Queen of the Free Bees

The Buzz on Skylee

2011-12-06T09:08:00.000-08:00

My Pretend Lawyer Made Me Write This: This is not a sponsored post. However, I did receive a Skylee for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

When I Love Robots.com offered me a chance to review Skylee, I jumped on the chance. I'd first had the opportunity to meet Skylee at the Clever Girls Collective brunch while at BlogHer this year and knew Skylee was something in which my daughter would be interested.

Official Product Description:

Meet SKYLEE, a chatty, interactive toy dragon for kids! This very friendly dragon comes with a very special surprise: an egg that holds a tiny fuzzy dragon baby named Bebe that loves to squeak and play with Skylee all day long!

Skylee flaps her beautiful dragon wings in response to a child's touch and responds with words of excitement to a child's greeting.

Skylee flaps her dragon wings in response to a child’s touch and responds with words of excitement to a child’s greeting.

My take?

Skylee was an immediate hit, as I had suspected. And the little "bebe" that comes in an egg, which rolls out of Skylee's tummy? The icing on the robotic cake. Both kids giggled a storm over that one, then proceeded to stuff the egg back in, so they could make it come out again. Rinse, repeat.

You'd think this would be a girl's toy, but my 6 year old son loves it, too. It's also a tough, good-quality toy -- we've had it for several months now. It's seen plenty of play hours and the batteries are still going strong. I do wish it was a little softer and snugglier, but that's just me. The kids don't really seem to mind.

Anjali's favorite thing to do is to dance with her dragon:

Anjali and Skylee from Kelli Oliver George on Vimeo.

Also, she has renamed the dragon. I hope Lady Gaga is flattered. Ahem.

The Buzz on Mechatars

2011-12-06T08:47:00.000-08:00

My Pretend Lawyer Made Me Write This: This is not a sponsored post. However, I did receive a Mechatar for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Awhile back, I Love Robots.com offered me an opportunity to review a Mechatar and I said "Sure!" As I seem to have a robot loving little boy in my possession, this seemed like a wise choice.

Official Product Description:

Mechatars are fast remote control robots that battle in the real world and connect to a FREE-TO-PLAY online game at www.Mechatars.com! You can customise your personal Mechatar and download new missions; complete each mission and earn new skills to level up then connect to take the battle online. Very quickly each robot becomes unique to its owner.

My Take?
The setup was quite easy -- we pulled it out of the packaging and immediately, my 6 year old son was able to use the remote to get his Mechatar rolling around. As a parent, I LOVE the huge, rolling leg/wheels (i.e. the legs do a complete rotation, which is not obvious from the photo) -- they have a soft rubber on them that grips our hardwood floor, but doesn't scratch it. Furthermore, the legs are very sturdy and since they are large, they give the Mechatar a sort of "agility" that ensures the robot doesn't get stuck. The Mechatar works equally well inside and outside -- even from our driveway and through the grass!

Unfortunately, I was not able to completely review the training and battle portion of the Mechatar. My 6 year old was just a little too young to navigate the website by himself. Additionally, we don't have a friend with a Mechatar. I did play around with the setup and it was very easy to navigate. And importantly, I did not see any questionable content or security issues that concerned me. When my son gets a little older, I would have no problems with letting him play on this website unattended. And considering how durable this toy is, I see no reason why he won't still have a working Mechatar in a few years.

Overall, I think a Mechatar would be a perfect gift for a boy aged 8 or above!

The Buzz on The Coffeetalk Game

2011-12-06T05:51:00.000-08:00

My Pretend Lawyer Made Me Write This: I have not been compensated for this post but I was given a free copy of this game for review purposes. All opinions are mine alone. You can't have them.

I have written a couple of times how much I love to play games -- boardgames, videogames, card games. Just a few times. Maybe once or twice.

Since I am always on the hunt for new and unusual games, I jumped on the chance to review The Coffeetalk Game when it was offered to me while at BlogHer this year. Awhile back, I hosted my canasta group and when we were done with cards, I brought this game out to get a feel for their thoughts. Later, I hosted another event with my group of gals who form our periodic Game Night Group. If there ever was a focus group for boardgames, these ladies should be in it.

First impression? The packaging is quite clever -- the playing pieces are fake coffee beans, the trump cards are creamer and sugar "packets" and the playing cards are in the shape of disposable coffee cups. Of course, the pièce de résistance was that it all came in a bag that was JUST like the ones in which you buy your coffee beans.

Second impression? The beans (i.e. playing pieces) did not exactly fit on their space and that bugged more than a few of us Type A Personalities (including yours truly). Also, many of my friends are in marketing and felt the marketing copy was a little too cutesy using taglines such as "A latte of fun!". Me? I am not in marketing and like cheesy copy.

However, how did this all stack up when we actually played the game? We figured out the gist of the game quite quickly but we did struggle with the purpose of the trump cards (turns out sugar packets are played when you want an answer pushed through and creamer packets are played when you don't like the topic card that is pulled and want to redraw). Once we figured the trump cards out, we got to playing. And....

It was really fun! I like that "anything goes" -- a topic card is thrown out, the sand hourglass is flipped over and then we scribble down anything that we think might be related to the topic card. It reminded me of word association exercises and I liked that we weren't limited to a certain letter of the alphabet. It was entertaining to see the twisted mental paths some of us went down once we got going.

We played a few rounds and they went really, really quickly.

In conclusion? This reasonably priced game would make a nice gift -- for a coffee lover, for a game lover. This would make a perfect gift for someone who loves games and is strung out on caffeine.

The Buzz on PaperCoterie

2011-08-25T15:34:00.000-07:00

My Pretend Lawyer Made Me Write This: I have not been compensated for this post. I received a free, personalized journal from PaperCoterie when I visited the MomSelect Suite while at BlogHer. PaperCoterie is offering a $40 Promocode to me and more importantly, to anyone else who would like to use it. That means you. Yes, YOU. Details at the end of the post!

