Rave & Review

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.  

Campbell's Skillet Sauces make a quick and delicious 15 minute dinner

Once upon a time, hubby and I used to enjoy cooking elaborate dinners together just to use as many fancy kitchen gadgets as possible.  Now, I’m known as “One Pan Leanne” and 75% of the meals I prepare use only one big dish, or at the most, two.  This isn’t to say that I’ve become a lazy cook or that my meals are boring, I simply put a lot of energy into planning so I can make the most delicious meal I can using the least amount of dishes possible.

Because, really, there’s nothing I hate more than excess dishes these days.  With a sinkful of dishes after breakfast, lunch, and snack time, the last thing I want to do is create extra work for myself using specialized cookware when a simple all-purpose pan and spatula will work just fine.  So, anything that helps me cut out a few steps and save a few pans from needing scrubbed is a very, very good thing.

For this reason, I love Campbell’s new Skillet Sauces that take all the work out of preparing gourmet meals.  Instead of mixing bowls and measuring spoons and cups, all the ingredients are included in one easy packet and you only need to add your protein to make a complete meal. 

Last weekend, we all walked to Albertson’s to get some fresh air and groceries and found 4 varieties of the new Campbell’s Skillet Sauces in the soup aisle.  Not only were we excited about four new delicious sauces to try, we were thrilled to find that our store had a shelf display with an awesome $2 off coupon for any fresh chicken, beef, or shrimp that got us excited about trying something new and making a special weeknight “date night”.

Really, the hardest part was deciding what flavor to choose, so we didn’t.  We added all 4 they carried – Creamy Chipotle, Toasted Sesame, Marsala, and Scampi {they were out of Thai Green Curry and Fire Roasted Tomato} – to our cart and headed over to the meat department to check out what we could get with our $2 off coupon. 

Once we were done shopping, we headed to check out and while we were ringing up, the cashier saw our cart and started raving about how great the Campbell’s Skillet Sauces were.  After that, we were even more excited to get our bags home and start cooking so all that was left was planning a few “date nights” so we could try them out. 

Luckily, we didn't have to wait long to try them out as we got a opportunity for a "date night" the very next evening and create our #Dinnerin15.  Here’s what we came up with the first night using the Creamy Chipotle Campbell’s Skillet Sauce:

We grilled up some leftover turkey, roasted peppers and onions, and then added the Creamy Chipotle Skillet Sauce.  As a side, we added some stir fry noodles, poured some wine, and dinner was served.

As much as I was excited about the sauce itself, I wasn’t sure the meal was going to all “work” together. We had taken some liberties changing the recipe last minute and we were just kind of throwing in things without knowing what the sauce tasted like, but the result was incredibly delicious. 

The turkey ended up shredding in the sauce as it cooked, kind of like pulled pork, but it tasted amazing that way and I would highly recommend trying it if you have turkey.  The Chipotle itself had a little bit of a kick, but it wasn’t too hot by any means, even for kiddos.  When served with roasted peppers and onions over noodles, the mix of flavors was perfect and it really tasted like I had spent hours cooking when the truth is I whipped it up in about 10 minutes total.     

The next date night, we created this with the Scampi Campbell’s Skillet Sauce:

The only change we made to the recipe was adding some fresh red, orange and yellow peppers at the beginning of cooking, and I think it was a really good choice.  I'm normally a bit scared of cooking shrimp, so the Scampi Skillet Sauce was the perfect solution as it gave me a foolproof sauce to build upon, and I think I've somewhat overcome my fear. 

We served the shrimp scampi over plain spaghetti noodles and the result was perfection.  By adding in a French baguette and some wine, date night was on.  And, it was delicious.

You can see more about the meals we created by checking out our Google+ album here.

Even though our date nights were days ago, both hubby and I are still talking about how amazing our Campbell’s creations were.  Since we ended up at another Albertson’s later in the week to pick up a few grocery necessities, we actually picked up the Campbell’s Skillet Sauce Thai Green Curry as well to take advantage of the amazing $2 off coupon again.  It’s not often that you can get deals on meat and seafood, so a $2 off coupon is like gold to me and I didn’t want to pass it up. 

