After a month long of blog hiatus, we are back! Things may not be moving as fast as it used to but we are definitely going to get the ball rolling with our first blog tour for 2012.

So, fellow Parent Reviewers, be on the lookout for our email on the tour!

 AND  

We have finally decided to announce to all that this blog will be on a hiatus while we try to adjust our respective schedules and hopefully, be able to find time to make a comeback.

Meantime, we would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone of you

A HAPPY, HEALTHY & PROSPEROUS  NEW YEAR 2012

  AND

I recently received a lovely sample of Cadbury Premium Baking Products and I just knew I had to start baking with them! What I received in the goodie box were the Cadbury Bournville Cocoa 125gm and 250gm, Premium Baking Chocolate  200gm each(Dark and Milk) and Baking Chips 230gm each (Real Dark Chocolate and Real Milk Chocolate). I was practically salivating just looking at them, and my boys wanted to chomp on them asap, but of course, the mother in me, said, “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Not yet!”

So, off I went on a baking spree all with my super handy Thermomix! I effortlessly prepared a Torta Caprese, which is a Flourless Almond Cake, with the Bournville Cocoa and it was wiped out within the day.  Next in line, was the Hazelnut Spread, which I used the Premium Baking Chocolate (Dark), and it was really amazing. Even though I used less sugar, the Hazelnut Spread was so rich with the Dark Chocolate, nobody complained!

Then, of course, it was my absolute favourite, the best Chocolate Chips in the world! Since I baked two batches of them, both Dark and Milk Chocolate Chips were used. I passed them around to some friends, because sharing is caring!

The last thing I did, was of course, with the Premium Baking Chocolate (Milk), make Chocolate Lego people and blocks! I have a complaint about that.. I NEED TO GET MORE PREMIUM BAKING CHOCOLATE! I’m actually making the Lego people for a birthday party bag, and I need at least 24 people, and I only made half! So..off to the shops I’m going!

About Cadbury Premium Baking products :

Cadbury is celebrating the launch of five new real chocolate baking products; Cadbury Dark, Milk and White Melts, new White Baking Chips and new White Baking Block. The range features a brand new look that celebrates the heritage of Cadbury chocolate and the joy of baking. The Cadbury Kitchen website has also recently been launched, to cater for most of your chocolate baking needs as well as enabling you to save your favourite chocolate recipes on line for easy access.

Lovers of chocolate will be pleased that the entire Cadbury Baking range is made with real chocolate, which gives a delicious rich flavour, creamy smooth texture and brilliantly glossy appearance. Real chocolate also stays melted for longer, making it easy to work with.

Buy It! : It’s true. When I tempered the block chocolate, I was so worried that it would harden before I could pour them into the Lego molds. As it was, the Lego people were so small, I didn’t want to rush it. Thankfully, it never hardened, and I managed to pour it all in. Well, not exactly, I took the liberty of licking clean my Thermomix bowl..because it was just so delicious!!!

I really liked the packaging as well. In all of them, you’ll get recipes and in the Bournville Cocoa, the history of how Cadbury started.

Win It! : This is the most awesomest part!!!! Cadbury is generously giving one lucky reader, a Cadbury Baking hamper. This hamper contains a selection from the whole Cadbury Baking range including melts, chips and blocks in milk and dark chocolate blocks, Bournville Cocoa and an exclusive vintage Cadbury tea towel, and all you have to do is:

• First mandatory entry - Tell us which of the Cadbury Kitchen recipes you are most interested in baking.
• Second additional entry – like Cadbury Dairy Milk Australia on Facebook (and tell them we sent you). Leave us a comment below including that you liked.
• Third additional entry – subscribe to Parent Reviewers on twitter and tweet this giveaway. Leave us a comment including your twitter id and the tweet url.

Giveaway ends Oct 19th, 2011. Giveaway is open to Australian residents only 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

I have to admit… I am a handbag addict!!  And with that addiction comes many, many really big beautiful bags that I love!!  The biggest problem with these big bags is although they can hold many great items, things tend to get lost in the crevices.  So…. now a solution to that problem “The Callet”!!  The Callet is a great phone case and wallet that features slit pockets on the back of the case to keep your important cards at your fingertips.  No more digging through your bag in the check out line, now you have all your most important items easily accessible.

