Zoobies and Ducki’s and Yoyo’s Oh My! ……………….A Canadian Give Away

Zoobies. Have you heard of them? Well my daughter has, and she has been aching to get her hands on one FOREVER. Zoobies are the cutest Zoo animals and they can transform from a plush stuffed animal, to a pillow, to a blanket! SO great for car rides and sleepovers! These super cool Zoobies are wonderfully squishy providing hours of fun cuddling time and are quite easy to transform thanks to a magic velcro strip holding the soft fleece blanket inside the body. Even my 8 year old can get the wonderfully soft blanket back inside her Zoobie all by herself. My favourite feature, the blanket can be detached for easy washing.

The lovely people from Stortz & Associates Inc sent me a Zoobie of our very own. My SweetGirl was beside herself with excitement. I’ll admit I was kind of kicking myself, I should have hidden that little baby away until her birthday next month! Check him out:

My SweetGirl loves this stuffed toy now named “Roger”. He has been loved, and cuddled and now has a place of honour in her bedroom. Zoobies have won numerous awards including the Green Parents’ List, the iParenting Media Award, and Best Bet 2008 by the Canadian Toy Testing Council. I can see why. The Zoobie is a winner!

Of course when you are checking out a great site like Stortz, you can’t stop after just browsing through just one section of toys! Take a look at this wonderful little Ducki.

He is called the Dano2 Ducki. Now my youngest daughter is 8 and I thought I might have a tough time reviewing a “rubber duck”, but she was eager to help! The information from Stortz bears repeating:

* PVC-free, FDA-compliant medical grade materials. Also BPA- and Phthalate-free.

* A hatch on the bottom that opens for cleaning and to allow it to air out at the end of each bath.

* 2 teething surfaces: the tail and the beak.

* Adorable, unique design by pop-art toymaker Daniel Monahan.

* 4 fun colors: Citrus, Raspberry, Caribbean, and Mint.

Little rubber ducks have come a long way! All this AND it is Dishwasher safe! Oh Dano2 Ducki where have you been for the last 10 years?

Finally. A YoYo. Not just any old yoyo, the world’s first bio-compostable yoyo! Seriously! It is from Weatware and they state their yoyo’s are compostable, so they leave no trace when disposed of properly. Great for kids, adults and the Earth! It is simple, clean and very cool.

My girls are having a great time with their new safe, unique and in one case eco-friendly toys, but why should they have all the fun. The very generous people of Stortz have offered to giveaway to one lucky reader one of everything I just boasted about!

That is over $60.00 worth of fabulous toys!

Here is how to win:

Mandatory Entry:

1. Take a look at some of the amazing product lines Stortz & Associates represents. Tell me, which line or toy do you think your child or someone special would enjoy?

Easy Extra Entries:

1. Follow me publicly on Google or tell me you already do

1. Vote for me here! Babble has me on their list. Woo Hoo. I’m at #7o right now. Just give me the thumbs up and then tell me that you did.

2. Follow me on Twitter @SassyModernMom or tell me that you already do, and give this giveaway a tweet. Leave your twitter name! You can tweet once every 24 hours. Just cut and paste:

WIN COOL Toys for the special little people in your life! Zoobies & Duckis & Yoyo’s Oh My! @SassyModernMom #GiveAway http://bit.ly/czxpcl

3. Give me a new Vote at "Top Mommy Blogger" by following this link:

Top Mommy Blogs. You can do this once a day all week, then come on back and tell me you did! Thanks!

4. Like me on my facebook page! Please. It’s right there on the sidebar!

Again, PLEASE…leave separate comments for each entry and make sure I can contact you!! Leave me a valid e-mail address!

Contest is open to residents of Canada and closes Friday Aug 6th.

The winner will be picked by Random.org and will have 72 hours to respond once they are contacted or a new winner will be drawn.

Good Luck!

Disclosure: I was provided with the above mentioned products in order to give my own personal opinions on it. The opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but were not influenced by the company or the product provided.

*photo credits to Stortz and How To Survive Life In The Suburbs!

*this contest is now closed

Damaged – We Have A Winner

I am a ferocious reader and was thrilled to be able to review Damaged by Canadian Author Pam Callow.   Thanks to all who entered!

I plugged the numbers into Random.org and the lucky number is: 10!

Congratulations  to   Missy who said... 10

I "Like" you!
missyprissy09@gmail.com

You have yourself a great new summer read!

 

If you didn’t win, don’t worry!  I have another great giveaway package starting today!!

Enjoy the weekend.

Mwah!