Official Press Release:

Salt Lake City, Utah – August 1, 2011 – Inspired by Kelly Corrigan’s book, Lift, Paper Coterie hopes to inspire its audience to take photographs and document the ordinary in creative, new ways. From August 1 through August 31, 2011 all visitors will receive a $40 credit to spend. There is no minimum purchase and visitors pay only standard shipping rates. Paper Coterie is an online circle of friends who are passionate about documenting the everyday through personalized photo books, calendars, wall décor, and other creative and innovative products. “We are extremely excited to be hosting Begin Anywhere Month and introducing Kelly and her books to our community,” said Melisa Jeffers of Paper Coterie. “Knowing how and where to start documenting can be one of the biggest challenges when it comes to memory keeping, and we hope that our Begin Anywhere event provides both inspiration and a starting point to our community.”

Registrants can choose from a beautiful selection of elegantly designed books and journals; calendars in several formats, home décor items and gifts, recipe cards and more. The $40 credit does not include shipping.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter at Paper Coterie. For more information, visit us online at www.papercoterie.com.

My take?

My first few visits to Paper Coterie were a little clunky - it seemed they were doing some updates/fixes at the time. Since then, my visits have gone smoother. The hardest part was deciding what to buy with the $40 promotional code. I flitted around - I had already received a personalized journal from Paper Coterie while at BlogHer and I wasn't in the mood for a photo book. Unfortunately, I don't need a growth chart for my babies who are now doing things such as walking, talking and GOING TO SCHOOL (because that airplane growth chart I linked to? Is wicked cool. And my babies? Are TALLER than those charts.)

In a democratic surfing move, I clicked on the Recipe section thinking it was probably just your typical recipe cards. Except I was wrong. Paper Coterie does not offer your typical recipe cards - they offer pretty recipe cards which are personalized. However, what really caught my eye was the cookbook section. Personalized cookbooks. As in "cookbooks with MY recipes IN them".

Hold your horses, Fannie Farmer.

Honestly? This post has been delayed because I can't drag myself away from making my own cookbook. And even while writing this, I've been clicking over and playing around with my cookbook-in-progress. Furthermore, during this whole process of finding recipes to add, I've been compiling hand-scribbled notes, things copied into my phone, and a mountain of print-outs. I have even searched emails for old recipes.

And I am putting them into my own cookbook. I am almost done with my first cookbook and therefore, MUST create a second cookbook.

This whole "make your own cookbook" is a new concept to me and Paper Coterie has made it fairly easy. You simply create an account, click on the recipe book of your choice and get started. That's it! You can stop mid-stream and save your project to complete later (I am on Day 3 of working on my cookbook.) I fumbled a bit with the actual editing portion at first but once I got the hang of it, the going was pretty fast. I do wish that I could do things like bold or italicize individual pieces of text within a text box, but perhaps, that will come in later versions.

In the meantime, I am pretty happy with the results:

That particular quirky style and font appealed to me, but if that's not your thing, they do have several styles to choose from (I will probably choose "On The Dot" for my 2nd cookbook). I cannot wait to finish this cookbook! Currently, when I go through my weekly meal planning on Sunday afternoons, I have to flip through papers, cookbooks and even my memory. Inevitably, I forget about certain dishes and eventually find myself in a cooking funk. I am looking forward to having my "loose" recipes contained within 1 or 2 books that I can flip through along with my other books cranked out by the Big Publishers.

Paper Coterie doesn't just offer cookbooks. So, I will stop my fangirl praise for a millisecond to mention that they do also offer photo books and journals, memory keepers, and decor items. In fact, I am also intrigued by their "Prompt Me" book's official description:

Start creating this engaging book built by Paper Coterie's Prompt Me tool. In the coming weeks, Prompt Me will create your book using your responses to a series of creative questions, fun prompts, and photos. Let Prompt Me help you document the beauty of life well lived. 28-page minimum book is printed on premium 50% recycled fiber paper.

I was SO tempted to do a Prompt Me book for this post, but was afraid of the time commitment - right now is a bit crazy.

Okay - here's the important part, right???

So what's in this for you??? Until August 31st, Midnight, any reader who visits www.papercoterie.com can use the promo code BEGINANYWHERE to receive a $40 credit. There is no minimum purchase necessary, and shipping is not included.

Truly, you'd be crazy to not check Paper Coterie out. Halloween is trickling into the stores and you know what that means.

Christmas is coming.

The Buzz on OttLit POD Lamps

2011-05-05T08:13:00.000-07:00

For the Lawyer's Personal Pleasure: I was given an OttLite POD Lamp for review but otherwise, was not compensated for this review.

Official Product Description:
OttLite® 508 Illumination™ makes reading, seeing and working easier. You’ll see fine print and details clearly under the low heat, low glare illumination which also helps reduce eyestrain. This lamp has smart features, such as wire management so you can easily thread your power cords through the bottom of the lamp and charge your phone, MP3 player and more right on your lamp. Keeping you organized and being able to see better – now that’s innovation!

Easily adjust the low glare OttLite illumination over your desk with the adjustable arm and shade. Plus, the design folds away when not in use resuming its intriguing POD shape.

Confession: I received one OttLite Lamp last year at BlogHer - I was at the Martha Stewart party and won it in a raffle. We ended up loving that lamp so much that I also requested the free lamp from a certificate in the gift bag from the party. I am still trying to figure out why I feel guilty about getting two lamps.

Anyway!

When I first pulled the lamp out of the packing box, my husband and I were both in agreement that it was "not to our taste" (Code for we thought it a mite homely). However, my finicky, picky husband has grown to LOVE the light from this baby. The light is perfect for working on computers - there is no glare to content with and it is weird how it is so small, yet softly illuminates the whole darned ROOM. Currently, we co-sleep with our kids and the OttLite allows my husband to work late into the nights while our son sleeps away.

Yes, you can close the thing up and the light conveniently still shines through the clear plastic part.

Furthermore, it has a docking station in which you can thread your power cord and plug whatever device you want into it.

This is great lamp for a a bedside table in a bedroom with modern decor. Also, this is a PERFECT lamp for a dorm room and would make an awesome graduation gift.

And honestly? As we move from an incandescent world to a CFL one, it is nice to know that there will be options such as OttLite out there - a quick look at their website tells me they are getting more and more models in that will go with our traditional decor.

The Buzz on RoseArt's Color Blanks

2011-05-04T11:52:00.000-07:00

For the Lawyer's Personal Pleasure: I received one free Color Blanks and purchased two extra with my own money. I was not compensated for this review.