I was thrilled to recently have the opportunity to try out The Callet for myself.  I am notorious for losing my drivers license or credit card when going out so I knew this might be the answer for me.  I was very pleased when our Callet arrived and it was truly a great fit.  Not only does it come in an array of great colors, it is very durable and does have great space to hold your important cards and money.

The only problem we had with The Callet was that my husband and I couldn’t decide who gets to keep it!!  We received one in black (next time I will ask for pink and then I don’t have to share)!!  But overall we love it and it has been a very useful tool for us.

About The Callet:

Your Whole Life in Just One Hand

Are you tired of having to shove your cash and cards in between the back of your phone and case?
And then having to take your phone out every time you want to get to them?

Are are annoyed when you don’t have anywhere to put your cash and cards? Or you can’t bring a wallet or a bag?
Are you fed up with having to always search through your wallet or dig through your bag every time you want to access your cash and cards?

Now all of your problems are finally solved with the CALLET! The Callet is a new phone case and wallet in one with a newly invented and patent pending design that makes the Callet easy to use and even easier to take your things with you. The innovative Callet comes customized to fit perfectly on many of the the most popular phones that you already use, but it also has easily accessible and ultra-convenient slit-pockets that can hold your cash and cards. The Callet’s unique design allows for easy access to whatever you’re carrying with you. And the Callet has been specifically engineered to take up a minimal amount of space when holding your stuff, so it doesn’t have that bulky feeling when you’re on the go.

We know most of you now have a Blackberry or an iPhone, so the Callet is available for either one! You can get it for any Blackberry or iPhone models.

The Callet was created and founded in 2009 by four young entrepreneurs from the New York Metropolitan area. They come from all different backgrounds with one common idea: to create a new lifestyle product that everyone should use. After a year of research and development these young entrepreneurs have created the first ever convenient, trendy, and affordable all-in-one accessory for the Blackberry and iPhone.

BUY IT: The Callet is available to purchase on their website and at only $19.99 it is truly a great deal!!

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

As for the month of September, we will be giving away 3 copies of Chicken Soup books but this time, the new titles are

Chicken Soup For The Soul : Country Music.

The Inspirational Stories behind 101 of Your Favorite Country Songs

Songs tell a story, and now many of country music’s most famous singers and songwriters are sharing more of the story! These artists reveal the inspiration, influence, and background, and when and why they wrote their most famous songs, in this fresh collection of stories. The book also includes great photos of the songwriters and lyrics of many of the songs. A great gift for anyone who loves country music!

Remember, all it takes is for you to subscribe to our feed via email and you stand a chance to win the above products. It’s that easy!

Disclosure : Chicken Soup For The Soul books are courtesy of www.chickensoup.com

With all the choices of television and videos for children nowadays, it’s difficult to find one that is both stimulating and educational. There are so many 24 hour children’s television networks and often times you find that the shows on these stations are no more than mindless chatter. There is not much depth and while they might entertain your children, they do nothing for education.

Wisharoo Park is a new, multimedia edutainment center for preschool aged children and their parents that focuses on reinforcing positive social behaviors and building self esteem.

About Wisharoo Park:

Wisharoo Park is dedicated to promoting positive self-image and self-esteem in preschool age children. It was originally introduced by airing as a children’s TV series on PBS stations across the country and is now rolling out as a dynamic multimedia program which includes the interactive website WisharooPark.com, DVDs and more!
Unique among preschool programs, Wisharoo Park is designed to help children age 3 – 6 recognize and appreciate their individuality. With its groundbreaking technology-based curriculum, Wisharoo Park helps children discover and understand their personal strengths and put them on the road to developing greater self-esteem.  The Wisharoopark.com enchanting online community stars a whimsical cast of loveable animated, puppet and human characters who are featured in games, videos, music and more!  Each week exciting new activities and content are added that are sure to keep parents and their kids coming back again and again.

So what is the Duckle Dance? It’s a little bit of ballet, a little bit of tap, and a whole lot of whatever you want it to be but, most importantly, its moving and grooving family fun for all!

The best part is that no step is wrong- the dance is completely open to interpretation. So take a few minutes and check out this great video of some fun little ones doing the Duckle Dance- then let you little ones try it for themselves!!

