2011 Gift Guide Archives

Richard Scarry’s Busytown Town Hall Deluxe Playset with DVD

November 13, 2011 by Momstart 242 Comments

Richard Scarry’s Busytown is a hit in our house, among many of the other things we watch. But what we like to do even more than watch it is read it. We have about four different Richard Scarry’s Busytown books that we read. The Busytown cars in the book and on the show are so unique. And this new playset bring the Busytown cars to life for kids.

You all know how much I love working for charity this time of year especially so it’s really hard to pick with toy we open and do a full review and which one we don’t. Knowing how much Miles would love this, and he saw the picture and said, Mommy I want that. Can I have that?. I said, well no, but you can ask Santa for it. But this is another toy we were lucky enough to receive that we’re going to donate to our 2011 Tweet Drive in Seattle.

Product Description: Curiosities are everywhere in Busytown! This fun Richard Scarry’s Busytown Town Hall Deluxe Playset with DVD encourages social interaction between kids as they explore and play in their own Busytown world. This playset is loaded with play features from a drive-through tunnel to a fold-up ladder!

The Richard Scarry’s Busytown Town Hall Deluxe Playset with DVD includes:

· A double oval roadway layout
· 12 roadway pieces
· Sergeant Murphy figure to patrol traffic
· Hilda Hippo in her classic pencil car

· PLUS a bonus DVD that includes 2 Busytown Mysteries episodes!

Overview: Since the 1960’s, boys and girls around the world have grown up with Richard Scarry’s best-selling books about his busy world of iconic animal characters and their whimsical vehicles. With over 300 titles in the Richard Scarry library and over 150 million books sold, Richard Scarry is one of the best-selling children’s authors of all time. In fact, he has five books in the Publishers Weekly’s Top 100 List of All-Time Bestselling Children’s Books. His popular stories follow the adventures of Huckle and Sally Cat, Lowly Worm, Hilda Hippo, Pig Will and Pig Won’t in a very busy town, leading very busy lives. His characters have become household names that parents fondly remember and kids adore.

The Recommended Age Range is 3+ and the Retail Price: $39.99 Click here to "Like" the new Richard Scarry Facebook page or purchase the all-new Busytown toys!

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, Janet W.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

We received samples that will be donated to our charity this month the 2011 TweetDrive, donating all toys to Treehouse.

Every Adult Tries It Rockboard Scooter Review

November 7, 2011 by Momstart 982 Comments

It’s so much fun that every adult has to try it. I opened the box and pulled out the Rocboard scooter and was surprised that there really wasn’t any assembly needed. You just pull it out and unfold it and screw the handles back into place and you have the Rockboard Scooter. The only issue we had with the scooter was transferring it from regular scooter to Rockboard. The instructions made it seem like all you had to do was pull one thing, but it took a little pulling and a little shoving. But now that it’s in Rockboard position. I LOVE IT.

I’ve been riding it as often as I can and whenever I’m out all the other adults want to try it out too. Even my husband took it for a spin, along with all my neighbors. Everyone likes it.

What makes the Rockboard Scooter so special? It’s the innovative drive-chain propulsion of a bicycle with the practicality of a kick-scooter that makes it genius. It’s an excellent workout going uphill as you have to go up and down in a rocking motion to propel yourself. The Scooter’s patented advanced Rockboard Propulsion Technology™ means the faster you rock up and down, the faster it goes! But be careful the chain will get very very hot. Do not touch the chain after riding it.

As you can see, my son is super excited about also getting a turn on the Rockboard scooter. Lucky for him and other little kids they make a Mini Rockboard scooter. The Original Rockboard Scooter retails for $200 and comes in White, Orange, Blue and Pink finishes. Built for an exciting ride just like the Original, the Mini is the scaled-down version with the same kick scooter capabilities and advanced Rockboard Propulsion Technology™. The Mini retails for $159, can hold kids up to 90 lbs. and is available in White, Blue and Pink finishes. Both models are available at Target.com.

