Not Everyone's Mama

I’ve worked with some fabulous companies and have enjoyed so many of my relationships with them, but I had to write this post because one company just touched my heart. 

The ladies over at Prima Princessa are the most wonderful people to work with plus they have the biggest hearts.

I reviewed both Prima Princessa presents Swan Lake and Prima Princessa presents The Nutcracker and we loved them both.  I like to watch them as much as the girls too.  I have always been impressed with Mary Kate and Stephanie.  They are just, well, they are so wonderful.  You know that they care.  It’s not all money with them.

When you watch the DVDs, visit the Prima Princessa website (where they have games and coloring pages for kids on top of everything else!), when you talk to them, you know that they truly have a passion for what they are showing us, for what they are teaching the kids who watch, who visit, who fall in love with prima princessa.  You know that they honestly care for the kids that they are giving the love of ballet to.

On top of that, they were both incredibly understanding when I hit a long rough spot with my ear drum rupturing, hitting a low time with depression where it was hard to get up and motivate myself to do my one daily journal post let alone anything else, and following that up with that horrendous bladder/kidney infection.

Then I got home yesterday and there was a box from UPS waiting.

I opened up the box and in it was Prima Princessa’s Ballet for Beginners: Featuring the School of American Ballet, a gorgeous hardbound book.  There was a note from Mary Kate and Stephanie telling me that this was a gift for us, that they’d been thinking about me.  They didn’t want me to review it, they simply wanted to give it to me.  I just wanted to wrap them both in a big hug.  It put the biggest smile on my face and made my eyes start to tear up a bit. 

I brought it into the house and Alyce literally squealed with delight when I showed it to her.  Her and Katiana poured over it all night last night.  I plan on going through it with them page by page.  It is such a neat book for my girls and my little budding ballerina (Alyce).  (After I reviewed Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker, Alyce was watching it for the 3rd time that night alone.  She came up to me and said, mama.  I don’t have any pajamas to dance in.  If you know Alyce, you know what voice she used.  The one that says that I am on the verge of tears and they will start streaming if I don’t get a pair of pajamas to dance in.  She’s getting a Tinkerbell Costume to dance in for Christmas.  I thought it was appropriate since Prima Princessa has wings – she does! Go peak at the website! – and Alyce adores Tinkerbell.)

I wanted to say thank you to Mary Kate and Stephanie for being the people that they are.  For making the product that they do.  For caring about the kids.  For caring about people in general.  They are so fabulous!!!

I have to encourage you to support Prima Princessa.  These small businesses are what matter.  Money isn’t what it’s all about for them.  They care about people.  Support those type of businesses, I promise you, you will feel good about it!

Thank you again to Mary Kate and Stephanie and Prima Princessa.  You all have stolen my girls’ hearts and mine.  Have a merry merry Christmas and a happy holiday and whatever you celebrate to everyone in the world may it be beautiful!

To the FTC (wo)man:  This was not a paid post.  I have received the Prima Princessa DVDs for reviews in the past and have done those reviews.  The book was a gift and I actually was not supposed to do a review.  This company has just touched my heart and I wanted to let the world know how wonderful they are.

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Prima Princessa Presents the Nutcracker

Become a ballerina! Prima Princessa brings you England’s world famous Birmingham Royal Ballet performing excerpts from The Nutcracker that will inspire the ballerina in you! Come join in the holiday fun with Prima Princessa as she takes you to a magical show filled with snow fairies, toy soldiers, tutus, pirouettes and plies.

If you remember from my Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake review, you know that my girls LOVE Prima Princessa!  They were so excited to get the next DVD in the series: Prima Princessa Presents the Nutcracker!  It is perfect for this time of the year since they presenting the Nutcracker and who doesn’t LOVE the nutcracker?

I love both of the DVDs, Alyce especially spends her time watching trying to imitate the moves, spinning around on her toes, and she is just totally enthralled with the whole thing.  She loves to dance.  I need to get her in ballet. Kat likes the DVDs, but Alyce is the one who can watch them over and over and over again.

Since I like to let my kids tell you about the things they get to review, I’ll turn the mic (keyboard) over to them!

