Rave & Review

Stock up on quick and easy on-the-go breakfast items at the Buy 4 Save $4 Safeway sale

While I enjoy cooking up a good homemade breakfast on weekend mornings, the weekdays around here are a very different story.  Those days we have places to be, deadlines to meet, and rarely do we have enough time to cook, let alone clean up after a big meal. 

It’s those days that I’m very grateful for my snooze button, which in turn makes me grateful for anything that helps save time in the morning.  And, if my solution is easy to eat or great for on-the-go, that makes mornings a whole lot easier on me as I get us out of the house on time. 

When I heard about Safeway’s Buy 4 Save $4 event, I knew this was the perfect time to stock up for quick weekday breakfasts.  I was even more excited when I saw the Safeway ad for the week and saw how many of our favorite breakfast foods were listed, and then even more so when I realized that the prices in the deal are so good that I could afford to stock up.

Because my kids love grocery shopping, I decided to take them with me as I took advantage of Safeway’s Buy 4 Save $4 promotion so they could pick their own breakfasts for the week. And, you would have thought they were headed to Disney Land with how excited the two were to get to the grocery store.

Once we got to Safeway, we headed to pick up our fresh veggies and fruits for the week, and then we picked up a few bakery items we needed.  Next, we headed down the dairy aisle to find my favorite grab and go breakfast: OIKOS Greek Yogurt. I eat a carton most mornings with granola and pack some in hubby’s lunch for him as a mid-day snack, so we go through it pretty fast. 

We finally made it to the breakfast aisle and I let the kiddos loose to pick up a few things that they wanted to eat for the week.  Not surprisingly, my daughter chose way too many cereals and my little guy chose all the NutriGrain bars.  After explaining that we were getting 2 boxes of cereal and 2 snack bars as part of the promotion, I let my daughter do most of the deciding on what items we all would eat, not just that she liked. 

I was thrilled when she figured out which tags went with the sale and then used that to narrow down her favorites.  She finally chose Mini Wheats because they would be something that she and daddy both liked but she went with a new flavor she has been excited to try along with Corn Flakes, a family favorite. 

After that, she helped out in the snack bars and chose Apple NutriGrain Cereal Bars that she knew her brother would eat.  As sweet as that is that she consulted him and helped him choose, I was especially proud that she also noticed the coupons on the back of the Apple NutriGrain bars and announced “that means we can buy more later”.  Ah, so proud!

With two boxes of cereal and a box of cereal bars, I then let them choose a box of PopTarts as a treat that are great for quick mornings when I need them to eat while we walk to school or drive.  Since this isn’t something we get very often, they took the decision making process very seriously and debated for over 5 minutes about what flavor would go over well for everyone.

Finally we headed home with our haul, which the kiddos were so excited about that they made plans to eat everything as soon as we walked in the door.  I talked them into letting me put away the perishables first, and then I let them help themselves to some of our new goodies. 

In planning ahead for the rest of the week, I placed the PopTarts and NutriGrain Cereal Bars in the door of the pantry that the kids can help themselves to, and I poured the cereal into the easy pour Tupperware containers that make it easy for my 4 year old to get her own breakfast ready. 

Now while we’re getting ready in the morning she will ask what kind of morning it is: breakfast bar, a cereal, or cooking.  There’s no arguments or discussions, she just knows that depending on what my answer is she can start getting it ready all by herself as soon as she’s downstairs.  This saves me a huge headache each morning and sure beats standing in the doorway of the pantry trying to reason with preschoolers and talk them into eating something – anything – before you can leave the house.

Here's some more tips for quick breakfasts with preschoolers:

1) Just like you plan ahead for busy mornings and choose outfits the night before, you can also easily lay out breakfast ahead of time in baggies or bowls with lids and just add milk and other perishables in the morning.

2) Make breakfast foods easily accessible to kids and let them get their own food. If they get more Corn Flakes on the floor and table than they do in their bowl, add sweeping {a great hand/eye coordination activity for preschoolers} to their chore lists for when you get home.

3) Many cereals are great without milk and perfect for on the go.  Pre-pour little snack baggies or little containers full of dry cereal and always have it easy to grab as you leave the house.

4) Keep a cereal bar or baggie of cereal in your purse or diaper bag at all times.  It's a fairly clean-to-eat snack that won't weigh down your bag, and you will be very grateful you have something the next time you have to leave without eating and the kids are melting down. 

