Cute Cuddly and Smart…Smart-E Bear

My boys are just at the age where they are interested in music and singing songs and are growing leaps and bounds in their development. Sometimes with their short attention span it is hard to hold their interest to any one thing for very long, before they are on to the next. So any toy that holds their interest for longer than a few minutes is simply at the top of my list.

I am a huge fan of toys that inspire imagination or toys that actually teach the boys something so it is a learning experience. So many toys today have batteries but I swear they are there only to annoy parents rather than provide anything useful. I was recently introduced to SmartE Bear and I instantly fell in love with him and everything about this soft, smart, cute and cuddly bear. This bear is simply brilliant (literally!).  Designed by Intellitoys in a joint effort with Kids Preferred, SmartE Bear combines a little bit of the traditional with technology and brings your child a fun and interactive toy that can tell stories, play simon says, or even sing them to sleep. Together they created the newest software tucked in a very soft bear, dog and cat. These technology-friendly pals are simple to program and easy to customize.  You simply connect SmartE to your computer and you can download songs, stories and a whole lot more!

One of the boys’ favorite songs is “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” so I went in and downloaded it onto the bear and played it for them. Neither one of them wanted to put it down after that, and well when I put “Jingle Bells” on there, Mommy had a hard time getting the bear away long enough to adjust the volume.

This one is definitely a keeper and well I found myself playing with SmartE well after they went to bed.  It is just so much fun!  This would make a really fantastic gift for the holidays and is sure to put a huge smile on any kids face.   I know my two just love it!

Smart-e-bear • $79.99 • Ages 2+
Designed primarily for non-reading 2 to 6 year olds, smart-e-dog, cat or bear encourages children to discover and explore through a library of literally thousands of award-winning songs, interactive stories, educational games and other content that parents can selectively purchase through the Internet and download to the toy with a super-easy USB connection. Measuring 13” tall, this plush pal utilizes electronics about the size of a deck of cards. The squeezable, adorable animals will enchant little ones with their “smarts” from hearing a song to reading a story to playing a game. There’s always something for kids to discover as the software changes and grows with the child’s interests from the nursery to kindergarten.

DoubleBugs is offering its readers the chance to win a SmartE Bear, Dog or Cat of their choice!

All you have to do is visit SmartE, take a little tour in the Learn more section and check out all the fun things you can download.  Come back here and leave me a comment on what you would download if you won a SmartE and which one you would choose.

Leave me an email so I can contact you if you win

Good Luck

Deadline is December 17, 2008

Mom Central Holiday Gift Guide

I know with Christmas fast approaching, I am in a scramble to get everyone’s gifts. And usually my problem is what to get everyone and I am almost inevitably searching for the perfect gift idea. And with having twin two year olds to look after in the mix, it can make finding gifts even more stressful. That’s why it is so nice to have a place where you have gift ideas all in one place for everyone!

Mom Central has done all the brain racking work of finding the perfect gift in their 2008 Gift Guide. They have reviewed hundreds of products for everyone on your list right down to your favorite furry friends in your life. You are sure to find something that will put a smile on that special someone’s face this holiday season. Mom Central will also give away thousands of dollars worth of prizes in multiple daily drawings!

To be eligible to win the daily prizes, participants must register on Mom Central, log-in, and leave a comment on the post. In addition, if participants tweet or email friends about the giveaway, they can earn another entry! In order to earn the entry, they simply go back to the Mom Central Review blog and leave a second comment letting them know.  Plus, Mom Central is such a cool place to be a part of!

Head on over to Mom Central and save your sanity by making your holiday gift buying a breeze!

Simon & Schuster Books “Jon Scieszka’s Trucktown: Melvin Might?”

My boys just love to sit with my husband and I and read. We usually read throughout the day, and have a stack of books by the bed and they get to pick a couple before bed. One of their most favorite series of books published by Simon and Schuster, has to be “Jack Truck” as they call it. If you don’t know who “Jack Truck” is, he is one of the characters from author Jon Scieszka’s Trucktown series of books. Both of my boys are in love with these books! They know all the characters by name and simply adore all the bright and colorful illustrations.

