Posts Tagged ‘Review’

If you are one of my friends on Facebook, then I am sure you have seen me posting my daughter’s artwork. My daughter has Autism and she loves to draw! She is constantly drawing and I am constantly looking for new art activity sets to help keep her inspired.

The other day I was introduced to the Doodle Roll and I must say that I was very impressed with this little art set. This all-in-one kit contains a roll of paper and crayons in a compact package, perfect for creative fun on the go anytime, anywhere! The Doodle Roll is available in two sizes with a safe ez tear edge. It is perfect for taking along on long road trips, doctor office visits, or simply using at home.

The Doodle Roll doesn’t take up a lot of room, so it is the perfect size to keep one on hand in your car, purse, or backpack. You can purchase the Doodle Roll at their Online store or you can purchase one at a retail location near you. Go HERE to see if you have a location near you.

The Doodle Roll is competing in WalMart’s “Get on the Shelf” contest and they need lots of votes.  If they win, their products may be available both online and in WalMart stores across the country.

• Vote daily via Facebook
• Vote daily via Text Message (Text the numbers 1288 to 383838)
• Email the info to all your friends and family!

Are you a Dipper? My family and I are huge dippers! Actually, my husband and kids are bigger dippers than I am but I occasionally like to get a dip in here and there. Chances are, if you come to my house, you are going to find at least two or three different kinds of dips here. We love all different kinds ….salsa, cheese dip, fruit dip, chip dip and of course veggie dip!

Speaking of Veggie Dip, I make  most of our dips at home but I found a new kind of veggie dip that is fairly new in the market. It is called Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity to try it out. Since this new product comes in five delicious flavors, I had the hard task of deciding on which one to try first. My choices were:

• Otria® Spinach Artichoke Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip
• Otria® Cucumber Dill Feta Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip
• Otria® Garden Herb Ranch Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip
• Otria® Salsa Cilantro Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip
• Otria® Chipotle Cheese Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip

I did have to think about it for a few minutes but in the end, I went with the  Otria® Garden Herb Ranch Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip.

A new spin on a classic flavor with an array of herbs including rosemary, thyme, basil and marjoram.

Game Day is a huge event in our home. We usually have friends over to watch games all day. Of course, there is food involved! A get-together wouldn’t be complete without food. Most of the time, it is finger foods with dips. So I prepared some fresh broccoli, cauliflower, celery, bell pepper, baby carrots, and cherry tomatoes on a tray served with Marzetti Otria® Garden Herb Ranch Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip . We are big veggie eaters, so I knew that all those veggies wouldn’t go to waste….especially with the crowd on game day!

I asked all of our guests if they have had the chance to try any of the Otria Greek Yogurt Dips before and none of them had. That’s the good thing about going to friend’s home for a get-together….you learn of new products and get to sample them before buying. I am sure all of my guests will be trying more of the dips because the dip was a SCORE at my house on game day! I guess I should have purchased two containers of the dip because there was nothing left after they got done with it. My daughter keeps asking for more of the “goody dip”

I personally loved the rich flavor and creamy texture. I will definitely be buying more of “goody dip” soon especially for my daughter and I want to try the Otria® Spinach Artichoke Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip.

Oh, and these dips are not just for dipping…you can use them in many recipes. In fact, if you go to the Marzetti website, they have three pages of recipes that calls for the useage of these dips located HERE.  I would like to try the Chilled Pasta Primavera Salad. I also think the Cucumber Salmon Dill Appetizer sounds yummy and I know my husband would love it!

I was one of the bloggers selected by T. Marzetti Company and Clever Girls Collective to host a Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip review. They provided me with product to test and compensation for my time. However, my opinions are entirely my own.

If you have seen any of my Wordless Wednesday posts, you know my daughter loves to draw. I am always looking for new items that will keep her busy in some form of art. I recently came across the Glow Crazy Distance Doodler and knew we had to try it!

When I was growing up, my family and I would go camping. When night came, my dad would build campfires. I would take a stick, place it in the fire and get the end glowing red. I would then draw my name, circles, zig zags, etc. The Glow Crazy is similar to that only no fire involved!