5) Preschoolers want to assert their independence and choosing breakfast is a great place to start. Always have a few cereal types on hand as well as granola bars, cereal bars, and fresh fruit and it will make morning battles over food all but disappear.

Knowing how easy the mornings have been with all the great on-the-go items we got during the Buy 4 Save $4 promotion has got me convinced I need to keep these in stock at all times.  The fact that they can get and serve their own breakfast and have foods they can eat quickly at the house as well as on the road makes our whole morning routine less stressful for everyone. 

And, most days I even get to sneak in a quick OIKOS and granola breakfast as well, which is good because I need my energy these days keeping up with these two.  And trust me, as a mama of a superhero princess girl and a sweet action hero, I need my energy these days. 


You can see more of our shopping trip in my #BreakfastSavings Google+ album.  I don’t know about you, but I’d call our Buy 4 Save $4 shopping trip a success, no?

Find out more about how you can save on great breakfast foods for the whole family at Rise And Shine With Savings.  Need some inspiration for quick and easy breakfasts for your crew?  Find some great recipes on the National Breakfast Week site.

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and Safeway #cbias #SocialFabric.  As always, all opinions remain 100% ours. 

Stax Living 3-Piece Hard Anodized 5-Quart Saute Pan Set {Review & Giveaway}

In honor of February being Heart Health Month, we’ve been making an effort to eat healthier and cook more at home.  In addition to the savings of not eating out, I just feel better knowing what every single thing is that I’m eating, and have found it’s actually a lot of fun to find, create, and enjoy meals here at home.  Yes, really.

If you’ve been reading awhile, you may know that I’m called “One Pan Leanne” because I rarely use more than one piece of cookware with each meal.  But you probably don’t know that I won’t just use any old pan, it has to be a very specific size and type.  It has to be large enough to hold enough food for everyone, be versatile enough to cook all my favorite meals, and, most importantly, it needs to be hard anodized so I don’t have to use extra oils and fats just to keep everything from sticking.

Each Valentine’s Day, hubby and I create a gourmet meal at home using all of our many kitchen gadgets and this year I was extra excited because that morning I had received the loveliest delivery on my porch.  No, the delivery was not from my Valentine, it was from FedEx and it contained a brand new Stax Living 3-Piece Hard Anodized 5-Quart Sauté Pan Set.

Since the American Heart Association and National Stroke Association both recommend nonstick cookware that doesn’t require extra fat and oils as part of a heart-healthy diet, I knew this new 3-piece set coated with Teflon was going to be perfect for us in our quest to eat healthier.  And, not only does the set have a nice, large hard anodized 5 quart sauté pan to help reduce excess oils, it also comes with a stainless steel steamer basket and lid, which makes it even more versatile and health-friendly.

With how much I love steaming veggies to retain all the nutrients, I had been looking to buy a nice steamer soon, and this one was better than what I had been looking at.  I love that it’s an integrated part of the cookware, fits the same lid, and the fact that it nests so nicely in the sauté pan, which saves space when storing.

And, speaking of lids and nesting nicely, the Stax Living line has done something I really appreciate by creating a shatter-resistant glass lid that is flat instead of curved.  In addition to allowing you to check your food while it’s covered, this design also allows you to place the lid upside down on the pan and create a flat surface, which maximizes your storage possibilities.  

This is great because once you have one set of Stax Living cookware, you’re going to want more, so this gives you an easy way to store all of your pieces and make them quick to grab.  With its durable hard anodized sauté pan boasting twice the hardness of stainless steel as well as exceptional heat retention and heat distribution, you will find yourself reaching for the Stax Living set over and over again.

I’ve never used another cookware set with silicone wrapped handles, but even so, it didn’t take me long to get used to it.  The silicone makes them easy to hold onto as well as heat resistant even when cooking over gas, which makes me wonder why every cookware handle isn’t wrapped as well. 

After using the 3pc set for the past two weeks, I am thrilled with how easy it is to use, how versatile it is for all of our favorite dishes, and most of all, how it has encouraged us to eat healthier.  By eliminating excess oils and making it easy to integrate veggies into everything we make, I find I’m much more adventurous and have been cooking far more vegetables, even as a main dish. 

