Regal Reptiles Birthday Parties

Last weekend, we had a birthday party for my oldest daughter, who turns seven on Christmas Day. She's not your typically little girly girl, as she prefers sports, video games and all things slimy. Her #1 want for Christmas or her birthday was a turtle. If not a turtle, then frogs. We said no turtles and while we were prepared to get her a kit where you grow your own tadpoles, they can't ship until nighttime temps are above 25 degrees. Living in New England, that's going to be awhile.

Having a December birthday is tough. Tough in finding something to do that won't cost a ton of money and that will equally entertain a group of kids. It was never our intention to actually host any of her school parties at the house, but this year, it was so easy. We hosted a reptile party with Regal Reptiles. Based out of Warwick, RI, it wasn't to far of a drive to have them come to us. Shawn, our presenter, was absolutely amazing!

He started off with showing us a herbivore. Speedy the tortoise was our first visitor. Einey, the birthday girl, go to bring Speedy around to all the kids. After that, Speedy took up residence on the floor. After that, Shawn had Einey as his personal assistant. He asked if anyone knew what a carnivore was. He told us his next reptile was a carnivore and then asked Einey to hold out her hand. (Of course, people are made out of meat). He then handed Einey Boogers the Tree Frog. Of course, the kids got a kick out of that. After Boogers, came a gecko, a legless lizard, snake, scorpion (which made many people flinch), tarantula, bearded dragon, another snake, a python and an alligator. In addition to explaining a little bit about each creature, the children were allowed to touch, and hold (if they wanted to) each animal. Shawn's style of presentation was injected with numerous comic references, which made everyone laugh. Einey, surprised us by showing no fear whatsoever with reaching into cloth bags to pull out whatever creature was inside.

The cost, $150 for an hour (if they come to you) plus travel, was well worth it. According to the website, they bring 20-25 animals. We only saw 12, but it filled up the whole allotted time. We had a total of 21 kids and 15 adults who were willing to watch the presentation. A few opted to stay upstairs for it.

It was, by far, the best party we've ever hosted and one of the best we've ever been to. Everyone seemed to have had a great time. And the birthday girl could not stop smiling. I haven't seen her smile so big in a long, long time.

If your in the eastern CT, RI, eastern MA area, I would highly recommend giving them a call if your looking for something for your next party. They also have an option, where you can visit their facility in Warwick (their website still says Providence, however they moved to a larger facility over the summer. The new directions are linked on their site) as opposed to having them come to you.

(This post was a not a paid review).

Mom Central's 2008 Gift Guide

If you've been online lately, I'm sure you've seen gift guides pop up from many, many different sites. I've looked at a few, but to be honest, they were hard to navigate and I just don't have the time to click on every link listed.

The ladies at Mom Central have just released their 2008 gift guide and I was quickly thrilled with the ease of use. From the instant it opens, you have choices of him, her, baby/toddler, kids, tweens, teens, pets and even giveaways. That's right, giveaways! Starting today, December 3rd and running through December 18th, they are giving something new away each day. You have to have a mom central account, log-in each day and leave a comment to be eligible to win.

The guide is easy once you choose which area suits you best. Once you click on an area, say tweens, it opens up and gives you a list of items. Each item also has a picture, description and link to the product's website. And it's not just name brand items from companies such as Hasbro, Little Tykes or Baby Einstein. There are products from Juku Couture, Olive kids and many, many other companies. Many of the descriptions are also linked right to amazon.com or Toys R Us for easy ordering. Another plus is the items are separated out by price, if your on a budget. There are three separate price ranges for under $50, under $100 and over $100.

So if you can't find that perfect gift for that hard to buy for person in your life, take a trip over to Mom Central and check out their holiday gift guide. It is easy to use and full of many wonderful products!

Revving up your computer

I spend alot of time on my computer. From using it to upload and save my digital pictures, to connecting to friends (through Twitter, blogging, email, Skype and Facebook) to playing games and aimlessly surfing. We use our computer for games and research, to order products and talk to friends far away. If I'm not sitting here at the computer desk, either my husband or my oldest daughter is (and she's only allowed on when we are nearby). The other two still require closer supervision.