One of the newest releases “Melvin Might?” Is about Cement Mixer Melvin, Trucktown’s fretful worry wort. Both of my boys always point this out whenever we read the book that Melvin is afraid or worried. It is so cute to hear them make that correlation. Whenever we are out and about, if they see a cement mixer, they call it “Melvin” or if they see a loader they call it “Payloader Pete!” They always amaze me at how quickly they pick up on these things and they are only two!  These books are a whole lot of fun, especially if your little one is into cars and trucks like my two are.

Melvin Might?

(Jon Scieszka’s Trucktown)

By Jon Scieszka
Illustrated by David Shannon and David Gordon and Loren Long

This Edition: Hardcover
Publication Date: October 28, 2008
Price: $16.99

Description
Cement Mixer Melvin worries a lot. He worries he might get dirty. He worries he might get stuck. He even worries he might get worried. But one fateful day Rescue Rita is in need of a little rescuing, and Trucktown’s biggest worrywart is the only one who can save the day. There’s just one problem: He worries he can’t. Jon Scieszka’s latest racing and rollicking installment to the Trucktown franchise is a hilarious (and maybe even a little heartwarming) look at all the things a cement mixer can do…no matter how much he worries!

This is suck a cute series of books and is sure to put a smile on your little one’s face especially if they are into big trucks.   This book would make a perfect gift along with all the other “Trucktown” series of books!

Avon Beauty For You and Your Home

I have always been a huge fan of Avon products.  I can remember them from when I was child, so they have been around for a long time which tells you something about their products.   I love to get their catalogs and especially during the holidays, because they offer such a wide variety of things that can be given as gifts or just to pamper yourself.   The prices are reasonable too, which is a big plus, when you are on a tight budget.   They have things for the home, cosmetics, stuff for the kids and for the men in your life.

Around this time of the year, I am a huge fan of all the sights and smells that surround the holiday season, and I have always been a fan of lighting candles throughout my home.   I have just recently been introduced to the reed diffusers, and have always seen them in the stores but have never tried them personally.  I was very excited to try Avon’s Botanical Reed Diffuser (19.99).  Natural bamboo reeds absorb scented oil and diffuse fragrance throughout your home and the scent isn’t too overpowering.   I love the Summer Blossom scent.  It actually brings warmth into the home when it’s cold outside.   Avon’s reed diffuser, is perfect for a housewarming gift, a gift to yourself, or for holiday giving.

Not only can you beautify your home, but  you can have all your personal beauty essentials all in a compact location with Jillian Dempsey for AVON Essential Beauty Palette ($7.99). This fabulous palette includes 2 lip colors, 2 eyeshadows, 1 blush and a 2 sided applicator and mirror. This is perfect for your purse and for those quick touch ups when you are on the run. They are available in both cool and warm palettes. They are also great for gift giving and stocking stuffers!

DoubleBugs would like to offer it’s readers, the chance to win Avon’s Botanical Reed Diffuser and an Essential Beauty Palette! Also for all your shopping needs by entering the code JINGLE30 you will be entitled to free standard shipping with a $30 order when you shop with an eRepresentative. This offer expires on January 1, 2009.

Here’s all ya gotta do:

Visit the Avon site and let me know what your favorite product or products are and leave me a commant here.

Please leave me an email or way to contact you if you win.

If the chosen winner does not respond in two days, a new winner will be chosen.

Contest starts December 2,2008 and ends December 16, 2008.

Good Luck!

The Scrapbook Fairy

I guess I haven’t mentioned before that I am a picture taking fool.   I love to take photos of the boys but then I always never seem to have much time to do anything creative with them.   I have a whole lot of scrapbooking materials that are just calling my name upstairs but with twin two year olds running around it makes it difficult to slip away.

This day and age everything is digital and the convenience of knowing you have pictures on a disk somewhere is convenient, but it would be nice to have something more tangible.  I was busy thinking about gifts that I could give to the boys’ grandparents, that they would enjoy.   I am way out of the loop on scrapbooking technique, but thought that they would make perfect gifts!  Scrapbooks are such a neat way to display photos and sort of tell a story as you go.

