December 10, 2008

Hannah Montana: The Complete First Season – Come on, we all know a Hannah Montana fan!  You can win your very own set of the first season of Hannah Montana!  Just fill out the following entry form: Hannah Montana Giveaway, and leave a comment on this post telling me you’ve done so.  Just to let you know, this particular prize, although not watched, is no longer in its original shrink wrap.  US and Canada residents only, please.

King Fu Panda: Just in time for the holidays, the Kung Fu Panda DVD is available for sale wrapped and ready to go at retail stores!  Enter for a chance to win your very own copy of Kung Fu Panda (for your own enjoyment or to give as a present!).  Just fill out the following entry form: Kung Fu Panda DVD giveaway entry form and leave a comment on this post telling me you’ve done so.  US and Canada residents only, please.

Have you got a ninja lovin’, Power Rangers fan in your home?  If so, then you should think about adding Power Rangers: Jungle Fury to your home DVD collection.  There are two volumes: Into the Jungle and Way of the Master, and both are filled with nonstop Power Ranger ninja fightin’ action!  The DVDs come out on Dec. 16, 2008, and you can win one of THREE prize packs that include both DVDs right here on MamaDivas.com!  Just fill out the following entry form: Power Rangers DVD giveaway and comment on this post telling me you’ve done so.  US residents only, please.

If you use twitter and tweet the prize(s) you’d like to win and include a link to this giveaway, you’ll earn an extra entry for each prize you mention.  Make sure you let me know by leaving me a comment with a link to your tweet(s)!

General giveaway rules apply, plus the following:

• You must have a US shipping address to be eligible
• For these and all Countdown to Christmas giveaways, due to time constraints a shipping address must be provided at the time of entry, however this will only be used if and only if you are the winner, and will not be used for any other purpose.

The last day to enter this giveaway is December 14, 2008, so enter today!  Winners will be notified via email and will also be announced via PRIZEYwinners.

Technorati Tags: DVD, giveaway, contest, holiday, Christmas, Power Rangers, Jungle Fury, Kung Fu Panda, Hannah Montana, First Season, Hannah Montana on DVD, Miley Cyrus

Holidays, Shopping 27 Comments

December 10, 2008

For parents of infants and toddlers, sleep becomes a very, very precious luxury.  I remember when I gave birth to littleQ, I didn’t have more than 3-4 hours of sleep at a time for about a year! 

Night lights have been a childhood bedroom staple to help children fall asleep for such a long time, but I do think this is one of the best nightlights I’ve ever seen. 

The Twilight Sea Turtle Constellation Night Light from Cloud B doesn’t just give you some faint yellowish light on the wall, it provides a soothing blue and green constellation star show on your child’s ceiling that’ll help him fall asleep faster because he’ll be more calmed and comfortable!  Its predecessors, The Twilight Lady Bug and the Twilight Turtle also provide the stimulating yet soothing light show, but the Twilight Sea Turtle is even better.  Not only is it a cuddly bedtime buddy for infants and babies, a portion of the proceeds from every Twilight Sea Turtle that’s purchased goes directly to wildlife conservation organizations to help save the Sea Turtles and other sea creatures that are endangered.  The Twilight Sea Turtle has even won the Creative Child Top Choice of the Year Award.

 

The Twilight Sea Turtle’s shell features pictures of five other endangered sea creatures, including the Blue Whale and the California Sea Otter.  The included Twilight Storybook is very informative for older children and includes facts about the Blue Whale, Sea Otters, Leatherback Turtles, Knysna Seahorses and Vaquita Dolphins.  There are also fun references for finding some star constellations and tips on how to help keep the ocean creatures and our world healthy!  The turtle’s shell is made of lightweight plastic, while its body is soft and very plush!

I think the Cloud B Twilight Sea Turtle Constellation Night Light is a wonderful present for new or expectant mothers and for children from infants to toddlers 3 or 4 years old.  For infants, the night light is wonderfully soothing, and for toddlers, it’s a fun interactive toy and they’ll be able to enjoy learning about the different animals pictured on the sea turtle’s shell.  The 3 required AAA batteries are included, which is always a plus when purchasing a present.