Bed Rest Sucks

I am on bed rest.  In case you missed my earlier complaining, I fell down like an old lady and some things went crack.  Ouch!  The Doctor in her infinite wisdom thought my back and ribs might do well if I swallowed a whack of drugs and tried two weeks of bed rest. My ravaged beat up body needs some time to heal. 

Ha!  Time to heal!  I am a mother of two, it’s summer, and I am a stay at home mom.  I don't get eight hours of sleep in a night, how on earth am I going to pull off two whole weeks of being in bed?

Well, I am halfway done and can now definitely tell you, I suck at bed rest.  It’s boring, it is making me fat, and I feel guilty all the time. 

I have resisted vacuuming and all things cleaning, but I can’t stop being a Mom!   I am still “Queen of the Carpool” and the newest development, I am now the “Queen of Overcompensation”. 

The girls have had special dinners, extra treats, later bed times, a boost in allowance..but still the Mommy guilt.  Bed rest is over on Sunday?  Well, Monday really but don’t tell.  So what do I do?  In the throws of one particular moment of Mommy guilt madness, after telling my girls “I’m sorry”, “I can’t”, and making excuses one time more then I could stand, I blurt out this wonderful idea.

We need to have a good old fashioned Pizza and Pool Party! (Cause that won’t be stressful.)  This Saturday.  Think before you speak!

The counters are covered in crap, the garbage pails are full, the laundry baskets are over flowing, we need groceries and the dog hair is taking over the house.   We are clearly in no shape to be having a bash, BUT, I don’t want my girls to remember this summer as the one where Mommy always said “later” and “not right now honey” and spent her entire time in bed. 

Sigh.  Bring on the good back drugs, bring on the Starbucks, turn a blind eye to the house out of control cause this Mama is throwing a party! 

If you’re around, drop in!  I’ll be by the pool, with my camera, my pain pills, (my Hubby to help!) and surrounded by ten screaming sugar filled happy little girls.

Cheers! 

Linky Love: There is still time to enter to win Damaged by Pam Callow.  A great read even if you are not on bed rest!

The One Where I Flash the Lawn Boy

Note to self:

You live in the Suburbs, not a deserted island.  Occasionally there will be people who are close enough to your house that they will be able to see into your windows without even trying.  This is especially possible if your dear Hubby hires the lawn boy to do a little extra work.  

Dear Lawn Boy,

I am so sorry.  Blush.  I didn’t know you were in my backyard.  If I had known this I most certainly would not have been so bold as to take off my shirt and change my bra in the middle of the kitchen as you strode up onto the back deck!  Eeek!  I apologize for the fright I must have given you, and trust me when I say you scared the hell out of me.  Never before have I darted so quickly behind the island in the kitchen, and this is the first time I have had to commando crawl in my own house…half nudie to find my shirt.  Sigh.  So now you know, this is what real women’s boobs look like.  Boobs that are 39 years old and have nursed 2 children.  Clearly I did not know you were there or I would have sucked it in  I am not that kind of desperate housewife.

Hope I can avoid you forever until you come back to cut the grass next week.

Signed

Ten colors of red, giggling and laughing while screaming at my Hubby for not telling me the lawn boy was coming early, ridiculously embarrassed, Married Cougar in the Suburbs.

*photo credit flickr

Damaged Give Away

Photo credit pamcallow.com

In Canadian Author Pamela Callow’s debut thriller we are immediately plunged into the world of Kate Lange. A 30 something lawyer struggling to leave behind a troubled family history, and a recently failed romance. Kate is determined to move on. She has acquired a coveted position in a well respected law firm in Halifax and has paid her dues. After weaving her way through family law cases, Kate is thrilled to be assigned her first big case. This determined young women is soon baffled and shocked when she begins to unearth some villainous and terrifying facts hidden just beneath the surface. What started out as the case that could launch Kate’s career now threatened to be the one that would change her life forever.

The book jacket says it all…

How far are you willing to go to forget your past?

Haunted by the death of her sister, and wounded by her ex-fiance's accusations, Kate Lange throws herself into her new career at a high-powered law firm.

When the grandmother of a lonely private school student seeks her counsel, Kate thinks it's just another custody case. Until the teen is brutally murdered. And it isn't only Kate who wonders if her legal advice led to the girl's death.

How far are you willing to go to redeem yourself?

Put on notice by Randall Barrett, the firm's charismatic managing partner, Kate must fight for her career, for her reputation -- and for redemption.

Unwilling to live with the damage she has caused, Kate pursues the case on her own and unearths some chilling facts.

Facts that lead straight to the heart of a legal conspiracy.

