Pebble.com Make Shopping A Breeze

With having twins, I don’t get out all too often to shop.  With the modern conveniences of the internet nowadays, I can do a lot of shopping online.  In fact, I would prefer to sit in my pjs while the boys played and get what I need for the family.  Too bad, I actually have to go to the grocery store!

One of the things I looks for the most when I am shopping for an item, especially a pricey one, is how other people have rated the item, their opinions, and most importantly the price.  A lot of the time, I find myself jumping from one site to another to find the cheapest and best option to get the most for my money.  My husband has taught me to “do my research” and with the internet, it makes it easy to look all the available options out there.

I was recently introduced to Pebble.com.  This is a comparative shopping site where you can find the item you are looking for and get the best available price.   For instance, I did a search on a Canon 50D (a girl can dream can’t she?), and it instantly pulled up all the places that carried the camera and their price.   You  can view a brief description of the item and underneath it will list where it can be found and for how much.

About Pebble (as quoted on the site)

Pebble.com is a new kind of comparative shopping website. Not only do we tout some of the best products from the world’s leading merchants, but we enhance that experience by providing a forum for users to ask and answer questions about those products – making it easier than ever to find exactly what you’re looking for.

When you buy a product in a store, you can ask the salesperson for more details about certain features or attributes that are important to you. Online, it’s nearly impossible to find that personalized service. Many website product descriptions fall short in some areas – they don’t mention a feature you’re looking for; they forget to list dimensions; they leave off information about compatibility. That’s where Pebble.com comes in. We offer a place for users to pose those questions to other shoppers, who can then provide answers based on their first-hand knowledge of the products.

The best and most valuable aspect of Pebble.com and a feature that I love, is the fact that you can ask questions and post them for other people or consumers to answer.  It puts answers and questions that people have asked just above the item you are searching for, so you have a complete overall view of all aspects of the particular item or items you are searching for.

Here is a screen shot of my search.

As you can see, Pebble.com is really easy to use.  If you are looking for a way to comparison shop and ask questions, it can be a great resource for you to go to.  I know that this will be one of the places that I will go to when it comes time for holiday shopping!  Why not make it enjoyable?  Thank you to Pebble.com for another valuable resource!

**This was a paid review although my opinion is strictly that of my own**

Twilight By Stephenie Meyer I am Addicted

I will make this post a quick one because I have my nose in a good book. I haven’t sat down to read in well over 3 years and even though I don’t have a lot of time in my day, I have managed to read a thousand pages!

On a suggestion, I decided to read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.  I had the book and kept walking by it.  My parents came up to visit and my Mom being and avid reader snatched the opportunity to read it.  I knew that there was a movie, but as they say, the movies never does the book justice.  My Mom came to visit us for about 9 days and in that time frame manages to read three of the four books in the series and each of them were over five hundred pages.

I thought they must be good since my Mom was so engrossed.  My husband has been teasing me, since the book is intended for young adults.  Intrigues by the story line and all of the talk surrounding how good it was, I decided to start reading.  It only took about twenty pages and I was hooked.  I haven’t been able to put the books down and they go with me wherever I go in the house and every free moment I have my nose in a book.

Even thought the story itself could never happen, (sheepishly) I have found myself wanting to be wooed by a vampire  LOL.   Stephenie Meyer is brilliant at writing the story and describing each little detail.  The images in my head could not be more vivid.  I find myself feeling a little depressed that eventually the books will end and I won’t have anymore to read.  In the meantime, here’s to romance and vampires~I never though in a million years this would be something I would read.  In the meantime, here’s to romance and vampires~

Zhu Zhu Pets *Review and Giveaway*

Hamsters are one of those pets that, I would never really want to have anywhere near my house.  They remind me a lot of a mouse and I don’t find them particularly cute either.   I can remember growing up and having friends that had hamsters and the horrendous smell that always came from them.  Even though those cedar chips are supposed to help, cedar doesn’t smell good either.

Now there is a great solution to your kids wanting a hamster!  Thanks to Mom Select, we were sent the cutest, most adorable, non smelly pets for the boys.  Let me introduce you to Zhu Zhu Pets.  They are fun interactive little hamsters that are sure to delight your child.  They have all sorts of fun things for your hamsters and a whole habitat that you can get, so they can scamper around in it.

After we set up the entire habitat, the boys were very excited, when I pressed the little hidden button on their hamsters’ backs and let them go to do their thing.  I was amazed at how well these things moved around, and the noises they make are so funny.  At one point when their noses bumped each other, I swore I heard a kissing sound, so cute!  They can drive off from the garage in a car, surf on a surf board, walk in their wheel, take a walk in their ball or take a nap.  This is better than any toy that I had as a kid!