Color Blanks Product Description:
Your poseable figure gives you a white slate to design yourself! Use the included Color Blank markers to make it groovy green or bright orange with yellow stripes. Draw eyes, clothes or shoes on your figurine, then add the finishing touches with the included stickers. For extra originality, add your own fun stuff such as buttons, sequins, glitter, a hat or a prop – the possibilities are endless! Sets include 1 plastic figurine, 3 permanent mini markers and a sticker sheet.

RoseArt asked if they could sent me a Color Blanks for review purposes and I accepted. However, with two kids, I thought maybe there might be some issues with "sharing" and so I sent the review sample to a friend for her daughter and instead, bought a Color Blanks frog set for my own kids (yes, with my own money!) The Color Blanks singles are around $5 and the duo sets are around $10, so I figured we would get at least $10 amount of entertainment from them.

I had high hopes for these Color Blanks! Unfortunately, I did not realize these were meant for kidlets 6 years and older. My son is 5.5 and my daughter is nearing 4. With that in mind, we soldiered on.

First, we noticed that the markers did not dry very quickly. And they were sticky while wet. And the coverage was not spectacular for coloring the entire body of the piece. After awhile, both kids grew frustrated with how long it took to completely cover the piece in color. The markers were all over their hands, although it did wash off with some scrubbing. I finished the coloring myself and we set the pieces in front of a fan to dry. After they were dry, the kids did have fun applying the stickers. And they do still play with their frogs. So yes, RoseArt is onto a great idea - an art project that can be played with later. They just need to work out the details since the markers were not just quite right for this.

I do believe we got our money's worth, even though my kids were under the target age. The project took about 40 minutes total and the kids still play with their frogs. I certainly didn't feel cheated out of my 10 bucks! I would consider buying these again, in particular if my kids spy them and ask (politely). However, next time I would approach this differently by doing the body color with a Sharpie* by myself, leaving the object to dry, THEN letting the kids go crazy with decorations. In hindsight, I wish I would have passed my review sample to my 9 year old nephew because I think he would totally dig this.

*Yes, I am the crazy lady with a rainbow of Sharpies. Respect the Sharpie.

The Buzz on Peas and Bananas: Outside With Lil Boo.

2010-12-13T08:42:00.000-08:00

For the lawyer's personal pleasure: I received a copy of this book for review and there was no other compensation for this review.

OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION:
The first book of the Peas and Bananas series. Peas and Bananas Outside with Lil Boo is an illustrated children’s book based on the creative events experienced through the eyes of Lil Boo. The events in the first story of a series are based on exploring an array of outdoor adventures from the eyes of a toddler. Follow Lil Boo and his imaginary friend Onote from the letters A to Z in a fascinating rhyming adventure outside.

EXCERPT 1:

The wonderful things you see from your room.
It's like riding on a broom!
So many wonderful things to do.
Let's go outside and see the view.

EXCERPT 2:

A cactus is awfully prickly.
Even so, a touch is fickly-tickly.
Have you ever seen a prickly, fickly, tickly cactus?
Lil Boo has, and its name is Magnus.

Cactus to dirt - without a squirt!

My take?
Truthfully, I was disappointed. I have a pretty extensive collection of children's books, much of it collected before I even had kids of my own. Therefore, when I was contacted by the author regarding a potential review of Peas and Bananas, I jumped on it. The chance to review a book not mass marketed was very appealing to me - the thought of discovering something new. But, sadly, I was not really taken with this book.

Interestingly, I loved, loved the illustrations - they were adorable and some of the renderings of the animals were simply beautiful (the owl was my favorite!) However, I was confused with where the story was going and some of the wording/poetry had a rhythm that was hard for me to read out loud. I understand the need to make up words to make things "work" and that children's literature grants a wide girth in that respect (hello, Dr. Seuss?!) But this was a little much for me.

Of course, like many parents there are books that WE love and then there are books that we suffer through to please our children. Sadly, I knew the review for Peas and Bananas was sunk when my kids did not stick around for the entire reading.

In fairness, I included two excerpts to give you a chance to see for yourself if this would be the type of book for you. Obviously, I cannot purport to be the "end all/be all" when it comes to reviewing children's literature!

The Buzz on Dinosaur Train: Dinosaurs in the Snow

2010-12-12T12:46:00.000-08:00

For the lawyer's personal pleasure: I was given this DVD for FREE to review and you can bet your sweet bippy, I will be keeping it at the end of my review period.

OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION:
The Jim Henson Company/PBS series Dinosaur Train is a fun, educational program that capitalizes on young children's love of dinosaurs and trains, as well as their insatiable curiosity about the world around them. The four young dinosaurs of the Pteranodon family--one of whom is actually a Tyrannosaurus rex--love to explore the world via a prehistoric-time-traveling dinosaur train. From seeing snow at the North Pole for the first time, to unearthing million-year-old fossils, pondering whether huge trees grow from tiny seeds, tracking down a famous dinosaur singer, or seeking out the perfect big red flower for their mom, Don, Tiny, Shiny, and Buddy can always be counted on to ask important questions and seek the answers scientifically. Lucky for them, their parents and the Troodon train conductor are always more than willing to help them find the answers. The series features bright, animated dinosaurs and country-meets-rock songs that are immensely appealing to kids ages 3 to 6. But the best thing about the show is that it teaches kids some of the basics of scientific inquiry and process, like good observation skills and how to compare and contrast what they see; there's also some general information about the different types of dinosaurs. Interestingly, the DVD does not contain any of the live-action segments with paleontologist Dr. Scott Sampson that are usually shown between episodes on the televised program. Bonus DVD-ROM features include an interactive game, coloring pages, a dinosaur reference guide, and information for parents about the program and its characters.

My Take?
My kids really enjoyed this DVD and have already watched it more times than I'd care to admit. Ahem. Quite frankly, it was not really a shock, since they love, love Dinosaur Train. I asked my son which was his favorite episode from this DVD and he said that he liked the King Cryolophosaurus. While I am sure the Elvis impersonation was lost upon him, I got a chuckle out of it as well.