The Glow Crazy allows your children to  draw all over the walls without any mess because you draw and write with light!  You need a completely dark room to get the full effect of The Glow Crazy. My daughter loves it!

What kid doesn’t love glow in the dark toys and coloring? Now add that to being able to color on the walls without mom freaking out and you’ve got Glow Crazy.

Glow crazy uses a light wand that beams light from up to ten feet away to make its mark on the reusable canvas decal provided. No mess as the canvas decals stick on the walls, ceiling and windows but don’t do damage. They stay stuck for the most part and peel off with no trouble.…

Kids & Moms love:

• You can draw free hand or use stencils.
• A new creative way of showing off artistic abilities.
• Beats the heck out of shadow puppets!

What’s In the Box?

• Dual Action Magic Light Wand
• 2 Large Reusable Wall Canvas Clings
• 4 Stencils
• Tip booklet

Buy It:

You can purchase the Glow Crazy  directly from the Glow Crazy Website

or from Amazon!

Win It:

One Mom Caboodle reader is going to receive their very own Glow Crazy Distance Doodler.

Follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter form to enter to win!

Read the rest of this entry »

Until recently I had never heard of the Perplexus…. That is until I was given the chance to review this very fun, addicting toy. When it first arrived, I was wondering what the heck it was and how could this ball shaped toy be any fun at all. Since most of my reviews are geared more toward things my daughter would enjoy, I was hoping this toy would be enjoyed by my twelve year old son. You know the type… twelve years old, too cool for anything that mom suggests and think they know it all. I wasn’t sure how he would react and I honestly thought he would look at it and throw it down. Boy was I wrong! He has played with this thing almost non-stop! Of course he gets frustrated and puts it down only to pick it back up in less than ten minutes! Finally, a toy that he actually enjoys playing with!

Perplexus is not only for kids….. Whenever my husband and I get a chance to play it, we do!  I have to say that the whole family enjoys this toy and trying to get a turn on it can be a challenge in itself.

So what is a Perplexus? Perplexus is made by Plasmart.  Here is a product description from the Perplexus Website:

PERPLEXUS is a maze game where players maneuver a small marble around challenging barriers inside a transparent sphere. Unlike traditional flat-surface mazes that are composed of one path, PERPLEXUS houses various challenging tracks with 100 barriers providing a frustrating three-dimensional experience. Players select the track they would like to attempt and must work with gravity to carefully shift, flip, and twist the sphere to guide the marble. Players can race each other or the clock.

PERPLEXUS assists in child development allowing children to exercise their motor and dexterity skills, as well as improve their hand-eye coordination. Its small size makes it easily portable. No batteries required. Ages 6 and up.

Like I stated before, I had never heard of the Perplexus until I had a chance to review it. Since then, I have been shopping several times and I have taken notice to the Perplexus on the store shelves or lack there of.  What I have observed in the stores makes me believe this must be a *Hot* toy this year. All the other games around the perplexus were very well stocked with  the Perplexus almost being sold out with only one or two remaining.

If you are looking for a gift to buy for that hard to please child, preteen or teenager, I highly recommend the Perplexus. I know my know it all, too cool for mom, preteen loves it. I only wish I could have waited to give it to him for Christmas!

Buy It:

You can purchase the Perplexus at any major department store or online at Amazon.

Win It:

One Mom Caboodle reader is going to receive their very own Perplexus.

Follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter form to enter to win!

Read the rest of this entry »

I am way behind in getting the rest of the Holiday Gift Guide reviews/giveaways up. We have all been sick for the last two weeks. Actually, my son has been sick for over a month but it really hit him hard last week. We have had him to the Dr. several times and to the ER. I have been sick, my daughter and my husband as well. I am starting to feel overwhelmed. I have not even started Christmas shopping, my tree is not up, my house is a mess and I have several reviews that I need to get posted. I feel like crawling in a hole until next year!

I was going to try to work on my reviews/giveaways today but I have a terrible headache, my ears hurt, and I just feel like a truck just hit me. I think I will try to rest for the remainder of the day and start fresh tomorrow…..Hopefully!

