reviews

lighten up your workout with gabby reece

Gabby Reece, the celebrated professional volleyball player and working mom, provides expert tips for lightening up your summer workouts. Reece notes that “Everybody has an athlete inside of them or a kid inside of them, so it should be a little about playing.” I just love Gabby Reece - she is so adorable! Check out the next video in her series on Glo. <a href="http://video.msn.com?mkt=en-us&playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:3c22cb44-635d-d9af-a7cd-f18cb24a3c72&showPlaylist=true&from=IV2_en-us_glo" target="_new" title="Lighten Up Your Workouts with Gabby Reece">Video: Lighten Up Your Workouts with Gabby Reece</a>

CSN stores makes shopping easier

Have I mentioned how much I love shopping online? I've had several very good and very bad experiences over the past couple years buying major purchases online. One of the best resources I've found is CSN stores. (And I have several friends who do as well and I'm amazed that I have never heard a bad thing about them.) Besides the low prices, I love the free shipping, easy returns  and great customer service!

Now you know I'm a huge fan of cookware.com and allchildrensfurniture.com because I've shared about them before, but did you know that there are actually over 200 CSN stores? All with the same great service, huge inventory and great prices.  You can find pretty much anything you need from bathroom sink to beds to bikesto playsets.

When I go to a home store looking for a bathroom vanity, they have maybe 30 options, most of which aren't what I'm looking for. But I love how with CSN I can search for the exact type, size, shape and price I want to find the perfect bathroom vanity for my kids bathroom, like this little number:

Hello, Gorgeous!! Don't you think that would look FABULOUS in my kid's bathroom? Me too. 

Last year we were looking for a breakfast nook for our new house and I was tearing my hair out because no one had them - or they were cheap and ugly. And look what I found on CSN:

Its only EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR! For only $400 with free shipping. Darn it!! I'm coming here first next time!

I encourage you to check out CSN stores for yourself - you'll be amazed!

disclosure: This is a sponsored post for csn stores. while these opinions are mine, i was compensated for this post.

Zoku Quick Pop Maker

At a recent blogging event I won a Zoku Quick Pop Maker. We love popsicles in our house and in our effort to eat less processed foods, I was so excited to try making our own out of fresh fruits and juices!

What they say:

• Makes up to nine 2 1/4" x 3 1/2" pops (three 2-oz. pops at a time) before refreezing is required.
• Nonstick cast-aluminum molds have a proprietary solution sealed inside their bases to enable rapid, uniform freezing.
• A specially designed tool helps to quickly release the frozen treats from their molds.
• Durable, reusable plastic pop sticks have unique ridged designs that allow pops to adhere securely.
• Special drip guards promote tidy eating.
• Includes base, remover tool, six reusable pop sticks and six reusable drip guards.

What I say:

It is so easy to use! And it really, actually does work really quickly. Its hard to believe, but it does! Promise! I love how easy it is to clean as well. (Believe me, if it wasn't it would be out the door!) It such a great tool for making healthy, summer treats for our family. If you are trying to eat healthy and naturally, this would be a great product for you! Just the other day, we mixed up fresh strawberries, a bit of water and sugar and they were FABULOUS! 

Zoku Quick Pop Maker is available exclusively at Williams Sonoma and on  Zoku's website. (Check out their way cool blog!)

And check out these amazing popsicle recipes from Self Magazine (One of my favorite magazines!) Talk about turning it up a notch!