As great as healthy, versatile cooking is, the really big bonus is the fact that the Teflon® nonstick cooking surfaces are nonstick, which means it is easy to cleanup without scrubbing or soaking after the meal.  Since the whole idea behind “One Pan Leanne” is to minimize dishes and mess, having a set that is so easy to clean {either by hand or in the dishwasher} is paramount. 

If you’re looking for cookware to help you cook and eat healthy, I would recommend checking out the Stax Living hard anodized set.  You can use less oil, cook more veggies, and enjoy cooking a whole lot more when your cookware is this fun and easy to use and clean!  You can find out more about cooking with Teflon here.

Now, how would you like to try out this Stax Living 3-Piece Hard Anodized 5-Quart Sauté Pan Set for yourself?  Well, you’re in luck because I’m giving away one of these great sets!

One lucky Rave & Review reader will win this awesome set valued at $80!

To Enter: simply connect with Rave & Review by any of these methods: Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this awesome Stax Living 3-Piece Pan Set giveaway {bit.ly/YCabZd} with extra credit if you tag Teflon Brand and Rave & Review

1 Extra Entry - Facebook.  Follow Teflon Brand on Facebook

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet

1 Extra Entry - Like @RaveAndReview and @TeflonBrand on Twitter

4 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus. Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On March 25th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.  US only.

A big thank you to Stax Living for sending a cookware set to facilitate this review and for offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers. As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Wordless Wednesday: Guess where we were

This last weekend we had a mini vacation at "the best place, ever", according to my daughter.  She will tell anyone who asks that she wants to go "for 18 days next time, not a measly 1 day". 

Can you guess where we were?

Here's a few more clues:

And, one of my favorites of the weekend:

If you guessed we were at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound Washington, then you are correct.  It was a short stay, but it was amazing. 

It had a little something for everyone in the family... even our son, who is scared out of his mind of standing water.  That big splashing bucket pictured above didn't bother him, but he wouldn't even set foot in the kiddie splash area.  He's a crazy boy, I tell you.

If you're in Washington State and lamenting all the rain and grey, you should schedule yourself a visit at Great Wolf.  It's not far from Seattle and it's perfect for enjoying some water fun in the winter.  I know it's going to be our go-to winter mini vacation spot when we just need some family time and fun!

This post was not sponsored in any way, I just thought I would share our weekend outing for those thinking of visiting Seattle in the winter!

Early Spring Cleaning Thanks to the Best Buy Electronics Recycling Program

Are you like me and have a pile of electronics lying around your house gathering dust.  I always convince myself that I *might* use them someday or they would be great for the kids, and then I never actually make it happen and instead they sit cluttering my house.  Well, I’m getting a jump on my spring cleaning by clearing out all my electronic “clutter” and taking it where it can be disposed of properly.

And no, proper disposal is not setting it by the curb on garbage day; most electronics need special handling because they shouldn’t be sent to the landfill.  While I knew that they didn’t belong in the trash, I was never quite sure where to take them, so even the items I had convinced myself to let go of typically ended up sitting in our garage where our cars should be. 

But, no longer will I walk over keyboards and monitors, broken toasters or discarded DVDS, now I can take them to somewhere I’m already headed anyway – any of our local Best Buy stores.  Not only is the Best Buy electronics recycling program incredibly convenient, it’s also FREE and oh so easy. 

I went to Best Buy this past weekend and didn’t even set foot in the door before I was greeted by signage and stations for recycling my old electronics.  They had bins for all sorts of common household electrics right there inside the first sliding door, and a helpful employee right nearby who could take anything that was too big for the recycling stations. 


While I knew some of the electronics I was dropping off were toast and just needed to be put to rest, some of the items I brought were actually pretty new and I just didn’t have a need for them {work Blackberry and Google phone I never quite got the hang of}.  The employee helping me suggested that I take those to the mobile center in the middle of the store so I could cash in my old phones for Best Buy credit, which is something I wasn’t even aware that they did. 


About 15 minutes later, I was cleaning off the phones of all my old info {which they talked me through since I had no idea how to do this on my own} and signing away phones and chargers I wasn’t using anyway.  I left Best Buy roughly 20 {electronic} pounds lighter and with a Best Buy gift card burning a hole in my pocket.  Add that to the fact that I cleared out the electronic “graveyard” in our garage with almost zero effort, and I was a happy girl.  Not bad for a Sunday afternoon spent shopping, right?

