Here are our winners for the past two months:

1. Dec 2010 subscriber draw – Chicken Soup For The Soul : Christmas Magic

• Holley VanDenBerg
• Donna Hunt

2. Jan 2011 subscriber draw – Chicken Soup For The Soul : Shaping The New You

• Shannon Reynolds
• Eve Stroud
• Waiting for winner to reply

For our February 2011 draw, Chicken Soup is sponsoring another 3 books for giveaway.  Chicken Soup for the Soul: Grieving and Recovery contains 101 Inspirational and Comforting Stories about Surviving the Loss of a Loved One.

Grieving is a process everyone goes through in their own way. It often feels overwhelming and as if the sorrow will never end. While the hurt and sadness never completely fade, it eases with time. This collection of emotional and inspirational stories will provide comfort and peace to those mourning the loss of someone close. Others who have lost a loved one share their stories of what helped, offering guidance and support. With its stories of regaining strength, appreciating life, coping, and faith, this book will help ease the journey to healing.

If you are our email subscriber, you will automatically be entered into our monthly draw.  Yup, it’s that easy!

* Prizes will be shipped to US and Canada shipping addresses only

Disclosure : Giveaway copies of the above books are courtesy of www.chickensoup.com

TO THE WINNER OF

Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop

Wai Chee #50

AND

Rumba Time Watch

Howell #8

The winners are required to do the following:

1. Submit your relevant info via the Winner’s Submission Form Below; AND
2. Leave a comment in this post to let us know you have submitted.
3. If any winner does not claim her prize by the 22nd February 2011, we will do a second draw.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAD PARTICIPATED.

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GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

The Rumba watch has done something no other watch/fashion item has done to my tomboy daughter, it won her over. It comes in this cool plastic holder and bends/moves whichever way you want it to, so when I pulled it out of the container and tested it, I was thrilled.

There are no latches that might break, no pieces that are sensitive to the oils in your skin or concerns if you throw it in your backpack before sports or gym class; it’s a resilient watch perfect for people with an active lifestyle.

Some key points with the Rumba VanDam watches:

• Silicone Unisex Watch
•  22mm Wide
• Ultra Lightweight at only 10 grams
• Water Resistant to 99 feet

And so RumbaTime began with the simple idea of making time keep up with your life, instead of the other way around, Made with silicone, watches that feel like a second skin. They are smooth, bright, water-resistant & durable – in styles and colors as diverse as personalities.

Small/Medium is a nice fit for women, my daughter is 17 and it slid on her perfect with a little bit of room to move on her wrist. One tip that she gave me when I asked about how she likes it is to read the instructions to set watch, it can be a little difficult to understand on your own.

BUY IT : These watches are only 16$ and for an original idea for a birthday gift you aren’t breaking the bank for style. You can get yours from Rumba Time.

WIN IT : Thanks to Rumba Time, we are giving away a watch of your choice (excluding Mercer) to one of our reader. To enter for a chance to win, here’s some easy peasy requirements:

• One mandatory entry – Head over to Rumba Time and tell us, which watch is your favourite.
• Two additional entry – Follow us on twitter and tweet this giveaway “Win a watch from Rumba Times at parentreviewers.com“  with a link back to this post. Please leave an additional comment including your twitter id and your tweet url. You can do this daily until the giveaway closes.
• Two Additional Entries- Are you a subscriber? You get 2 extra entries just for that! If not, best you subscribe right now!
• Two Additional Entries- Post this on FB and share this piece of good news with your friends!!!! Let us know if you’re a fan too!
• Giveaway open to US shipping addresses only.
• Giveaway ends February 15th 2011 and a winner will be picked using Random.org. We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe to our feed or check back here for the winner announcement post.

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Some of you may remember how our panel of reviewers raved about the fabulous Sleepy Wrap baby carriers as well as the Organic Sleepy Wraps that we had reviewed many months ago. Well, babies do grow up and we are proud to introduce to you a toddler carrier called Boba which is brought to you by Colorado based NAP, Inc. the very same company who introduced the Sleepy Wrap to us.