Keep Up with Rockboard’s Facebook page and on Twitter @RBScooter

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, Jill Myrick.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Muppet Mania: Muppets Under Your Tree and In Your Stocking

November 6, 2011 by Momstart 5 Comments

I’ve been watching the hash tag #TheMuppets and everyone seems to be super excited about going to see this movie and the count down is on, it’s only 17 days away. So I thought I would come up with a list of toys and great Muppet Finds that could go on your Christmas wish list.

Muppets plush assortment featuring all your favorite characters from the new Disney film “The Muppets” opening on Nov. 23 are on the Top 10 toy list by Disney! Here are some Muppet Plush that I found on Amazon.

Disney Muppets Kermit 9" Plush Doll

The Muppets 12" Animal Poseable Plush Doll Exclusive

Disney Muppets Miss Piggy 9" Plush Doll

The top of my list includes

The Muppets Monopoly

Celebrate the sensational, inspirational World of the Muppets as you make like Miss Piggy, and try to "own it all" in this Muppets Collectors Edition on MONOPOLY. Here’s your chance to buy, sell and trade everything from Kermit the Frog’s swamp, Miss Piggy’s Dressing Room to Fozzie Bear’s Comedy Club and Bunsen and Beaker’s Muppet Lab! It’s time to get things started! m So Let’s get on with the show! Includes 6 collectible tokens. Ages 8-Adult 2+ Players

The Muppets Yatzee

The Muppets make their premiere in America’s all-time #1 dice game in this special Collector’s Edition YAHTZEE. Custom dice featuring Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Gonzo and the Swedish Chef are ready for you to shake up and roll dice combinations like Full House, Large Straight and Five of a Kind. A custom Kermit dice cup makes this YAHTZEE game with a Muppets twist a treasured collector’s item for fans of all ages. Game comes complete with 5 collectible dice, custom score pad and pencil.For 1 or more players, ages 8 and up.

Muppets OPI 2011 Collection

And your Muppet Holiday List wouldn’t be complete without the Soundtrack to the new movie. Get The Muppets Soundtrack. And preview the Muppets Soundtrack track listing:

1. The Muppet Show Theme – The Muppets
2. Muppet Studios, I Can’t Believe It* – Walter
3. Life’s a Happy Song – Jason Segel, Amy Adams and Walter
4. I Haven’t Seen the Old Gang* – Kermit and Jason Segel
5. Pictures in My Head – Kermit and The Muppets
6. We Drive* – Kermit and Walter
7. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard – Paul Simon
8. That Spells Reno* – 80’s Robot and Amy Adams
9. Rainbow Connection (Moopets Version) – The Moopets
10. Welcome Back* – Kermit, Fozzie, Walter and Dr. Teeth
11. We Built This City – Starship
12. Party of One* – Sarah Silverman and Amy Adams
13. Me Party – Amy Adams and Miss Piggy
14. We Humbly Ask* – Kermit and Chris Cooper
15. Let’s Talk About Me – Chris Cooper
16. The Answer Is No* – Chris Cooper and Kermit
17. Are You a Man or a Muppet?* – Amy Adams
18. Man or Muppet – Jason Segel and Walter
19. Down at the Ole Barbershop* – Kermit
20. Smells Like Teen Spirit – The Muppet Barbershop Quartet
21. Princesses of Poultry* – Kermit
22. Forget You – Camilla and The Chickens
23. It’s Time for Our Song* – Kermit and Miss Piggy
24. Rainbow Connection – The Muppets
25. Get Out There and Help Those Guys* – Jason Segel
26. The Whistling Caruso – Andrew Bird
27. How Charming, a Finale* – Uncle Deadly
28. Life’s a Happy Song Finale – Entire Cast
29. Mary, Marry Me* – Jason Segel and Amy Adams
30. Mah Na Mah Na – Mahna Mahna and The Two Snowths* Dialog Track

The Muppets returns to theaters November 23rd.