Facts that lead Kate directly into the surgically-skilled hands of the Body Butcher.

Told with lightening speed the Author creates an addictive page turner. Courtrooms and back alleys, morgues, scandal and grisly murders. My heart raced as Damaged had me anxious to find out what happened next and yet the pictures were painted so vividly that at times I was afraid to turn the page! This book kept me up at night, I didn’t want to put it down. It also had me hunting the house, as my Hubby kept stealing my copy to read for himself! If you enjoy a fast paced murder mystery with a twist of medical drama and legal savvy this is a read you don’t want to miss!

The good news, I have a copy of Damaged by Pamela Callow to give away! Here’s how to win:

Mandatory Entry:

1. Follow me publicly on Google or tell me you already do.

Easy Extra Entries:

1. Vote for me here! Babble has me on their list. Woo Hoo. I’m at #7o right now. Just give me the thumbs up and then tell me that you did.

2. Follow me on Twitter @SassyModernMom or tell me that you already do, and give this giveaway a tweet. Leave your twitter name! You can tweet once every 24 hours. Just cut and paste:

WIN a copy of Damaged by Pamela Callow A Canadian Author. Experience her 1st Thriller! @SassyModernMom #GiveAway http://bit.ly/aXwQHb

3. Give me a new Vote at "Top Mommy Blogger" by following this link:

Top Mommy Blogs. They have re-set so I really need your votes!

You can do this once a day all week, then come on back and tell me you did! Thanks!

4. Like me on my facebook page! Please. It’s right there on the sidebar!

Again, PLEASE…leave separate comments for each entry and make sure I can contact you!! Leave me a valid e-mail address!

Contest is open to residents of Canada and the United States and closes Friday July 30th.

The winner will be picked by Random.org and will have 72 hours to respond once they are contacted or a new winner will be drawn.

Good Luck!

*contest closed

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of Damaged in order to give my own personal opinions on it. The opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but were not influenced by the company or the product provided.

Happy Wife Happy Life

The keys to domestic bliss may include commitment, compromise, and communication, but if you want to keep your Wife really happy it’s the little things! 

I could easily give you a list of things NOT to do, like picking your toes nails in public, farting in the marital bed, or ogling girls, but seriously those are way to common sense.  (and for the record the dutch oven is the only one I have personally had to deal with) Instead I thought I would touch on a few “To Do’s”!  I like those!

-Pick your underwear up off the bathroom floor. I don’t want to pick up the skivvies of my children, I sure as heck don’t want to pick up yours.

- Take the garbage out without whining that you are sick of it it being your job.  Tough.  It is your job, so deal with it.

-Write your gorgeous wife a love letter once in a while.  With a PEN and paper.  Texts and e-mails are totally appreciated, but not nearly as sexy.

-Kiss her hello and goodbye every time you see her!  Every. Time.

-Enjoy dinner together with the Television OFF.  Conversation is good!

-Remember that Golf may be fun, but those clubs won’t keep you warm at night.

-Sometimes a back rub can be just that.  A back rub, we like those.

-Instead of asking “What’s for dinner?” every single night, go ahead and OFFER to cook dinner for her!  Woo hoo.  Huge points!

-Know that it is okay to say No to a “boys night out” in favor of staying home with your family.

-Squish all the scary bugs.

-Investigate all creepy noises.

-Take a turn being the bad guy with the kids.

-Liked that meal?  Go for seconds!  I’ll admit it, I’m not much of a cook, so when I hit on a dish that is worthy of seconds, I am all kinds of proud.

-Remember that a man who bakes and cleans is hot.  Seriously. 

Just plain tell her you love her…..in a hundred different ways.

Sigh. .  Almost 14 years so he must be doing something right…anything I should add to the list to help get us through the next 50 years?

Road Trip! Medieval Times Lay’s ChipTrip

King’s and Queens, horses and villains, jousting and cheers! Thanks to Lay’s Chips and their fabulous Chip Trips program we spent our Saturday night eating with our hands and yelling our heads off, enjoying some wonderful family time.

On Saturday afternoon we packed up the car with the kids and mandatory snacks, and made the two and a half hour drive to Toronto’s Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament. The only one in Canada! The girls got to see what the big city looked like and even caught a glimpse of the CN Tower!

We entered the castle and were blown away by the sheer size of the building, not to mention the gentleman in full costume….a Royal Falconer with a falcon on his shoulder! We arrived just in time to witness the King of the land perform a “Knighting” for a little one’s birthday. What a great place for a birthday celebration. There was even a 40th birthday party in then house. This is a show appropriate for all ages.