The Boba Story:

We are a big advocate of baby wrap carriers for infants and small babies and our son virtually lived in the Sleepy Wrap for his first 16 months of life. As he became bigger we started looking for something more practical to be able to continue carrying him.

Soft structured carriers were new to us. We experimented with a few different carriers available on the market. It wasn’t so much that they were digging into our shoulders, but more the feeling of our son not being secure and leaning away from our bodies in the back carries. He also complained that his legs didn’t feel good even when seated facing our back in a wide seated carrier.

So for one year he refused to be carried. Most would think that a blessing. Well, the problem was that he still wanted to be carried, but only in our arms. We started toying around with the idea of creating our own soft structured carrier for toddlers after successfully launching Sleepy Wrap more than 3 years ago.

We were always brainstorming and trying to figure out how to make our design better and ended up first adding a safety buckle so there would be no spontaneous releases. Then a light bulb went on. We just had the best idea- foot straps- to get that digging fabric off of little hamstrings, prevent bigger legs from just hanging and just give them a place to rest- just like the rungs we rest our feet on when we sit on a bar stool. After eleven different prototypes and almost one year of going back and forth, we finally got it right. Our son turned 3 by the time our final prototype was made and although he’s a big guy, he loves it.

We couldn’t compromise; we had to get it right. They had to be butter soft and we even took the extra step of making them with only certified organic cotton. To top it all off, we decided to make them right here in our home town of Boulder, CO with the help of local mountaineering professionals.

And the Boulder Baby carrier- the “BoBa” was born.

Our panel of reviewers tried and tested the Boba  and were full of praises for this wonderful carrier. Check out why they are giving Boba carrier the two thumbs up (click on the links to read their individual reviews):

November Sunflower – It’s even comfortable for the one who has to wear it. At least I felt it was. The straps that go on your arms are very well padded, broad straps. Not tiny little things that would dig into your shoulders. Plus, I love how they have little foot holders for the child’s feet. This way they aren’t daggling out. My son felt a little more comfortable once he put his feet in the foot holds-it made him sit up a bit more and the balance was better for both of us.

I feel confident in this product. Especially if you’re active and want to bring your child along for the ride. Walking, hiking or even chasing after a soccer ball with your older child in the backyard…..it’s comfortable for both you and your child. PLUS, it’s made of ORGANIC cotton. Beautiful!!! So damn soft.

Thanks Mail Carrier – Opening up the Twilight Carrier from Boba, I was immediately impressed with just how soft the cotton truly was, not to mention the thickness of the padding around the waist and shoulder straps. This is one carrier that screams comfort before even having it on!

Just by having the Boba laid out, I found it pretty intuitive as to how you would place it for both the front and back carry positions – something that I appreciated. I have tried a wide variety of carriers over the years and there were some that I felt as though I needed to study a thick manual before even attempting to pick up and that isn’t the case with this one.

Blessed Beyond Words – At $100 per carrier, the price may seem a little steep. But, I have to tell you that this carrier is absolutely worth every penny. It can be used from 15 – 45 pounds. (Do you know how long my kids take to get to 45 pounds? My 7 year old just barely makes it over that!) It is so well made that it seems as though it will last forever. (Now, I cannot attest that it will indeed last forever, as I have only had mine for a few weeks. What I can tell you is that in my opinion, this baby carrier is very well made, and I will personally use it for my children for as long as I possibly can.)

Overall, I am quite impressed with the Boba Baby Carrier and would recommend it to any mom or mom to be that wants to carry her baby without the back pain. I will continue to use my Boba Carrier with my 2 year old and will also use it with my newborn once he reaches the appropriate weight.

Jumpin Beans – I am telling you…

I will be telling everyone about this!!!
If you do not have a carrier (and you have a little one)
BOBA BABY CARRIERS is THE answer!!!!

Mommy’s Minute – All in all I was pleased with the Boba carrier. It was quick and easy to put on and comfortably distributed my 25 lb son’s weight. I look forward to trying it out again with baby #2. Thanks to my handsome hubby for modeling the Boba. My growing baby bump has been impeding my baby wearing in the last couple weeks. As you can tell, it works great for both guys and gals!