I know many of you have similar graveyards in your offices, garages, and homes and could stand to purge them once and for all.  Why not head to Best Buy and ensure your electronics are safely and responsibly disposed of?  It’s easy, convenient, and it’s free, which makes it a huge win.

Want to know what happens to your electronics after they are recycled?  Watch this video that shows every step of the process – including how they destroy anything that might have sensitive user information. 
 
Here’s some facts about the program:
•    Technology is the fastest growing waste stream on the planet. As one of the world's largest retailer of consumer electronics, Best Buy wants to be part of the solution.
•    No matter where you bought or how old it is, Best Buy will recycle it.
•    Best Buy recycles 387 pounds of electronics each minute our stores are open.

That’s a whole lot of blenders, TVs and flip phones that didn’t clog our landfills! 

And, since you are already out shopping and are feeling much lighter, now is the perfect time to check out Best Buy’s line of Energy Star certified products in store.  You can upgrade your appliances to more energy efficient models, learn about the ways that they help you save as well as protect our environment, and swoon over front loader washer and dryers like I do.  To learn more about our Energy Star certified products, you can check out Best Buy’s Energy Star page and even find rebates for even more savings!

Have you used the Best Buy electronic recycling program before?  Did you love it as much as I did? 

This post has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.  As always, all opinions remain 100% ours.

Toast to the Newlyweds with Personal Creations

With lots of family and friends announcing upcoming weddings, I can’t help but start searching early for personalized bridal shower gifts and wedding ideas.  When I got married, it was well before Pinterest and even before people went online for everything, which made it hard to get truly special items that everyone else wasn't going to have at their wedding. 

Because of this, I’ve always been sad I didn’t have the opportunity to customize the event even more than we did and am very jealous of all of you lucky ducks getting married in this internet age.  You will never understand why I spent weeks searching on a bad {dial-up!} internet connection for one simple little personalized piece of art for the reception or why I ended up having to make almost everything by hand that I wanted special. 

If I was getting married now, I could find hundreds of gorgeous pieces at Personal Creations with a simple click of a mouse.  But, while I'm obviously not getting married now, I still can appreciate the ease of creating awesome, personalized gifts in a matter of minutes with the help of Personal Creations, which is why I return over and over.  It may be quick and easy to shop and order, but it certainly doesn't look like you didn't put any thought into a gift worthy of their big day. 

The first thing that always catches my eye whenever I start shopping is the gorgeous hand thrown Wedding Crock.  What I wouldn’t have given to have this little beauty as my centerpiece on the day of.  I love how classic the Wedding Crock looks, and how it would be great for cut wildflowers or for kitchen utensils year-round. 

Well, you know, if it had my husband’s and my names and wedding date, of course. 

And I definitely would have ordered the I Heart…Hoodie personalized with up hubby's name.  I could have worn for the colder nights on our honeymoon…  or to channel our inner Monica and Chandler and attempt to get a plane upgrade.

In fact, I loved the I Heart…Hoodie so much that I had to order it for a friend’s upcoming wedding.  Now, isn’t this adorable?  

I really love that the letters look screenprinted and aren't cheap iron-on ones you can get at the fabric store, and I also love that it's got a vintage-y vibe while still looking put together and fun.  I was really happy to hear my friend absolutely loved it and she’s worn it numerous times to pre-wedding events and gotten compliments on it each time. 

Even though I was initially worried at how the shirt would wash up because I seem to have bad luck with hoodies, I was told that by following the washing instructions to a T it came out nicely, even after two washings.  This is great news, because I know this sweatshirt certainly won't be retired once the wedding is over; it's going to be the perfect shirt to wear whenever she wants to make her husband smile. 

The next item I ordered was the Mr. and Mrs. Black Mug Set because I also wanted to surprise hubby with a little something as well for our anniversary this summer.  But, I decided not to order ones with our last name on them; I had to go with our pseudonym because I knew it would make him laugh. 

And, as soon as I unwrapped them, I had to laugh myself. 

Since hubby and I have tea almost every evening, I knew these would be the perfect replacement for the snowman mugs that recently got chipped, and I was correct.  While the cube-shaped mugs are smaller than our ginormous mugs we typically use, they still hold about 8 oz, which is still a good size for drinking, especially at night. 

