2009 September — MomStart

Double Points at Fred Meyer this Week only

September 30, 2009 By Momstart 1 Comment

I don’t do a lot of grocery shopping at Fred Meyer because I find that they are more expensive than most of the other grocery stores around here. I suppose it’s like any other grocery store you have to find the great deals to save. This week would be the week to do it. All purchases are worth double points.

At Fred Meyer if you join their points program for preferred shoppers then you get 1 point for every dollar spent. When you reach 500 points in a quarter then you will get a 5.00 coupon to use the following month. There is no minimum purchase to use this coupons either. After you meet the 500 minimum requirement then every 100.00 over you get another 1.00 coupon.

This is how I earn points without shopping for groceries. I like to purchase gas cards and other gift cards. The gas cards add up every month and I always make the minimum. I try to keep a watch out for the double points time. That makes it even easier to meet the requirement.

When I went into Fred Meyer yesterday I purchased two 50.00 gas cards and 1 25.00 gift card to Mc Donald’s. I was already planning on taking the kids to Mc. Donald’s for lunch so I figured I would get some points while doing it.

I made 250 points because of the double points going on this week. That’s halfway to my goal. Here is more information on the Fred Meyer Rewards

Save money using points programs.

Filed Under: savings Tagged With: coupons, Fred Meyer, points programs, Save money

Wordless Wednesday – It’s not what it looks like

September 29, 2009 By Momstart 34 Comments

She was cleaning the mess her daddy made. Well, they made it together.

Filed Under: Wordless Wednesday Tagged With: Wordless Wednesday

Party Time with BOOM BLOX Bash Party By EA

September 29, 2009 By Momstart 2 Comments

Boom Blox Bash Party:

Boom Blox Bash Party

EA Play sent me a copy of Boom Blox Bash Party to review. I’ve had it since before they asked me to come and join them for a weekend in San Francisco. It was there in San Francisco that they had a game truck for all the kids to get on and play BOOM BLOX Bash Party against each other. My son was completely against the idea of being on a truck while the kids were all playing games so we went in and had some ice cream. My husband and daughter stayed on the truck until the Carbon Dioxide warning went off. It makes me laugh that they had so many kids on it that the truck when off more quickly than they had expected. Steven Spielberg decided to make a game that he thought his family would like. So he worked with EA and created Boom Blox, now a year later, there is a sequel and I think he’s done an excellent job because this is a game we love to play as a family too. We love to watch cows fly across the sky. Thanks for letting us knock around a few farm animals in Bash Party.

Gameplay:

Very similar to the original BOOM BLOX game, Bash Party is based around fast-paced gameplay that utilizes players’ reflexes, dexterity, and problem-solving skills. Problem solving must by why I love Boom Blox so much. I love puzzles and it is fun deciding which block to blow up, or knock down. During game play you use the Wii Remote to direct objects and forces toward structures made of blocks in order to knock them over. There is also Jenga like gameplay where you can pull blocks, with the goal of toppling as many of them as possible, but without bringing down the whole structure. I’m not very good at this part of the game though! In doing this you have to deal with the different types of blocks. Some of these include: gem blocks, blocks with point values attached, explosive blocks that detonate on contact, vanishing blocks that disappear when struck, wood blocks, and steel blocks. In addition, as the game progresses strategies may change, meaning that you have to be adaptable

New Characters and Environments:

Explore exciting new themed worlds with unique physics and dramatic visuals. Create chaos, watching puzzles and explosions unfold, while drifting under water, or floating in zero gravity. For even more strategic destruction, BOOM BLOX Bash Party also features all-new Blox, tools and characters. Experiment with the explosive and infectious Virus Blox, or the ever-moving Conveyor Blox. Experiment with new shapes like Cylinders and Wedges, or use the new Cannon and Slingshot toys to sling and launch blox. Even the new cast of characters is in on the action. Grab hold of the characters and send them flying. They are just like Blox now, so you can topple, bash and sling them like never before.