I ran across the Scrapbook Fairy and had a couple of pages done  of some of my favorite pictures of the boys.  Scrapbooks are perfect for any group: moms, grandparents, veterans, graduates. I create fully customized photo albums (scrapbooks) to commemorate weddings, graduations, new babies, travel/vacation, military service, etc.  And, the Scrapbook Fairy offers a variety of album sizes for you to choose from.   Scrapbook Fairy  scrapbooks are completely acid and lignin free so that photos will be safely preserved for many years. Clients submit all of their photos to the Scrapbook Fairy and she can either help them choose the best photos or use exactly what they send her. She consults closely with each client to determine the color palette, size, style, and number of pages. Albums range in price from $100 to $300USD. .

This is a perfect gift for any occasion but even better for the upcoming holiday season.   It is an investment and something that will last a long time.  It is perfect for reminiscing around the Christmas tree or brightening up someones day and it is something that they can keep and look at.   I know both of our families live far away, so pictures of the kids is something they will cherish.

The Scrapbook Fairy does a wonderful job and the each page tells a story and has its own whimsical unique design.   If you are looking for a gift with a personal touch, then check out The Scrapbook Fairy!

Cheekeyes and Oompa Toys

When you have young children, you undoubtedly have a whole myriad of toys laying about.   I have one room in the house designated for their stuff.  I found in the boys’ two short years, that there are toys that just aren’t going to last and ones that I know will be around for a long time.   Of my most favorite things, are their wooden toys.  I’ll admit I am a sucker for them.   There is something about the quality of wooden toys, when you first open the box and get a glimpse of them.  I find myself wanting to put them up on my mantle or hording them like my prized possesion.  They aren’t the toys that you just give away.

With wooden toys there is something magical about them for children.  They are usually fairly simplistic in design, but my kids seem to play with them the most.  Not only that, they encourage them to use their imagination, whether it is making a tower or a tunnel, or making walls or making their wooden lion roar.  For me, that is worth it’s weight in gold, because this day and age, it seems like we encourage that less with television, and toys that are battery operated.  Wooden toys are such a refreshing change from that.

When I was offered the opportunity to review Cheekeyes, I immediately snatched up the offer.  I love to see what is out there with regards to wooden toys.  These totally too cute wooden toys are not only durable but are made from eco-friendly rubberwood.  Handmade and partially painted, each of the Cheekeyes is unique; there are no two the same. From the hands of Dutch designer Rogier van Zijp emerged Arctic, African, Forest and Farm animal sets plus Dinosaurs, these animals sport a distinctive red cheek and painted eye (reflected in their name, Cheekeyes) that will endear them to children and caregivers alike. They are very smooth (as all wooden toys should be) and they have paint only on the sides.  When I told my Dutch husband about where these toys came from, he seemed rather proud. The 2009 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio has given Cheekeyes its prestigious Platinum Award for one of this year’s best preschool toys.

We received the African Animals set, which included whimsical interpretations of a lion, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, elephant and giraffe.  Cheekeyes also has various wooden scenery additions such as rocks and trees to make your little ones animal menagerie complete.  I found myself making the giraffe eat the imaginary leaves off the trees, and the rhino took a nap on the rock.  The boys got such a kick out of mommy playing with them and what a great way to spend family time.  These will be around for a very long time to come and the boys simply adore them already.

Forest Animal Set ($29.99)
The Forest Animal set comes complete with a bison,
wild boar, wolf, goat, and grizzly bear. Cave and tree
sets sold separately, $16.99 each.

African Animal Set ($29.99)
The African Animal set makes a charming collection
of inhabitants for your desert terrain, which includes a
lion, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, elephant and giraffe.
Tree set and rock sold separately, $16.99 each.

Arctic Animal Set ($29.99)
The Arctic Animal Set includes all of your
favorite polar critters, including an orca, seal,
whale, penguin and polar bear. Icebergs sold
separately, $16.99 each.

Farm Animal Set ($29.99)
The farm animal set includes all your favorite
barnyard critters, including a sheep, pig, goat,
cow and horse. Fence set and tree sets sold
separately, $16.99 each.