Watermelon-Lime-Cilantro--62 Calories
Base: 3 Cups Cubed Seeded Watermelon
Sweetener: 6 tablespoons Sugar; 1 tbsp honey
Flavor: 3 tbsp fresh Lime juice
Booster: 2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro

Chunky Pineapple-Chile-- 61 Calories
Base: 2 cups cubed fresh pineapple
Sweetener: 3/4 cup pineapple juice; 3 tbsp sugar
Flavor: 2 tbsp fresh lime juice; 1 tsp ground ancho chile
Booster: 1 cup coarsely chopped pineapple

Crunchy Peanut Butter-Banana--165 Calories
Base: 3 medium bananas; 1 cup 1 percent milk
Sweetener: 3 tbsp honey
Flavor: 5 tbsp natural peanut butter
Booster: 1/4 cup lightly salted dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Avocado-Mango—93 Calories
Base: 3 cups cubed mango; 3/4 ripe avocado
Sweetener: 5 tbsp sugar
Flavor: 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
Booster: 1 tbsp grated orange zest

disclosure: i received the zoku as a door prize at a blogging event. recipes courtesy of self.com. i was not compensated financially for this post.

sneak peek of Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue

We LOVE Tinker Bell in our house and we are super, dooper excited to see her latest movie! Check out an exclusive sneak peek!!

buy dad a frosty today and support adoption

Kristin Chenoweth has recently partnered with Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption to help them raise awareness for foster care adoption. An adoptee herself, she has become a huge face for the cause and has re-confirmed her commitment this week by coming out to support the Foundation in their annual marquee program – Father’s Day Frosty Weekend.

 

During Father's Day Frosty Weekend (June 19 and 20), Wendy's will donate 50-cents from every Frosty product sold to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a non-profit public charity dedicated to increasing the adoptions of the more than 123,000 children in North America’s foster care system. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness and over $1.7 million for the Foundation. All of the funds raised will go towards their signature program - Wendy’s Wonderful Kids – which funds full-time recruiters in all 50 states to devote their full attention to matching prospective parents with waiting foster care children.

 

Kristin is encouraging everyone to support the campaign – go to your nearest Wendy’s and buy a Frosty this weekend or go to Frostycard.com and send a personalized e-card – and 50-cents with go to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption to support their efforts in finding homes for the over 123,000 kids who are awaiting adoption.

Tech-Bites at Best Buy King of Prussia

You’re Invited!
Tech-Bites at
Best Buy King of Prussia

Tech-Bites at Best Buy King of Prussia

With Special Guests Julie Pron and Kelly Whalen and guest chefs from Seasons 52

Saturday, June 19

Open House from 11am to 4pm

At 11am and 2pm Seasons 52 Chefs will share how to prepare seasonally-inspired flat breads and perfectly paired mini indulgences with flair for all of your summer entertaining.

Learn from experts about the latest and greatest products with roving demonstrations. Including, getting the most out of your camera so you can relive your summer memories; or now that the kids have time on their hands, learn how to provide a fun and safe gaming experience. Also, you will not want to miss the chance to see what 3D technology in your home could do to pack movie night with excitement.

Hear Philadelphia mom bloggers and community partners as they share tips and tricks.

See and play with hottest new gadgets and experience the fun first hand.

Best Buy King of Prussia
310 Goddard Blvd
King of Prussia, PA 19406

Directions

We’re looking forward to seeing you at the event!

Father's Day Deals at King of Prussia Mall

The King of Prussia Mall is your one‐stop destination for purchasing the perfect gifts for dear, old Dad this Father’s Day, June 20th. From the sporty dad to the suave dad, King of Prussia Mall has over 400 options, offering unique and custom gifts for each and every one. Check out all the available retail and restaurant options at KingofPrussiaMall.com.

The Playful Dad|

 Want to help your dad recapture his youth? Surprise him with a remote control mini helicopter from Brookstone. These mini RC helicopters feature the latest easy‐flight technology, making them
incredibly easy to fly—even in small spaces. In larger spaces, however, they can fly up to 100' away from the remote. $29.95
Brookstone Location: The Court

My husband's co-workers got one of these and everyone in the office LOVED it and was flying it everywhere. Very cool idea for helping dad recapture his inner child!