And, after seeing how versatile the Campbell’s Skillet Sauces are for making a quick dinner something special, they have now become my go-to meal inspiration.  I will definitely keep a variety of Skillet Sauce flavors on hand for impromptu date nights and easy weeknight dinners.  You really can’t beat a good one pan meal with minimal cleanup that has us raving about it days later!  

Need more inspiration for cooking with Campbell's?  Check out their recipe section at Campbell's Kitchen for cooking tips, ideas for entertaining a crowd, and recommendations for when you just don't feel like meal planning.

You can also connect with Campbell's Skillet Sauces on Facebook for a coupon you can use to make them even more affordable and be sure to check for the awesome $2 off meat and seafood coupon at your local store. 

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

Shari's Berries for Valentine's Day

I don’t know about you, but as soon as I think February, all I can think of is chocolate.  I’m not really a Valentine’s Day person in general as I prefer to do something romantic on a random day when hubby least expects it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like gourmet Valentine’s Day chocolate. 

And, when that gourmet chocolate happens to be covering my favorite food in the whole world, I am in heaven.  This is precisely what happened when Shari’s Berries delivered this to my front door.

The two full dozen gourmet dipped swizzled strawberries may have arrived on a random Wednesday afternoon, but all of a sudden we were having a party to celebrate.  We invited over my sister’s family for dinner and we saved the berries for dessert.  The dinner was good, but all anyone was thinking of was the chocolate covered strawberries waiting for us after.

And, at the first bite it was clear Shari’s Berries are definitely worth waiting for.  Using perfectly ripe HUGE strawberries that are bigger than anything I’ve ever seen in retail, these are the kinds of berries you can cut up and eat or even share {that is, if you share better than me}.

Covered in a thick chocolate – white, milk, and dark – the strawberries are then finished with sprinkles or swizzles, or both, and packed as if they were precious jewels.  This might have seemed like overkill, except for the fact that these are so delicious that they really do seem like precious cargo.

Young and old, er semi-young, gathered around the island and devoured a dozen of these beauties between the 7 of us.  We all sampled each flavor, picked our favorites, and then still had plenty left for a party the next day after dinner. 

And, after trying them all I really feel like it’s impossible to describe how much we all loved the Shari's Berries strawberries.  There’s only so many times you can use the words “delectable” and “delicious” and there are absolutely no words to describe the perfection that happens when you combine two things that on their own are perfect.  

Whether you are looking for hand dipped gourmet berries to decadent cookies and combo packs, Shari's Berries has you covered for Valentine's Day.  And, now ordering from Shari's Berries is even sweeter by shopping off their coupon page!  Simply visit berries.com or connect with Shari's Berries on Faceboook and keep up with discounts and promotions

Start shopping for gourmet Valentine's Day treats now!

A big thank you to Shari's Berries for sending some treats to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Personal Creations Cast Metal Garage Sign {with Coupon Code}

I love Christmas. Every year it starts with a very long list of everyone we buy for and then the fun part – brainstorming what would make everyone’s holidays merry. It used to be that we did practical presents – a knife set, a feather comforter, gift cards, or a new brief case – but in more recent years we’re found that the presents that really make people happy are the sentimental ones, which I why I do a lot of shopping at Personal Creations.

I’ve talked before about how much I love shopping at Personal Creations for holiday décor, starting with their personalized Christmas ornaments, stockings, and holiday trimmings, but they have far more than that in their vast catalog that can be personalized You may remember that this time last year I was raving about their awesome Metal Stocking Holder that gives even us mantle-less homeowners a way to hang the stockings by the chimney with care, and a year later I still love it, especially now that we can actually put it by the fireplace instead of using it as a line of defense to protect the tree.

Well, even if you’re not decking those halls, Personal Creations is the perfect solution for holiday shopping for everyone on your list. Immediately, I found something I wanted, something I needed, and something I would love to wrap up for someone special. The first thing I found was actually for hubby, who is notoriously hard to shop for. Recently, he’s been working more in our garage doing DIY projects and fixing up our “fixer” cars, so as soon as I saw the 12" Cast Metal Garage Sign, I knew it was perfect.