While I would not want to own the entire library of Dinosaur Train, it is really nice to have this "special" one since it includes several holidays on it (including Mother's Day, Winter's Solstice and Halloween.) A few months back, I won a giveaway for Dinosaur Train: Dinosaurs Under the Sea and while I don't have to write a review of it, I would like to go ahead and mention it here as well. The Under the Sea DVD totally rocked! It is really difficult to find many videos or even books that include the swimming reptiles, so that DVD really stands out as another one worth owning.

Also, can I confess to totally grooving during the theme song? Am I the only one?

The Buzz on The Sound of Music, Blu-Ray Release

2010-12-12T12:20:00.000-08:00

For the lawyer's personal pleasure: I received this copy of the Sound of Music for free. For review. For mine to keep. Other than the review copy of the movie, there was no compensation for this post.

OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION

Disc 1 Blu-ray:

Feature Film Remastered in 1080p Hi-Def with 7.1 DTS-HD Sound

Your Favorite Things: An Interactive Celebration — All-New Immersive Viewing Experience with Behind-the-Scenes Images, On-Screen Lyrics, Trivia Track and Location Quiz

Music Machine Sing-Along

Audio Commentaries with Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and Director Robert Wise

BD-LIVE: Live Lookup™ Powered by IMDb®

Disc 2 Blu-ray:

Musical Stages: Creating The Sound of Music — All-New Interactive “Backlot Tour” with In-Depth Featurettes on the Songs, the Stage Show & Movie, the Film and Sound Restoration and the Real-Life von Trapp Family

A City of Song — Virtual Map of Filming Locations in Salzburg, Austria

Vintage Rodgers & Hammerstein and The Sound of Music Programs

Screen Tests, Rare Treasures, Interviews, Photo Galleries & More!

Disc 3 DVD:

Feature Film In Standard Definition

Newly Remastered Picture and Sound

Optional Sing-Along Track

Music Machine Sing-Along

The Sound of Music Tour – A Living Story

My Take?
Oh hubba hubba. I have long been a rabid Sound of Music fan. It was my first LP ever purchased, then later my first CD purchased, then my first DVD purchased. I could not help but grin that it is now my first Blu-ray. And holy cow, this version is packed with new features and behind-the-scenes vignettes. I cannot wait to have both of my sisters over for a viewing!

If you have a Sound of Music fan on your shopping list this Christmas, this would make an excellent, thoughtful gift. I particularly like that it includes both the Blu-ray and DVD discs in one convenient package!

The Buzz on Animal Mastermind Towers

2010-09-16T07:03:00.000-07:00

For the lawyer's personal pleasure: I was given this game by Pressman Toy for FREE to review and you can bet your sweet bippy, I will be keeping this game at the end of my review period.

And the winner......... was Hunter's Prize!!

At BlogHer this year, I meandered through the Expo Center twice, hesitantly. My heart just was not into it this year, but I did want to at least see it. However, I came across the Pressman Toy Corporation and was more than happy to talk to them - games are a pretty serious business in my family and I have confessed to having devoted a linen closet to my collection of them. (I also recognized Pressman as the makers of the Let's Go Fishing game, for which I have actually paid my very own real dollars. A game from which we have gotten HOURS of entertainment because Team Chaos plays with the fish separately as well - the little fish make great bait for their angler fish and sharks, apparently. And yes, I just reviewed something for free, something that I paid for because as I have already admitted, I don't really get this reviewing thing. Obviously.)

Whoa. Tangent much?

So! Pressman! They had a couple of games that we could actually play in the booth - Mastermind (ages 8 and up) and Animal Mastermind Towers (ages 6 and up).

I was sent the Animal Mastermind Towers for review.

Official Description:

Like classic MASTERMIND, the new Animal Towers version is a game of logic, problem solving and fun that challenges players to figure out their opponent's code in as few turns as possible. To play, children stack their animal tiles in a special tower. Players take alternate turns trying to guess the order of the animals in the other player’s tower by asking questions such as, “Is your giraffe below your pig?” This new vertical children’s edition of MASTERMIND teaches important skills in three levels of gameplay, entertaining children as their matching and logical thinking skills progress.

Animal MASTERMIND Towers is the first in a series of MASTERMIND games in the new vertical format. Upcoming editions will feature licensed children’s entertainment properties such as Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants™, Disney Fairies™, Disney®, and kids’ favorite Looney Tunes™ characters.

My kids are a wee obsessed with animals in general and I thought that my nearly 5 year old son would dig the animal tiles, at the very least. And I was correct.

When the game arrived, we immediately set it up. It was actually hard to control his excitement because as I suspected, he wanted to just fool around with the cards and tiles. I let him have "his moment" of playing with the cards and tiles (and yes, there is a unique satisfaction with sliding the tiles in the tower - think of that cozy feeling when you drop checker in Connect Four. Yeah, that feeling.)What I really liked about this game is that you can ease your kid into it - we played with 4 tiles at first, then added the 5th tile when he got the hang of it. He's probably ready for the 6th tile next time. I also appreciated that as an adult, I needed to pay attention to the game (I have live-Tweeted Candyland games. Not my proudest parenting moments.) Is this a compelling game chock full of serious strategy? No. And it was not meant to be. However, it is a pleasant way to spend some time with your kid.

Christmas potential? Pretty high - this is the sort of present that parents love and that makes the giver look thoughtful - a game! and it is educational! Furthermore, it is something the kid can open up right away and immediately begin fiddling with the tiles while the adults continue to suck down their eggnog. I do think this could be given to a 4 year old, but that would probably be the lowest age - my daughter is 3 and she is certainly not ready for this game yet. I would say the maximum age is 8 or so, given the adult version is age 8 and up.

Giveaway!
I have a copy of the game to give away! Here is the deal:

Comment on this post and tell me your favorite children's board game. (If you answer Candyland, your entry will be disqualified. Kidding. Maybe.) And please, please include an email - otherwise, I have no way to contact you if you do not already have a Blogger profile! Your email will not used for any other purpose than contacting you if you win. I solemnly swear on the eternal soul of my recently departed tarantula, Sofia (may peace be with her. Sniff.)

Short version to winning?
Comment and tell me your favorite children's board game. Leave an email if you want me to contact you if you have won. That is it! Contest will be closed at Friday, September 24th at 12:00pm CDT.