 
The Suave Dad|
Everything your dad needs for a smooth and close shave is now in one kit. The leader in high‐end shaving products, Art of Shaving, has put together all their adored products in the ProGlide Shave Set. There are starter sizes of the Pre‐Shave Oil, Shaving Cream, Badger Shaving Brush, and After‐
Shave Balm. Additionally, it comes with the Fusion® Chrome Collection ProGlide™ razor that has been featured on Oprah.com. For an affordable price, Dad can look suave while also trying all the best shaving products on the market!
Art of Shaving Location: The Plaza

The Sport Fanatic |
Does your Dad fanatically cheer on the Eagles every Sunday? Is he still a die hard fan of his college basketball team? LIDS offers the biggest selection of sport, fashion and collegiate hats in the latest designs and trends. You can even personalize your dad’s hat with pictures or text. Maybe his old college nick name would be a great fit. Create something that is unique, fun, and lets your dad always rep his favorite team.
LIDS Location: Lower Level Plaza
LIDS Philadelphia Eagles Hat: $25.99 Embroidery $7

The Movie Buff |
Do you find your Dad cracking up at The Office or extremely enthralled in The History Channel
documentaries? Buy him his favorite seasons at Borders, which is now offering up to 46% off certain
items for Dad! Suggestion: pick him up an assortment of his favorite sweets at the Sweet Factory for some extra TV viewing enjoyment.
Borders Location: The Pavilion Borders DVD Sets: $32.99 ‐ $77.39
Sweet Factory Location: The Court Sweet Factory Pick and Mix: $2‐10

The Golf Pro |
Give dad the perfect swing this season with a session in Golf By Design's Callaway Performance Center. With high speed optics and precision software developed by Callaway's R&D department, Dad will find the perfect club to guarantee him a hole‐in‐one the next time he
hits the links.
Sessions start at $30.
Golf By Design Location: The Pavilion

The Master Brewer |
Don’t just give your brew‐loving dad beer for Father’s Day, give him a beer experience. With a gift certificate to Rock Bottom Brewery and Restaurant, he can taste the five different beers that are brewed right on the premises. Entrees range from steaks, to packed salads, to shrimp, to enormous burgers. Treat your dad something you know he will enjoy. If he’s a true lover, sign him up for the Rock Bottom Mug Club in which he will receive Mug Club prizes for his visits
to the Brewery.
Rock Bottom Average Dinner and Drinks for Two: $50
Rock Bottom Location: Lower Level, Plaza

My husband LOVES this restaurant! He and his friends love to go here after movie night.  This would be a great gift idea for him!

Mobi Stories: digital books for everyone

We're just entering the world of digital books in our home and we were lucky enough to be introduced to Mobi Stories the other day through a fabulous event hosted by Classy Mommy, Chester County Moms, Mommies With Style and Role Mommy. 

We've read one or two digital books before, but I've never been very impressed. They always seemed so boring, just a page shown on the screen and an arrow to click to turn the page. My kids have already outgrown that and get bored quickly.

But Mobi Stories books are interactive. Even my 5-year-old, who is a computer expert, was engaged in the books. She loved The Marvelous Toy and read it several times. My two-year-old son really liked the Transportation series that has Features 4 interactive jigsaw puzzles on every page as well, which is great for kids learning how to use a mouse. Both kids loved every book they read and wanted to know if we could bring them home!

I was thrilled - I like having options on my computer that do not involve the kids going online. If I can't monitor where they are very closely, a digital book on my computer is the perfect alternative. The books were fun, had amazing music and illustrations and - most importantly - kept the kids engaged and interested in reading more!.

I LOVE that Mobi Stories books are multi-lingual - many of their newest interactive line of books offer the story in both English and Spanish, and some even offer Chinese as well. I feel like for a $.99 app, I'm getting a lot for my money! 