Alyce (Age 4 years old):

It’s really fun!  And funny.  And awesome.  And I like their dancing clothes and I like to spiiiiiin (as she throws in a spin) and jump (and a jump).  And that’s all mama.  I just like to watch them dance and dance with them.  It’s fun.  Mom, I want to dance.

Katiana (Age 6 years old):

I like this DVD because it shows you how to dance and you can dance with it and there is lots of fun parts you can do in it.  My favorite part is when you get to dance. 

Kat is more my tomboy soccer playing diva.  She’s not into dance as much as Alyce is, but she does like the DVD and she puts it in.  Alyce on the other hand, like I says, she spins and twirls, and claps, and jumps, and dances along with the kids, with prima princessa, and with the ballet dancers.  Just for the spins and twirls alone I give it a -

These DVDs are so inexpensive too if you have a little dancer in your life.  $6.99 on Amazon.  I’m serious.  And if you get it now, it will be here in time for Christmas!

As always, check out the Prima Princessa website!  They always have tons of fun things for your little ballerinas to do over there!

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Oh were the girls excited the other day when we got a box full of Squinkies Bubble Pack – Series Seven, Squinkies Bubble Pack – Series Eight, and Squinkies Bubble Pack – Series Nine in the mail the other day.  I had looked at them at the store the other day when I was looking for Alyce’s birthday presents.  I thought they’d make cute stocking stuffers for the girls.  They love any miniature little dolls, animals, anything tiny, they love.  I thought this would be right up their ally.

Each Surprize Inside Bubble Pack (SRP $9.99) includes 16 collectible “squooshy” Squinkies, including four hidden “surprise” Squinkies, to start or add to a collection.  Each lovable little squishy, squooshy and squashy Squinkie is individually packed in its own toy bubble!  These new Bubble Packs can be found at major retailers including Walmart, Target, Toys R Us and www.amazon.com.

I was right.  They’ve been playing with them nonstop since we got them.  My big concern was that they’d be left all over the floor.  They’ve done so good picking them up and putting them back in special bags that they each picked out for their squinkies, though I think I’d really like to get them each one of these:

Squinkies Palace Surprise

or one of the other accessories to put them in

Now from the girls -

From Katiana (age 6):

They are fun to play with dolls and act like they are the little animals for the dolls.  Sometimes me and Alyce play together and with the squinkies they are much better than dolls and you can fit more in one doll house.  I like them because they are fun, they are soft, I just like them a lot.  They are so fun and cute and little. I like them a lot because they are just really really really fun to play with a lot.  I wish I could have 100 squinkies to play with.  My blue bird and my purple and pink dog, and my blue dog are my favorites. AND my sea horses!

From Alyce (age 4):

They are fun.  We can play with them all day and not do anything else.  My favorite squinkie is the pink piggy.  And everytime I love squinkies they are cute.  Everytime I look at them.  They are really fun to play with every time I play with them.  They every animal in the world.

There you have it from the girls!  Squinkies are a hit over here!

Squinkies info:

squinkies.com site blog facebook fan page follow squinkies on twitter

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Oh my son waited and waited and waited for this.  He was so happy when I moved it up so that instead of being with Mikayla’s birthday party, we did it with Cambria’s birthday party.  You see, there are so many birthdays in our family in September, it was easier to combine them than have everyone get together another time for another event, plus, it gave the older kids something to do while we adults socialized.

Jordan has loved beyblades for many many years.  He’s 11 now, but he got his first few when he was 5.  He begged and begged and begged some more as I sat there asking, what in the world are beyblades?  I grabbed him some finally.  We brought them home and for the life of me, I could not get them put together.  Pato was at work and Jordan couldn’t/wouldn’t wait, so he took his little stash of beyblades down to our neighbor’s apartment.  His friends’ dad put his together in no time at all.

I actually think they are fun to play with.  Jordan and I have had many battles against each other.  As the other kids got older, they get involved and like to play too.  There is something about a spinning top that every child loves.  Have one made out of metal with a rip cord that makes it spin forever and they are in heaven.

So, on to the party!

The decorations….Cambria was turning one, hence the girly colors.  She’s not too concerned with Beyblades yet.