The sign can be customized with any name {up to 12 characters} and then a message {up to 9 characters} and I knew I wanted our last name and then the year we got married.  When the cast metal garage sign arrived, I took one look at it and fell in love.  I was half expecting one of those personalized signs you can buy at the fair that consist of vinyl placed on a thin piece of metal and was thrilled to find this wasn’t some hokey sign slapped together with a name, this was a quality piece of art that would be proudly displayed for decades.

Made of heavy-duty recycled aluminum with embossed lettering, it looks like the real deal – as if you found an authentic retro garage sign that just happened to have your name on it.  There are no seams or anything you would find on a low quality piece and it's clear that a mold was made just for us to create this piece and then it was hand painted after being cast.  With a price tag of only $74.95, I wasn't expecting anything close to this high of quality and was pleasantly surprised by all the little details that make the garage sign so incredibly cool.

Note: the red of the sign is darker and more burgundy than the picture above suggests.  I had to use a sideways light to really get the detail in the lettering and the color got lost in the process.

I love that the garage sign is such a quality piece that it’s bound to become an heirloom. Knowing that our kids are going to grow up seeing the garage sign as we are working on projects together just makes me happy.  As they get older, I know that the sign is going to trigger all those memories in the garage – handing their daddy a wrench when he needs it, helping sand and stain, and working on daddy’s old Volkswagen.

If you’re looking for that perfect Christmas gift that will wow, check out Personal Creations has what you’re searching for. Whether you’re shopping for gifts for Grandparents, gifts for baby, or anyone else in between, there’s a little something for everyone and at great prices that you are sure to love.  And, now you can even get a 25% discount on any order by using BLOGGER25 at checkout!

A big thank you to Personal Creations for sending the garage sign to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

WiFi wherever you roam with a NetZero Portable HotSpot

This summer, our annual family trip with our extended family was almost ruined when the internet broke.  Yes, I know… we were supposed to be on vacation, not surfing the internets, but with so many business owners in my family and so many of us that work from home, having internet access for our week-long trip is non-negotiable. 

It got so desperate that we actually split up and parked ourselves in the local library, the town real estate office and the condo leasing center and made do with spotty coverage.  While this wasn’t an awesome solution, it was better than making the trek back over the mountains and cutting our vacation short. 

But, what if we had had this little baby in August? 

So small that it could fit in my purse or coat pocket but powerful enough to save a vacation, the NetZero 4G HotSpot is my new traveling must-have.  Never again will I pay crazy hotel internet rates or deal with {gasp} broken internets now that I can literally bring secure WiFi with me wherever I go. 

Of course, the NetZero 4G HotSpot isn’t just for vacations, it’s also great for all those times I’m out and about and my boss emails with an ASAP project that requires internet access.  It’s also great for those times when I’m stuck waiting for doctor’s appointments and kid’s events but have a big deadline looming.  In short, it’s for any time you need internet on the go but don’t want to spend your day at Starbucks.  

But, even better than providing me with internet, the NetZero 4G is a WiFi hub that can handle up to 8 laptops, iPads, tablets, you name it.  This means I don’t have to spring for expensive mobile plans for each device, and I can save money purchasing devices that are WiFi only and it also means I can share my good fortune. 

So, while on vacation, my sisters and I could have sat by the pool or beach, hung out on the boat or spent the day at the pier sunning ourselves and sipping MaiTais together while emailing and working online with a shared HotSpot.  Then, once we logged off work and headed back to the cabin, we could have streamed movies and more to relax after a day in the sun.  And, with 6 hours of battery life, I could have even used the NetZero HotSpot on the drive home from the cabin, getting work done while hubby drove us over the pass and the kiddos slept. 

While the NetZero 4G HotSpot doesn’t work everywhere, you can see on the handy dandy little coverage map on the NetZero site what areas are covered.  I’ve found most places along the I-5 corridor have coverage but the more obscure, off-the-beaten-path areas will be spotty or not have coverage at all.  Luckily, you can figure all this out before you buy, which means there won’t be any surprises with bad coverage.