Many times, we are simultaneously working on a project in word or excel, looking at PDF's, listening to music, chatting and playing a game. So many, many windows open at one time. Most of the time, to computer runs without any hic-ups.

But like all computer owners, eventually the computer starts to slow down. Things get saved. Memory gets used. It just starts to bog down. And when your used to having high speed internet at your finger tips, any slowdown can be highly frustrating!

The people at Norton's, makers of Norton anti-virus which keeps your computer safe and virus free, have come out with a product called the Norton PC Tune-up. This product is designed to assess and evaluate your computer to figure out where hangups are occurring, to improve the speed and stability of your PC and to ensure protection and security.

So if your computer takes a long time to start up and bogs down when you have multiple programs open, I suggest you check out this product. Even better, I have FOUR free trials to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment here by midnight EST Friday, December 5th with your email address telling me what types of hangups your computers have that bug you the most. Seriously, it's free.

Thanks to the people at MOM Central for bringing this blog tour to me.

You wouldn't let your car miss a tuneup, so why make your computer wait?

Barbie and the Diamond Castle

When the ladies at Mom Central asked for volunteers to review the new Barbie and the Diamond Castle DVD, I jumped at the chance. Moe loves the Barbie DVD's and had been begging for it already. Plus, it would give us something else to rotate into the mix of Barbie Mermaidia, Twelve Dancing Princesses, Swan Lake and Rapunzel. She was very excited and asked everyday "when is Diamond Castle coming?" She was very disappointed when the shipment was delayed.

But the day finally arrived and within moments of it arriving at the door, it was in the DVD player and she was on the couch. The first week we had it, we watched it 625 thousand times. Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but it was watched numerous times. So much, in fact, when Moe and I were snuggling on the couch after lunch, watching it yesterday, Moe was singing all the song's along with the DVD. It was so cute, to hear her sing Connected.

While I initially did not get the girls into watching the Barbie videos, they have come to find a home here. They are fairly easy to take and the girls love them. The plot lines are usually similar, with Barbie as the heroine, but overall, the movies have all be great.

Barbie and the Diamond Castle was no disappointment. The girls were captivated by the singing and the castle at the end. The story is about two friends, Liana and Alexa, who befriend a girl named Melody who is trapped inside an enchanted mirror. To save Melody, they need to find the Diamond Castle and reach the magical instruments, freeing the two muses before Lydia (the third muse, who wanted the Diamond Castle to herself) can stop them. Along the way, the girls find two lost puppies, befriend twin brothers and have their friendship tested by the temptation of a mansion in the middle of nowhere. When offered the gift of the mansion, Alexa chooses to stay and live in comfort, while Liana wants to continue on her quest to save the Diamond Castle. Unknown to them, it was a trick by Lydia to try and tear the girls apart. Without the crystal to help her, Alexa falls under Lydia's power and Liana must choose who to save, her friend or the Diamond Castle. In the end, the girls make up and save the castle. Melody is rewarded for her part and made the third muse.

While I would recommend this movie to my friends, it seems like the lesson it is trying to teach is more geared for older children. My four year old (and even my six year old) certainly don't have the level of friendships that gets tested at the beginning of the movie. While friendship is important and I agree with the message, it seems like my kids were out of range of their target audience. Regardless, they love the movie anyway! The top of their Christmas lists include merchandise from the movie (specifically the horse and carriage) and the new Barbie Christmas DVD. I'm sure if there is a Wii game, that would be a highly coveted item as well!

Overall, the meaning of the movie was clear. Friends may have their differences and may not always agree, but friendship is a very important thing to have.

Scheduling made easy

When Alex asked for volunteers to try out Jooners.com for their online calendar and scheduling, I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical. After all, I've tried google calendars (which are a pain to coordinate with different people and everyone has to have a gmail account) and Evite for parties (which you end up replying to each person individually). But Jooners, oh my god, is a dream come true for someone like me. If you've read my blog you know that I am a stay at home mom who occasional subs at the public schools when the stars align. I have three girls, ages 4, 5 and 6. All who play soccer, on different teams. I coach one team and am the VP of the soccer league. I'm on various committees at their school and room mother for kindergarten. I have one daughter in Brownies. And am now, officially a Daisy leader.