We wandered through the castle admiring the wares for sale, falcons in their coop and horses being stabled. It wasn’t long before it was time to take our seats in the “Black and White” section and prepare to cheer on our Knight to victory. Our family put on our Black and White crowns and found our seats. This facility can seat up to 1 400 people and I don’t think there is a bad seat in the place.

A little about the show from the Medieval Times Website:

Welcome to the 11th century! King Philippe and his daughter-in-law, Princess Leonore, preside over a four-course feast. Below, privileged royal guests are transported to faraway lands including a romantic snowy rendezvous in the woods and an authentic medieval tournament for the Battle of Champions ® -- with the help of Hollywood-caliber special effects, of course.

We were at our table in no time and admiring the scope of the huge arena. Our Serf came around to introduce himself, and let us know he would be taking care of us for the evening, and serving up that four course meal. I’ve never had a serf before, I could get quite used to this! He quickly brought out our first course which was a piping hot tomato bisque soup and delicious piece of garlic bread. My SweetGirl had a hoot drinking her soup without a spoon!

The second course was enough to feed a small army! Both girls were convinced the piece of oven roasted chicken was actually an entire chicken placed on their plates, I do wish I had caught their reactions when it was presented.

Added to this was a juicy sparerib and a baked potato. Again, no utensils, so this also means no more food pictures! Ha. I was a sticky mess. The food was remarkably well done and I am amazed at how quickly and efficiently they could feed such a large crowd!

We washed it all down with our Pepsi and still managed to save room for an apple pastry. All the while swords clashed as the Knights fought on to save the Prince from the wicked Green Knight and bring back peace to the Kingdom. Medieval Times creates a jubilant unique fun filled dinner theatre experience! I’ll admit it, I cheered until I was nearly hoarse.

There was an amazing display of horsemen skills, a flying falcon show, jousting, and the most beautiful and well trained horses you have ever seen. Finally the Green Knight was defeated, sadly, not by our Black and White Knight, and the crowed cheered as the Prince and the Red Knight were victorious.

For two hours I was lost in the magic of Medieval Times. I didn’t think about laundry, or grocery's, play date drama or to do lists. I simply got carried away with the other revelers, waved my flag, and cheered right along side my grinning children. We had a great time and gave our children a summertime memory they will smile about for years.

Thanks Medieval Times and Lay’s!

I am participating in the Lay’s Chip Trips program on behalf of Frito Lay. I will receive Lay’s Chip Trip points and a gift card to offset my Chip Trips. The points and gift card in no way affected the opinions reflected in this post.

Today I Was A Bitch

It ticked me off when I came downstairs to the kitchen and the crap magnet counter was covered in toast crumbs, butter knives, half empty glasses and PB &J.  Not the sandwiches, the actual peanut butter and the jam.  Gross.

Every single light, in every single room, in the entire house was ON.

The TV was blaring, but the kids were playing on the computer.

The Dog had no water.

I asked my 11 year old to have a shower and she stomped her feet like a toddler.

Both girls decided they did not like the brand new clothes I had purchased and chosen for them to wear today.

I heard toooo many  times“I want”, “I need”, “I don’t want to”.

They were fighting with each other about EVERYTHING!

I snapped.

PUT your own dishes away, I am not a maid.

Turn off all those lights NOW.

NO more TV.

Turn off the computer. I don’t care if you’re in the middle of a game and all your villagers are going to die! 

Listen to your Mother!

Get YOUR pets some water!

BlueEyed Girl, Get Your Butt into the Shower and stop stomping your feet…like this…waa waa waa   (Yes I even demonstrated…very mature of me..ever seen a 5 foot 9 blond have a temper tantrum?)

Get Dressed and LEAVE ME ALONE Mommy needs 5 minutes!

Then I huffed my way upstairs and felt…miserable, teary, sick.

Have I turned into one of those yelly short tempered parents that fly off the handle for no good reason?  I had a few flashbacks to my own childhood.  Crap.

Apologies were made.

I will not run a house where my kids feel like they have to walk on eggshells.  Where they don’t know what to expect from one moment to the next.

I may have had a headache, been ticked at my Hubby, frustrated with the world and had a million other excuses. 

I may have been a bitch today, but I really am not that Mom.

Sorry Girls.

Wii JumpStart® Get Moving™ Family Fitness Winner

Thanks for all who entered! I really do wish I had more then one of these fabulous games to giveaway.  I plugged in all of your numbers into the magic Random.org and the lucky number is 39.