The Cloud B Twilight Sea Turtle retails for $34-$36, but you can get it for cheaper at many online retailers.  You can find the Cloud B Twilight Sea Turtle Night Light and its sister products, the Cloud B Twilight Ladybug and Turtle at Amazon ($29.84 + free shipping) and theBabyCenter Store ($34.99 + free shipping).

Technorati Tags: Cloud B, night light, nightlight, sea turtle, turtle, endangered animals, sleep, baby, toddler, infant, toy, Cloud B Twilight Sea Turtle

Toy reviews 6 Comments

December 10, 2008

Il Divo… they’re a quartet of smooth voiced operatic singers who are so handsome (and sound so good!) that it makes you sigh.  Their newest album, The Promise , is wrought with emotion and is simply amazing, perfectly harmonious vocal performances.  Firstly, I have to tell you that their version of Amazing Grace is incredible!  The clear rich sounds of their voices melded together to add that essence of peace, calm and utter emotion that is often missed in so many renditions of the classic.  La Promessa is just utterly divine.  Sure, I have absolutely no idea what they’re saying, but it’s a beautiful song.   Also on the album is a Spanish version of ABBA’s The Winner Takes it All, done up operatic style!

If you opt to purchase this album, either for yourself or the music lover in your holiday shopping list, I’d recommend going for the Luxury Edition , as it includes a small poster of the Il Divo hunks, as well as a DVD with music videos of their performances of The Power of Love and Hallelujah and an in depth look at the singers with interview of the operatic quartet.

For your Christmas gatherings, I have to highly recommend making sure Il Divo’s album, The Christmas Collection , is part of your holiday music library.  Their version of Silent Night nearly brought tears to my eyes, and Ave Maria was beautiful.  The Christmas Collection, with ten moving renditions of classic Christmas songs we all know and love, is perfect for Christmas Eve gatherings, when everyone is together, drinking eggnog and laughing the night away!  The beautiful voices of Il Divo are the perfect vehicles through which anyone should hear these Christmas songs.

You can purchase The Promise, The Christmas Collection as well as their other available albums and individual MP3s at the Il Divo store on Amazon.

For a chance to win your very own copies of the the Il Divo albums The Promise (luxury edition, or course!) and The Christmas Collection, please leave a comment on this post.  The last day to leave a comment is December 15, 2008 at 11:59pm EST.

Tweet this contest on Twitter, and earn an extra entry!  Mention this giveaway on your blog, and earn TWO extra entries!  Just make sure to leave me a comment with a link to your tweet and/or post letting me know you’ve done so.  Winners will be notified via email and announced by the evening of December 16, 2008.

General giveaway rules apply, plus the following:

1. US residents only please
2. You have 48 hours from the time I send my email to respond with a mailing address, or else you forfeit the prize

Technorati Tags: Il Divo, opera, quartet, music, The Promise, The Christmas Collection, Christmas music, operatic, giveaway, contest, CD, MP3, album

CD & Music Reviews 8 Comments

December 9, 2008

You can enter to win an iDog Dance!  Just fill out the following entry form: iDog dance giveaway, and leave a comment on this post telling me you’d like to win!  Don’t forget to check out my review of the iDog Dance.

If you use twitter and tweet the prize(s) you’d like to win and include a link to this giveaway, you’ll earn an extra entry for each prize you mention.  Make sure you let me know by leaving me a comment with a link to your tweet(s)!

General giveaway rules apply, plus the following:

• You must have a US shipping address to be eligible
• For these and all Countdown to Christmas giveaways, due to time constraints a shipping address must be provided at the time of entry, however this will only be used if and only if you are the winner, and will not be used for any other purpose.

The last day to enter is December 12, 2008, so enter today!  Winners will be notified via email and will also be announced via PRIZEYwinners.

Technorati Tags: giveaway, contest, iDog, iDog Dance

Giveaways, Toy reviews 25 Comments

December 8, 2008

WELLalarm provides an amazing health and safety service, and it’s perfect for parents!  It’s a web based emergency medical id service that, through the use of their fashionable medical id jewelry, key tags and even iron-on clothing labels, allows people and medical professionals to have 24/7 access to you or your child’s information from anywhere in the world!  For those who travel frequently, are always on the go, or for those who have children who participate in different activities or sports where you might not always be available, this vital service is the perfect gift for any parent, or anybody for that matter.  You have a chance to try out this amazing service for free, because you can win personalized clothing labels and cellphone stickers from WELLalarm as well as a period of complimentary WELLalarm service!  Once you receive the WELLalarm products, you just log on to the website and register the WELL-id #s found on the labels and stickers with your information.  To enter, please fill out the following entry form: WELLalarm giveaway and comment on this post with one piece of information you learned from the WELLalarm website.  US residents and American citizens living abroad only please.