If you are like me and have a bunch of weddings this spring and summer, you should definitely check out Personal Creations and take care of all your shopping at once.  Everyone loves personalized products, and this is even more true for new brides who are changing their name for the one they love.  You really can’t go wrong with a Mr. and Mrs. set for a bridal shower gift that they can use for the wedding or to celebrate the day they wed, and Personal Creations has more choices than I have seen anywhere else.  

Start shopping now for all the special couples on your list to make sure your perfect present arrives before the big day.  And, be sure and check out the Personal Creations coupon page before you start shopping so you can save money while ordering the perfect personalized present.  Win, win.

A big thank you to Personal Creations for providing a few personalized items for gifting this spring and summer to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours. 

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic... and so is playtime

 

It started innocently enough with one My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic video on the LeapPad, and ever since then my kiddos have been very big fans of everything Equestria.  So, it’s no surprise that they were smitten when they were introduced to the line of My Little Pony toys from Hasbro a few months ago. 

Since that day, they have been playing non-stop with their My Little Pony friends {or “Pones”, if you’re my 2 year old son}.  They set up MLP weddings, they host galas, but most of all, they play nicely... and quietly... together for hours like this:

There’s really only way to describe how much they love their Ponies and that would be BPFF {you know, Best Pony Friends Forever, if you're a MLP fan}.  Anyone who knows my unicorn and horse loving daughter would understand that My Little Pony would be a huge hit with her, but what was surprising to me was how much my son adores them as well. 

Clearly I have a Brony in the making, and I don't mind a bit.

And, really, who can blame him when our ponies come with their own RC cars and working trains?  Add in the fact that “his” pony has a mohawk and glows in the dark, and it’s a recipe for Brony love.

But, even more shocking than my son loving MLP is that I am quickly becoming a My Little Pony fan as well.  Anyone who knows me and my adversion to character toys, and especially pink ones, is likely shocked at this, and the truth is that I was, too. 

As it turns out, the show is actually pretty funny and it’s one of the few programs we have all given our stamp of approval.  I love that there are bits of humor that work for all the different age groups in our family mixed into stories that focus on friendship, loyalty, and just how to be a decent person. 

Of course, there’s also rainbows and magic along with horses, Pegasus and unicorns, so really, the show’s for everyone.   

We recently got to check out My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic - Pinkie Pie Party, and as I expected, it did not disappoint.  Instead of a full-length feature, the movie is broken down into different episodes, which are perfect length for watching one before naptime or for watching them all in a row for our bi-weekly movie nights.  

Far and away the favorite episode is "Too Many Pinkie Pies", which my daughter absolutely loves.  Maybe this is because she actually has two Pinkie Pies {one was bought separately and another came in a playset}, or maybe it's that she loves pink, but whatever the reason, this is her favorite episode to watch next to the MLP royal wedding. 

Shout! Factory Kids in collaboration with Hasbro Studios is proud to release My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic - Pinkie Pie Party.  Running time is 110 minutes, which includes 5 episodes along with bonus features like a Sing-Along and a Party Activity Kit. My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic - Pinkie Pie Party is priced at $14.97 SRP and will be available exclusively at Walmart.

A big thank you to Shout Factory and Hasbro for sending Pinkie Pie Party and Twilight Sparkle in an RC Car to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Win 4 Tickets to Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! GET THE SILLIES OUT! Tour in Seattle, March 1

You may remember how I took the family to see Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! in Seattle the past two years and how much fun it was, even for hubby and I.  But what you probably don’t know is that the YGG! LIVE! experience is one of the biggest moments in my daughter’s life and she basically talks about it all. the. time.


Speechless.

I can’t really blame the girl, I mean, it was an amazing show.  There was music she loves, characters she adores, and it was all done up in a way that made it feel like a party.  Make that a really special party that everyone had been looking forward to all year that actually lived up to the hype. 

Aaaaand, then this happened:


When they pulled my 3yo daughter from the audience to go up on stage to dance with Biz Markie it was as if time stood still.  I remember a few negotiations with hubby on who would hold what camera and how we could film it, but everything else was a complete blur until I ran up to the stage to greet her afterward.  Needless to say, it was 15 minutes of my life I will never, ever forget. 


About YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: The sillies are crazy little creatures that live inside of us and need to be shaken out! DJ Lance Rock and everyone’s favorite cast of colorful characters are calling all fans to get ready to jump, shake and shimmy them out at the new live tour Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out!. Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get The Sillies Out! tour will visit more than 50 cities across the U.S. in 2013.  Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! is touring in support of their first national beverage launch, a new line of toys, a new line of kids sportswear and a DVD/ CD collectors' edition.

Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! will have four performances at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle: Friday, March 1st at 3:00pm and 6:00pm and also Saturday, March 2nd at 2:00pm and 5:00pm. CLICK HERE for ticket information for the shows. Tickets start at $21.25. VIP Party packages are available as well which include a ticket in the first 15 Rows, a pass to "Get the Sillies Out" in the private VIP room featuring a super fun party with the Gabba Gang and more {children under 1 year old do not require a paid ticket to sit on a parent's lap}

For a complete list of tour dates, cities and show times, and a preview of the show, visit yogabbagabbalive.com 

One lucky Rave & Review reader is going to win 4 tickets to the March 1st 6pm Seattle Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! show!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to YGG for offering a giveaway to our awesome Seattle fans. As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Nokia 920s are red and violets are blue…

I think we all know that old rhyme.  I, for one, have been singing it all week as I’ve been learning and loving my new fire engine red Nokia 920 Windows 8 phone from AT&T that arrived just in time to celebrate Valentine’s Day with me.   

I’ve said before how utterly amazing it is that nearly everyone I know is walking around with a palm-sized computer in their pockets, but sometimes it takes a new phone ike the Nokia 920 with all the newest technology to really drive that point home.  We’re long past the days of merely making phone calls and marveling about text messaging, we’re at the point now where we are able to do nearly everything you can do on a laptop right on our phones, and let me tell you, I love it.      

If you’ve been reading a while, you already know that I’m a Windows gal who has been looking to make the leap to Windows 8, and with this phone I finally got the push I needed.  Say what you will about iWhatevers and Google, but as a PC gal, I will happily keep my Windows phone that goes quite well with my Windows PC and access all of my files easily right from my phone or computer, thankyouverymuch.

So, what makes the Nokia 920 different than my Samsung Windows 7 phone?  Even at first glance it was clear the answer was *a lot*. 

Size Does Matter:  The first thing you’ll notice is that the size of the Nokia 920 is much larger than most smartphones, which I immediately liked.  Having gone from a Blackberry Bold to a Google phone to my old Samsung, my screen size was progressively getting bigger with each new model and I think I’ve finally topped out at what I think is the largest size that makes sense for my needs.  Since I’m online a lot over my phone and needing full screen access, this really does give me huge freedom over even the slightly smaller Samsung that I couldn’t see full frame on. 

While I wouldn’t expect the larger screen size to be a deal breaker either way for most users, it actually saves me a ton of time when working on certain sites because I don’t have to scroll over or zoom out with each new page load.  It may only be seconds we’re talking about, but when you multiply that by 1,000 page loads, it more than adds up. 

Kids Corner:  You’ve probably seen all the commercials recently with Jessica Alba and Gwen Stefani talking about the Windows 8 Kids Corner function that locks down the phone and allows your kid to use it safely, without deleting all of your important information.  Having been subjected to a phone with locked contacts for over 2 weeks after my then 8 month old son nicely reprogrammed my phone for me, I am all for anything that protects my data and keeps junior from emailing my boss at midnight with a string of incoherent messages. 

While I love the idea of keeping my phone just for me, I’ve often been tempted to hand over my phone during meetings that run long or times when we’re stuck in waiting rooms, but the fear of getting my phone back reprogrammed has always stopped me.  With the new Kids Corner, I no longer have to worry about what they are doing to the phone without my constant supervision because everything in their “corner” has already been approved by me and set up just for them.  As cool as this is now with really little ones, I feel this feature is only going to get more and more useful as they get older and get even more tech-savvy. 

Heavy on the Tech, Please:  I honestly thought my Samsung was high tech as late as last week.  It turns out there are phones out there that take better pictures than my point-and-shoot camera, stream movies faster than my laptop, can charge wirelessly with an additional accessory, and come with PureMotion HD+ screens with ClearBlack display featuring curved Corning Gorilla Glass 2.0 and sunlight readability enhancement.  Yeah, that. 