Favorite Part:

My favorite part would have to be that I can play against my husband. My husband and I love to play games together and it’s hard to find family friendly games that we can play in front of the children. Well BOOM Blox is a requested game; the children ask us to play it. They like to growl and watch things blow up.

Product Description

Get ready for even more blox-busting action with BOOM BLOX Bash Party for Wii, the sequel to the critically acclaimed BOOM BLOX game for Wii. Developed by EA in collaboration with director and producer Steven Spielberg, BOOM BLOX Bash Party takes destruction to new heights, providing the ultimate social gaming experience! BOOM BLOX Bash Party will get your party started with new Versus, Co-Op and Team Play challenges – twice as many multiplayer challenges as the original BOOM BLOX. From the depths of the sea to the far reaches of outer space, BOOM BLOX Bash Party features more than 400 completely new levels! Explore exciting new themed worlds with unique physics and dramatic visuals. Create chaos, watching puzzles and explosions unfold, while drifting under water, or floating in zero gravity! For even more strategic destruction, BOOM BLOX Bash Party also features all-new Blox, tools and characters! Experiment with the explosive and infectious Virus Blox, or the ever-moving Conveyor Blox. Experiment with new shapes like Cylinders and Wedges, or use the new Cannon and Slingshot toys to sling and launch blox! Even the new cast of characters is in on the action! Grab hold of the characters and send them flying! They are just like Blox now, so you can topple, bash and sling them like never before. And the fun continues online! Enhanced capabilities let you download new levels with the press of a button. Simply connect your Wii to the Internet to grab, play and rate new levels from EA and members of the BOOM BLOX Bash Party community. Build your own levels using the game’s easy-to-use Create Mode – the same tool which the BOOM BLOX team used to create the game itself. Collect Boom Bux throughout the game as you complete levels, then spend them jump ahead unlocking new levels and features you can’t wait to play!

My Christmas Guide Recommendations:

Ages: 6 years to adult. (E for everyone is for ages six and up, but I think it’s ok for younger)
Boys and Girls
Stocking Stuffer and actual present.

Filed Under: christmasguide, review Tagged With: Bash Party, BOOM BLOX, Christmas Toy Guide. EA Play, EA, EARS, Steven Spielberg, Wii

Sunday in Kyoto The Secret Mountain Book and Music Review

September 29, 2009 By Momstart Leave a Comment

Sunday in Kyoto was sent to us to review from The Secret Mountain. It’s been a while since we’ve listened to a children’s cd where the music is completely geared to the children. I mean, I completely understand being the parent why cd artists are trying to appeal to the adult too. If the adult gets tired of the CD then the music will disappear conveniently. Well, this one is educational so perhaps that will stop parents from tossing it. Also, it’s going to be requested by the children if they are anything like mine.

We were in the car listening to the CD today and my daughter said I like this CD mom. Yes my two year old talks like that. She’s amazing. She’s like an adult in a two year old body. You wouldn’t believe it unless you met her. Her brother though, is all kid.

The book has wonderful illustrations to go along with the words of the CD. I found myself giggling and laughing along with my children to the silly songs and different feel of each song. On of the songs made me feel like I was at the circus while another song made me wish I was in Kyoto playing the Koto in a Kimono.

Sunday in Kyoto

Product Description:

An iconic poet and singer-songwriter deeply rooted in Canada’s history, Gilles Vigneault wrote the 14 songs that accompany Sunday in Kyoto. They evoke his love of nature, culture and travel and are imbued with natural imagery as well as multinational characters and settings. The title track tells the story of a Cajun musician who lives with his Japanese partner in Kyoto, enjoying Sunday afternoon jam sessions with friends from far away places, while other songs are educational, with counting and spelling in several languages including English, French and Japanese.
The storybook-music CD features vivid illustrations by accomplished French-Canadian artist Stéphane Jorisch, who also provided the artwork for My Name is Chicken Joe and has created sets for Le Cirque du Soleil. This innovative packaging, combining a hardcover book with a CD, is ideal for young children. For more information, please visit www.thesecretmountain.com/