Baby Business Cards from She’s Got Papers are wonderful presents for those parents whose tots have got full schedules, what with playdates, classes and all the other activities that take up the average kiddo’s got in store for them.  She’s got Papers has been featured in Pink magazine, and in addition to the Baby Business Cards, they offer a wonderful array of stationery that you can personalize!  You can win a set of 30 super cute Baby Business Cards!  Just fill out the following entry form:  Baby Business Cards giveaway and leave a comment on this post telling me if you need a boy or girl version, and what line from She’s Got Papers catches your eye the most.  US residents only please.

A Fodeo DVD montage is perfect for any parent!  This great service gives parents the option of uploading photos to Fodeo, or using a Fodeo memory card compatible with their cameras that’s then returned to Fodeo to create a wonderful keepsake of photos arranged in a beautiful DVD montage and archived on the DVD itself.  You can win a Fodeo DVD montage!  Just fill out this entry form:  Fodeo DVD montage giveaway and leave a comment on this post telling me if you win, if you’d prefer to upload your photos or what type of memory card your camera would need, and also tell me what you’d use the Fodeo service for.  Check out this page of fun ideas for the Fodeo.  US residents only please.

Online Personalized Fitness Training with NYC based personal trainer Natasha Linton is a great present for anyone!  Parents are exceptionally busy and many of us just don’t make any time for our health, but with Natasha’s service, you won’t have to leave the house for the gym, because you’ll get personalized workouts, meal plans, advice, answers to all your questions and more right to your computer!  You have a chance to win 6 weeks of personalized fitness training with Natasha Linton!  Just fill out the following entry form:  Natasha Linton Online Personalized Fitness Training giveaway and leave a comment on this post telling me how you think Natasha can help you achieve your fitness goals.  Open to all entrants over the age of 18, regardless of country of residency.

If you use twitter and tweet the prize(s) you’d like to win and include a link to this giveaway, you’ll earn an extra entry for each prize you mention.  Make sure you let me know by leaving me a comment with a link to your tweet(s)!

General giveaway rules apply, plus the following:

• For these and all Countdown to Christmas giveaways, due to time constraints a shipping address must be provided at the time of entry, however this will only be used if and only if you are the winner, and will not be used for any other purpose.

The last day to enter is December 12, 2008, so enter today!  Winners will be notified via email and will also be announced via PRIZEYwinners.

Technorati Tags: giveaways for parents, gift ideas, gifts, stocking stuffers, holiday, Christmas, contests, giveaway, Countdown to Christmas, Fodeo, She’s Got Papers, WELLalarm, Natasha Linton

Holidays, Shopping 11 Comments

December 7, 2008

From production to packaging, eco ike is pretty much as green and earth friendly as you can get as far as baby and toddler tees are concerned.  Plus, the fabric is ultra-soft and the designs and sayings are oh-so-cute!  Oh, did I mention that each and every t-shirt is screen-printed by hand with phtalate and PVC free waterbased inks?  You can win an eco ike tee of your choice!  Just fill out the following entry form: eco ike tee giveaway and leave a comment on this post with the style and size you’d like to win!  US residents only please.

See Kai Run shoes are incredibly comfy and come in an amazing array of super cute and sophisticated designs!  You can win a pair of shoes from the Smaller or See Kai Run lines!  Just fill out the following entry form: See Kai Run giveaway and leave a comment on this post with the style and size you’d like to win!  US residents only please.  Don’t forget to read my review of See Kai Run shoes.

Little Chickie Wear tees and onesies are 100% organic and feature uber cute designs!  Read my full review of Little Chickie Wear!  You can win a onesie, size 6-12mo, with the Inside Me design!  Just fill out the following entry form: Little Chickie Wear giveaway and leave a comment on this post telling me what Little Chickie Wear design you like the best. US and Canada residents only please.