Cheekeyes are available online at Oompa toys and would make a perfect gift for this holiday season for your special little someone.  What a perfect way to make their holiday light up.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED!!

Would you like to win a set of Cheekeyeys animals for your own special someone this holiday season.  DoubleBugs and Oompa toys are giving away one set of your choice to one lucky winner!

Here’s all ya gotta do!

Just visit Oompa Toys and tell me what set of Cheekeyes you would like and something else you like about the Oompa site.

Leave me an email so I have a way to contact you if you win

Winner has two days to respond or another is chosen.

Contest Starts November 24, 2008 and Ends December 8, 2008

Good Luck!!!

Green Girl Los Angeles

I am a huge fan of the fashionable yet posh ways in which we can help save the environment.   We do a lot of shopping at Whole Foods and such, and we always have reusable bags with us, or we recycle the paper bags that we have.   Let’s face it, the reusable bags you typically get aren’t very fun or trendy looking.  At least if you are going to save the Earth, you should have some fun doing it!

The average family uses about 1,000 plastic bags a year!  Most of them end up in landfills where they sit for an astonishing 1,000 years before they decompose and do even more damage to the soil.  That’s a pretty shocking statistic and one big mess I don’t want to help pass on to future generations.

I was recently given the opportunity to review Green Girl reusable eco-totes especially designed for women.  They are perfect for shopping, a day at the beach, or trips to the gym. And one of the coolest features is that they are reversible!  Each side has a fun bold pattern to fit your stylish mood for the day.   These hip bags are made of machine washable cotton, and have plenty of room for all your stuff. The straps are super comfy which is a plus for busy moms on the go, and especially when you are lugging kiddos around.  And after your shopping spree, or day at the beach, you simply roll up the bag and secure it with Green Girl’s signature silver ring so you can store it in your purse or glove compartment.

Green Girl eco totes ($45) are now available nationwide, and at Lily Pad Baby and coming soon Green Girl World. Eco-totes are perfect for holiday giving too…try stuffing one with fun stuff for the holidays!   Get yours now and start saving the Earth!

Green Girl will also offer, jute totes that say it all with eco-inspired messages, kids’ totes, a bath, body and home line, jewelry and more!

Power Scouts and Skull Mountain

Both of my boys are car fanatics, so naturally when they get a car it is the greatest thing on earth to them.  Monkey has to be my biggest fan and he loves to line up his matchbox cars, and count them, and drive them into imaginary garages and use his books as ramps.   He is already two and his imaginary play impresses me.

Naturally when they opened up their power scout and skull mountain they were just as giddy with excitement as I am when I get something new.

Mattel Matchbox Land Skull Mountain Playset is the ultimate test for the super scouts where treacherous roads and falling boulders are just the beginning of a challenging and treacherous journey. Use the super scout 4x4s all-wheel drive to master the crushing climb to the top of Skull Mountain and then get ready for a frightfully good time inside the skull. Sure to inspire loads of manipulative fun and imaginative play, Skull Mountain features enough challenging barriers and touch-point obstacles to impress even the bravest explorer, power scout included!

Power Scout vehicles are tough enough to take any terrain. The Power Scouts vehicles go from neutral freewheeling mode to battery-powered all-wheel drive, and all you have to do is give it a tap on the back of the truck to activate the motor.  These cool new battery powered vehicles have super-grip tires to climb the steepest inclines. Battery included.

You can find power scouts and most toy store locations and online at Amazon.com and they are small enough that they are perfect for little hands.

POWER SCOUTS™ SKULL MOUNTAIN
ARP: $32.39 Ages: 3+ Available: Fall 2008

POWER SCOUTS™ VEHICLES
ARP: $6.99 Ages: 3+ Available: Fall 2008

Plan Toys

Their Vision

At Plan Toys their vision has been to create toys that inspire children’s imagination as well as promote their physical and intellectual development. They are also proving that it is possible to maintain superior quality standards while following a path of environmental and social responsibility.