Filed Under: review Tagged With: book review, Children's book, Sunday in Kyoto, The Secret Mountain

Boys Christmas idea GX Racers by JAKKS Pacific Review

September 29, 2009 By Momstart Leave a Comment

I was sent GX Racers 360 Spinway from JAKKS Pacific to review on Mom Start. I liked it so much that I have added it to my Christmas Gift Guide for 2009. It reminds me of another toy that runs on track only. This one shoots off and runs on any surface because it goes so fast. It’s a big treat for boys little and big (dad’s). My son just absolutely loves cars, all cars and trucks or anything that goes weeeeeee. GX Racers fall into that category.

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JAKKS Pacific just unveiled the all new GX Racers line of vehicles and skateboards capable of producing unheard of speed and stunts. I never noticed this product before I received it in the mail, and now I noticed that you can find it at Target. WOW. I’m sure you can find it at other stores and know you can find it on-line.

All of the cars, skateboards and other items they make for the Spinway are powered by GX GYROS which can race up to 600 scale MPH. There’s another WOW.

I did a very careful review of the 360 Spinway from JAKKS Pacific so that I could donate it for Christmas to my MOMS Club. We’re collecting items for quite a few different charities from now until the end of the year. In January we’ll be doing Birthday packs for the Food Bank.

GX Racers offer many more products. They have a super cool GX Turbo Launcher for even faster speeds, the GX Super Jump with over 7 ft of track and the GX Skate toys that provide hours of amusement as children re-create different skate tricks.

My Christmas Guide Recommendations:

Ages: 5 years to adult.
Boys and Girls
Stocking Stuffer and actual present.

Filed Under: christmasguide, review Tagged With: Christmas Toy Guide, GX Racer, GXRacers, JAKKS Pacific, toy review

I felt my stomach twitching and I thought I was pregnant

September 28, 2009 By Momstart 36 Comments

I was on some blogging trips and I was terrified that I was pregnant. I kept it to myself for a while and didn’t take any tests, I just figured my body was acting funny because of the IUD and stress of the uncertainty of our house selling. I honestly did not believe that my house was going to sell. Stress does crazy crazy things to your body. I know that.

Finally, while I was on the trip with TJX I was talking with Tanya, Mommy Goggles and Alyson , 3 Ps in a Pod. I was telling them about my fear of being pregnant and the fact that my insides were moving. Yes, it was a possibility that I was pregnant. They both told me to take a pregnancy test. Cat even offered to drive me home from the airport and stop at a convince store so I could pick up a test and take it without my father knowing what I was doing.

I didn’t want anyone to know.

Finally I got over my fear and bought a test. It was….

NEGATIVE.

Thank God.!!!!

If I was pregnant I was going to be that .01 percent that gets pregnant with an IUD in. That would be my luck, but it wasn’t. I’m very happy to not be pregnant, but why are my insides moving?

I got back into my normal routine, and didn’t think about it again until one day I was feeling like a tampon was stuck in-between my legs. Yes, I’m sorry if you are a man, I just said tampon. Grow up or leave because it gets worse. I looked down and could see something fleshy. I wanted to just pull it out, but at the same time I was terrified. What is going on with my body. Why does my back hurt like crazy.

So, while my kids were running circles around me and under my legs, I tried to call the doctor to tell them something was falling out of me. They asked me a few questions and said that my doctor was all booked up. I was asking them what they thought I should do because this is serious. I’m falling apart and I want some help.

Three days later they were able to get me in and they said I have a cervical prolapse. So I didn’t find out what exactly that meant until I saw my doctor. She said that my insides are falling in on themselves and that it is common after pregnancy. Well, why don’t I know anyone that has this problem. I mean basically my cervix is falling out, my bladder is moving down and my rectum is moving up. It’s only a problem she said if I start having trouble going to the bathroom, but she was too busy and overbooked to answer any of my questions. All she told me was that I need to see a specialist and do physical therapy or have surgery. But if I have surgery I shouldn’t have any more children. This is the same doctor I begged and pleaded with to give me a hysterectomy. I wanted that so bad but she said I was too young and might want more children. I DON”T.