To enter the Duckle Dance Sweepstakes presented by Capezio and Wisharoo Park, simply video your preschool kids doing the Duckle Dance and then enter those videos via downloads to your Facebook or YouTube accounts for a chance to win one of twenty Capezio and Wisharoo Prize packages or one of five $500 Dance Scholarships!!  You can submit your entries on the Duckle Dance website.

For more information you can connect with Wisharoo Park on their Facebook page, Twitter, or YouTube.

In addition to the great Duckle Dance Sweepstakes, Wisharoo Park and Capezio have offered a great prize pack to one of our lucky readers. The winner will receive:

• One Pair Capezio Daisy ballet Shoes.  Retail Value: $18.00
• One Pair Capezio Jr. Tyette Tap Shoes.  Retail Value: $25.00
• One Limited Edition Do the Duckle Commemorative T-Shirt.  Retail Value: $12.99
• One Capezio Logo Drawstring Backpack.  Retail Value: $8.50
• One Wisharoo Park 2-Disc 13 Episode DVD Set.  Retail Value: $19.99
• Six Wisharoo Park Wish Star finger puppets.  Retail Vaile: 19.98

• Tweet about the Duckle Dance Sweepstakes including the www.wisharoopark.com/duckledance link. Leave us a comment including the tweet url. Hurry!! The sweepstakes ends on Aug 31st, 2011!!!
• Post information about the Duckle Dance Sweepstakes on your blog or Facebook page.  Leave us a comment including a link to the post.
• Visit the Wisharoo Park Facebook page and post a video of your little one doing the Duckle Dance!!
• For 10 extra entries- Enter the Duckle Dance Sweepstakes and post a link in a comment to your entry.
• This giveaway ends Sept 5th, 2011.
• Giveaway is open to US shipping addresses only 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.

Good Luck!!

1. Rebekah Nazarian
2. Alicia Kirby
3. Sheila Stroh

For this month’s draw, Hairmax will be sponsoring Hairmax Product Line Set worth $39 for one winner (with US shipping add only). Here’s a look at what the products are:

HAIRMAX ENHANCING SHAMPOO – Retail Price: $12.00
Using their vast experience of over 20 years of research and clinical investigation, HairMax has developed a new approach to hair care. The process starts with a sulfate free base to gently cleanse the hair without stripping essential oils. Other shampoos contain sodium laurel sulfate (SLS), a harsh detergent that strips the natural oils from the hair follicle. SLS causes the oil glands to over-react creating too much oil. This excess oil converts to a waxy substance that builds up on the hair shaft and may restrict proper hair growth. HairMax Enhancing Shampoo is sulfate free and does not contain harsh chemicals like SLS. It gently cleanses the hair while combining with the hair’s own natural oils to lubricate and moisturize the hair shaft.

HairMax uses phytic acid in its shampoo system to lower the pH and promote a regenerative action on the base of the scalp, reducing oxidative stress layers. The shampoo system can be used by itself or in conjunction with the HairMax LaserComb. The HairMax shampoo system has a lower pH than most shampoo systems on the market. The company’s research indicates that the oils (sebum) produced in the hair follicle can turn into a waxy substance in higher alkaline environments. This lower pH, phytic acid based shampoo system helps to prevent the sebum build up and promotes the lubrication of the hair follicle to encourage healthier looking hair.

REVITALIZING CONDITIONER – Retail Price: $12.00
Most conditioners are thick and heavy, weighing down the hair making it look flat and difficult to style. HairMax Revitalizing Conditioner utilizes innovative botanicals that deeply moisturize the hair shaft then rinse free, leaving the hair soft and manageable without heavy build up. The HairMax Conditioner restores and protects the hair shaft while a combination of botanicals and vitamins rejuvenate your hair’s look and feel, leaving your hair smooth and shiny.

INVIGORATING SCALP TREATMENT – Retail Price: $7.50
Healthy hair comes from a healthy scalp. Perspiration, oils, environmental pollution and styling products can build up on the scalp clogging the hair follicle, leaving particle deposits that can clog hair follicles and leave hair looking flat and greasy. Invigorating Scalp Treatment is designed to dissolve these particles, washing them away, making your hair look healthy, clean and full of body. The Invigorating Scalp Treatment contains phytic acid to help reduce the pH of the scalp. When used in conjunction with the Hairmax LaserComb, this facilitates laser absorption from the HairMax into the scalp.

