Evenflo SmartSteps

I just received the evenflo products in the mail to try with the twins and they really love them especially the spoons and stackable bowls. The spoons were the right size and shape to help Maddie grasp the concept of trying to feed herself. Evenflo has kids and moms in mind because these products teach you the correct portion sizes in a fun way with the bright colored stackable bowls and the bright insulated cups. I like the new idea and I love the fact that they make labels to stick onto the bowls and cups so when my girls go to the church nursery they know whose cup it is. Now the only challenge they have is figuring out who is who with my twin girls Abbie and Maddie.
Here is some information about the Evenflo smart steps line from mom central:

As Moms we often find ourselves bombarded with either frightening childhood obesity studies or complex strategies to deal with perpetually picky eaters—all focused on healthy, nutritious eating for kids. Even at our own dinner tables, we often struggle to convince our kids there's more to dinner than plain buttered pasta and chicken fingers. And while we need to jumpstart our toddlers towards a lifetime of healthy eating, getting there can be especially tough given fussy eaters, busy schedules, older kids, after-school activities, and everything else that gets in the way.
Evenflo recognized this struggle at mealtimes and just launched a new Smart Steps line for toddlers, offering us a clever solution to foster lifelong healthy eating habits. Two favorites: an Insulated Cup designed to help toddlers transition to drinking out of a cup thanks to the soft spout that lets them sip confidently (with no spills!), and the Portion Plate teaching kids to know portion size, eat a balanced meal with its divided colorful sections and even challenges them to explore new food in a tiny "try it for the first time" cup (two peas will do!).
Smart Steps offers insightful, educational strategies for understanding how toddlers think about food, building on core guidelines that help nurture healthy eating habits developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Do you have a picky eater at home? Here are a few tips compliments of the Smart Steps website:

• Let your kids be "produce pickers" at the store. If they can pick out their own fruits and veggies – they'll be more inclined to eat them
• Invite your kids to prepare meals with you. All of that mixing, mashing and measuring will make them want to taste what they are prepping.
• Offer choices. Rather than ask "Do you want broccoli for dinner?" ask "Which would you like for dinner: broccoli or cauliflower?"

More tips can be found online at http://www.evenflo.com/smartsteps. On the site, you can also take the Smart Steps Quiz to determine your parental feeding style and discover where you fall on the Smart Steps Eating Arc.

Seriously check out the link below and you can download a money saving coupon for Evenflo SmartSteps products
http://www.momcentral.com/cms/22441/evenflo_smart_steps

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Evenflo and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate

Sons of Anarchy on FX

Did you know my twins were on a show on the FX Network? Well if you did not know you do now. Abbie and Maddie made their small screen debut on FX networks The Sons of Anarchy as baby Abel who is the son of Jax(Charlie Hunnam). If you have not checked it out I have to warn you that it is a very adult program. Lets put it this way, it has a sopranos feel but it is in the world of the motorcycle clubs instead of the mafia. I had fun on the set with the girls and the stars who were super nice. http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/soa/ you can see pictures and learn about the show and if you want to find out where to see the episodes you have not seen like Abbie and Maddies debut in episode 2 of season 2 check out www.soaforums.com

Sams Club giftcard giveaway

Who wants a 100 dollar gift card to Sams? If you want one go to this blog and check it out to enter copy and paste into your browser since this program will not let me put a link in grrrrr http://3kidsandus.com/2009/my-evalues-shopping-trip-giveaway/#comment-57893 and check out www.samsclub.com to see the deals you can get

Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey

As warm summer days start to wind to an end in August, the time to pack up the knapsacks and head off to school will be here before we know it. Crisp fall nights will take over, and the days of riding bikes after dinner will be fond memories for the kids until next spring. With the school year in full-swing, fun family escapes from schoolwork offer tremendous appeal, for our children and for us Moms.

Feld Entertainment's Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey® live performances provide edge-of-your-seat entertainment for the young and young at heart. Also, Feld Entertainment has created savings offers available by using customer codes for the Mom Central community. These offers enable us to create lifetime memories experiencing the excitement of Ringling Bros. ® with our families!


While each touring edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is different, all feature amazing Asian elephants, fascinating tigers, family fun and so many thrills that you will be on the edge of your seat all night!

To enhance your night at the circus, you get two experiences in one. The All Access Pre-Show begins an hour before show time, live on the circus floor. The Pre-Show provides the opportunity for kids to interact with performers, try on costumes, and get up close and personal at The Greatest Show On Earth. My kids ADORED this part- it's free for all ticket holders and not to be missed!


Mom Central is excited to extend the following special family offers; look for the box marked "MC Promotion" when purchasing tickets:

* *Offer #1: Get 4 tickets for just $44 by entering the code "MOM" at select ticketing channels. Offer good on all weekday performances, which includes all weekday evening and Friday matinee performances; minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each.
* *Offer #2: All weekend performance tickets will be $4 off the original price.
* Offer #3: Get the best Circus Celebrity, Front Row and VIP seats available – We have reserved seats in these sections just for you! Enter the code MOM. No discounts available on these sections.