I have endometriosis, I have pain, I have two beautiful children and if something ever happened to them I could not replace them with another child. I’m done. I want a hysterectomy, I want my cervix to stop falling out and I want the back pain to go away. I can’t sleep at night because I’m in so much pain. Please!! make the pain go away.

Mostly, I wanted to write this post to.

1) Thank my new blogging friends for all of the love and support.

2) Write about my health issues because and share it with the world. I tried to read about it on-line and found that “only old people” have that problem. I’ll let you know that I am only 29 years old and have these health problems.

3) To vent, my doctor was not sympathetic at all. All she did the whole appointment was complain that they should not have squeezed me in because it was not serious and she didn’t have time to see me. I’m sorry, but if a woman thinks her insides are falling out, she’s going to think it’s an emergency. I could see my body parts hanging out. To me it was serious and I needed someone to help me calm down. I’m not a medical professional I do not know what is ok and what is not. Next time I’m just going to the emergency room.

Filed Under: personal Tagged With: bladder falling down, cervix falling out. cervical prolapse

Thank You From Fresh Air – Summer Charity was a success

September 28, 2009 By Momstart 1 Comment

Thanks to Social Media, we rocked the Fresh Air Fund. This is one of the things I enjoy most about blogging. It’s the chance to make a difference in the world from right inside my house.

2009 Summer Highlights:

Nearly 8,000 children enjoyed their best summers yet
370 students participated in the Career Awareness Program
11 counselors-in-training spent three days on the Appalachian Trail
168 young people were Leaders-in-training

Filed Under: charity Tagged With: charity, Fresh Air Fund, host family

Gerber Purees and 8 Grains Yogurt #giveaway

September 28, 2009 By Momstart 188 Comments

As a mother of two toddlers, I am very familiar with all things Gerber. I have even called up Gerber on the phone after my second child was born and asked them to mail me some coupons. They asked for both children’s birthdates and then we started receiving age appropriate coupons in the mail.

We have tried the purees and when they started a few of them with DHA in them I bought them right up and started feeding them to my children. I was even impressed that within on year they came out with a whole bunch of other flavors in their DHA Purees that my daughter never got to try. Gerber continues to make changes and strives to create healthy baby foods for our children.

Most of us mother’s are not super mothers and creating our own purees is just not in the schedule no matter how much we may want it to be. I know it was my original goal to make them myself but it never happened.

The Feature

· 8 Grains and Yogurt Cereal adds variety to your baby’s diet while introducing her to the taste of yogurt. It is made with 8 natural grains (Wheat, Barley, Rye, Corn, Sorghum, Rice, Millet, Oat), real yogurt and Live and Active Cultures. 8 Grains and Yogurt has no artificial flavors and is an excellent source of iron for healthy mental development.

· Gerber’s DHA & Antioxidant Purees are made with 100% natural fruits and vegetables and come in six varieties, such as Apple Blackberry and Farmer’s Market Vegetable blend to help introduce your baby to new tastes. Gerber Purees with DHA have 18mg of DHA per serving to help support brain and eye development and are an excellent source of either vitamin A (from beta carotene) or vitamin C, protective antioxidants that are essential building blocks of baby’s natural defense system.

The Prize:

2 prize packs including the following: a Gerber Teddy Bear, Gerber Recipe Tin, DHA Puree product, and 8 Grains and Yogurt product.

· Open to US Residents only

To Enter:

Visit Gerber and let me know what you think of their large line of products.

Extra Entries:

Vote for me for 5 extra entries

Non-bloggers get an extra entry for every e-mail they send out linking to this giveaway cc louise@looksblue.com (be sure to leave a comment for every person you e-mail, for example if you e-mail 10 different people leave 10 different comments)

Subscribe to my blog
Follow me on twitter tell me your twitter ID
Blog about the giveaway include a link to me for 10 extra entries
Tweet the giveaway (every time you tweet you get an entry) Link to the giveaway please!!!
Add my button to your blog/blog roll 10 extra points if it is on your homepage
Dig, Stumble, or fav me on Technorati (two entries for each one)
Comment on any other post and come back here and tell me you did.