Lizzie Larue hair accessories are incredibly cute and are the ultimate in stylish hair accessories, and each one contains a Swarovski crystal jewel center!  From headbands with a mod zebra or skull print, to bows with clips with timeless striped designs and funky flowers, and everything in between, Lizzie Larue is the modern mom’s choice for hair accessories for their little princesses!  Check out their Holiday 2008 collection: they make me wish I had a little girl of my own to dress up!  To win a set of three Lizzie Larue hair clippies, just fill out the following entry form: Lizzie Larue Giveaway and leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite bow from Lizzie Larue is! US residents only please.

If you use twitter and tweet the prize(s) you’d like to win and include a link to this giveaway, you’ll earn an extra entry for each prize you mention.  Make sure you let me know by leaving me a comment with a link to your tweet(s)!

General giveaway rules apply, plus the following:

• You must have a US shipping address to be eligible
• For these and all Countdown to Christmas giveaways, due to time constraints a shipping address must be provided at the time of entry, however this will only be used if and only if you are the winner, and will not be used for any other purpose.

The last day to enter is December 12, 2008, so enter today!  Winners will be notified via email and will also be announced via PRIZEYwinners.

Technorati Tags: giveaways, See Kai Run, Little Chickie Wear, eco ike, Lizzie Larue, Christmas, Holiday gift guide, children’s

Holidays 55 Comments

December 7, 2008

Being and staying healthy during pregnancy is a priority that’s near and dear to every mama’s heart.  But for those of us who are used to drinking unhealthy sodas, juice drinks (you know, fake juice) and other not-so-healthy beverages, that means giving all those empty calorie, sugary filled brews up!

That’s where Glow Mama comes in.  (Ahem, queue fanfare, please?)  Glow Mama was created by mom Lucy Leahy, who chose to  give up caffeine laden drinks, cocktails and all unhealthy beverages for the greater good of having a healthy pregnancy and child.  Thus, Glow Mama was born.  I’ve mentioned it before, and I’ll mention it again: a mother’s love leads to another amazing product!  Enriched with the fresh healthy properties of kiwis, and full of vitamins, minerals and “invisible fiber,” Glow Mama is guaranteed to refresh you and quench your thirst.  Whether you drink it alone or use it as an ingredient in a refreshing mama mocktail, Glow Mama is ultra delicious!  Plus, Glow Mama is endorsed by the American Pregnancy Association, and it’s a great healthy drink whether you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or not pregnant at all!

I bought myself a nice bubbly bottle of sparkling apple cider and mixed that with Glow Mama for a festive Mom-osa that I could drink during Thanksgiving. and you can be sure I’ll be doing that for Christmas and New Year’s, too!  Glow Mama is absolutely delicious, and I’m so incredibly happy I had a chance to try it, because I’ll be buying myself a supply very, very soon.

Today is the first day of the Countdown to Christmas giveaway week here on Mama Divas, and you have the chance to win a Glow Mama Two Week Taster! 

To enter, you must visit Glow Mama, then come back here and do BOTH of the following things:

• Fill out the following entry form:  Glow Mama Giveaway  AND
• leave a comment on THIS POST with the mocktail recipe that appeals to you the most, and why.

If you use twitter and tweet this giveaway, you’ll earn an extra entry.  Make sure to leave me a comment with a link to your tweet!

General giveaway rules apply, plus the following:

• You must have a US shipping address to be eligible
• For this and all Countdown to Christmas giveaways, due to time constraints a shipping address must be provided at the time of entry, however this will only be used if and only if you are the winner, and will not be used for any other purpose.
• By entering this giveaway, you will be subscribed to the Glow Mama newsletter, which will provide you with great new mocktail recipes, Glow Mama news, deals and more.  You can unsubscribe at any time.

The last day to enter this giveaway is December 12, 2008, so enter today!  Winners will be notified via email and will also be announced via PRIZEYwinners.