So having a good online calendar which allows me to contact other people is important. In the past, when planning a school party, I've asked for parents to send food or other items in. We all know what a pain this can be - you end up with people sending in the same items of forgetting. The same goes for soccer - we have parents sign up to bring a snack and usually they forget. Our last game, I had to send Husband across the street to the new grocery store to grab grapes. With Jooners, you make a list and send it to the people you want. So for instance, with my soccer team, I'd click on a pre-made snack duty list, enter in suggestions for snacks (grapes, oranges, watermelon) and then the dates needed and send it to the parents. Then they'd get an email asking them to sign up for a snack date (with no obligation to make an account!!!) and it would auto update. So no duplications! And they send reminders. As coordinator, I can just click on "Snack Duty" on my calendar to see who signed up.

I haven't had my first Daisies meeting, but I know I will be using Jooners alot with them. And not just for snacks. As I mentioned before, there are pre-made templates, with anything from potluck, to car washes to scouts. Inside the scouts section, you can sent out requests for ordering uniforms, snack duty and help with patches. It's so easy. And convenient! I even told my daughter's Brownie leader about it, but she still had a piece of paper sign up sheet. I hope she sends out an email reminder, as I know I'll forget my date to bring snack.

So, overall, I like Jooners. It makes menial tasks such as organizing parents to bring snack easy. And it cuts down on me sending emails back and forth trying to organize events.

School's Out, Summer's Here....

Summer's here and with that, it brings a complete different set of safety rules to the table. Here in New England, summer means longer days, warmer days and plenty of bugs. It also means sunburns, ticks, misqutoe bites and water activities. Each of these are items which can be prevented, if you take a few precautions.

Mom Central has joined with The Clorox Company and the MommyDocs to offer the following summer survival tips from MommyDocs.

• Have a Sun Protection Strategy: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends sunscreen with a minimum Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15. Look for products that provide "broad spectrum" coverage to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. Use this sunscreen routine with your child--daily application 30 minutes before going outside and reapplication every 2 hours (or sooner if swimming, toweling off, or sweating). Creating a routine will establish good habits for the future. In addition, don't forget a wide brim hat, sunglasses with 99-100% UVA/UVB protection, and sun protective clothing.

For my girls, they know that before we go out, it means we need to apply sunscreen. I keep sunblock in my van, in bags, and near each door of the house. I know I lapse on reapplying sunscreen and occasionally forget, but a little vitamin D is also good for the body. I think many parent's biggest lapse (myself included) is to apply sunscreen on cloudy days. The suns rays are just as strong even when you can't see the sun.

• Keep Pests off Your Little One: In the summer, many insects can bite or sting your child. For pesky mosquitoes and ticks, consider a DEET containing insect repellant. Apply sparingly to exposed skin (avoid backs of hands and around the eyes and mouth) and/or to clothing once a day. As the percentage of DEET goes up, the duration of action increases. To prevent unnecessary exposure, always use the lowest percentage that will last for the planned length of time spent outdoors. Never go above 30% or use on children under 2 months old.
  

We have two types of insect repellent around the house, depending on our activity. For everyday use in our heavy mosquito filled yard, I use Skin so Soft from Avon. It's gentle on the skin and keeps the misquote's at bay. This is expecially important as Moe is highly sensative to insect bites and we live in areas where West Nile Virus is present as summer wears on. When we are trekking through the woods on one of our many hiking adventures, I use an insect repellent with DEET. I've already pulled two deer ticks off of us this summer, we don't need any more. I remember one of our first hiking forays, there was a location on the path that was non-navitable so we had to tread through some underbrush. We left that section of woods covered in ticks. There were no fewer than 50! covering our legs, shirts and shoes. They were, however, dog ticks and not carriers of Lyme Disease.

• Keep the Pool Cool and Clean: Small yard pools provide a great way for kids to have fun and cool down when the temperature rises, but they can also harbor germs, such as bacteria. To keep the pool free from unwanted "swimmers," after each use disinfect it with bleach by cleaning with a solution of ¾ cup regular bleach to one gallon of water, then rinse well and dry thoroughly. Safety must: Always supervise children regardless of age when they are around any water; whether it's a bucket, a small backyard plastic pool, or the local community pool.