Best of all, there are no activation fees, no contracts, no extra charges and no commitments with your NetZero plan.  And, if that still isn’t enticing enough, you can even try the basic plan {200mb/month} for free for a year!  To help you manage your data usage, there are two different speed settings: LightSpeed {to conserve data} or WarpSpeed {to maximize speed} to meet data needs.

Aww, doesn't that just look festive?

With a job that requires internet access and an on-the-go lifestyle, you can imagine how handy the NetZero 4G HotSpot is going to be for us throughout the year.  I plan on using it while I wait for my daughter's school to let out, while riding in the passenger seat on long car rides when I have work to do, and, of course, while on vacation and for blogging trips.  Just think of how popular I'll be at BlogHer this year if the hotel's internet can't handle our group and everyone is searching for WiFi like they were last year.  Yes, very popular, indeed. 

If you happen to be getting or giving any fun electronics this year and will need internet on the go, NetZero 4G Mobile Broadband is just the solution to keep you connected.  You can check them out at netzero.com and right now you can even enjoy 50% off devices and your 1st month free if purchased by Jan 3rd.

Available for purchase at netzero.net or by calling 800-NETZERO

A big thank you to NetZero for sending the 4G HotSpot to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

JumpSport ProFlex Basketball System for Even More Trampoline Fun {Review & Coupon Code}

When I was young, my family bonded over basketball.  It was where we talked through any problems we were having, celebrated our successes, and laughed about the funny things that happened that week.  No matter what was going on in our lives, getting out in the fresh air with people who loved you made everything else just disappear.  Some of my favorite childhood memories are practicing layups, playing H-O-R-S-E, Around the World, and more with my parents and siblings until the sun went down and we were forced to come inside.

Because I really wanted to share this form of bonding with my own children, my one regret with buying our current house is that it came with a very “urban yard” and there was simply no place to put a basketball hoop.  Well, I’m happy to say we’ve come up with a solution that might make this a positive instead of a negative: Bouncy Hoops.  Bouncy Hoops is the very made up name of our new favorite game with our favorite new accessory, the JumpSport ProFlex Basketball Set.

You may remember our JumpSport Elite 12ft Trampoline review or perhaps our #1 post of all time, 50+ things to do on a JumpSport Trampoline that continues to get hundreds of views every single day.  If you read either one of those, you probably got the gist that we were head-over-heels in love with our JumpSport Trampoline.  Well, I’m happy to say that after months of bouncing and jumping and playing, we actually love it even more than we did before.  While I could go on and on about the ways it has changed our lives over the past few months and made getting out and staying active a family affair, it’s nearly impossible to explain just how much we love it.

For instance, when it’s my daughter’s turn to pick what she would like to do for the day, her answer without fail is, “I-want-to-jump-on-the-trampoline, please” and any day that it’s not raining {and some days that it is}, you will find my son longingly looking out the back door at the trampoline saying, “bounce?”.  Whereas most kids choose ice cream and treats, ours choose the trampoline for rewards.  30 minutes for that glowing teacher report, 15 minutes for helping mama clean up, and another 15 minutes for staying quiet during that important conference call is an hour of good exercise and a great way to motivate without sweets. 

But, now we’ve got even more motivation to get outside and stay active with the addition of the JumpSport ProFlex Basketball system.  It comes with everything you need to take your jumping to a whole new level, including a full-size backboard, cushioned hoop with heavy-duty ProFlex hardware, a 5" soft rubber inflatable basketball, and my favorite feature, triangular side nets to divert stray balls back into the trampoline. 

It’s no joke when I say that this basketball hoop is literally the only thing I wanted for the holidays this year, and it really was like Christmas morning when we got it all installed and ready to play.  I had visions of all of those nights we spent playing basketball when I was young and all the family memories we’re going to create throughout the years with our own hoop and it honestly made me a little weepy. 

All a mom wants is to see her family laughing and bonding together, and this is a sure way to do that even into the dreaded tween/teen stage and beyond.  There’s something special about the combination of physical activity, friendly sport, and fresh air and I was thrilled that we won’t have to miss out on that bonding because of our lot constraints.

And, once the kiddos got outside to check it out, I realized quickly how incredibly right I was.  Between gales of laughter and fits of giggles, the kiddos made their first baskets and were so proud of themselves. 