About Plan Toys

Plan Toys is the first company to manufacture toys using wood from rubber trees that no longer provide latex. The trees grow to heights of 50 feet or more. The sap from the rubberwood tree is the world’s primary source of natural rubber. After about 25 years, the latex yield decreases and the trees are usually cut down and burned. Instead of wasting this valuable resource, they build their toys from the rubberwood which helps preserve the delicate balance of our eco system. There is no deforestation involved in the harvesting of rubberwood, as felled trees are replanted with new ones. Rubberwood is an eco-friendly, sustainable, high quality wood. The paper used in their packaging is recyclable which further reduces waste and our plants use state of the art solar energy. Our plants use state of the art solar energy and biomass (fuel from biodegradable organic material).  This is pretty impressive!  Not only because of the way they use these otherwise wasted trees but the fact that they can turn them into wonderful and safe toys.

I  love toys that are of good quality and wooden ones at that.   These toys almost always seem to stand the test of time and fair better than a lot of the mass market toys out there.  I can remember as a child the wooden toys my grandmother had and she still had them when I was 28!  I would much rather give the boys something simplistic that encourages the use of their imagination, than a toy that only has one function.   I was given the chance to review Plan toys and I am impressed with their quality and most importantly their use of safe eco-friendly materials.

Plan Toys’ Stacking Tree ($20) is so cool! This stacking set is designed based on the concept of nature. Each wooden piece can be stacked to form different kinds of trees. Children can learn the color variation and size. I took it out of the box and the boys were instantly tugging at my pants saying “mommy play, mommy play.”   Both of them went right to work taking the pieces off the spindle and re-stacking them how they saw fit.  Monkey  loves just spinning the pieces on the spindle, and stacking them as well.   They loved doing this over and over and after I put it up earlier in the day, they went right back to it after they woke up.  So far they have stacked according to color, and mixed it up, there is no right or wrong way for little imaginations.

We also go the opportunity to try Plan Toys redesigned 50 blocks ($20). The set contains 36 natural blocks and 14 colored blocks. These blocks encourage creativity, expands children’s thinking ability, and stimulates their imagination.  These are the blocks that I remember as a child, and I spent many hours creating buildings and bridges, and stacking them over and over. Both Bubs and Monkey are huge fans of blocks and “building towers.”   It is so much fun to watch them, because they get excited when they can stack blocks to make a tall tower.  Bubs can be found in such deep concentration that you can see his little tongue sticking out…it is so fun to watch and see what they come up with.

Plan toys has a huge selection of unique and timeless toys to choose from.  I have already started a list of things that I would like to get the boys.   They would make great Christmas presents for a special little someone in your life and the prices are reasonable and the toys are well made.  I give Plan toys the “Mommy Seal of Approval!”

Uno Flash!

I can remember playing the simple Uno card game as a child and I loved playing it with family on a Friday night.  We would order in pizza, have special snacks and we would play all night.   A few years back my husband and I bought Uno Attack, which was so much fun.  You never knew if you would get a whole handful of cards thrown out at you on your turn.   Sometimes I get so involved with my game that I would forget to yell out UNO! and well then id have to draw more cards!

Uno has been in the family for years, and I have always enjoyed the new takes on the game.  Even still, just the classic Uno game is still just as fun.  So now there is Uno Flash!

About the game:

Forget everything you thought you knew about UNO! Clockwise? Counterclockwise? Nope; it’s totally random! This exciting electronic version selects who’s next, so you have to stay alert. Did you blink? Uh-oh, you missed your turn and time ran out. It’s the fast, crazy game that will keep you guessing, on your toes and raring to go. And just when you think you can relax and take a breath, you still need to remember to yell UNO. Requires 3 AA batteries, included. Retails for ($35).

This game is so much fun for anyone.  The suggested age range is for ages 7-11 but Uno games are perfect for family game nights, as well as, for having friends over for mvie and cards.  It is good wholesome fun that doesn’t involve the TV or anything high tech, which, as  Mom, I love.  It would be perfect for holiday giving this year and is definitely on my list!  You can find Uno Flash at most retailers like Amazon.com or ToysRUs.

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