* Not valid on Circus CelebritySM, Front Row or VIP seats and may not be combined with other offers including special Opening Night pricing. Other fees may apply.

The above offers are good in the following cities:

* Denver: September 30 – October 11, 2009
* Boston: October 14-18, 2009
* St. Louis: October 15-18, 2009
* Cleveland: October 21-26, 2009
* Rosemont/Chicago: November 5 – 29, 2009 *available for purchase on Sept. 8. 2009
* Auburn Hills: November 18-22, 2009
* Charlotte: January 27-31, 2010 *available for purchase on Sept. 12, 2009
* Atlanta: February 12-21, 2010 *available for purchase on Sept. 12, 2009
* Cincinnati: March 10-14, 2010 *available for purchase on Sept. 21, 2009
* Dayton: April 29 – May 2, 2010 *available for purchase on Sept. 21, 2009

Shows coming this fall & winter:

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents Over The Top, an all-new live entertainment extravaganza featuring the ultimate tug of war between Ringmaster Chuck Wagner and clown eccentric Tom Dougherty over a magical top hat that controls the circus. When the Ringmaster dons the hat he conjures stupendous spectacles for his circus, like the stunt riding Royal Cossack Cavalry while the clown uses the hat to summon silly and whimsical acts for his circus, such as a cavalry of goats riding on ponies in a Barnyard Bonanza. They continue to top one another until the Ringmaster and clown realize that the magic of the circus is not in the hat but in the hearts of everyone. The show culminates in an amazing display of gigantic glowing rainforest flowers surrounding Chinese acrobats swinging on vines and propelling through the air. Over the Top is two circuses in one providing excitement for the whole family.

Audiences will see nearly 100 animals including flying dogs, Asian elephants that skip, hop, and groove, miniature horses, llamas, pigs, and even a performing porcupine. In a daring feat, the courageous Daniel Raffo stands eye to eye with a pack of powerful Bengal tigers. Circus celebrities help rev-up the motorcycle madness featuring one cycle on a high wire and seven speeding riders in a Globe of Steel. Extraordinary aerial acts fill the arena sky with a rare double-decker trapeze and the Bombastic Bouncers who combine gigantic inner tubes and awe-inspiring acrobatics in a high-energy performance never before seen in America. And with the audience's participation, this circus really goes Over The Top!

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents ZING ZANG ZOOM®: Through the mystery of magic and the mastery of skill, audiences will be spellbound as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents ZING ZANG ZOOM®, a thrill-filled, mind-blowing circus spectacular where family fun is no illusion.

Magical Zingmaster Alex and his assistant, the alluring Levitytia, lead audiences through a kaleidoscope of color and imagery revealing extraordinary worlds of fantasy, flight and phenomena that celebrates the uplifting spirit of the circus and wards off a cynical Mr. Gravity and his team of "heavies" who try to bring everyone down.

Be mesmerized when a four-ton elephant disappears before your eyes, and a gravity-inducing nemesis transforms across species into a ferocious tiger. Stand in awe as a dazzling trapeze artist performs a perilous, anatomically unimaginable one-arm speed-spin high atop the arena floor, and two formidable, female human cannonballs are blasted through the air in a daring, awe-inspiring display of bravery. Become electrified as the dangerous double wheel of steel, the gasp-inducing high wire and soaring gigantic swings defy both gravity and logic.

Fun-filled magic merges with traditional circus arts to create a world of infinite possibilities where apprentice illusionists levitate their parents with a wave of a wand, and audience spirits keep rising as the high flying circus is (literally) turned upside down. Perhaps the most magical of all, watch in amazement as an incomparable array of exotic animals including a herd of majestic Asian elephants, magnificent Bengal tigers and elegant Arabian and Friesian horses join forces with our human performers to create an experience that will surprise and delight Children of All Ages, rendering us speechless and reminding us that the magic of The Greatest Show On Earth® lives forever in our hearts and imaginations.

To learn more about Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey shows touring the country this year and to find shows in your area, visit the Ringling site. And don't forget to use the special discount code when purchasing tickets online!
In addition, we seek Mom Influencers to join us as Feld Family Activators (FFAs) and help us promote shows in these upcoming cities:

• Boston: October 14-18, 2009
• Cleveland: October 21-25, 2009


*Please note that these offers are also valid for Disney On Ice shows in select cities - visit http://www.disney.go.com/disneyonice/ to find a show near you.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Feld Entertainment. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Back to school means Lunchable to the rescue

Back to school time is here and I do not know about you but I like to send lunchables with my son. It is fast easy and nutritious. Now that lunchables have had a makeover using 100% juice and crust made with whole grain breads I feel that my kids are getting the lunch that they love and I feel less guilty knowing that they are getting something that is good for them but they dont know it. here are some of the flavors that they have from the lunchables web site http://brands.kraftfoods.com/lunchables/varieties.aspx

NEW Lunchables

* NEW Turkey + Cheddar Sub
* NEW Ham + American Sub
* NEW Turkey + Cheddar Cracker Combos
* NEW Ham + American Cracker Combo
* NEW Deep Dish Cheese Pizza
* NEW Deep Dish Pepperoni Pizza

Lunchables
Lunchables with Capri Sun
Lunchables Value Twin Pack
NEW Turkey + Cheddar Sub

Turkey made with 100% turkey breast, Kraft 2% Cheddar and bread made with whole grain, these tasty subs come with Tree Top® Applesauce, Mini Nilla Wafers, spring water and Tropical Punch Kool-Aid Singles.
View nutritional info >
Check out some of our other varieties:

* Bring back the stack!
* Pack some fun on the run!
* Double your fun!

SENSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Watch for theis logo to find our better for you products.
FEEDING YOUR CHILD'S POTENTIAL

Get some quick tips from child nutrition expert Bridget Swinney, MS, RD.

VIEW


I have been sent a coupon from Kraft foods and mom central is giving me an incentive to post this review.

McAfee family security like a security Blanket

I do not know about you guys but I have a preteen or Tween as they call them and I know I worry about what she sees and what if she misspells a web address and she goes to some adult entertainment site? Well I now am armed with my family security blanket. Thanks to mom central and Mcafee for sending me the program for writing about this blog. here is some information from Mcafee.com about Mcafee family protection:
McAfee Family Protection protects children of all ages from exposure to inappropriate content, social networking risks, strangers, and other threats.

What you want to do: How McAfee makes this possible:
Protect your children from objectionable Websites Blocks up to 35 categories of objectionable websites and filters inappropriate content

Allow your children to view appropriate YouTube Videos By using key word filtering technology, objectionable content will be prohibited, yet permitting watching acceptable videos

Provide times your children can go online Allows you to manage the amount of time your children use the internet
Let your family enjoy instant messaging Monitors and records instant message conversations to inform you of improper dialogue or conversations with strangers

Allow your children to freely communicate with their friends Blocks unknown email addresses so children cannot communicate with strangers

Enjoy the benefits of social networking Records conversations on social networking sites so you can be aware of bullying, solicitation from strangers and if confidential information has been posted

Allow access to specific programs on your PC Blocks access to applications that parents feel are inappropriate
Make sure your family’s personal information remains safe

Prevents sharing of confidential information and keeps your PC safe from security threats that are commonly found in peer-to-peer file sharing

Ensure your children are having a safe experience online Provides you a complete view of all Internet and IM activity and can be used as a tool to teach appropriate online behavior

Know immediately if there’s a problem so you can talk to your child Receive email and/or text alerts instantly when intentional or accidental website access is attempted and when confidential information is posted

McAfee Family Protection is easy-to-use and built to empower parents to say "yes" to their children’s online interests while protecting them as they learn and explore.

Easy - Fast, simple set-up allows parents to start protecting their children within minutes
Empowering - Provides parents peace of mind while allowing their children to explore safely online
Complete - Protects children of all ages from inappropriate content, social networking risks, strangers, and other threats

Social networking sites open the door to cyberbullying, communication with strangers, and posting confidential information. McAfee Family Protection helps mitigate these risks by enabling parents to understand their children’s online activities and communicating proper online behavior.

McAfee Family Protection’s unique YouTube filtering technology prevents exposure to objectionable videos yet gives children access to ones that are appropriate. Parents on-the-go can be notified instantly by email and/or text message if their child has posted personal information on social network sites or attempted to access inappropriate sites.

With McAfee Family Protection, parents have peace of mind that their children are safe to learn, explore, play, communicate, and enjoy the Internet. You may install this product on up to 3 computers in your home.

System Requirements:
Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 1 (SP1) or higher
Microsoft Windows Vista (32-bit platform only) and Windows Vista Service pack (SP1) or higher
10 MB Hard Drive Space
800x600 or higher Screen Resolution
128 MB RAM
Active Internet Connection
Microsoft® Internet Explorer 7.0 or later
Mozilla Firefox 1.5 or later
For up to 3 PCs


I know we can't police them on the computer 24/7 but this is a tool to help us give our children the freedom to surf the net while giving us moms and dads a piece of mind.

Review of the Zing Zang Zoom Circus

OK so check it out, Last night I got to go to the circus. It was so much fun! My four kiddos had fun even the babies! Before the show we got to go down to the floor to check out the clown university and acrobats doing their thing, plus we got to see the elephant Asia paint her masterpiece before our very eyes! We did not get the opportunity to check out the clothing they had to try on because it was crowded but it was fun. They do that one hour before show time and I recommend that you go as early as possible to get the show experience.

The show was fun it lasted about 90 minutes and had one intermission. There was so much going on during the show my daughter didnt know what to focus in on when all three rings were in use. The songs were catchy for the show and still are in my head haha. I like the fact that the circus used their own band for the music as opposed to recorded music because it sounded better in my opinion. Some of the acts were really neat like the dog acts where the dogs were doing stunts and some were even in costume! That was my sons favorite part. They had the human cannon ball and of course some magic tricks that I won't tell because you guys have to go see it! I fully recommend going to see the show.