Heavenly Sayings – I was able to use the Boba Baby Carrier with one of my day care kids and it was wonderful! Little M fit into the carrier perfectly and he acted like he was very comfortable. I liked that the straps were in easy access and I could adjust them to accommodate Little M and I without hassle. I was also able to slip him from my front to my back in no time at all. Which was another feature that I was surprised about as Little M is only 2 years old and I expected to have a hard time getting him on my back comfortably.

Kaki Shopping – All in all, I have had a very pleasant experience with the Boba Carrier. My kids love it too, and my daughter especially, will request that I carry her in it, even at home! This carrier has certainly changed my perception of baby carriers, and in addition, it looks pretty darn cool too. For long-haul travels when you need to move around from place to place and need your hands free while taking care of kids, the Boba Carrier is the answer.

Acting Balanced – I love that this is adjustable and fits me, darling hubby and even Robyn to carry Erik around. I love the padded straps and waist support – it really distributes my chunky monkey’s weight around so that it doesn’t center on one part of my body. I also really like that the carrier itself has a high back which supports and cradles Erik nicely against me. The organic cotton is really soft and although we’ve only tried it for front carry, I like that as Erik grows it can be used for rear carry options and the removable foot straps will be good too…

We are providing our readers 10% off the Boba carrier by using Promo Code “PARENT10“.  So, remember to key in “PARENT10” before you checkout. You can find Boba on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BobaCarrier or keep updated with their product changes, new designs, contests via their Twitter page at  www.twitter.com/BobaCarrier.

Mom Of All Trades – I’ve never tried a soft structured carrier that completely buckled so I was a bit skeptical that it would provide the support and comfort I needed. That skepticism faded the instant I put the Boba on. I was amazed that I was able to get my son into a back carry, all by myself, within minutes. And best of all – I was comfortable, happy and feeling secure and so was he! The only issue I ran into was that the chest strap sat right at my neck, but soon after I realized that too was adjustable and I was able to slide it down to a comfortable position.

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/2

TO THE WINNER

New Year Giveaway : Cellies

Chacoy #18

The winner is required to do the following:

1. Submit your relevant info via the Winner’s Submission Form Below; AND
2. Leave a comment in this post to let us know you have submitted.
3. If any winner does not claim her prize by the 16th January 2011, we will do a second draw.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAD PARTICIPATED.

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GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

And because I love mayhem, mini-things, trivia (big into trivia, check out the momspective radio show) and giveaways, I have a set of questions below that will win TWO people a copy of this new game for the DS…

Here’s how it works:

Watch the video below as it will feature Nintendo’s new North Bend facility overrun by mini-Marios… then I’ll ask you a few questions, and pick two correct answers at random… beware though, the questions are extremely tricky – here’s the video:

Ok, and now – brace yourself – here are your questions:

· What tune is Ken Darling humming?

· Where can you see a Piranha Plant in the video?

· What would the authorities use a last resort?

· What is the address of the facility Ken is reporting from?

All you have to do is leave a comment below with the correct answers and YOU may actually win a copy of this game!!

The story behind the game is this: with the busy holiday season approaching, Nintendo was looking to find new ways to improve speed and efficiency at its always-busy distribution facility in North Bend, Wash. In the past, the company has tried a number of solutions, including having Donkey Kong roll packages down a set of girders into waiting trucks or expediting deliveries through warp pipes.

This year one of the suggested innovations included the use of wind-up Mini Mario toys…

Bad idea.

Initially the use of the helpful Mini Marios seemed like a good idea. Unfortunately, they were not guided appropriately and soon marched non-stop throughout the entire building, climbing girders, riding conveyor belts and causing a bit of mayhem.

They overran Nintendo’s facility for a short time, but operations have since been returned to normal, thank goodness…

The incident was caught on camera and shared with the area’s local television news station,
DK-TV, who was the first to cover the news. Reporter Ken Darling covers the story in this video above.