Some of the food – I love cheese dip.  Those are little smokies in bar-b-que sauce in the back.  I hate bar-b-que sauce, I didn’t partake.

On to the fun!  The party was supposed to be for 14 kids, and I am so glad that we just invited cousins to the party.  There was only 5 beyblades sent.  Usually when we have a party there is enough to go around to each kid, I would have hated to disappoint anyone.  There was also a set of cds that came with the party, but none of them worked, so above is what the kids actually got to play with.

After a bit of squabbling over who got to take a turn, they got down to business and had a blast with the beyblades.  Jordan was quite picky about which Beyblade would be his.  He wanted the one that defeat the most opponents.  And he did.  He beat all of us.  Even me.  And he’s so modest about it too. 

Jordan helping Carter put his Beyblade together. You know, I was worried that these would be too hard for my little 3 year old nephew, but after a couple of times watching me put the rip cord in and having him pull it, he was able to do the rip cord part by himself.  2 Days later he was putting the Beyblade into the launcher and inserting the rip cord.  Child rocks.  He’s a boy’s boy.  He loves anything for boys cars, trucks, and now beyblades.  He’s also a determined little guy, when he wants to figure something out, he does.

Carter and Taylor – Taylor is helping Carter here.  One would think I had more pictures, but the kids were running around so much that a lot of them came out blurry, and you know how much I hate pictures that don’t come out well.

Battling!

Solo blade

All in all, it was a blast.  We decided to split the beyblades up between Carter and Jordan, since they were the ones most interested in them.  Plus, they each got coupons to get some more.  They really aren’t that expensive $5-8/each.  With the coupon and a buy one get one sale that you can find sometimes, it works out well.  I think Shelley is going to grab some more for Carter for Christmas. I’ll probably get some more for Jordan for Christmas.

Thank you to House Party and Spinmaster for sending for us the box of Beyblades!

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Katiana got to try out the most fun thing the other day!  The Lovely Lip Balm by Scientific Explorer.  Now, it’s rated ages 8 and up, but I thought with some help from mom, it would be ok for her.

She loved it!  I loved it!  It was fun.  I sat down with her (and Alyce) and we read the instructions that included all of the scientific stuff regarding liquids and solids and changing forms and reverting back and all that stuff that we slept through learned in chemistry class.  This was made fun for kids and hands on.  I don’t know about you, but the hardest thing for me to do when I was in school was to sit and read a text book.  I would forget what I read after I turned the page and have to reread and reread (amazing how this doesn’t happen with books I WANT to read myself).  Hands on was always the best method for me to learn.  And this is perfect for that!

We got out everything, added it to the wax, and melted it in the microwave.  (You have the option to melt it in hot water but patience does not run in our family.)  By following the rest of the instructions, Katiana made a lip gloss in a flower compact for herself, one for Alyce, and a little left in the cup for Jordan, who thought it was totally unfair the girls got to make lip gloss and he didn’t.  He lost interest in his coconut scented lip gloss after a few minutes, so my point was proven, this was for girls.

This so reasonably priced to!  They are sold in educational stores and I also found all of the kits on Amazon also.  The Lovely Lip Balm kit is only $5.23 on Amazon.  I’m thinking Katiana would love more of their kits for Christmas!  I know she would love Scientific Explorer’s Perfumery – The Art and Science of Mixing Perfumes kit (as would I!) and I know the Scientific Explorer Heavenly Hair would be a huge hit too!

I was just browsing their other kits, and besides their spa kits they have many other scientific things that I think Jordan would like too, like the Scientific Explorer Ultimate Gum Kit.  That child is addicted to gum  They are now on my Amazon kids’ Christmas wish list.  (I am starting that this year so I can watch prices and compare them.) 

All in all, loved this product!  Educational, fun, and Katiana talked about liquids and solids every time she put on her lip gloss.  For that this gets a –

I want to thank Team Mom for sending me the Lovely Lip Balm to review!

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I received another awesome package in the mail from Team Mom.  This time it was something for Christiano to test out!  We opened up the box and in it was a Pop On Pals play set (by Spinmaster – a favorite in our house)!

Christiano got to play with the Pop On Pals Amusement Park Set.