Congrats to

Mrs. Liberty who said... 39

I voted on top mommy blogs!

** Mrs Liberty I was unable to find an e-mail address for you.  You have 72 hours to contact me with your snail mail address or I will have to draw for another winner!!  (modernmom at rocket mail dot com)

Hope you all have a happy and healthy weekend!

Mwah!

How a Heat Wave Can Make You Broke

During the biggest heat wave of the century here in the Suburbs, my air-conditioner decided it can not survive one day longer.  The furnace died right along with it.  From sympathy pains?  We must replace them both NOW.  Air and Heat, not an option in Canada.

Of course while withstanding this cruel weather that our poor Canadian Children are not used to, sans air-conditioning,  I go for Mother of the Year and allow my monsters children extra helping of freezies and popsicles.  You know, to help cool them down.  On one of those trips to the freezer, one of those delightful little girls left the deep freezer door wide open.  EVERYTHING THAWED and the result is the worst kind of stinky summertime funky.  Ug.

Toss the funk, and off to Costco we go to replace the lost freezer food.  Costco is clearly a wise choice because I never over spend there.  While there I decide I NEED 24 giant double chocolate chip muffins and a lifetime supply of toothpaste.  Um impulse buy much?

Absorb the sticker shock of my Costco total by eating more then my share of those muffins.  I am left with an an oh so pleasant “Why did I eat so much?” feeling.  I felt so fat and gross I decided I had to buy some more Lulu Lemon pants to make my butt look good get me all motivated to workout!

On my way home from Lulu I couldn’t just walk buy those lonely shoes on the sale rack, not when they were crying out for me to take them home!  A quick stop for a mani to help me cope with all the stress!  Sigh.

Turns out if you take away a girls air-conditioning, she is going to need some retail therapy to get through it. 

 

LinkyLove

Wii game giveaway ends Friday!

I‘m Neurotic & He Still Loves Me

I worry that because my Wedding rings feel tight  my finger might be broken?  Did I sprain it?  This could be the on set of arthritis!  He reminds me it is 40 flippin degrees Celsius out. Hot and sticky plus popcorn equals rings not fitty.  He calms me down. 

He reminds me that a headache can be just that.  A headache.  Google and symptom checker, not always my friend.

I’m sure that this outfit, the seventh I have tried on, is just as bad as the first six.  He truly cares, and helps me find something I feel good in.  He loves me enough to help me find a pair of “you don’t look fat in those pants”.  He makes me feel “hawt”.

He gets that chocolate chip cookies are the perfect breakfast food. He doesn’t judge, as a matter of fact, sometimes he even bakes! 

He finds it endearing…ok he tolerates it, when he finds croutons in the bed.  Who eats salad in bed?  Um Me.

He knows if I’m in a bad mood..like almost never, cause I’m perfect……that it is best to never ever ask if I have PMS, or acknowledge that mood!  Actually it might be best not to make eye contact, just bring chocolate. 

He lets me have the aisle seat on the plane, even though he is the one way over 6 feet…cause I need it….I just do!  It feels less confined, there is more power in that seat, he rolls with it.

I always get the side of the bed that is closer to the bathroom too.  I don’t know why, but I need that side, it’s better.

He shakes his head and plays along when I ask him for the third time “Are you sure this chicken isn’t pink?”.

He will even taste the milk to assure me it isn’t sour.

He gets my particular kind of crazy.  He is the calm to my spaz, and the quiet to my chat. 

Sometimes I can’t believe how lucky I am that he loves me….cause I’m all neurotic like that. 

hp TouchSmart 300 PC -Review

In our home we have 2 desk top computers, 1 ancient laptop and my beloved HP mini.  I take her everywhere!  So when I was contacted by the people of HP to see if I wanted to give their hp TouchSmart 300 PC a try I thought – meh- okay.  We are pretty computer heavy in this house already but the technology sounded cool.  So, I accepted.

The TouchSmart arrived and I waited for my Hubby to get home to help me set it up.  Yes, I will admit it, I usually find all things computer intimidating.  Turns out I had nothing to worry about.  Set-up was a snap!  Easy to follow instructions were included on a step by step poster. We were ready to go in no time. 

Turned it on and OH MY GOSH!!  Would it be weird to say it’s pretty?  Beautiful even?  Oh, and so thin.  We had a discussion about where to put it. and then all four of my family members sat, some of us oooohhhing and some us giggling through the on screen tutorials.  This baby packs some wow factor. 