Have fun with the contest and leave us comments so TWO people can win this fun and hilarious game!! Contest rules as follows:

• Giveaway is open to US and Canada shipping addresses only.
• Giveaway ends on January 19th, 2011 . and a winner will be picked using Random.org. We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe to our feed or check back here for the winner announcement post.

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/2

TO THE WINNERS OF

Snow Valley Heroes :  A Christmas Tale

Robin #2

AND

 The Ultimate Beauty & Fashion Products Package

 eve #10

The winner is required to do the following:

1. Submit your relevant info via the Winner’s Submission Form Below; AND
2. Leave a comment in this post to let us know you have submitted.
3. If any winner does not claim her prize by the 12th January 2011, we will do a second draw.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAD PARTICIPATED

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TO THE WINNERS OF

Growth Chart Art

Steve S #5

AND

Kodak’s One Time Sport Camera and $25 Gift Card

1. Jackie #47

2. Selene #2

3. Stacy T. #53

The winner is required to do the following:

1. Submit your relevant info via the Winner’s Submission Form Below; AND
2. Leave a comment in this post to let us know you have submitted.
3. If any winner does not claim her prize by the 10th January 2011, we will do a second draw.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAD PARTICIPATED

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Our selected team of reviewers recently had the priviledge to review two books, Entertain Like A Gentleman and Aurora Fee, thanks to New Year Publishing.

First off, Entertain Like A Gentleman, written by David Harap is one of those very much needed guidebook for men who are not as ”talented” when it comes to entertaining and cooking. The book starts off with Entertaining 101 which includes a list of 25 things to do to ensure a stress free entertaining. For those who are totally clueless in the kitchen, the book also provides an explanation of the basic tools in the kitchen ranging from food processor to mixing bowls to measuring scale as well as metric conversions. Trust me, these morsels of information may be pretty useful to some.

As far as the recipes are concerned, I am ashamed to admit that I have so much to learn from David Harap. I like the way the recipes are divided into different occassions, for example, Super Bowl/March Madness, Cheese and Wine Party, Pool Party, Double Date Night, Romantic Dinner (Spring/Summer) and Romantic Dinner (Fall/Winter), etc. My favourite of course was Cooking With Kiddos, which I would never have expected to be included in this book. Overall, the recipes are not what you would call simple and neither are they intimidating. I’m just a bit surprise that there aren’t any pictures to accompany the recipes which would have worked better.When it comes to recipes,  I’m one who believes that  a picture speaks a thousand words   If your man is showing hints of interest in the kitchen, this might be just the book to get him started.

Here’s what some of our reviewers thought of Entertain Like A Gentleman:

Confessions of an overworked mom – Now if your husband is like mine, you might expect this cookbook to be filled with recipes for buffalo wings, frozen pizza and chocolate chip cookies. You couldn’t be more wrong! The recipes in this book are going to put your cooking skills to shame. At least they’d put mine to shame. Just thinking about dates stuffed with blue cheese mousse and fennel and spinach strudel has my mouth watering!

Pookie and The Boys – Most men wish they had the ability to cook for their woman and give her the wow factor. Entertain Like a Gentleman by David Harap tries to give a little boost in the kitchen department for men. The thing is to remember this is for a gentleman, not a man. There are no recipes including a bottle of beer, and some of the recipes require up to a week of prep. The recipes have easy to read measurements and it seems that most ingredient choices are conveniently found in your local grocery. Instructions are detailed letting you know the “do ahead” and the actual “night of the dinner” steps for preparation.

Mom Most Traveled – Entertain Like a Gentleman has 75 original recipes appropriate for all types of themes; from Super Bowl parties to Scotch tastings to intimate dinner parties.

Recipes in Entertain Like a Gentleman use common and accessible ingredients, and you also get tips about how to make your evening flow…like butter.

Heavenly Savings – The recipes by David Harap are not your basic everyday recipes. Each dish looks and smells appetizing and the taste is to die for! You will be wining and dining your guests in no time with these timeless romantic recipes! There are also parts of the book that will help you know how to organize and set up your foods in the most spectacular and passionate ways!