Technorati Tags: Glow Mama, maternity, pregnancy, health, pregnant, expectant, mom, mommy, motherhood, healthy, beverage, kiwi, drink

Reviews, Yummy Food 3 Comments

December 6, 2008

We just had a waqtastic time at the portrait studio, so it’s another day closer Christmas (just 19 days to go!) and we still don’t have our family portrait or Christmas cards ready.  At this point, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to order my Christmas cards online like I had planned to, unless I shell out more moolah for some sort of express shipping.  As we were ushered into one of the rooms at the photo studio, littleQ, who had been pretty complacent the entire morning, suddenly started whining as if someone had just taken away his favorite car.  He just didn’t want to go into the studio, and wanted nothing to do with the photographer. 

From there, it just all went downhill.  He was soon in tears as nothing we did or offered (even the bribes of chocolate and new toy cars.. yes, bad mommy) could induce him to sit still.  All he wanted to do was to put on his coat and leave the studio!  After the tears came the wails of indignation as the photographer, then the two owners/managers of the studio endeavored to  coax a smile out of littleQ.

I was so frustrated at this point, plus I’m sure my pregnant-mama hormones had something to do with it.  We had been in the studio for 20 minutes and from the time we entered littleQ had been either whining, begging to go home or crying and screaming as loud as he could, refusing and smacking away any and all the toys and props being offered up to him.

I burst into tears.  Through all the tantrums, all the stubborn behavior, all the speech issues, for the first time ever, I lost my cool and bawled like a baby.. and it happened in public.  I feel like I’ve failed just a little bit as a mother because, well, my own precious child is that child who screams and cries at little or no provocation and when he doesn’t get his way.  I know, other mothers go through the same thing, but I have to admit that before I had my son, I was one of those people who used to just think “Jeez make your kid keep quiet” when I passed a child giving a truly exceptional screaming performance at the mall or supermarket, not giving any consideration as to what frustration and possibly embarrassment that mother might be feeling.

Well, the owner was very, very understanding, and she even gave me a hug and said we’d try again on Monday… but this time I’ll be armed with our iDog and iPod so littleQ will hopefully stay amused with Paradise City on repeat.

Although we’d had a similar problem almost a year ago, I assumed littleQ wouldn’t have the same reaction.  After all, he loves the Nikon D50 that I’ve had for a few years, and he likes it when I take photos of him or when we take photos of his toys together.

Damn motherhood can be frustrating sometimes.

Technorati Tags: motherhood, life, tantrums, toddler, photo studio

A Mama's Life 1 Comment

December 6, 2008

Little Chickie Wear is a wonderful children’s clothing company owned by a creative mama, Gwen, who first put designs on t-shirts and onesies for her own daughter while she was pregnant.  Each and every Little Chickie Wear t-shirt is made from 100% certified organic cotton and is completely natural- no dyes of any kind are used, with hand designed graphics and sayings.  Her daughter was her inspiration when she first began, and still now her designs for her t-shirts, onesies and hats for babies and children are inspired by “some antic by Elizabeth or by one of her little friends”

The designs you’ll find are both eye-catching and playful, perfect for your baby or any baby you’re shopping for!  I was sent the Inside Me onesie (which one of you, my wonderful readers will have a chance to win during the Countdown to Christmas Giveaway week which begins tomorrow 12/7), and I have to tell you it is incredibly soft.  The fabric is lightweight but still resilient.  I’ve gotten into the habit lately of always examining stitches, as that is of course one of the ways you can judge the quality of apparel, and Little Chickie Wear scores very high on my personal quality scale!

We’re right smack in the middle of the holiday shopping season, so check out Little Chickie Wear for the wonderful selection of 100% organic onesies, t-shirts and hats for kids and babies!

Technorati Tags: holiday, gift, guide, organic, green, clothing, eco-friendly, healthy, baby, kid, children, onesie, t-shirts, hats

Clothing Reviews, Living Green No comments

December 5, 2008

If you’re having a hard time choosing a Christmas or Hanukkah present for the women on your holiday shopping list (you know, your sister, your boss, your virtual assistant, your cousin, your secret santa.. etc), take a look at this holiday gift guide with and check out all of the MamaDivas.com gift suggestions!

Visit Fusebox and create a custom, personalized gift box that you can fill with 2 to 4 items that you can mix and match from Fusebox’s wide assortment.  Bestsellers include Cinnamon Spice tea sachets, a spa set from Bliss, and more!  Of course, the price varies based on the products you choose to include, but they offer products in every price range, from tea bags to sterling silver money clips.  After the gift box is assembled by hand, it’s finished with a pretty white satin bow for a beautiful presentation.