I love taking pictures!  I’m certainly no professional but I have captured some pretty amazing shots. OK, maybe it’s the camera but I like to think it’s me!

I was recently given the opportunity to try out this amazing software by Corel; Photo & Video X4 Ultimate Bundle. I have only had it a few days, so I have to be honest and say that I haven’t had much time to do a lot with it. I have done a little editing on some photos I took this past summer .

Here are a few of them:

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

I love the results so far and I am eager to see what all I can do with this software. It will take some time to learn how to navigate it really well but I am excited to see what I can create. I haven’t even attempted the Video Software yet. This is definitely an item that will require a follow up review.

A Little about the Software:

The ultimate photo- and video-editing software

With our best photo- and video-editing software—and two valuable bonus packs—the Corel® Photo & Video X4 Ultimate Bundle is everything you need, for everything you shoot! From easy tools to retouch photos fast, to advanced photo-editing features that put pro-level tools in your hands, Corel PaintShop Pro X4 Ultimate makes your pictures perfect. And with Corel VideoStudio Pro X4 Ultimate, you get an end-to-end video-editing collection that will have you wowing any audience with your own blockbusters complete with titles, amazing effects and more!

• Create professional-looking photos with sophisticated effects, layer editing, and more than 75 new and enhanced photo-editing features
• Get big-screen impact with end-to-end video-editing software featuring spectacular titles and effects, high-speed HD editing and much more
• Easily share your photos and videos directly to Facebook®, Flickr®, YouTube™ and Vimeo®

PaintShop Pro X4 Ultimate

Advanced photo editing

• New! HDR module
• New! Selective Focus
• New! Photo Blend
• Enhanced! Redesigned workspace

VideoStudio Pro X4 Ultimate

Powerful video editing

• New! Stop motion animation
• New! Time-lapse effect
• New! Export in 3D
• Enhanced! Flexible workspace

Two Ultimate Bonus Packs!

PaintShop Pro X4 Ultimate Bonus Pack

• Nik® Color Efex Pro™ 3.0 photo effects and filters
• Royalty-free images from Fotolia
• Free Picture Tubes

VideoStudio Pro X4 Ultimate Bonus Pack

• proDAD Mercalli SE extreme video stabilization
• Boris Graffiti 5.3 broadcast-quality titles and effects
• 3D glasses*
• Free tutorial videos

To read more about the software and it’s features, go HERE

Buy It:

Save $80 on Corel Photo & Video Bundle X4 Ultimate. Only $69.99. Two great products for one incredible price. Offer Ends November 30.

Black Friday Week Deals are Live. Incredibe discounts until the end of November!

• Save $150 on CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X5. Now Only $349. Offer Ends Novmeber 30.
• 40% OFF of Painter 12. Changing whats possible in Art. Ends November 30th.
• Save $50 on PaintShop Pro X4. Only $29.99. Offer Ends November 30.
• Save $60 on Corel VideoStudio Pro X4Was $99.99, now $39.99. Live life. Make movies. Offer Ends November 30 
• 60% off of PaintShop Pro X4 ULTIMATE. Only $39.99. This includes over $250 in free extras. Offer Ends November 30
• Get 50% off of Corel VideoStudio Pro X4 ULTIMATEWas $99.99, now $49.99. Live life. Make movies. Offer Ends November 30 
• Save $30 on the new version of WinDVD Pro 11. Only $49.99 the worlds leader in playback software. Offer Ends November 30
• Save $40 on the New Corel PDF Fusion. All-in-one PDF creator. View more than 100 file types. Only $29.99. Offer Ends November 30.
• Save $200 on CorelDRAW Premium Suite X5. Premium design software Only $499. Offer Ends November 30.
• Save 60% on of Corel Wordperfect Office X5 Professional. Only $159. Documents, presentations, spreadsheets and much ore. Offer Ends November 30.

Win It:

One Mom Caboodle Reader is going to win the Corel Photo & Video X4 Ultimate Bundle.

Just follow the directions in the Rafflecopter form to be entered to win!