The set up process was a little time consuming and takes up a considerable amount of floor space.  It isn’t something you would want to continually take apart and reassemble.  The garage was a little on the flimsy side and the doors didn’t stay in place so I just taped the sides of the garage and that seemed to work.  With all that being said I think in general is is a great toy and my boys have played with it almost every day.  A small word of warning, don’t get the hamster anywhere near your hair because it will get caught in the wheel.

Zhu Zhu pets will be hitting the shelves this Fall and would make a perfect Christmas gift for a special someone who asks for that pet hamster.  At least you know it will make them happy and no messy cages to clean out.

** Thank you to Mom Select for providing the entire Zhu Zhu Pets set up for review**

Would you like to win a lovable hamster and starter slide for your special little someone?  DoubleBugs would like to give its readers the chance to win it!

Here’s all you gotta do!

Visit the Zhu Zhu Pet site and tell me which hamster you love and what else you might like to have, and come back here and leave me a comment.

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Contest Starts September 8. 2009 and Ends October 1, 2009

Good Luck!

MSN Homeroom

Education is something that I find important even in the early years before children officially start kindergarten.  It seems like each year the kids are expected to learn even more and the things we learned in first grade are now being taught in kindergarten.

As a mother to three year old twins, their education seems to be one of the things I am most anxious about.  You want to see your children succeed and you want them to be eager about learning.  At the same time I have fears about being able to help them along, is the school system going to be good enough, and are they going to learn the right things in the classroom.

Recently I was introduced to another great resource for moms.  Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats sponsored the development of the MSN Mom’s Homeroom site where Moms can connect and learn about various ways in which you can help your child and give them a boost in their education.  There is a wide range of topics such as reading, attentiveness, learning, and memory. The site features four Moms one a teacher, another a psychiatrist, a former marketing coordinator, and an obstetrician/gynecologist. The Moms participate in discussions and post unscripted videos of their views on helping kids succeed academically.

There was one particular article I ran across discussing how to help your preschooler with writing at home.  The boys are right at the age where we are trying to recognize the letters in the alphabet.  Although they can recite their abc’s we haven’t really gotten identifying them.  This article suggests ways in which you can encourage your child to write and ways in which to help them recognize them.  It is great to have these ideas on hand and guidance to give your child a leg up, so when they get into the classroom they have the tools to succeed.

As a mom, I think that having any amount of help and resources like these are a great way to help your child and give already stressed out parents different ideas to encourage your children.  Education is extremely important to your child and any help that you can give outside of the classroom, is just as valuable.

**I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.**

Men Do Their Negotiating At The Playground

I have been having this really strange recurrence whenever I take the boys to a playground lately.  I had not payed much attention to it until it was like deja vu or something.  I typically visit a playground with the boys a few times a week, just to get out of the house and let them expend some energy.

The first time we went to the playground there was a dad and his daughter and I thought it was cute.  But then his cell phone rang and he walked away from her and was talking about some contractual agreement.  Usually I am not nosy, but the guy was right in my face.  The conversation went something like “yeah Id really like to get this finalized and I am sure we can make this work for you.”  Then he discussed Dave and his bid on the job and that they were just jacking him around.  He then lost connection and hastily was giving his 4-5 year old daughter a little attention.  “Daddy look at me!”  and he says “let me see you run way over there, and eager to please she was his puppet unaware to the fact that her Dad needed to complete a deal on the phone.

I just made the quick observation and then I was off chasing after the boys.  Later that week, I returned to the playground and overheard almost the same exact type conversation but with someone else.  I still had not payed too much attention although now that I have noticed, I must have.  I guess the mom in me has acquired the skill of taking in everything going on around me.  Since becoming a mom to twins, I have honed in on my ability to do about 50 things at once, and my brain never shuts up either, until I am in a coma getting my six hours of sleep.

So tonight, we were out to dinner at Bob Evans, and we had saved a dinner roll to feed the geese when we left.  I was halping one of my boys toss bread when some guy comes walking quickly by discussing finalizing contract plans and someone named bob.  He ran in the restaurant and came out still glued to his phone.  Is someone trying to tell me something?  I just thought it was weird!

Room In Progress Part 2

So our room in the basement is moving right along.  We are at the point that we are now finishing the drywall.  If you know anything about drywall, then you know that it has to be taped and mudded.

I started this project gung ho and I am starting to fizzle out towards the end because this isn’t the fun stuff.  I enjoy the painting or picking colors rather, and fixing the room up.  I can safely say that I hate drywall.  It isn’t too bad if you have patience.  The problem is that it takes days to finish because you have to let each coat of mud dry for 24 hours, multiply that by another few days when you have two three year olds to run after.