We have had the computer for nearly three months.  One little hiccup was quickly cleared up courtesy of the very friendly 1 –8oo HELP ME HELP ME line.  Okay so it’s not called that, but it was a stupid problem that was frustrating the heck out of me, and the computer tech man fixed it in like a minute. 

Some of the things I love about the HP TouchSmart 300PC:

The wireless keyboard and mouse.

The super thin, and as I already mentioned pretty monitor.  It would fit anywhere in your home.  Is it wrong that I want to re-do my kitchen and make the little pretty a permanent home?  You know, keep it?  I adore that it is so thin and compact that it really could go anywhere.  So important when you want to keep an eye on what your kids are doing while on the internet. Of course the incredibly cool Touch Smart Screen.  It is very “George Jetson”.  We were all flicking, scrolling and pinching our way like pro’s in no time. 

The Touch Smart Photo Program.  I don’t post many personal photos on my blog but I have been branded the “Paparazzi” in my house.  I take a million photos, even the pets are tired of me chasing them around.  I loved the photo program. 

The ability to easily have multiple windows open at the same time and switch back and forth.

The Speed!  Oh my goodness the speed. 

My girls enjoyed the experience of actually writing notes back and forth to each other using their finger tips, and Webkinz and other family friendly games were taken to a whole new level with the ability to use a touch screen. 

I have to admit the girls were much quicker then I was to catch on to the best ways to slide, touch and manipulate the Smart Screen,  perhaps because they have an IPod Touch while my biggest love is my Blackbery. There is a bit of a learning curve, but I caught on.

The kids now battle over who gets to play on this pretty little computer. I fixed that by putting it in the dining room and calling it mine!

Of all of our new experiences on the HP Touch, my favourite is the last project we tackled.  I went to my dear daughters school and took about 100 pictures of her and all of her classmates playing, jumping, dancing and hamming it up.  When she came home we downloaded all those crazy shots by taking my camera card and sliding it into the designated slot on the side of the computer.  Brilliant!!  (No need to track down that camera cord)  We then edited the shots we liked and created a video slideshow with the HP Touch Smart Photo Program.  Added the song Hey, Soul Sister courtesy of my recent Train CD purchase, and created the coolest  slideshow ever!  BlueEyes was so proud to present a burned copy of this CD as part of her teacher gift!  Fun.

We had a great time with this computer, my only problem at this point, I don’t know how this little family is going to function without the HP Touch Smart.

Thanks HP!

Disclosure: I was provided with an HP TouchSmart 300 to use for 3 months in order to test the products’ abilities and give my own personal opinions of it. The opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but were not influenced by the company or the product provided.

*Photo credits www.hp.com

Linky Love: Wii Game Giveaway Ends Friday

Wii JumpStart® Get Moving™ Family Fitness –Review and A Give Away!

The lazy days of summer are here but that is no reason to let you kids become couch potatoes!  JumpStart has introduced a new game for Wii called Get Moving Family Fitness Sports Edition.  When my kids heard that I had the opportunity to review this product they were all kinds of excited!  They were already fans of all things JumpStart so could not wait to get their little paws on this new adventure.

My extremely computer savvy 8 year old SweetGirl set us up.  Easy Peasy. As they waited for the Wii to update they enthusiastically discussed the more then 10 Exotic Arenas they would get to explore with Brooke Burke.  Yes, I had to explain who that was:)

Here is a little info from JumpStart

For years, JumpStart has been creating the best learning games for kids. Now, with Get Moving: Family Fitness, JumpStart is making fitness fun too! Discover the ultimate family sports game with fitness expert and mom of four, Brooke Burke.  With more than 15 sports challenges in 11 exotic arenas, Get Moving™ is the fun, new way to keep your family active!

Time to play!

First my darling daughters created their own characters.  Always fun to have a virtual mini me!  This really is always one of their favourite parts, to play with their own unique characters.  Then we were ready to go!  They played Basketball, Volleyball, Football, Baseball, Raced and Boxed, Rode Bikes, Speed Skated and had a great giggle during the flying race.  Whew!   They did all of these amazing things from the comfort of our very own living room. 

I took my turn at Step Aerobics, Pinball and Dodge ball.  Then I tapped out.  Good grief am I out of shape!

This jumpstart game made excellent use of that wii balance board and kept us all on our feet.  (Note: You do not have to own a wii balance board to use this game) I loved that there was no way to “cheat”.  You had to get up and move to make the games work!  Running on that balance board, playing with my kids, I know we are going to have hours of fun with this new game.  If the girls are going to be playing video games I like that they will be moving and grooving! At this point their fave appears to be the step aerobics!  Huh.  Maybe I should get them some headbands and leg warmers to really kick it up a notch :)  They could not be any cuter bouncing along to the hip hoppy and country beats.