HAIR FORTIFIER – Retail Price: $7.50
Many of us take vitamins to maintain the health of our body. Well our scalp isn’t any different. HairMax Hair and Scalp Fortifier are vitamins for your hair. This product is infused with a special combination of botanical nutrients, DHT blockers and innovative ingredients, like caffeine, oleanolic acid and biotinoyl tripeptide, that are believed to have positive results for healthier looking hair. HairMax Hair and Scalp Fortifying mist is delivered directly to the root of the hair, maximizing the benefits these innovative ingredients may provide.

Remember, all it takes is for you to subscribe to our feed via email and you stand a chance to win the above products. It’s that easy!

Disclosure : Hairmax product line is courtesy of http://www.hairmax.com

Thank you so so much to everyone of you.

Now, the time has come to make that announcement….The bloggers who made it successfully into our Review Team are:

http://livinginlalalandblog.blogspot.com

http://thetruthaboutmummy.com

http://life-with-two-boys.blogspot.com

http://www.melanieski.blogspot.com

http://mommy2twogirls.blogspot.com

http://www.homegrownfamilies.blogspot.com

http://wishfulthinking247.blogspot.com

http://www.supermommyreviews.com

http://adventuresinallthingsfood.blogspot.com

http://bookreviewsandotherstuff.blogspot.com

http://www.babasfarmlife.com/

http://www.quicktattletails.com/

http://sweepnsave.blogspot.com

http://www.giveawayswithgrace.com

http://www.ayearwithmomanddad.com

http://tsue-thatswhatshesaid.blogspot.com

http://www.threelilprincesses.com

http://captainfussybuckets.blogspot.com

http://www.ourlifeinblogform.com

http://reflectionsinthewindow.blogspot.com

http://www.mummasminimes.com

http://www.ourkidsmom.com

http://sweepnsave.blogspot.com

There were so many great blogs out there and it was certainly no easy task making the selection. To those who did not make it this round, we hope to hear from you again next year.

Successful reviewers should have received emails from us by now. If you see your blog listed here and have not received our mail, please check your spam folder.

and  

There are so many reasons in the world today for Mom’s to worry.  From food, to water, to air and beyond- it seems as if almost everything we are surrounded by can be potentially harmful to us and our little babes to be!!  It can be overwhelming at times, trying to figure out what information to believe and how to protect ourselves adequately.

I am always thankful when someone makes it easy for us!!  I love companies who take the hard work on for us and provide us with great, easy solutions to some of these difficult issues.  Smart Sense is one of those companies- founded by two mother’s who are concerned about the long term health and well-being of their children and families.

These two fabulous sister’s came up with an easy solution to the problem of radioactive waves caused by our wonderful microwaves.  The SmartCover is made from a specialized fabric that is a blend of cotton and interwoven with metallic stainless steel fibers, enabling it to block radiation.  It takes less than a minute to put on your microwave and after that there is no reason to remove it.  It provides peace of mind for those concerned about their children (or husbands) standing too close to the microwave while cooking their favorite foods (like popcorn)!!

About the SmartCover:

These great ladies have also come up with a great alternative for women who are concerned about the effects of everyday radiation.  The SmartShawl is an anti radiation protection shawl for women to help in blocking the radiation from those items we use everyday- our computers, iPods, and cell phones.  They are also great for pregnant women to help protect those sweet unborn babies.

About SmartShawl:

The Smartsense™ SmartShawl is made from premium quality cotton fibers and lined with our specialized anti-radiation fabric. Our specialized fabric is made from 100% cotton yarn blended with micron thin metal fibers made from stainless steel. The lining is soft and feels just like any other fabric. The specialized fabric has been tested by an independent lab to block radiation.

The Smartsense™ SmartShawl was developed to give women peace of mind while surrounded by everyday radiation.

You can find out more about these great products by connecting with Smart Sense on Facebook or by checking out their FAQ!!

Buy It! : You can purchase a SmartCover and SmartShawl on the Smart Sense website.  They come in a great variety of colors and fabrics so go pick your favorite out today!!