Like many American's, we have a kiddie pool that the kids like to frolic in when the weather gets hot. Each night, we empty it and set it up to dry. I have to admit, I haven't disinfected it, but I remember growing up, my mom using bleach on our pool all th time. I also remember the sting of our eyes as there was always a little bleach mixed in the water. Supervision is a must, but I admit, as a parent of three little one's, occasionally I am out of sight. However, I insist at times like that, that the girls are in verbal contact with me at all times.

• High Heat Means Hydrate: Excessive heat exposure may cause your child to experience a heat-related illness such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or even heat stroke. How to prevent this: take breaks in the shade, avoid playing outside during peak sun exposure hours, and drink, drink, drink! Make sure your child is taking in plenty of fluids before he become thirsty.

For sports, I got the girls some reusable sports bottles. On really hot days or days where were are outside for long periods of time, I make the girls fill up their bottles and keep them at their side. I also encourage frequent water breaks. It's imoprtant to keep hydrated and for parents to know the warning signs of heat related illnesses.

• Rid Rashes and Relieve Itchies: Running through the yard in bare feet, taking a nature walk on a trail, and picnicing in the park are some of the joys of warmer weather. But all of this outdoor activity can expose your child to a host of plants including those which cause poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. If an allergic reaction occurs, ask the pediatrician about an oral antihistamine and/or a topical skin care product such as a steroid cream or calamine. If the rash is extensive, looks infected, or is not getting better, call your doctor right away.

My girls do not yet know how to spot plants that will make them itchy, but they are learning. So far, we've been lucky to make it through the previous summers itch free. But I always keep hydrocortizone cream and Calamine Lotion on hand for such emergencies!

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend and don't forget to swing by MommyDocs to brush up on some warm weather safety tips.

Snap, Crackle, Pop

Today was rather rainy, so what better time than now to do a review of the Rice Krispies site . I went through it first, since I was a first time visitor before allowing Meenie and Moe to have at it.

Obviously, they spent the most amount of time in the "playground" or games section. They fluttered from one to another, but after a short amount of time, started asking for another site. I encouraged them to stay here and look around.

One feature I liked about some of the pre-school games was that they are two player. In our long list of mom-approved bookmarked sites, I don't believe there are any that are two player (and if there are, I'm drawing a blank). So it makes it easy for Moe to play with me, or for any of the girls to play with each other. It also helps to lessen the complaints of "she's not sharing, I want a turn".

The games in themselves are not very difficult. Again, while I have numerous pages bookmarked for the older girls, I have a hard time finding games suitable for Moe. Even the games labeled as "Kindergarten" were very straight-forward and easy. The girls were able to figure them out without reading the directions (because you know, who wants to wait while mom reads the directions?). Meenie was disappointed that on the "paint shop play" page, she couldn't pick her own colors. It did allow you a choice if you clicked more than once in a section, however it doesn't give you the freedom to create your own works of art. Unless of course, you print out a black and white copy (which I tend to discourage or else I'd have enough printed pages to cover my walls).

Another part of the site the girls liked was the music videos. If your familiar with my blog, you know that my girls like music and like YouTube. So the "Box of Fun" song by Ralph's World was much more appropriate than many of their likes. Even if it means that I'm going to need to buy Rice Krispies for the next bazillion years. Or until they forget about the music video. Because you know, you can't just listen to it once.

There were some recipes on there that we may try - I'm always looking for new snacks - in the future. The girls love cooking, so anything that we can make together is always high on my list. I was actually surprised at how many recipes were listed - I assumed there would be only a few. Many of them have a fast prep time too, which means it should keep the girls interest from start to finish. Now if I could get them to clean up afterwards!

The rest of the items on the website were geared more towards adults. From the Tale of Rice Krispies (did you know they've been around since 1932?) to nutritional information to newsletter. There is also a link to Operation Spark, which aims to strengthens the bond in a family through play. It has games and activities for kids to do as well as hints on how to make to most of time together, be it bed time, meal time or that little time between activities. And lastly, there was coupon for a new flavor of Rice Krispies.

Overall, it's a good play to find games for younger preschoolers. I know I'll bring Moe back to it when her sister is in school so she can learn how to navigate and play some games on her own. And I'll leave it bookmarked for the older girls to play at their own free will. And I'm sue those recipes will one day come in handy, so I'll keep it as a snack resource as well.