year.

Visitwww.hasbro.com to see all the great toys they have :)

Holiday GG 2011 Progressive International kitchen Gadgets and Tools

Have you heard of Progressive International? If your a Kitchen novoice or a professional chef or know someone who is you must check out Progressive Kitchen Gadgets and tools.

I love to cook as most of you know already. I cook dinner 5-6 times a week from scratch. I wanted to tell you about some of my favorite Kitchen tools from Progressive that have made my cooking so much more fun and enjoyable as well as saved me time.

The perfect Burger Press

This is a 3 piece set that makes a perfect 6oz burger. It features a non-slip handle and non-skid feet. It has an insert that created a dimple in the middle of the burger. This is done so that the burger cooks evenly and does not swell in the center when cooked. You can lift the burger right out and flip it right on the grill or pan. It is dishwasher safe. Available on Amazon for $5.99 worth every penny!

The Flour keeper

I used to have a mess of flour everywhere every time I needed flour for my recipes which was at least 3-4 days a week. Now I have the The flour keeper and I just love it. It has a built in leveler for precise measuring, an air tight seal that keeps the flour fresh, stores up to 5lbs and is dishwasher safe. I don't know how I ever lived without it. Available on Amazon for $17.97

The Garlic Chopper

I am half Lebanese and to say we eat and cook with a lot of garlic is an understatement. It always time consuming to chip up garlic cloves but the Garlic chopper changes all of that. It does contain a lot of parts but quickly and easily chops up garlic. It does a great job and even includes an integrated spoon for easy removal of the chopped garlic. It is also dishwasher safe. Available on amazon for $12.99

The mini fine Grater

The perfect extra sharp fine grater for Parmesan, garlic, citrus, chocolate and more. It comes with a protective cover making it safe for storage and is dishwasher safe. Always a handy tool to have. Available on amazon for $5.99


Progressive International makes so many nice Kitchen Gadgets and tools you must check them out and add your favorite tools and gadgets to your holiday list this season.

Then, use Organize.com coupons to keep all your gadgets in order.

My New Favorite Lunch (avocado chicken salad with instructions)

avocado chicken salad

chicken, cooked and shredded
avocado
mayo, just a little
green onion, sliced
cilantro
lime juice to taste
salt/pepper to taste



Thanks http://becomingbetty.blogspot.com/

Geek Holiday Gift Guide Gear--Annoying Orange

The most-watched web series of all-time, The Annoying Orange, is leading the trend of digital properties dominating holiday wish lists for kids of all ages.

The Annoying Orange has taken the Internet by storm with an impressive 840 million total views and more than 100 episodes at: http://www.youtube.com/user/realannoyingorange. Created by Dane Boedigheimer, the popular web series features an endearingly annoying Orange that playfully heckles other fruit and vegetables.

The Annoying Orange is hilarious. My husband and I have watched many of the episodes
and really enjoy them. I was very excited when I found out there is a talking plush, clip-ons, collectible figures and apparel based on Orange and the entire Kitchen Crew.

My husband was sent a couple of Shirts and the annoying orange talking collectibe figurine.

He loves the shirts and has taken the figurine to work and keeps it on his desk when he needs a laugh.

ANNOYING ORANGE T-SHIRTS

T-shirts based on The Annoying Orange featuring classic jokes and themes from the popular web series. The short-sleeved, cotton crewnecks are available in Men’s and Junior’s sizes S – XXL and feature a variety of designs including “Hey Apple, Knife!,” “Wasabi,” “100% Pure Annoying!” and “Big Face.” SRP: $11.99. Available at JCPenney, Shopko and Rue 21.

ANNOYING ORANGE TALKING COLLECTIBLE FIGURES

These plastic talking collectibles are textured with detail and include TRY ME feature to hear the classic jokes and puns from each Kitchen Crew member. Each 2.5” figure is packaged in a gift-like window box for added collectability. Collect them all: 4 Orange styles, Pear, Midget Apple, Marshmallow and Passion Fruit. SRP: $9.99 Available at Toys “R” Us and ToysRUs.com


These would make great stocking suffers for this holiday season.

Holiday GG 2011 Dremel Multi-Max MM40

Looking for a great gift idea for that special man in your life. I suggest the Dremel Multi-Max MM40

The MM40 features


Quick-Lock™ feature for tool-less and secure accessory changes
High Performance 2.5 amp motor – for the most demanding applications
Up-front on/off switch – for one-handed use and maintains speed setting
Quick Fit™ System for fast accessory changes
Separate on/off switch – maintains speed setting after tool is shut off
Electronic feedback circuitry for consistent speed under load
Ergonomically optimized soft grip for comfort and control
10,000 – 21,000 OPM wide speed range for optimal precision and control combined
with smooth operation
7 foot durable rubber cord for a wide working range

The tool’s patented Quick Lock™ accessory change system makes switching between the broad range of Multi-Max accessories quick and easy. With the right accessory in place, you can launch right into the task at hand knowing that the MM40 can comfortably handle whatever oscillating tool task you throw at it.

This is a great tool for a wide variety of projects. We own other Dremel tools and my husband uses them all the time. He was super excited about this one as it does so much for one tool and comes in handy for many home projects. This is a recommended gift Idea for that special man in your life. You can't go wrong with Dremel.


The Dremel Multi-Max MM40 is available at most hardware and home improvement centers nationwide for an SRP of $139.99 USD and CAD

The Holiday's

Been so busy with my Gift Guide I haven't been able to make a personal post.

We had a Great Thanksgiving. We went to visit my MIL and FIL in Indiana. It was a lot of fun. My husband and FIL cooked us breakfast every morning because they rock:). My MIL cooked an awesome Thanksgiving dinner Turkey, Ham, her special Sweet Potatoes, stuffing, corn and rolls.

My MIL and I went Black Friday shopping and I picked up some extras for Shane and Phil. It was a mad house but exciting.

While we were there went to my favorite Mexican restaurant that is only in Indiana (Hacienda) and of course went down to Shipshewana for Amish cheese and shopping.

Shane went to the mall and we took him to build a bear where he made a dog and Named it STUFFING. Yes! He picked the name all by himself he is very creative.

Then we stopped by to see Santa.

I am very excited for Christmas this year. Looks like this will be our last Christmas in Michigan but more on that in a future post.

Oh and I must Share Shane's Christmas Pictures for this year :)

Holiday GG 2011 Hasbro Transformers

Transformers have been around a long time and are a very popular boys toy each holiday.

Shane was so excited when he received the Transformers Dark of the Moon - Optimus Prime in the mail to review.

Autobot OPTIMUS PRIME with Rifles and Jetpack
Figure measured approximately 4 inch tall
For age 5 and up

Shane loves this toy and so does my husband. I think it brings my husband back memories of his childhood. I love that it is something that I can throw in my purse and take with me so Shane has something to do when we are out and about.

Transformers would make a great stocking stuffers this year.
You can find them on Amazon, at Hasbro.com and many major retailers that carry toys.