Want to get your family out of the heat, and up and moving?  Looking for a game the entire family can play together?

Here is your chance to win your very own copy.

Mandatory Entry 

Tell me what your fave way to get up and moving is.  Is there something your family does together as a family?  Go on, inspire me!

Easy Extra Entries

1. Vote for me here! Babble has me on their list. Woo Hoo. I’m at #72 right now.

2. Follow me on Twitter @SassyModernMom or tell me that you already do, and give this giveaway a tweet. Leave your twitter name! You can tweet once every 24 hours. Just cut and paste: 

Win a Wii  JumpStart® Get Moving™ Family Fitness game! Great fun for the entire family @SassyModernMom  #GiveAway http://bit.ly/anoVwu

3. Follow me publicly on Google or tell me you already do.

4. Give me a new Vote at "Top Mommy Blogger" by following this link:

Top Mommy Blogs.  They have re-set so I really need your votes!

You can do this once a day all week, then come on back and tell me you did!  Thanks! 

5. Like me on my facebook page! Please. It’s right there on the sidebar!

Again, PLEASE…leave separate comments for each entry and make sure I can contact you!! Leave me a valid e-mail address!

Contest is open to residents of Canada and the United States and closes Friday July 16th.

The winner will be picked by Random.org and will have 72 hours to respond once they are contacted or a new winner will be drawn.

Good Luck!

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of JumpStart® Get Moving™ Family Fitness at no cost by Knowledge Adventure in order to test the products’ abilities and give my own personal opinions on it. The opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but were not influenced by the company or the free product provided.

CSN Winner-Le Creuset

A Le Creuset 9 inch Square Baking Dish in Caribbean

A Le Creuset 5 inch Square Baking Dish in Caribbean and

A Le Creuset 7.25 inch Handle Mitt in Caribbean!

Are you holding your breath?  I am so excited to be able to announce the winner of the CSN giveaway!  Random.org dug deep and the lucky number is: 56

Congrats to

He & Me + 3 said... 56

I follow your blog.

Congrats to you!!  Drop me an e-mail to claim your prize!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Mwah!

40th Birthdays & Funerals?

Have you spent any time thinking about what your 40th birthday will mean to you?  Are you already past 40 and full of wonderful wisdom you can share?  I’m thinking about that dreaded decade of my 40’s more then I care to admit lately.  Now wait a second.  I still have almost an entire year before the big four oh, the problem is the remarkable number of “Surprise” parities, 40th birthday parties, and cocktail parties I have been attending as of late.

I have concluded that 40th birthday parties are kind of like funerals.  Seriously!  Seems to me the 40th party is a huge reflection of the birthday guy or gal….it gives us a glimpse into what there very last get together might look like too.

That great big surprise party that I went to back in February.  That girl had every person she had ever met show up at that thing.  It was sickly sweet, short and to the point. Just like her.  Got me thinking.  Wouldn’t her funeral be the EXACT same way?  That girl would pack the house.

The outdoor bon fire party starring the reformed partier that went until the wee hours. He is the guy who NEVER misses a GOOD paaarrttyy. Fer sure his funeral would be a rowdy celebration of his life, followed up by a massive wake and cheers all around. 

The party that I threw this weekend for a girlfriends 40th.  It was politely attended by her nearest and dearest friends, and all of their kids.  There were some good laughs, fabulous food, great wine.  Yep.  Her funeral would be the same way.  Civil, nice, polite.

Well folks, I’m not going out like this.  On my 40th birthday I am leaving this country on a plane.  I will be somewhere disgustingly romantic that helps me stroke something off my bucket list. Think Paris, or the Grand Caymen Islands.  I’m not sharing my 40th birthday with anyone but my Hubby and maybe my kids, cause apparently I am all kinds of selfish like that.  Does this mean no one will come to my funeral? That the funeral parlour will be empty.  Just me and my laptop? 

Crap. 

Do you think they have twitter in heaven?  Well, at least I’ll be smiling until the day I find out! 

So tell me, how do you see your 40th birthday?

Mwah

Linky Love: I could use some love at Top Mommy Blogs.  They reset their counter do hickeys and I took a bad fall|:( 

CSN giveaway ends Friday!

Deep Thoughts from the Suburbs

My child is 11 years old and it was 11:30 at night.  When I  went to check on her last night I did the lick your finger stick it under her nose to make sure she is still breathing thing.  Haven’t pulled that one out in a long time.