Customized for Me:  I don’t know what it is about Windows phones, but from the very first time I touched one, I just “got it”.  I personally love the live tile display that shows me which of my dozen emails are filling up, how many calls I missed during the last meeting, which Facebook post is blowing up and where my next appointment is with one quick glance.  With the Nokia 920, the live tile display is even more customizable and you can shrink the tiles to ¼ size or you can expand them so you can read your emails and calendar right from the home screen.

Since I can never commit to anything for long, I love that it’s incredibly simple to reorganize my home screen with literally a few clicks.  If I’m using an app a ton for just a few days I can bring it above the fold and move apps I haven’t touched in weeks down to the bottom, and then change it all back in a matter of seconds. 

Stalk Your Friends, In a Nice Way:  If I’m working on a project with a colleague or needing to keep in touch with someone with limited availability, I love that I can actually pin that person’s profile to the home screen on my phone so I can see when they are available to chat and call them with a push of a tile.  Their newest messages will display right in their tile along with their picture so I can see at a glance who is on right now and get messages in real time. 

While I don’t plan on pinning all my friends to my homescreen, I love that I can pin my husband so the kids are able to call him simply by selecting his picture on my phone.  Whereas I might have trained them to recite his number only years ago or sat with them and taught them about how to use the phone’s rolodex, I love that even my 2 year old could call daddy using the live tiles if there was an emergency and we needed help. 

Red is the Color of Love:  Don’t believe me that a red phone has magical powers?  Check out the ratings for all the Nokia 920s on the AT&T site and you will find that even though all colors are very high rated, the red phone has a perfect 5 star rating.  The color of love, I tell you.  In fact, if you’re looking to surprise your Valentine with a trip to the AT&T store to get one of these awesome red beauties, I have it on good authority you should call ahead to make sure it’s in stock first.  Of course, I’m sure you’d love a black or a white version as well, but I’m telling you, there’s just something special about the red.    

If you are thinking of getting this awesome phone for Valentine’s Day, you will be happy to note that AT&T is running a special through the 21st where you can get two phones for the price of one or get the wireless charging accessory free with purchase.  We all know how cool accessories are with your brand new phone, so if you go with the second option you can get one of the newest and coolest accessories for free and never be limited by cables again!

To Buy: You can find the Nokia 920 in AT&T stores or you can order online here for $99.99 with 2 year service agreement. 

A big thank you to AT&T for sending the Nokia 920 to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Valentine's Day shopping, on a budget

If you know me, you know how much I love to save money.  I rarely buy items without a discount, and I love to help others save on the things that they buy as well.  Because of my love of savings, I'm no stranger to RetailMeNot, which is a great resource for online coupon codes and exclusive offers, especially this Valentine’s Day.

If you're not familiar with RetailMeNot, it's the most widely used online coupon site in the United States.  I started using it a few years back just by searching for the things I buy with "coupon" or "discount" and it popped up as a suggestion.  From then on I have always checked their site before I purchase anything online, and throughout the years I've saved hundreds of dollars with free shipping coupons, deals, discounts, and more. 

And, whenever someone asks me where I find all my great deals or how to get started in saving for the things they buy, I always tell them to do their homework.  When shopping online, that means checking out RetailMeNot and seeing what kinds of deals my favorite merchants have posted as well as finding new retailers that carry my favorite items at a discount. 

With only a few days left for shopping, you should definitely check out the RetailMeNot Valentine's Day Deals page.  Whether you’re looking to woo your honey with a dozen red roses, a box of chocolates or a weekend getaway, they have compiled a list of 2013 Valentine's Day coupon codes and exclusive offers so you can get it all for less.

And, be sure to enter the RetailMeNot Share the Love Sweepstakes for a chance to win something nice for Valentine’s Day. Click here to enter and don't forget to make and share a fun Valentine's Day card with your Facebook photos after you submit your entry!

Although this post is sponsored, all opinions remain 100% ours.  

Help Saving Tiny Hearts Society with Step2 {Easy Turn Coupe Giveaway}

My son loves anything that vrooms, so it’s really no surprise that he would love a ride-on car from Step2.  But, what is surprising is how much he adores the Easy Turn Coupe that arrived at our house last week.  If you know my son, you know his obsession with Volvos, so the fact that he dubbed his Easy Turn Coupe a “Volvo” should be some indication. 