The Buzz on "Yum-Yum Bento Box" by Crystal Watanabe and Maki Ogawa

2010-09-14T11:11:00.000-07:00

For the lawyer's personal pleasure: I was given this game by Quirk Publications for FREE to review and you can pry this book from my dead, cold hands. Or, I could just leave it to you in my Last Will & Testament. That might be easier.

Confession: When I saw that I had a message from Quirk Publications, I got a little excited. They are a publisher of amusing, unusual reads and I knew they were probably offering to send me something worth reviewing. And when I realized they were offering to send me a copy of book solely about bento boxes, I knew I had hit some Review Blog Gold.

When I received Yum-Yum Bento Box by Crystal Watanabe and Maki Ogawa, I sat down to read it and finished it one sitting. It was entertaining and some of the results were just too twee for words (the mushroom on the cover is "Capital A" Adorable.) This book also left me with a strong hankering for an egg mold. Ahem.

Official Description:

Divided into “Cuties and Critters,” “Fairy-Tale Friends,” and “Special Day Treats,” Yum-Yum Bento Box also includes additional recipes for mini snacks and save-it-for-later lunches, a glossary, and much more. Inside, readers will learn:

·         Which tools are needed to craft bento boxes and where to find them.
·         How to style and shape foods into charaben (or cute characters) using bento basics and advanced techniques.
·         How to make a Piggy Burger, plum flowers, miniature omelets, animals, elves, princesses, and more!

Whether you’re an experienced bento maker eager to expand your repertoire or a bento newbie looking to spice up a ham and cheese sandwich in a fast five minutes, Yum-Yum Bento Box: Fresh Recipes for Adorable Lunches has something for everyone. Why spend money on generic, unhealthy packaged lunches when you could be making unique and wholesome bentos?

The upshot? If you are a beginner to bentos, this is a good place to start - the book is crammed with all sorts of little photo insets which provide step-by-step instructions that demonstrate how to create many of the items displayed. There are also "quick tips" offered throughout this book as well.

We have the Laptop Lunchbox systems (which hey, I totally paid for with my own real dollars!). However, in regard to lunches, my kids are still in their granola bars, nuts, cheese and applesauce moods. In the meantime, I am keeping this book for future reference.

If you are currently doing lunchmeats, cheese and crackers for your kids' lunches, you can already get some mileage out of this book just on those ingredients alone. For the more experienced bento enthusiast, there are some more complicated creations as well.

This is a bright, colorful and perky publication with a sturdy construction. Definitely, it is gift quality.

And I still have plans to get that egg mold the next time I am at our Asian superstore. Yes, my kids love hard-boiled eggs.

The Buzz on Near East.

2010-07-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, I hosted a sponsored party by Near East food products! In my hostess kit, amongst some random goodies, I was sent packages of Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil Couscous (also, I discovered that Near East is currently hosting a sweepstakes. Enter here to win a variety of prizes including food and trips!) I was pretty excited to see that they had sent my favorite of their couscous - the garlic and olive oil version is generic enough that you can serve it with quite a variety of main dishes. As such, I knew I was in business and planned the rest of my menu around the couscous - chicken caponata and a shrimp with feta and tomatoes.

Truthfully, I had to apply to be a hostess and I did consider my application carefully. Ultimately, I decided to submit my application because it truly fit with my goals of cooking meals, from scratch, with fresh ingredients. I decided to go with a general theme of Cooking With a Busy Schedule since I know folks are often busy rushing home from sports practices and work. Near East did send some yummy looking recipes from Chef Peter Bowen - quite simply, I did not get a chance to test drive these recipes and I wanted to make something with which I had a proven track record (although, hot damn - those lamp chops might be in my future.) Therefore, I chose a chicken caponata because it is an excellent Sunday night dish that would reheat really well later in the week. And, I chose the shrimp dish because it cooks quickly - if you have rushed home, you can still find time to cook it. (Both recipes can be found in Simply Mediterranean Cooking - although it appears to be out of print? Is it a violation for me to provide the recipes online? Is there a lawyer in the house?)

Anyway -- the couscous?? Seriously, a no-brainer. You bring the water to water to boil, throw in the couscous and accompanying spice packet, then take the pan off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. That's it. If you are as leery of packaged food as I am these days, you can also rest easy - the ingredient list was simply couscous, autolyzed yeast extract, olive oil, salt, natural flavor, garlic, onions, soy protein, parsley, spices, tocopherols for freshness, soy sauce ( I have had similarly good experiences using their Long Grain and Wild Rice in my chicken divan.) In short, their products can make a perfect side dish to serve with a main dish made by you.

Dammit. Now, I am hungry. Again.

Gift bags!

A party where social media was more than welcome.

Many hostesses frown upon their guest live-tweeting. Not me.

Reason #2178943 why I am not a food photographer.

Try as I might, I never could capture how yummy this couscous was. The fresh parsley sprinkled on top took it over the edge of Delicious.

Reason #2178944 why I am not a food photographer.

I swear this shrimp with feta and tomatoes was utterly delicious, despite the lack of photographic proof.

This picky eater took the night off.

Even Arun liked it! I didn't bother including Anjali's snap because that girl will eat anything and cannot be trusted.

A toast to Near East!

A fabulous time was had by all.

The Buzz on "Booze Cakes" by Krystina Castella and Terry Lee Stone

2010-07-06T11:06:00.000-07:00

I have written extensively about my inability to bake. I try and fail miserably, then I try again. Therefore, when I was offered the opportunity to review Booze Cakes by Krystina Castella and Terry Lee Stone, I hesitated. Who the hell am I to review a book about baking? However. While I may not be a baker, I do love reading cookbooks in general and seriously, I just could not resist this book. I mean, look at the cover. Are you not craving cake right now?

I suspected this book would be chock full of luscious food photography and I was correct. Every page is accompanied by a lovely photograph and several of the recipes feature "how-to" photographs to help you with preparation. The book has four main sections (Classic Booze Cakes, Cocktail Cakes, Cake Shots, and Cakes with a Twist) but I found the supplemental sections to be helpful as well. There are recipes for homemade liqueurs and mixers (i.e. limoncello, sour cherries) and there are directions for toppings, frostings and fancy garnishes ( i.e. candied items such as cherries, flowers; flavored sugars such as lavender, herbal; specialty decorations such as marzipan carrots, meringues).