Pandora Internet Radio

November 5, 2011 by Momstart 407 Comments

When the kids both started preschool this year and I had an empty house, I had to find some music. I needed some back ground noise it was WAY too quiet in the house. So I rembered that I had an account at Pandora and I started listening to my playlist. Pandora Internet Radio is excellent for entertaining and for personal use. Pandora is free, but if you want commercial free, then there is a yearly subscription.

Give Pandora as a Christmas Present:

For a gift under $40: Pandora One gift cards ($36) not only gives the gift of music, but also the choice of music throughout the year. Users can choose from existing stations, including Holiday stations, or create and personalize their own Pandora radio stations based on artist, song, composer or genre, creating new stations and deleting old ones as their tastes change. More than 1.9 billion stations have been created by users since the launch of Pandora in 2005! With a one year subscription to Pandora, you get unlimited listening with no advertising. Pandora One gift cards are available for purchase at all Target stores nationwide and Target.com.

For holiday entertaining- Music as easy as plugging in the tree lights: No more creating playlists and searching through CD’s and old tapes for music for your holiday parties. This season, holiday hosts can check music off their lists and invite Pandora to the party. Whether you prefer the holiday classics or something a bit more unique such as R&B Holiday tunes, Country Christmas or more, Pandora Internet Radio has it all. Pandora has already done all the work for you and provides instant access to more than a dozen holiday music stations of all different genres, with new stations launching on Nov. 9, such as “Electronic holidays,” “Indie Christmas” and “Navidad Latina.” You can access the many holiday stations.

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, Rachel.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

American Express Savvy Shopping Must Haves $250 Giveaway

November 2, 2011 by Momstart 51 Comments

This season is full of great fashion finds and must have items and since I’ve told you before that I don’t have fashion sense, I have some helpful hints from American Express. I’m working with American Express Membership Rewards again and how Savvy their program is. You can look back on the Savvy tips with American Express post for Savvy Shopping tips, but I’m still going to give you a quick recap on that post.

1) Do Your Research

2) Think Before You Buy

3) Understand return policies

4) Know who you are buying from

5) When using credit make sure you’re earning points

and

There are six major points when it comes to using your American Express Membership Rewards:

Points Don’t Expire
Rewards at a Few Points
Travel Your Way
Find Great Deals
More Choices to Use Points
Redeeming is Easy

Visit American Express To learn even more about American Express Membership Rewards.

Now you’ve seen my plea for fashion help in the past, so I’m not even going to pretend that I could come up with a list of fashionable finds for you. And these finds are quite fashionable from top designers like Michael Kors. (Most of the time I’m sitting in my sweat pants and oversized sweatshirt. The life of working from home I tell you.) Plus, I don’t even have a purse right now, I still carry the diaper bag and my kids are out of diapers.

The American Express Savvy Shopping Must Haves of 2011 are:

North Face Denali Jacket (Retail $165):

Michael Kors Hamilton Medium Messenger Bag (Retail $248.00):

Dooney and Bourke Dillen II Satchel (Retail $248.00):

TUMI Ducati Tank Medium Backpack (Retail $245.00):

Enter to Win:

This post is part of the other giveaway post. Win $250 of merchandise or gift cards through Membership Rewards The other post is here, comments on both posts count as an entry, the giveaway ends Nov 7th.

Gift Cards:

Saks Fifth Avenue: (denominations: $50, $100, $250)

Zappos.com: (denominations: $50, $100, $250)

Neiman Marcus: (denominations: $50, $100, $250)

To Enter:

Please leave a comment on this post. Other entry options are found http://su.pr/8ez72o.

This is a sponsored post on behalf of American Express Membership Rewards.