He literally wakes up in the morning, his eyes still fuzzy from sleep, yelling into the baby monitor “mama! play Volvo!”  And thus the days of zooming around the house, cruising down the street, and pushing every single toy he owns in it, begins.

Really, it’s not hard to see why the kid loves the Step2 Easy Turn Coupe.  For one, it’s a car.  A foot-powered car that he can ride in.  And, he doesn’t treat this baby as if it’s a toy; he treats it as if it’s a real car and it’s his job to take care of it.  When he’s not riding inside or being pushed around in it, he’s busy handling all the car maintenance: polishing the “chrome”, gassing it up, and even tinkering {loudly} under the hood.  And, no, he doesn’t get this taking-care-of-cars thing from me, it’s safe to say that’s all hubby.

But, beyond the fact that it’s a car just for him, there’s some really cool features about the Step2 Easy Turn Coupe that make it amazingly Rave-tastic.  The first thing I love is how easy it is for kids to maneuver.  As the name would imply, the thing can turn on a dime {okay, not really, but comparatively speaking} thanks to a front castor wheel that spins easily and allows the car to make sharper and smoother turns than other ride-ons and push toys.  And, because the steering wheel is just for looks {albeit cute, and arguably necessary, looks}, the steering is very intuitive since it’s foot-controlled, which means little ones don’t get frustrated.    

The second feature I really love is that the Easy Turn Coupe is part kid-powered ride-on and part rest-for-the-weary push car that’s much cooler than a stroller to roll around town in.  Simply slide in the removable floorboards {which can also be screwed down} and you can push your little one to the park to play, down to get the mail, or simply to enjoy a fun nature walk in the comfort of their coupe. 

I personally love that the translucent sunroof is also an integrated handle that allows parents to push their little ones, and I especially love how comfortable it is to push, even for long distances.  Because the coupe moves very fluidly and because of the angle of the handle, it’s not at all awkward as I had feared, and I can easily do it one handed, while carrying another child and my purse and all our mail.  Boo-yah.  The extra bonus is that the awesome sunroof is easy to see your child through as well as allowing them a greater field of vision while still staying better protected against the elements.

Can you believe it?  All this raving and I haven’t even mentioned the cupholders.  We all know this is an essential thing to consider when buying yourself, or your kiddo, a car, and you will be happy to note that this baby has three.  Yes, three!  One for the driver, and two in the back, presumably for mom and pop.  Brilliant, right?  And, if anyone is keeping score, that means this “Volvo” has 3 more cupholders than our real Volvo.  True story. 

Okay, enough about turn radius, sunroofs, and cupholders, you probably want to get to the crazy exciting part where I give one away, right?  Well, before we get to that, there’s one more important thing to discuss: giving back in a big way to the Saving Tiny Hearts Society.  I love when great brands support such worthy causes, which is why I can get behind this promo in a big way by sharing it with you and giving a Coupe away to raise awareness.

"On February 10, 2013, at the New York City Toy Fair, Step2 will be launching a campaign entitled the, “I ♥ Easy Turn Coupe”.  The Step2 Company, LLC focuses its charitable efforts on programs designed to enhance the health and education of children while enriching their lives and their family experience.  It is that mission that has made The Saving tiny hearts Society (StHS), an organization that funds life-saving grass roots research of congenital heart defects (CHD’s), a non-profit that Step2 has supported for many years.

Several years ago, Step2 learned that CHD's are America’s #1 birth defect affecting over 40,000 babies every year.  With that type of statistic, it should have come as no surprise when one of Step2’s own, Tena Crock, was impacted by a CHD.

Step2 would like to continue its support of the StHS with our “I ♥ Easy Turn Coupe” campaign. We will be donating Coupes to various children’s hospitals and will be inviting folks to watch a quick video on the Easy Turn Coupe and tell us what feature they ♥ most about it.  For every comment received on the Easy Turn Coupe Facebook tab, Step2 will make a $1 donation to StHS."

One lucky Rave & Review reader is going to win an awesome Easy Turn Coupe for themselves!

To enter, simply comment with a caption for the picture below using these simple rules 1) keep it kid friendly – no profanity and 2) one caption per person per day

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to Step2 for sending the Easy Turn Coupe to facilitate this review as well as offering one to our fabulous readers.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.