The recipes that appealed to me the most were the recipes for the English Trifle (drizzled with brandy), the Tres Leches cake (involving cachaça, a Brazilian distilled spirit) and the Chocolate Lava Cake (using port wine!) In fact, including variations, there are 108 cake recipes and 32 cake shot recipes! This book will not become boring anytime soon.

If there is a baker in your life, this would make such a thoughtful gift and I do believe an inventive baker would have fun with this book, its variations and the supplemental sections that can be used for other recipes. Besides, if you present this as a gift, perhaps they might return the favor by leaving a cake on your doorstep? At least, that is what I am hoping for as I pass this beautiful book to my baking friend Caroline!

I wish I could have tried at least one recipe before posting this review - I promise to update this post with my friend's thoughts as she tries her hand at baking from this (I am curious what she will think of the Carrot Cake recipe, in particular, since that is one of her favorite cakes.)

The Buzz on Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs + Scrat Pack

2009-10-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

The winners of this giveaway are the following commenters:
Rayne of Terror
Brit
Me
SJ
Mommyslat

I think I can track most of you down, but if you could email me your address to me, that would be even faster! cageyATgmailDOTcom

Thanks to everyone who entered!
******************************

Synopsis:

Ice Age 3 Dawn Of The Dinosaurs
In the coolest Ice Age adventure yet, Manny and the herd discover a lost world of ferociously funny dinosaurs, including a cranky T. rex who’s got a score to settle with Sid! Meanwhile, Scrat goes nuts over the beautiful Scratte, but is she trying to win his heart – or steal his acorn?

The Ice Age 3 Dawn Of The Dinosaurs Three-Disc Combo Pack (Blu-ray, DVD and a Digital Copy) provides hours of extra fun for the entire family including an Ice Age digital story book maker, commentary by director Carlos Saldanha, deleted scenes, making-of featurettes, two special Scrat shorts, a how-to-draw Scrat tutorial with the filmmakers and much more. The Three-Disc set will be available for a suggested retail price of $39.99 U.S./$49.99 Canada. Additionally, the Ice Age 3 Dawn Of The Dinosaurs standard DVD will be available for $29.98 U.S./$43.48 Canada. The Ice Age 3 Dawn Of The Dinosaurs “Scrat Pack” Double DVD Pack, another great value for moms and fun for kids, will also be available for a limited time only featuring an overload of special features focusing on the determined squirrel including three “Scrat” games exclusive to the disc. The “Scrat Pack” will be available for a suggested retail price of $34.98 U.S./$45.98 Canada.

I have not seen the two previous Ice Age movies and hesitated to go see the 3rd one last summer while it was in the theatres. I feared we would be lost just joining the franchise and had not hear too much about the previous two movies. However, when asked to review this particular Ice Age, I was drawn in with the word "dinosaur". And we were not disappointed.

The animation in this Ice Age is of very good quality and admittedly, I am pretty snobbish about that. I did appreciate how some of the action scenes were choreographed as if they had been "live-filmed" - during one of the chase scenes I loved the animated "mud" hitting the "camera lens".

The overall storyline is actually quite clever and the jokes are witty, we laughed from the beginning to the end. The humor is a little on the crass side, so be aware if that is not your thing. However, it is most certainly MY thing and to that end, I am raising my own children to appreciate Crass With Class, as well. If your children are sensitive to what I delicately refer to as Food Chain Topics, you may want to watch this first to gauge their reaction since the T-Rex is pretty menacing in parts. My kids, ages 2 and 4, were not bothered in the least by the T-Rex, but we are pretty frank about the fact that some dinosaurs are carnivores and this means they eat MEAT.

We viewed this DVD on several different TVs - plasma, LCD and regular tube. I thought the quality was fine on all three devices.

Is the extra Scrat pack worth it? I would say yes - I appreciate animated shorts if they are done well. And yes, the three Scrat shorts included on the bonus pack are clever, witty and beautifully animated (my favorite was the "time machine" short - I could watch that one over and over - hilarious!) As an animation buff, I also appreciated learning the behind-the-scenes information as to how they go about making the entire movie itself.

In short, we really enjoyed this movie and even after having seen it over and over and over the past few weeks, we are STILL watching it and even I am still giggling during the same parts. If your little ones enjoy dinosaurs, this should be on the top of your list for the holiday buying season - I can think of two little kids who will most certainly be getting Ice Age 1 and Ice Age 2 in their stockings this year.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, comes out October 27 on Amazon and will be on both Blu-ray and DVD!

Would you like to win a copy?? I have 5 copies for giving away! Between now and October 26th, Midnight CST, leave a comment, including your email address and tell me which is your favorite dinosaur. Sorry, this is only open to US residents.

My favorite dinosaur? The triceratops! I just love those three horns.

The Buzz on Elmo's Animal Adventures

2009-10-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

Dude. It's Elmo. Need I say more? No? Yes? Well, then.....

A brief synopsis of Elmo's Adventures:

Join Elmo and his friends as they embark on 3 fun-filled adventures. Help Elmo and Tilly find Little Bo Peep’s missing cow by following clues and working together as a team. Use animal facts to help Elmo & Abby succeed in the “Find The Amphibian Game” and join Elmo in a camping adventure as he learns that sharing is fun and discovers the different types of food that animals eat. Includes special appearances by Cameron Diaz and Patricia Arquette.

Ding!Ding!Ding!

We have a winner! My kids loved this video - yes, it was Elmo and featured the usual fun songs and dancing that Elmo for which is known.. It was a no-brainer. Still - it also featured animals and included some bits about camping. Everybody wins with that combination in my household.

Yes, this video was a success in our household and I would highly recommend it as a holiday season gift idea.

Elmo's Animal Adventures is available on Amazon.com.

The Buzz on Animal Planet's "Lions"

2009-10-19T09:32:00.000-07:00

Recently, I received a copy of Animal Planet's Lions for reviewing.