Read the rest of this entry »

The past few years, I have not been much of a jewelry person. I wear my wedding ring set and that’s about it. Sometimes I might wear earrings but only when going out somewhere nice. Here lately though, I have been noticing jewelry more than usual….So I was very excited when I was given the opportunity to review a Locket from Pictures On Gold.

Then came the hard part, I had to choose what picture I wanted inside the locket. I have four children….My oldest son is 26 years old and married with children, My second son is 20 years old and away at college. Then there’s my two youngest, ages 12 & 9….So having a recent picture of all four of children together is something I do not have. So I decided to pick one of my children to put in the locket and if I liked the results, I would purchase three more lockets, one for each child.

The most recent professional portrait I have of one of them is of my son, Kaleb. So I picked one of his senior portraits to put in the locket. Then it came time for me to pick something to have engraved on it. I knew on the inside I would have his name but I couldn’t really think of what to put on the outside….then it hit me! When Kaleb was little, he and I used to watch Dumbo a lot and I used to sing the song “Baby Mine” to him all the time. “Baby Mine” was perfect! Now, Kaleb may not like it but they are always my babies no matter how old!

Here is the picture I picked for the locket:

Here is the finished locket:

I love it….. It turned out perfect!!

About PicturesOnGold.com:

PicturesOnGold.com creates the finest Photo Pendants and Charms, Gold Lockets, Silver Lockets and other Personalized Photo Jewelry in the industry. We create lasting photo lockets and photo jewelry keepsakes using only the finest 14k gold, white gold and Sterling Silver. You send us your photos and using our patented technology we laser engrave your pictures in color right on our gold lockets, silver lockets, locket charms and most of our custom jewelry. The results are gorgeous gold lockets or silver photo lockets that open to reveal your photos and can be worn as a beautiful photo or picture locket.

What you can expect from our picture lockets, gold lockets, silver lockets, photo lockets and all photo jewelry?

• Guaranteed highest quality Custom Engraved Photo Jewelry and Picture Lockets in the industry.
• United States Trademarked Product,
• #2,224,273 registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for our Lockets and Picture Locket Jewelry.
• We offer a 1 Year Guarantee with all of our lockets, including our 14k gold Photo Engraved Lockets, Photo Pendants and Locket Charms which are all SCRATCH & WATER RESISTANT
• Our Photo Pendants, Gold Lockets, Silver Lockets and personalized Locket Charms are heavy and durable, not like thin imitations.
• All Pendants, Picture Lockets, Photo Locket Jewelry and Locket Charms come complete with gift box for easy gift giving.
• All products including our Gold Lockets, Silver Lockets, Locket Charms and Pendants are Solid Gold and Pure Sterling Silver.

Buy It:

You can purchase your own photo locket from PicturesOnGold.com

Win It:

One Mom Caboodle reader will win and create the same photo locket of their own.

Follow the directions in the Rafflecopter form to be entered to win!

Read the rest of this entry »

Do you have family or friends living in another city or state that you want to buy for this Holiday season? Why not give them a yummy gift basket from GourmetGiftBaskets.com?  Gourmet Gift Baskets have baskets for everyone and every occasion!

I have had their gift baskets in the past and one of my favorite items in the baskets are the cheese biscuits! Of course they also offer everything from candy and nuts to beer and wine!

To view the huge selection of  holiday gift baskets, go HERE

One of my readers is going to win the Christmas Gift Basket Classic!

Follow the directions in the Rafflecopter form to be entered to win! Read the rest of this entry »

This Holiday Season there is a new Veggie Tales movie:  The Little Drummer Boy….a new edition of a  classic Christmas Story. Released on Oct 4th, 2011.

Veggie Tales has been in our home since the very beginning in 1993. My son, Kaleb, loved the Veggie Tales and now my daughter loves them too!  I love them because they are fun, educational, and they teach valuable christian lessons.

The Little Drummer Boy teaches the true meaning of Christmas in a way that is enteraining and fun for children. Like always, I am very happy with this new edition to our Veggie Tales collection.