Natasha Linton Personalized Online Fitness Training – We all have a person on our holiday shopping lists who really, truly wants nothing more than to shape up and get healthier, especially with the holiday eating season upon us!  Natasha Linton is a fully certified fitness professional and author based in NYC and the founder of her own personal training company.  She also offers personalized online training and diet planning for those who are unable to make to the studios in the city or are located.  The personalized online plans start at just $48.  *Psst.. courtesy of Ms. Linton herself, you can win SIX WEEKS of personalized online fitness training (including a meal plan, grocery list, totally customized program and unlimited email correspondence) during the Countdown to Christmas giveaway week right here on MamaDivas*

Fodeo DVD Photo Montages – For $29.99, you’ll get a Fodeo memory card that’s compatible with your camera (or you can upload photos directly to the site), and when you ship the memory card card, Fodeo will create your custom DVD.  The base price includes 30 photos, but you can opt to pay for more if you like!  This is a wonderful gift for anyone who owns a digital camera but wants more than just to look at photos online.  Do you know what kind of camera your recipient owns?  Stick a Fodeo memory card in her stocking!  *You can win a Fodeo DVD Photo Montage during the Countdown to Christmas Giveaway*

Scandle Body Candle – The catchphrase for Scandle is: “A candle never felt so good.” Mmm.. You want to know why, don’t you?  Well a scandle is a massage oil candle that’s infused with essential oils for a great oil for rubbing onto your skin and a great scent that’ll perfume the air.  Scandles are made with 100% natural and vegan ingredients.  You can get your recipient a sampler of all the scents available, or you can purchase a bunch of travel and mini-sized Scandles as stocking stuffers!

Butter Beans from Vintage Body Spa – ($15-$16/jar) Everything from Vintage Body Spa is paraben free, custom made in small batches for incredible attention to quality, and all the spa and skincare products are also cruelty free!  When dropped in the bathtub, the Butter Beans fizz up and give you a wonderful skin soothing spa experience at home!  There are 15 sumptuous scent varieties of Butter Beans from Vintage Body Spa, plus a fair trade version created with fair trade organic cocoa butter.  This is a luxurious stocking stuffer that won’t break the bank!  Watch out for my in depth review of Vintage Body Spa’s Unscented Butter Beans coming in the next week or so!

Imageglow candles are a wonderful stocking stuffer!  Unlike an ordinary candle, these candles have beautiful images and patterns embedded into them.  When you light an Imageglow candle, the image comes to life!  There are plenty of beautiful designs to choose from, and there are also styles and patterns available for every occasion and holiday.  The prices of Imageglow candles start at under $10.  You can buy these directly on the website, or through the Imageglow Candles Amazon storefront.

MadCapz offers baseball caps ($19.99/ea) and visors ($12-16/ea) especially designed and built for women.  They come in a ton of different prints and designs, so a MadCapz hat or visor makes a great present for any lady on your holiday shopping list.  They also offer baseball caps for kids and babies that are just the right size!

Go!Go! Beauty’s natural, eco friendly and luxurious lotions – There are eight varieties and on the website you can get a bottle of Go!Go! lotion for $15.  It’s a great gift, and you can choose from different infusions, such as green tea and shea butter.  All Go!Go! products are cruelty free, and all packaging and bottles are recyclable!

Get her a SpaFinder gift certificate.  With a SpaFinder gift certificate, she can choose between using the gift certificate at the SpaKist Boutique for awesome spa, body and skincare products she can use in the comfort of her own home, or she can use it towards a wonderful experience pampering herself at a spa!

Give the gift of savings with the 2009 Entertainment Book from Entertainment.com.Right now you can get $10 off the regular price of an Entertainment Book, PLUS get free shipping!  If you’ve never had an Entertainment Book before, it is filled with TONS (no exaggeration!) of coupons and deals from restaurants, stores and venues in your local area, for discounts of up to 50% throughout the year.  This is a GREAT gift or stocking stuffer to give!  Who doesn’t like to save money after all?

Technorati Tags: holiday gift guide, gift guide, Christmas gifts, Hanukkah gifts, gifts for her, gifts for women, thoughtful gifts

Holidays, Shopping 2 Comments