Ours is exactly the same as that except ours came with the brown haired kid on the ferris wheel.

He LOVES it!  He loves the sound it makes when he pops the little guy in and out of the roller coaster car.  And if you follow my blog, you know Christiano loves anything and everything that has wheels, so he loves that car with the guy.  He pops the guy in and out of all the parts.  Plus, he wings that car down the track.  It’s fun to watch!  Even more fun to play with.

I can honestly say, this toy is perfect for him. It says 24 months and up, and I know Christiano is only 17 months, but there is not one part of this he hasn’t been able to figure out.  He loves the sound of the bowling pins and the sound of the bell.  He can push the lever up and down to spin the ferris wheel, and flip the switch so he can make the dragon swing thing go back and forth.

I know what I have in mind now for Christmas for him.

I am definitely getting him some of the vehicles and some more of the pals and pets.  He’ll love them!

I have to add, my 6 year old and 3 year old love to get down with him and play with this.  I think it might be a bit young to actually buy for my six year old, but my 3 year old adores this.

Thank you to Team Mom for sending us the Pop On Pals!  Christiano loves it!  It’s a new favorite in our house!

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Team Mom sent me an awesome package filled with fun Backyard Safari Outfitters!  My kids have been having a blast playing with them just here at the apartment.  I can’t imagine how much fun they’ll have when we take it out to grandma’s and play with the toys on their acreage. 

Alyce wears the Essential Field Gear Cargo Vest around the house all the time.  It has plenty of room for the field guides, not to mention a few small dolls.

See, she’s all stylish in her cargo vest and dora slippers.  The height of backyard safari fashion.

It doesn’t matter that she’s using it the wrong way does it?

Here’s everything we got with the kit –

Backyard Safari Outfitters Essential Field Gear Cargo Vest

      FEATURES:

• RUGGED POLY-TWILL FABRIC WITH REINFORCED DETAIL
• 4 CARGO POCKETS WITH VELCRO CLOSURES
• 1 TWO INCH DEEP ZIPPER POCKET WITH MESH-NET OUTER POCKET
• 6 D-RINGS
• CUSTOM ZIPPER PULLS
• CARGO SHOULDER EPAULETS WITH SNAP CLOSURES
• ADJUSTABLE REAR STRAP
• 2 OVER-SIZED MESH-NET CARGO POCKETS IN REAR
• PLUS CLEAR-VU FRONT POCKET CONTAINING ESSENTIAL FIELD POP-GUIDE

Backyard Safari Outfitters Land and Water Mega View Periscope

      FEATURES:

• THREE NESTED SECTIONS EXTEND OVER 4 FEET
• WIDE-VIEW FACE PLATE FOR BINOCULAR VIEWING
• ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED HAND GRIPS FOR STEADY, VERTICAL HOLDING POSITION
• 16 INCH WATER-TIGHT SUBMERSIBLE SECTION FOR UNDERWATER VIEWING

Backyard Safari Outfitters Bug Wrangler’s Extreme Suction Bug Vacuum

      FEATURES:

• 2 CATCH & RELEASE CAPTURE CORES WITH BUILT IN MAGNIFYING GLASS
• PLUS: EXTRA NOSE CONE FOR THE REALLY BIG BUGS

Plus a bunch of guides to stuff in the pockets of the vest.

There are quite a few other products that are in the Backyard Safari Outfitters line by Summit Toys.  My kids want all of them now.  I don’t think I’d mind getting more.  They are all well made and the kids are outside playing.  Not inside begging to play more video games.  I’m all for that every single time.

We had a cricket hop in our house the other day.  All 3 of my oldest kids ran for the Bug Vacuum.  Catch and release you know.  I told them to put the cricket outside.  Unfortunately, he went for a swim in the toilet.  Not quite the point of the bug vacuum, but they enjoyed it.  The girls love the bug vacuum, they can look at the bugs without having to touch the creepy crawlers.  My girls usually shriek and scream (even outside) when they see a bug, but lately they’ve been reaching for the vacuum instead.  Kind of cool.  Though it looks kind of silly now when I shriek because a bug lands on me and they are all cool with it.