The plan after this is to primer the walls and pick out the color I want.  After that we finish painting, and call in the carpet guys!  After they do their handy work, we will add baseboard and trim around the doors.  The ceiling will remain unfinished temporarily but the plan is to put in a drop ceiling which as I understand isn’t too difficult.  Nothing is ever too difficult until you do it yourself for the first time!  LOL

Pictures to come soon!

Umi Shoes Fall Fashion For Little Feet

With Summer winding down and Fall kicking in, it is time for back to school, cooler weather, and new wardrobes.  With kids shoes you have to buy them more frequently because their feet grow so quickly. I love buying shoes for little feet, and it seems like each and every pair has a little character all of their own.

Fall is my favorite time of the year to buy shoes for the boys, because I love all the rich earth tones and colors.  Besides the fashion statement, I like to look for shoes that I know will withstand the wear and tear of two rambunctious little boys and still look great after a hard day of play.

The difficult task in buying shoes for them, is I cannot try them on myself and sometimes young children can’t exactly verbalize whether or not a show is comfortable, so as a Mom I like to check the shoe out before I put them on their feet.  Umi shoes have been a long time favorite in our house because they are the ultimate in comfort for little feet.  Every shoe that we have ever gotten from Umi always wears beutifully, flexes and bends with the boys feet, and are lightweight, so they aren’t tripping over them.

Recently, we were sent two pairs of their newest shoe styles for this Fall, and I instantly fell in love.   We received the Aileron and Aviator and they are some of the most handsome shoes for their little feet.  The Aileron is a cute little half boot type shoe with leather and just enough mesh like detailing that makes the shoe stand out.  The Aviator comes in Black or Forrest which is my most favorite of the shoes we received.  Both pairs of shoes are versatile and are great for play and a night  on the town afterwards.  The boys love to put their Umi shoes on and you can tell that they feel good on their feet. I swear by Umi shoes and they are built to accommodate fast growing little feet with a little extra room to grow too!

Umi has a wide variety of new styles to choose from for boys and girls this Fall.  Your little guy or gal will be the talk of the town and you will be happy they are walking on clouds.  You can find Umi shoes online at their site www.umishoes.com or at www.endless.com.

**Thank you to Umi who provided me with these shoes for review**

Plan Toys Activity Bus

Around this house the toys take a beating and you can usually tell quality toys from ones that will break within the first hour your child plays with them.  As a mom to twins, I am often extremely selective about the toys that I buy for them.  I would much rather pay the extra money to get something that is going to last then spend ten dollars on one that, they only play with once. I think as a parent when searching for baby toys or learning toys for your child, you want toys that are going to hold up.

I buy a lot of  wooden toys for the boys, and surprise, they are the ones that they still have, that haven’t broken and are in the best shape.  If you know anything about boys, they love to crash and smash just about anything, and when they are using their little imaginations toys can take some abuse.    Recently, as part of a toy review through ebeanstalk, Plan Toys sent us the Activity Bus to try. I will admit, I love websites like ebeanstalk that offer advice on toys that are age specific.  The boys recently had their third birthday and I will admit that I was clueless, because they are at this in between age where they are too young for older toys and too old for baby toys.  Ebeanstalk is a really great site that breaks toys  down by age so it takes out the guesswork when you want to find something developmentally appropriate for your child.

My boys love anything with wheels, and their faces just lit up when they saw the bright yellow school bus.  Along with the bus it came with little wooden desks, a seat for the bus driver, a mock classroom set up with a chalkboard and two wooden figures, I’m guessing these are the student and teacher or bus driver.  I think that the whole idea behind the toy is to encourage your child to use their imagination.  The side of the bus opens up for even more imaginative play.

The only thing that I don’t particularly like about the wooden figures is that their legs don’t exactly bend and it is difficult to make them sit in the desk or in the driver’s seat.  This is one thing that I think is important if little hands are trying to manipulate the figures to sit.  One of my sons instantly got frustrated when the little figure wouldn’t sit and stay.  Outside of that, we love the Activity Bus and the boys play with it daily.  They love to put their lego guys in there and take them for a drive too. They push the bus all over the house and say “Mommy, they are going to school!”

The Plan Toys Activity Bus retails for $34.99 This is a perfect toy for little imaginations and if you are in the market for safe and eco-friendly toys for your child.  We have several Plan Toys in out house and the boys love them and I love the fact that they are still together and not broken.  In this case quality is so much better than quantity.

**The Plan Toys Activity Bus was provided to me for review and this is my own personal opinion about the product.  Thank you to Plan Toys and Ebeanstalk for providing the toy for review**

Dinosaur Train Dino Choo Choo Chugging Fun Starts September 7th!