The Epson Holiday Gift Guide for 2011

November 2, 2011 by Momstart 11 Comments

The Epson Holiday Gift Guide for 2011 was put together for us by Epson. I’m currently working on a review for one of their products. So Stay tuned for a full write up on the new sleek, midnight blue Epson Artisan 730

1. Epson LabelWorks LW – 400: $49.99

The EPSON^® LabelWorks LW-400, a powerful new label maker that turns organizing into an art. Featuring a backlit display, it helps you make labels anywhere, anytime. Choose from a huge range of symbols, frames, fonts, barcodes and tapes in a variety of styles, sizes and colors. The LW-400 is both easy to use and efficient (dramatically smaller margins mean up to 60% less label waste). The LW-400 is an office powerhouse. With amazing versatility and a large, built-in memory, it stores up to 50 files, so you can save those commonly used labels. Use it for barcodes, A/V and computer wiring and just about anything else. Or, use it around the house. In any case, the LW-400 will transform how you organize and give you a new outlet for your imagination.

2. Epson Stylus NX420: $99.99

Easily share one all-in-one with everyone in your family with the easy-to-use Epson Stylus NX420. The NX420 is certified in the latest wireless standard, Wi-Fi n, providing you with better overall performance. And, with Easy Epson Wi-Fi, you’ll have all your home computers connected in minutes. There’s no waiting for the ink to dry. Thanks to DURABrite^® Ultra instant-dry ink, you can grab your documents and go. You can even show off your amazing color prints immediately, knowing they won’t smudge or smear. They’re even highlighter friendly! The NX420 is ideal for everyday projects. And, it has great photo features too: built-in memory card slots, Auto Photo Correction, red-eye removal, and a 1.5" color LCD. Imagine printing photos from your memory card, without ever touching your computer! You can also scan and archive important documents, reduce or enlarge documents, and produce color copies, fast. The Epson Stylus NX420 reinvents what’s possible in your home workspace.

3. Epson Artisan 837: $299.99

Artisan 837 offers premium performance plus the World’s Fastest 4" x 6" photo print speeds, high-speed faxing and a 30-page Automatic Document Feeder. Get 4" x 6" photos in as fast as 10 seconds. Speed through everyday projects. With a 7.8" touch panel and 3.5" LCD, the Artisan 837 gives you all the tools you need. Use the Automatic Document Feeder to quickly copy, fax and scan stacks of originals. Print, scan, and access memory card slots from any room with Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ n wireless networking and built-in Ethernet networking. Or, use Epson Connect to print directly from your smartphone, iPad,^® tablet and more.

4. Epson MegaPlex MG-50 $699

The MegaPlex MG-50 delivers 2200 lumens of color light output and 2200 lumens of white light output² for rich, colorful images. Whether you’re projecting images with deep, dark colors or a white screen with minimal text or graphics, you get consistent light output. And, with Epson, you can be confident you’re getting what you need because Epson measures white light output according to the ISO 21118 standard, a more rigid standard than the outdated ANSI lumens rating used by competitive products.

5. Epson EX7210 $649

The EPSON^® EX7210 delivers the ultimate in HD performance for compelling presentations. A breathtaking widescreen, 16:10 format produces 30% more image area than lower resolution projectors, while 3LCD technology and 2800 lumens of color/white light output create brilliant color and razor-sharp detail that’s sure to captivate any audience. Set up in a flash with USB Plug ‘n Play instant setup, plus horizontal image correction via the innovative, user-friendly, easy-slide control bar. Get robust versatility with PC-free slideshows via USB. And, project jaw-dropping HD entertainment and media with HDMI connectivity. When you need to impress your audience and close the deal, the state-of-the-art EX7210 gives you the functionality and quality to make it happen.

6. Epson WorkForce 845: $199.99

The World’s Fastest two-sided all-in-one, the WorkForce 845 delivers high-speed, automatic, two-sided printing, copying, scanning and faxing while providing high quality prints your business deserves. And, it makes it easy to print multiple pages with a 500-sheet paper capacity. Save on ink with the included Extra High-capacity ink cartridges — up to 40% less printing costs than color lasers, a savings that helps make business printing affordable. Easily share your all-in-one with multiple PCs with built-in wired and wireless networking;. Or, use Epson Connect to print from popular mobile devices. Built to perform, this powerful product is the perfect partner to help keep your business running at full speed.

Product descriptions are found at Amazon.com or you can visit Epson.com for even more details.