I want to thank Team Mom for sending me the awesome Backyard Safari Outfitters package.  My kids have absolutely loved it!

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Congrats to Jill Myrick!  You won the Mobi Go!  Thank you to everyone who entered!

We got to try VTech’s new MobiGo!  Before I go on and on about how much Alyce loves it, let me apologize for not having pictures of her with it.  You see, Christiano loves it too.  Now it must be found again.  I have a sneaking suspicion that it is under their bed, but the girls need to clean their room so I can get to it.

VTech MobiGo Touch Learning System gives kids ages 3-7 a portable handheld gaming console system that doubles as an educational learning toy. Touch activated screens are one of the hottest areas of gaming and technology and the VTech MobiGo makes it easy for even the youngest kids to interact with the system featuring a tough sturdy design. Touch, play and learn vocabulary, math, music, phonics and problem solving with characters like Shrek, Dora and Disney Princesses using the touch screen and QWERTY slide-out keyboard. Connect your Vtech MobiGo Touch Learning System with an open internet connection and USB cable to MobiGo for downloadable extras and awards for high scores. Comes with one game cartridge.
The Vtech MobiGo Touch Learning System features:

• Portable handheld gaming console system that doubles as an educational learning toy
• Touch screen and QWERTY slide-out keyboard
• Tough sturdy design
• Connects to MobiGo for extras and awards
• Comes with one game cartridge

So, what’s the verdict?  Alyce adores her MobiGo and she is mighty ticked off that she can’t find it right now.  You know how Alyce is my drama princess right?  She’ll get tears thinking about it.  Now it’s only been missing 2 days and I’m sure if they’d get their room cleaned it would magically reappear, but in the mean time, there is only sadness. I suppose I should head in there and try to find it so that I can hear the words, MOM!  You found my MobiGo!  You’re the best mommy ever!

The MobiGo has ended up being easier for her to use than even her other electronic game for children by another company that shall remain unnamed.  She plays both the game that came with her MobiGo and her Toy Story 3 game with ease on the easy level.  Katiana likes to play it on the difficult level, when Alyce will hand it over to someone else.  I have yet to hear, mom! I can’t do it.  Mom!  It’s too hard!  She adores it!  She loves the squirrel game on the cartridge that came with it.  You help this squirrel by drawing lines or circles or other patterns with your finger to create ramps, elevators, teeter totters and more.  It’s a lot of fun.  I actually sat and played it on the difficult level until she was begging for it back.

The MobiGo has quite a few games released for it already.  Fun games with characters kids love!

Along with Toy Story 3, there is:

• Dora The Explorer
• Mr Men
• Shrek 4
• Nascar
• Disney’s Fairies
• Ben 10
• Super Hero Squad
• Mickey Mouse Club House

Too much fun!

My rating -

for being a game system that my 3 year old can play with independently from me, giving her more confidence than she has playing the big games.  Plus for having fun games with characters that she loves that help teach her different skills!

You can purchase the MobiGo at ToysRUs!

Vtech has generously offered one of their new MobiGos to a reader here at The 24/7 Mom!

MAIN ENTRY:

Tell me which of vtech’s MobiGo games you think you’re child would love the most!

MAKE SURE YOU DO THE MAIN ENTRY BEFORE ANY OF THE EXTRA ENTRIES! THANKS!

EXTRA ENTRIES:

• - Like Vtech Toys on Facebook
• - Let them know on their wall that

I entered to win a Mobi Go @ The 24/7 Mom – http://bit.ly/cItXZv

• - Follow @vtechtoys on Twitter
• - Tweet this giveaway –

Win a really cool @vtechtoys MobiGo from #HeatherM74! http://bit.ly/cItXZv ends 7/25 US Only! Please RT #Giveaway

See this link for extra entries now.  It will open in a new window/tab.  Then you can just look, come back to this page, and enter each one you did.

Giveaway ends on 7/25/10 at 11:59 PM CST. US ONLY! – Winners will be chosen by random number generator. Winners will be emailed and must respond within 48 hours or an alternate winner will be chosen.

Thank you to VTech for providing me with a MobiGo and the Toy Story 3 game for Alyce to review and one to giveaway!  We have loved it!

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