My boys love anything that has to do with Trains, Monsters, and Dinosaurs, so naturally any of those combinations are a big hit in this house.  I was really excited to learn about a new Jim Henson series called Dinosaur Train and even more excited to get a sneak peek at the show to see if it would be something that the boys would enjoy.

When I popped the DVD in to let the boys watch, their faces instantly lit up when the catchy music, brightly colored dinosaurs and the big choo choo train flashed on the screen.  I could tell instantly that this was going to be something they were going to love!

There are all sorts of learning opportunities and little off screen inserts where Scott D Sampson the Paleontologist teaches the kids a little something about dinosaurs.

The Characters

Buddy

Buddy, a curious, funny, and intelligent T-Rex is the star of the show. He is cautious, but always ready to jump into action and start asking questions. While on the Dinosaur Train, Buddy makes a hypothesis and begins searching for the answers to his questions with the help of his Mom, the Conductor, and the new dinosaurs he meets on the train. When Buddy isn’t taking exciting trips on the Dinosaur Train, he is playing with his siblings, Don, Tiny, and Shiny and anticipating their next adventure.

Tiny

Tiny, who loves to make rhymes, is quite clever and very brave. Tiny approaches every dinosaur she meets with the confidence of a news reporter trying to get the full scoop. Tiny is so brave that she often wanders a little bit too far; but, Buddy is always there to help her get back on the right track. And in return, Tiny is fiercely protective of her brother Buddy. Tiny also has two Pteranodon siblings: Don and Shiny.

Shiny

Shiny is more “girly” than Tiny and proud of her shiny exterior, but can become shy in social situations. Shiny is outgoing with her siblings and acts as if she is the “wisest.” She can be a bit of a show-off and loves role playing with her brothers and sister. Shiny is happiest at home in Pteranodon Terrace hanging out with Dad and Don, while her Mom, Buddy, and Tiny take trips on the Dinosaur Train.

Don

Don is a sweet, mellow little Pteranodon. Although he has a goofy streak, he is steady as a rock and very focused on the task at hand. Don is loyal to all his siblings and graciously waits his turn. Once his mind is made up, though, Don goes enthusiastically head-first into every challenge.

Mrs Pteranadon

Mrs. Pteranodon: teacher, companion, and tour guide extraordinaire. But, first and foremost, she is “Mom” to Buddy, Don, Tiny, and Shiny. She is always there to listen to Buddy’s questions about being an adopted member of the Pteranodon family. Mrs. Pteranodon is intent on a good education, but she is also always looking for ways to let her kids explore their world.

Mr Pteranadon

The kids’ devoted, hands-on “sports dad,” Mr. Pteranodon loves to approach parenting like coaching a team. He can even make a squawk that sounds like a whistle when he needs to call “time out!” He exhorts his kids to work together towards their goals, often calling out, “Go Team Pteranodon!” He is fun, can be a little silly, and encourages the kids to “be adventurous.”

The Conductor

The Conductor is a Troodon and a special friend to Buddy and his family. He becomes one of Buddy’s heroes because he is the Conductor of one the most awesome trains of all, the Dinosaur Train! The Conductor is very intelligent and is happy to explain facts about dinosaurs, the places they visit and even how the Dinosaur Train works.

Without spoiling things for you, all I can say is that this is a really awesome program for kids and it offers the opportunity for them to learn about Dinosaurs in a fun and creative way.  By the time the show was over the boys had learned about herbivores, and omnivores.  They were running around the backyard pretending to be  Pteranodons and imitating the way they catch fish.

The series will start on September 7,2009 on your local PBS channel and it is one that you won’t want to miss, so get your DVR’s ready!  Get ready for the Dinosaur Train To Come To Your Town.

Winners, Winners, and More Winners

I am so sorry for the delay in posting all the contest winners here on the site.  I had drawn everyone’s numbers and contacted everyone but never got around to getting the official post up.  So I am just going to do a summary post of the winners.

Picture Keeper Giveaway

Congrats To Staci A (comment #95)

Mimi The Sardine

Congrats to Melissa (comment #44)

Ben and Jerrys Giveaway

Congrats to Trisha P (comment #182), Tiffany S (comment #161) , and Kiley (comment #26) Leonara (comment #18)

Winners were not chosen at random for this contest.  Winners were drawn based on originality and best contest entry.

Dominos Giveaway

Congrats to Katie (comment #108)

Skin Free $30 Giveaway

Congrats to Jane H (comment# 99)

Congrats to all the winners and thank you for visiting DoubleBugs, come back often to see what’s up!

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