Free Shipping on all Tropical Traditions Orders Today Only

September 28, 2009 By Momstart 1 Comment

FREE SHIPPING ON ALL DOMESTIC GROUND ORDERS TODAY ONLY!

Through midnight today, Monday, September 28th, all Tropical Traditions Healthy Buyer’s Club ground shipments within the lower 48 United States will be FREE! This special offer does not apply to refrigerated or frozen items, or to rebounders which are shipped by the manufacturer. It also does not apply to 2nd day air and overnight shipments. Take advantage of this special offer! NOTE: Orders placed before this time period cannot be refunded for shipping charges.

http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/free_shipping_sept_09.htm?s=e92809

BUY 1 ORGANIC TEETH CLEANER GET 1 FREE ENDS THURSDAY!

People living in the tropics where coconuts grow have used coconut oil to clean their teeth long before modern toothpastes were developed. Tropical Traditions has developed a Teeth Cleaner based on our popular Organic Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil as the main ingredient. This 100% natural cleaner for your teeth contains no fluoride and no foaming agents such as SLS.

This has been one of our best-selling skin care products, and we have three varieties available: Cinnamon, Mint, and Classic. Our Cinnamon Teeth Cleaner is mint free, for those with sensitivities to mint, and for people who need a mint-free product, such as those utilizing homeopathic remedies. Our Mint Teeth Cleaner is cinnamon-free, for those who don’t like cinnamon or are sensitive to it. We also have our "Classic" variety which utilizes BOTH cinnamon and mint varieties of organic essential oils imported from France. Invest in your teeth today by buying the best cleaner available!

Now, through Thursday, October 1st only, you can buy one organic Teeth Cleaner at the regular retail price, and get the second one FREE! Order here:

http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/organic_teeth_cleaners.htm?s=e92809

Filed Under: savings Tagged With: Free Shipping, Save money, Tropical Traditions

Mom Start Saving – Make money with rebates

September 27, 2009 By Momstart 7 Comments

You know I spent all week thinking of what I was going to write about tonight and as I’m sitting here trying to get my rebates done and in the mail before the 30th I thought, maybe I should write about rebate offers.

Rebates are a perfect way to save even more money. For two years in a row now I’ve done the back to school rebate that Kelloggs offers. All you have to do is purchase ten of the qualifying items and if you do it the week the coupons come out or the week after you can usually get the items for free or with overage. The first year I bought them the grocery store had a sale where if you spend 20.00 then you get 20.00 to use on your next shopping trip. Well, I spent 20, used coupons making it all free and then I got 20.00 back. Then I came home and filled out the rebate and six weeks later I received 10.00 more dollars. I made 30.00 buying food for my family.

Rebates are everywhere. Technology items come with rebates often and sometimes appliances come with rebates. Every now and then they come off at the register but most of the time you have to fill out a form, save the UPC and mail in the receipt. When sending off rebate forms you need to make sure you follow the directions. You need to use the correct color ink, the correct size envelope, and provide the correct information. I have never had any problems but I hear you need to be exact. So I have been. I have four that I need to fill out tonight and put in the mail.

I think the one time that I wasn’t was with an Enfamil Rebate. I had to purchase a more expensive kind of formula for my son but it was the same brand, so I put in twice as many filled out the information and showed them on my receipt how much I spent every month on formula. So I was lucky and they honored the rebate. In an economy like this every cent helps.

The weekly meme

I’m also very excited to state that we almost tripled our numbers last week. I did less work and more people came and visited. I love that we are helping moms save money and hopefully it’s bringing you more traffic. Please feel free to link up your savings articles during the week. I’m going to try and comment on everyone’s post this week. Not only can we save each other money but if we commented on each other’s posts it would be like having a commenter’s club. Also, feel free to take the button, the code for it is on the side of this post.