Presidents Choice Chocolate Chip cookies were on sale at the grocery store today.  We bought 3 bags.  These cookies never disappoint.  I guarantee their won’t be one cookie left by Wednesday.

I bought my 11 year old daughter a size Small shirt at American Eagle. It fit her perfectly.  She is a little gymnast with a six pack.  Suddenly don’t feel so bad about those size Larges I’m sporting. 

We went to a family wedding last weekend.  The couple were so in love and the ceremony was lovely.  Years ago you enjoyed a wedding if there was a free bar.  Now the sign of a good wedding is if the facility has good bathrooms, you can park fairly close to the hall so your killer heels don’t hurt your toes, and you can arrange a sitter who is skilled enough to get your kids to fall asleep BEFORE you get home.  Old much?

My kids know every word to “I Kissed a Girl and I Liked it”. Mmm  Is this a sign of bad parenting?

I’m going to go back outside to watch my kids act like monkeys on the climber and bake my brain in some more in the sun.  Clearly need that!

Hope you have a wonderfully random Monday!

Mwah!

 

Linky love.  CSN giveaway ends Friday.

CSN * Le Creuset Giveaway

Forever and a day ago I had my share of engagement gifts, wedding showers, and housewarming gifts. Now that I have been married for almost 14 years I am suddenly feel the need to bling up my place a little bit. You know, replace the old towels with fresh new ones, perhaps spruce up my house with some fab wall sconces and of course replace the dishes that used to be complete set (pre-children) with some bright shiny new funky ones! I just spent more time then I care to admit browsing the more then 200 stores that are available through CSN Stores.

A little about CSN Stores from their site:

CSN is made up of more than 200 online niche shops offering a huge selection of products ranging from barstools and bedroom sets to grills, greenhouses and gaming equipment. We have items for budget-minded shoppers, luxury seekers and everyone in between.

CSN Stores is the perfect place for a busy Mama to do some shopping. I love to sneak it in after my kids have gone to bed, or do a little browsing when the kiddos are occupied with a good old fashioned board game. Don’t judge, a Mom can only play so many games of CandyLand before she needs a break!

Most recently I sifted through CSN’s Shoes, Bags and Luggage, some great deals on Dining Room Furniture, and some fabulous ideas for my backyard.

I settled on some incredible finds in the Housewares Department. Do you want to see what I picked out for my home sweet home?

Ohhh Yes! Fun and gorgeous Le Creuset Mixing Bowls. Perfect for baking up a storm.

With this fabulous Le Creuset Mini Casserole Dish in my kitchen I may just be inspired to do some cooking.

OH and did I mention how easy it is to do this ordering on line? You can pay by PayPal, your orders come with an easy to follow tracking order and delivery is fairly quick!

Now don’t worry I didn’t forget about you when I was shopping! Thanks to CSN Stores I am able to offer you his fantastic giveaway!! A little something to pep up your kitchen! Yes, a giveaway!!

A Le Creuset 9 inch Square Baking Dish in Caribbean

A Le Creuset 5 inch Square Baking Dish in Caribbean and

A Le Creuset 7.25 inch Handle Mitt in Caribbean!

Yes! All three! Sweet!

Want to know how to win?

Mandatory Entry:

Hop on over to CSN Stores and come back and tell me about one item you find intriguing on their site. Easy!

Bonus Entries:

1. Like me on my facebook page! Please. It’s right there on the sidebar!

2. Follow me on Twitter @SassyModernMom or tell me that you already do, and give this giveaway a tweet. Leave your twitter name! You can tweet once every 24 hours. Just cut and paste:

Win a gorgeous Set of Le Creuset Baking Dishes in a breezy Caribbean blue! @SassyModernMom #Giveaway http://bit.ly/d5WWHB

3. Follow me publicly on Google or tell me you already do.

4. Give me a new Vote at "Top Mommy Blogger" by following this link:

Top Mommy Blogs.

(Don’t worry I’ll know if you voted cause my number will creep up)

**You can do this once every 24 hours, then come back and tell me you did! Easy extra entry!

5. Vote for me here! Babble has me on there list. Woo Hoo. I’m at #72 right now.

Again, PLEASE…leave separate comments for each entry and make sure I can contact you!! Leave me a valid e-mail address!

Contest is open to residents of the United States and Canada and closes Friday July 9th.

The winner will be picked by Random.org and will have 72 hours to respond once they are contacted or a new winner will be drawn.

Good Luck!

* I received product in exchange for hosting this giveaway. No monetary compensation was given for this post. The opinions in this post are my honest opinions and have not been influenced by the reception of said product.