Mobi Stories has tons of titles, for readers ages 2-10, and are available for iPod, iPad, iPhone, Mac and PC computers, and can even be played on Playstation, XBox and Wii. 

disclosure: i attended an event hosted by mobistories and received a few books to download to facilitate my review. i was not compensated financially for this post.

best buy+me=husband thrilled to baby sit

Last week, I met some of my favorite local bloggers at the new Seasons 52 restaurant in King of Prussia hosted by Best Buy.

I've been wanting to try Seasons 52 since it opened, but haven't had the chance. The restaurant was gorgeous and the staff was wonderful. I was blown away by the food: The entire menu changes weekly, based on what is fresh and in season. They don't use butter (only olive oil) and there isn't a deep fryer in the restaurant. Talk about refreshing!   They even promise that nothing on their menus is more than 475 calories.

My FAVORITE was dessert. I can never decide what dessert to get (because I love dessert) so I think they invented their Mini Indulgences just for me! There's a variety of desserts served in very small portions so you can enjoy a few things without going overboard. Here's the picture from the website:

YUM, right? I think I have a new favorite restaurant. I can't wait to go back for girls night out or a date night!

The event was sponsored by Best Buy, and they shared with us a little bit about their company and their work in the community.  I have to say, I was very impressed. Yes, Best Buy is a for-profit company, but they go above and beyond the average in their commitment to give back and to take care of their employees.  For example, when Hurricane Katrina hit and wiped out several Best Buy stores, Best Buy paid every single one of their employees until the stores reopened and they were able to go back to work. I find that pretty amazing.

They specifically wanted us to know about their desire to support young teens. They currently have two philanthropy projects — a program about giving a voice to teens called @15, and a tech training program for teens girls called Geek Squad Summer Academy.  I loved hearing from a female store manager about her passion for mentoring women in her store!

Personally, I love seeing a company that clearly cares about making a difference in the world, takes care of its employees and - in turn - has employees who are passionate about what they do. That's a better advertisement than the one in the newspaper! I'm much more inclined to give a company I trust my business. I love how knowledgeable the employees are - I'm computer shopping, so I was in heaven asking all sorts of questions about what I should get!

I once again brought my camera and was so busy chatting to my PSMM gals and the fabulous Best Buy folks, so I'm stealing a picture from Jo-Lynne's camera phone. Here's  me and Jennie and Sarah indulging in some Mini Indulgences.

Special thanks to the fabulous ladies at Just Centsible Consulting, Best Buy, and Seasons 52 for a lovely evening!

Disclosure: Everyone in attendance received a complementary goody bag and a gift certificate to spend at Best Buy.

ZOOCCHINI: unique, fabulous gifts kids will love

I recently discovered an absolute gem of a company called ZOOCCHINI. They have whimsical plush stuffed animals, sweet hooded towels and adorable dinner sets. Everything is uniquely designed, well made, super cute and very affordable!

I LOVE the dinner sets!  Colin absolutely loves his and insists on using it for almost every meal. Its is so adorable (with original artwork), includes a plate, bowl, fork, spoon and sippy cup with lid AND its BPA and Phthalate FREE! It is very well made - not the flimsy plastic you often get with kids plates and such - and the utensils are sized perfectly for little hands.

We also tried out a ZOOCCHINI hooded towel - it is fabulous for the pool in the summer. Its generously sized, super soft, and sooo adorable. I'm so tired of buying character-themed beach towels that get rough and fade just as soon as you wash them - such a waste of money. But the ZOOCCHINI hooded towel has survived several trips to the pool - and just as many washings - and is just as soft as it started out!

Both of these items would make fabulous gifts for birthdays, baby gifts, or holiday gifts. As a parent, I love when people think out of the box and give gifts that aren't just name brand toys from the big box store. Something unique and useful is much more appreciated!

ZOOCCHINI is offering Girlymama readers 20% off your entire order for the next 30 days! Use coupon code  ZOOC20 at checkout!

disclaimer: i received a dinner set and hooded towel from ZOOCCHINI to facilitate this review. i was not compensated financially for this review or giveaway.