In this Veggie-version of a holiday classic, Junior Asparagus stars as The Little Drummer Boy, a lonely child who finds the true meaning of Christmas when he stumbles upon the birth of the baby Jesus.  A story of generosity, hope, and love, this timeless tale will warm the hearts of children everywhere!

Featuring the song “The Little Drummer Boy” with Dove and Grammy award winning artists BeBe and CeCe Winans! Also includes the new SIlly Song “The 8 Polish Foods of Christmas!”

Bonus Features:

• “Little Drummer Boy” Music Video
• Behind the Music of “The Little Drummer Boy”
• Visit a Drum Factory with Junior!
• Family Activity- Make Your Own Drum
• Singalong Songs
• Interactive Book Preview: “Christmas is Finally Here”
• 5.1 Surround Sound
• English and Spanish Subtitles

Running Time: Approx. 45 min.

Buy It

You can buy The Little Drummer Boy DVD on the Veggie Tales website at a special price of $8.99

Win It

One Mom Caboodle reader will win their very own copy of The Little Drummer Boy on DVD, along with O Holy Night: Journey of a Little Drummer Boy CD. Just follow the directions in the Rafflecopter form to be entered to win!

Read the rest of this entry »

Gumballs.com – The #1 Bulk Vending Supplies Store on the Internet!

Do your kids drive you crazy when you take them to the mall or any store that has vending machines? I know mine do and I can’t really blame them….I always loved vending machines when I was little. To tell you the truth, they still catch my eye every time I see one…especially the gumball machines.

I was recently given the opportunity to try out the Petite Carousel Gumball Machine by Gumballs.com. I knew it was coming but I didn’t tell the kids about it. I wanted it to be a surprise and boy was it ever a surprise! My daughter just about flipped over it. My son likes it too but my daughter is totally in love with it. It is the perfect size that can easily set in a child’s room. What fun to have your own gumball machine in your room!!

The awesome thing about the gumball machine is you can use other things in it such as M&Ms plain/peanut, Reece’s Pieces, Skittles, Mike & Ike’s, Hot Tamales or Skittles.  The petite also can dispense bulk nuts or other smaller bulk candy such as jelly beans.

In my opinion, the Petite Carousel Gumball Machine makes a perfect gift for anyone young or young at heart!

The original Petite Carousel Mini Gumball Machine is a mini version of the classic gumball machine that set the standard for bubble gum machines when they were first introduced in the 1920′s – almost 90 years ago. This brand new mini antique gumball machine is guaranteed authentic made by Carousel/Ford Gum Machine. Don’t settle for cheap imitations!
At 9” tall, this cute little gumball machine is perfect for kids, home, office or dorm room use because it can easily fit on a desk or counter top. It’s also a very popular wedding favor gumball machine used for center-pieces or candy bar accents. Kids love it because it’s a mini gumball machine bank that helps teach how to save money. Kids of all ages love to put a coin in and guess which color they’ll get!

Petite Carousel Mini Gumball Machine Features:
• Real glass gumball machine globe
• Cast metal gumball machine base, lid, and coin mechanism
• Accepts any coins (quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies)
• Includes instructions for “free spin” to work without coins
• Works as a gumball bank – retrieve coins when full
• Anti-spill gumball chute door cover
• Machine comes fully assembled in a gift box
• Dispenses small gumballs (.62″ or smaller), candy, or nuts
• Gumball capacity: 13 oz. of .62″ gumballs
• Dimensions: 9″H x 5”W
• Weight: 2 lbs.
• Color: Classic red finish
• 30-day money back guarantee

Gumballs.com is a family owned business that  offers a wide variety of vending machines for gumballs, bulk candy, flat stickers and tattoos, soda and soft drinks, snacks, soda/snack combos, change machines and more. To see more of what Gumballs.com offers, click HERE

Buy It

You can purchase the Petite Carousel Gumball Machine at Gumballs.com along with many other vending machines and supplies to fill them.

Win It

One Mom Caboodle reader is going to receive their very own Petite Carousel Gumball Machine.

Follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter form to enter to win!

Read the rest of this entry »