Synopsis of Lions:

See the amazing story of A Lion Called Christian, experience the lion’s existence in the Serengeti in The Lion’s Share, learn about the magical golden king of the jungle in White Lions and see how lions are going “rogue” in Kruger National Park in Rogue Lions. Witness the internet sensation Christian the Lion and his touching reunion with his former caretakers; journey into the heart of the Seregenti as drought threatens the survival of a close-knit pride; explore the regal realm of the majestic white lion; and venture into Kruger National Park where lions are changing their hunting behaviors and are slowly becoming more of a threat to humans. First shown on Animal Planet, Lions provides a striking look at these stunning animals and their behaviors.

I really wanted to like this. Really. It was about lions. How cool is that? Unfortunately, I could not view this DVD in its entirety - the storylines plodded along and the music was not very inspiring. And while my own children are not sensitive to Food Chain Topics (e.g. graphic footage of lions mawing down on zebra meat did not bother my children in the least), other parents need to be aware there was some graphic footage in these DVDs for youngsters. And fortunately, my kids did not notice the S-E-X scenes since I am not ready to explain that particular life process just yet.

This DVD is definitely educational and does contain useful information regarding lions. I would not recommend it for younger children, but it may be more appropriate for older children. If you are interested in purchasing this DVD, it can be purchased on Amazon.com.

The Buzz on Animal Planet's "Elephants"

2009-10-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

When I received the request to review some videos for Animal Plant, I jumped on it. With two kids crazy for animals, it seemed to be a good fit.

The synopsis of Elephants:

An extended elephant family, featuring a venerable Old Bull, embarks upon a life-and-death journey across the vast African plains. Through oppressive conditions they persevere, facing extraordinary joys and sorrows in life.
Queen of the Elephants

The people of India regard the elephant as a god; yet today, the needs of humans and the elephants are diametrically opposed. This special follows adventurer/conservationist Mark Shand and Parbarti Barua -- the only female mahout (elephant trainer/handler) in India and perhaps the world -- as they trek 300 miles across India on the backs of elephants. Their ELEPHANTS aim is to bring attention to the plight of the elephant. As India's population explodes and living space disappears, the crucial pathways linking one feeding ground to another are being cut, driving elephants to raid fields and towns for food.

I was sad to discover that we did not enjoy this DVD. The story lines were not compelling and I could not get my son to even finish it with me. I also viewed this DVD on both of our TVs, the fancy 52" plasma and the regular 27" tube - I was not really impressed with the cinematography and some of the imagery was grainy-looking.

While I cannot recommend purchasing this particular DVD, if your child is into elephants, it would be worth checking out at your local library. The DVD was at least educational and provided useful information regarding elephants.

If you are interested in buying this DVD, The Discovery Store has it for sale.

The Buzz on K2Workshops

2009-08-31T04:54:00.000-07:00

Updated: K2 Workshops are offering a 15% discount ! Just sign up for a class at on their site and use discount code BF15AJ091X during checkout!! I can report that I have already saved far more money on my recent projects than the entire cost of a single class. Definitely worth checking out!)

Note: This is a review post - I did not pay for this workshop.

That said, please read on to see why I would have totally paid for this class.

Recently K2Workshops of Kansas City invited me to attend their workshop Home Improvement Champion 101: Basic Home Repair Workshop for Women . Oh sure, I was excited about the prospect of spending an entire Saturday with Average Jane and Rita of Surrender Dorothy, but truthfully, there was more to my excitement. Three months ago, the light in our downstairs half-bath off of our kitchen went dark. I dreaded calling an electrician knowing that a bare minimum charge would be $75 or so. So, I put it off. Eventually, my grandma learned of our plight ~~my negligence~~ and actually gave us $100 for our anniversary in June to pay for it. That $100 is still sitting in our checking account. Where is my husband in all of this? My husband does not do repairs, he pays for home repairs. Like his own father did.

I knew going into this marriage that I was going to be the Handy Girl. I am the one who takes our son to Home Depot and Lowe's and that is fine by me. I love watching HGTV with drool on my chin. So yes, I can do some basic repairs, but truthfully, I often do a sloppy, inadequate job or mess things up so badly that I am left sitting on my couch with a bottle of wine sobbing wet, heavy tears (a true story, circa 2002, involving 20+ holes and a rebellious curtain rod.) Then, I have to hire someone to fix my mess and do the job properly.

So, off to class I went.

First up, we learn about the tools on our pretty desk. I am hurriedly making a wish list for Christmas.

Next, we learn the importance and difference between varying types of wall anchors while I mentally plan vengeance on that errant curtain rod. Our instructor demonstrates the entire process before our eyes, then sends us back to our spaces. I am shocked to learn that I can hang a towel rod that even my children would find difficult to destroy.

Then, we learn about sheetrock repair. They showed us two methods - one involving essentially nailing a piece of wood behind the hole, then cutting a piece of sheet rock to fit the hole, nailing that piece in, then mudding over whole thing. The other was a jury-rig (in my opinion) method called the "california patch" - Rita has a great picture of it on her site.

Next, we did electrical where we actually installed a light fixture and a light switch ourselves. With real, potentially heart-stopping electricity! Yowser.

We did not get to do much hands-on with the plumbing, but their demonstration and illustrations were very thorough.

Some quick tips that I learned during our conversations:

Use masking tape for marking measures on a wall with a pencil, just rub it across your pants first to get it "linted up" so it does not peel off the paint. Now, you don't have to mark the wall directly.
Sheet rock dust is insidious! Do not use a regular vacuum bag because it will seep through that bag. It was recommended to lay down drop cloths to catch as much as possible during sanding. Otherwise, it will need to be cleaned up by hand or a special, very expensive vacuum bag needs to be used.
Periodically clean pipes out with a mixture of 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar. Pour baking soda first, then the vinegar, then use a stopper to keep it down in the pipe Otherwise, it will bubble up into your sink! You want it bubbling in the pipe itself, where it needs to do it dirty job. After 10 minutes, pour hot water down the pipe quickly.
Toilets should be used for what they were meant - not as trashcans. This most definitely means dental floss, which apparently is far more comment of a problem than you would think. Floss can built up in your pipe and create a "trap" of sorts. Dental floss = toilet trouble.

The class included a box lunch and we went home with pretty notebooks chock full of information.