Adventure in All Things Food – Mmm… all delicious recipes, and easy to make. These simple, yet elegant ideas will have your guests singing your praises! Each chapter has a full menu of ideas, a shopping list and equipment list for each recipe. Some chapters even have added suggestions for making your gathering more enjoyable. This book helps to plan everything out for the host or hostess. I have to say that I am always looking for ways to make entertaining go more smoothly.

Renaissance Culinaire – The recipes are written in an easy to understand fashion, intended to help aid in a less-stressful entertaining experience. Included in the book are shopping and equipment lists, with blank pages after every section to allow you to jot down thoughts or notes – making Entertain Like a Gentleman perfect for the cooking inept or the seasoned culinary traveler.

Happy Healthy Families – I know this book is aimed towards men, and yes, it is perfect for the man who needs some step by step guidance in the kitchen, but really, I think just about anyone would love reading it. There are tips and secrets throughout the book that will make even the most novice host feel ready to take on a party for family and friends!

Acting Balanced – I really like how the recipes are laid out – with the instructions first and the ingredients and equipment listed down the right hand side, with the ingredients listed like a shopping list – ingredient first, amount second. The tips are great too – for men or women – and help you to break down your entertainment planning and cooking chores into easy to accomplish steps. This book is all about being impressive without being difficult.

Mom of 2 Dancers – There is no stronger way to impress someone than by showcasing your culinary skills. Bachelor Chef and culinary instructor David Harap has created a series of menus that any man can make his own. This book helps men create unforgettable meals for their guests without stress or needing years of cooking school. In addition to many exciting recipes for every occasion, that are tons of tips and secrets on how to become the ultimate host. Memorable meals made easy.

Aurora Fee was written by Megan Barnes when she was just a high school senior. It tells the story of an ordinary  teenager with centuries old deep dark secret. The truth is, Aurora is no longer a human but a CAT to be exact. She could transform herself from a human into a cat, has the ability to read minds and is immortal. Aurora also has to be careful with her emotions which may result in different parts of her cat personality appearing out of the blue, such as happiness will trigger the appearance of the tail, embarrassment triggers the whiskers, etc.

Aurora Fee is definitely geared for the tweens to teens but as an adult, I did enjoy reading it too. The story involves typical teenage issues such as  high school, cliques, jealousy and romance. Aurora Fee kind of reminds me of James Patterson’s Daniel X.  As far as paranormal fiction goes, I give it the thumbs up and will definitely be looking forward to a sequel.

Read what our reviewers had to say about the Aurora Fee below:

The Sewing Mom – While Aurora has to contend with her shape shifting, she also contends with typical teenage issues, school, friends, and even love. All of these things cause angst and can peak emotions particularly in a teenager, so it’s even more of a challenge for someone who doesn’t want their cat ears giving them away! As the parent of a teenager, I found it easy to relate to the teenage issues in the book. I found some of the story to be a bit far fetched and naive, but overall, it is a very enjoyable book. I am very impressed that the author, Megan Barnes, was just 17 when she wrote the story and had it published. On that alone I recommend the book! I admire anyone that follows their dreams, but to do so at such a young age is absolutely a triumph!

Creative Writings 101 - Aurora suffers from normal teen feelings, wanting to be loved, and of course, the fear of being different. Something we all can relate to in one way or another. I was surprised to see that the writer of this book is only a teen herself, I think she did a great job and had a great handle on the emotions and experiences that teens face on a daily basis. This is a good book for a tween and/or teen to read, and fits the young adult paranormal genre perfectly.

Adventure in All Things Food – This was a fast read, and I am sure as a teenager I would have consumed it in one sitting. At 240 pages it is not a long read, but a perfect serving of feline adventure. I enjoyed that it was a great mixture between usual teen conflicts, and life and death action. It is a great story I would recommend for tween through teen readers, especially girls interested in paranormal fiction.

Happy Healthy Families -My daughter loved this book, and basically had it in her hands from the time she started reading it to the time she finished. Though shape shifting is a big part of the story, it also follows Aurora’s daily struggles being a teen and dealing with normal teen situations such as school, friends, falling in love, etc. This would be a perfect stocking stuffer for young teens and even pre-teens. My daughter gave it two thumbs up!