Immediately after class, I went to the Home Depot nearby and purchased all the materials for changing out our light switches. Went home, ate dinner and got to work. It took me less than 15 minutes and much of that was spent running to the basement, flipping breakers, figuring out which was The One That Would Not Kill Me. I can now pee in sweet, lighted bliss. Thanks, K2 Workshops! I have fixed another broken light switch and will be purchasing some light fixtures this week to replace THREE broken ones outside ( a safety issue, folks.) I am putting new towel rods in our October budget.

I am also now signed up for their mailing list in anxious anticipation for a tile class - something else we desperately need fixed around here.

K2 Workshops does offer gift certificates - I think this would be a great option for a newly married couple or as a house warming gift.

It is difficult to explain how I felt Saturday night - not just excited that I had saved my family some money, but also empowered and confident that I could do it myself. Furthermore, my husband was totally impressed and that, my friends, is priceless.

Pretty, clean, innocent spaces just waiting for the hammers to drop.

Child-sized chin-up bars.

Nothing is bringing those fools down. Not even my own children.

Holes? We don't need no stinking holes.

For when the children DO bring the bars down. Gulp.

Rita's Audition for the Price is Right

I still cannot believe that I installed a light fixture all on my own. And lived to tell the tale.

And now? I need to take the plumbing class.

With a toilet like this, who can resist???

The Buzz on the Valentine's Style "Hugs Fur You" Monkey from Build-A-Bear

2009-02-11T09:45:00.000-08:00

The Winner!
These random numbers were brought to you by Random.org (aka Blame Them, Not Me):
Commenter#3 Dee has won the Build-A-Bear certificate!

Please email me your snail mail address to cagey333(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Confession: I do not like stuffed toy animals that are not in their "natural" color. Yes, I freely admit I am a snob about this. And then? I gave birth to a daughter who loves animals - period. She would rather have an animal than a doll and she does not care if it is stuffed or plastic. She does not care if it is pink, brown, purple, or black. Therefore, when I was asked to review the Valentine's Style Hugs Fur You Monkey I was quite happy to do so - I suspected that Anjali would agree.

She was taking her nap when it arrived at our house. I set the half-opened Monkey Condo and went about my business. When she woke up from her nap, she almost immediately discovered the pink fur peeking out and helped herself to digging it out of the box. I have to say, I was a bit smitten myself. This pink monkey is totally and unbearably Rub Your Face In It soft.

Quality? I had my way with it - pulling, poking and prodding - it is a well-made animal and I suspect we will get many years use out of it (speaking of quality - a Build-A-Bear frog that I bought my nephew 4 years ago is still in rotation at my sister's house.)

So, in conclusion - Build-A-Bear was a resounding success in our house and I suspect we will be making a trip there for Anjali's 2nd birthday this summer. I am thinking Hello Kitty may catch her eye. ~~If not, I may disown her or just buy it for myself. Or both.~~

I am giving away a $25 gift certificate to Build-A-Bear! Please comment on this post by Midnight, February 14th and I will draw someone at random.

The Buzz on "The Rookie Moms Handbook" by Heather Gibbs Flett and Whitney Moss

2009-02-10T08:09:00.000-08:00

The Winner!
These random numbers were brought to you by Random.org (aka Blame Them, Not Me):

Commenter #2 MB has won the Rookie Mom's Handbook!

Please email me your snail mail address to cagey333(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Last summer at BlogHer, I had the great fortune to meet Heather Flett, one of the author's of the Rookie Moms Handbook. I requested a copy of the book to review and Heather got right on it. I, however, did not get right on it. In fact, I did not even near it. I am terribly ashamed at myself for neglecting to review this lovely book sooner. It really was enjoyable and thought-provoking - I wish I could have had a copy of this before I had a baby myself

The subtitle of the book is "250 Activities to do with (and without!) your baby". A few of the ideas are pretty inspired: #242 Get More Out of Goodnight Moon (i.e. noticing the changing position of the bunny in bed, the mouse in the room, the changing patterns of grays, the advancement of the clock, etc.) or #169 Take Your Tot to a Grown Up Restaurant (Hint: Arrive early with the old folks and avoid ruining someone's date night) or #139 Sharpen Your Brain (i.e. doing word jumbles, Sudoku or just reading the newspaper. With both of my babies, I would make a point of reading one local news website and CNN every day just so I would have something to talk about with my husband!) A few are just plain common sense: #42 Curl Up and Dye (i.e. get a hair cut, an eyebrow wax, etc.) or #185 Host a TV Night With Your Pals (I hosted a Survivor finale party when my son was fairly little - it was great having everyone come over!) or #159 Introduce the Tupperware (i.e. get out the Tupperware for you baby to play with)

I can definitely recommend this read for both mothers staying home full-time or those going back to work. There are many fun ideas presented here and it would definitely help a new mom keep perspective of her non-mothering side.

I am giving away my review copy of this! Please comment on this post by Midnight, February 14th and I will draw someone at random.

The Buzz on "The Pregnancy Instruction Manual" by Sarah Jordan

2008-08-06T11:12:00.000-07:00

I recently received a copy of The Pregnancy Manual: Essential Information, Troubleshooting Tips, and Advice for Parents-to-Be by Sarah Jordan with David Ufberg, M.D.

In short, I would classify this as a Fun Read. It is a small, compact book chock full of useful information and is filled with quirky illustrations. The overall structure of the book is similar to that of an instruction manual, even down to the diagrams of various situations (e.g. an emergency delivery, packing the hospital bag, food cravings, and "signs of child delivery initialization".) My favorite diagrams were "Coitus Interruptus" and the hilarious comparison of "Real Baby vs. TV Baby".

While this could not be considered the "end all and be all" to one's books on pregnancy (it was certainly light on the breastfeeding information), I definitely recommend this as a fun read for a pregnant mom or dad. In particular, if you know someone who has a tendency to stress out or give in to paranoia, I would suggest this a gift to encourage some light-heartedness. Furthermore, an added benefit to this book is that it is very Dad Friendly and would make an excellent gift for a dad, too.

After all, pregnancy should be fun, too. Right? Right.

Note: Normally, I would offer this up as a giveaway, which I intend to do with most of the books I review here. However, in this case, I cannot offer it. I owe a commenter a nice gesture, so I am paying it forward.

Selling Out.

2008-07-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

I have been blogging for nearly 4 years now without any ads and very few freebies. I am thinking of selling out.

Wish me luck.