Acting Balanced – Aurora Fee is full of action and fun. The book is well written and I could possibly see a sequel. The only change to this book I would make is to add a prequel, but that might give away to much. I can’t believe that this book was written by a high school senior. I would recommend this book for anyone 11 and up.

Mom of 2 Dancers – Besides this being a great book, it a good read for most ages. I’d let my 9 year old daughter read it since it isn’t graphic, etc. It is probably geared more towards later tween years and teens. Plus of course, us adults that love young adult novels. I still can’t get over the other being in high school. Congrats to Miss Barnes for writing a fantastic novel. I hope to see a Aurora Fee become a series!

Maria’s Space -This is a young adult book and is written by a young adult. So, the dialogue is youthful and easy. This is a quick read and the characters aren’t very deep but in this very creative storyline, I give kudos to Megan for her shout outs for one of my favorite books. Obviously a Twi-hard like me, Aurora is looking for her “Edward”. Aurora and her boys (Kartik-Edward and Zane-Jacob) was very Twilightish. She is in love with two boys who will do anything for her yet, in the long run. She remains friends with Zane and chooses Kartik.

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GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

What started out as a device to communicate, the cell phone has evolved over the years and has become a style statement for its users. Every few months, one comes across the most high-tech and sleekest cell phones in the market but not everybody can afford to keep up with changing trends. Consumers are discovering innovative and fashionable ways to customize their cell phones with creative accessories. Gone are the days of those ugly big black cases that protected the cell phone but made it look bulkier than usual. From “skins” and faceplate designs to charms and Swarovski Crystals, you can find as many accessories for your mobile phone as you will find for yourself.

However, until now, cell phone accessories were designed as separate fashion pieces and not designed to actually function as a part of your everyday wardrobe. To solve this fashion faux pas, designer, Andrea Behar created Cellies™ a stylish stretch cuff bracelet that easily slips on your wrist that allows cell phone users to conveniently wear their phones, and not just carry them.

What are Cellies™?

Made from stretch power mesh, Cellies™ are a stylish solution designed to hold all wireless devices including cell phones, iPhones and Blackberries. Seamlessly fusing function and fashion, a convenient hands-free compartment securely holds your phone in place. The strong but transparent material provides viewers with touchable and visible access to their phones.

Cellies™ allow your hands to be completely free to drive safely, to work the office or house, be active, eat, workout, play sports – anything that you couldn’t do before while using your cell phone. Cellies™ are great for runners, snowboarders, cyclists, roller bladers, and people on the go. Cellies™ are for men, women, teens and sports enthusiasts. It allows them to carry their cell phone safely and securely without having to attach it to their belt or carry it in their pocket. Cellies™ also offer wearers instant access to their phones, credit cards, identification, business cards or even lip gloss without having to search through their handbag.

BUY IT : Retailing at only $35, Cellies are these To Die For gift for the young and trendy (and also the young at heart). There’s no denying that studs are a must-have this season. They add instant edge to everything from handbags to shoes. Urban-glam with Cellies™ allover studded detailing, facetted stones and grommet cuffs by Andrea Behar.

WIN IT : We know you all want one, so Cellies have generously sponsored one unit to giveaway to one of our reader. That could be you! Here’s what you need to do for a chance to win this giveaway:

• One Mandatory Entry- Head over to www.mycellies.com and tell us one fact about the designer of Cellies, Andrea Behar.
• Two Additional Entries- follow us on twitter and tweet this giveaway “Win  Arm Candi For Your Cell at Parentreviewers.com” once a day. Leave an additional comment including your twitter id and the tweet url. You can tweet on a daily basis.
• Three Additional Entries- Blog or share on Facebook about this great giveaway! It can be done on a daily basis too! Leave your blog URL or FB id.
• Giveaway is open to US shipping addresses only.
• Giveaway ends on January 2nd, 2011 . and a winner will be picked using Random.org. We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe to our feed or check back here for the winner announcement post.

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/2