Here’s my daughter showing off how many baskets she made. Wait, is that 2... or 4?

And, look at these DIMPLES! Doesn't he look like an NBA pro?

While we did make very good use of those side nets that help us contain all of their {many} air balls, they actually did better than I thought they would at hitting the backboard and rim.  I’m pretty sure I’ve got basketball legends on my hand, which is a good thing we got them an amazing hoop so early on.

The kiddos were even nice enough to let hubby and I try it out and we were both impressed with the quality of the hoop and the ingenious design.  The first thing we both loved is that instead of merely being mounted on top of the safety net, the ProFlex Basketball System is actually integrated into the safety enclosure frame itself to give it extra stability.  But, in addition to offering more stability, moving it onto the enclosure frame moves it out of the bounce area and leaves less opportunity to accidentally hit the padded rim. 

Which leads me to my biggest rave: like the trampoline itself, the ProFlex Basketball System has all sorts of safety features built into the design.  From the reinforced and durable backboard that was made to withstand the elements to the padded and cushioned hoop with heavy-duty ProFlex hardware, this is not some doorway basketball hoop rigged up to a trampoline, it’s the real deal and built to last. 

I have absolutely no doubt that the ProFlex basketball hoop that our kids are making their first baskets on will also be the one they learn their first layup on and the one they reminisce about once they leave home.  We may not have our own half court, but you can bet my kids are going to grow up around basketball and bonding over games in our backyard now that JumpSport has made my dreams of owning a hoop a reality.

I know many of you are thinking about getting a trampoline this Christmas, and this is the perfect time to bring home one of the world’s safest trampolines.  Your kids will think you are the best parent ever and you will wonder why you ever waited so long. 

And, if you act fast you can get the ProFlex Basketball set for a shocking discount just in time to have it delivered for the holidays.  From now until December 25, 2012, simply enter the coupon code ABLOG50COUPON at JumpSport.com and you'll receive 50% off your purchase of a basketball hoop when you purchase a trampoline.

To find out more about all of their amazing products and hear about all of their promotions, connect with JumpSport online at JumpSport.com on Facebook and Twitter as well as on Pinterest.

A big HUGE thanks to JumpSport for providing the ProFlex Basketball System for review.  All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.  NOTE: I am not a physician, do not work in healthcare and in no way should you take medical advice from me.  As with all sports and exercise activities, you should consult a doctor before attempting anything you see above.  This is especially true when small children are playing, but goes for all ages.  We supervise our children during every activity outdoors and this includes the use of the trampoline. 

Save A Bundle Gift Pack {Review & Giveaway}

When I talk with moms with grown kids, the number one thing I hear is that there’s so much stuff for kids now.  Instead of one baby carrier and only a handful of companies making baby stuff these days, the market is literally flooded with new items every year.  While some of the new products are amazing, some superfluous, and some a minor improvement to what our parents had, I love the fact that we now have so many choices to fit any need and any budget.

This was especially true for me when shopping for the basics that kids go through so fast – from diapers to wipes to formula.  Even though I breastfed both of my kids, there were times that I needed to supplement with formula and when I did, I was very happy to have so many formula choices available to me.  Gone are the days of having one or two varieties available at most retailers, now there is a plethora of choices available to suit your baby.  I was lucky that both kids would take any formula I offered, so for me, the biggest factor in my purchasing decision came down to cost, which meant I bought mostly store-brand formulas.

Since store brand formula is as nutritionally complete as national brands, yet costs 50% less, the choice for me was easy.  Perrigo Nutritionals store brand formulas from stores such as Walmart and Target meet or exceed FDA standards and simply provide a lower cost alternative to the big formula brands.  Whereas with the bigger brands you are paying extra for the name and their advertising budgets, with store brands you can find a lower cost solution even without coupons. 

When Perrigo Nutritionals offered to send my little nephew a baby savings gift pack, I jumped at the chance.  My sister has had a hard road breastfeeding and has supplemented with formula more and more in the recent months as her breastmilk has declined and I knew this would be perfect way to try out some of the store brands so we could see how he did with them as compared to the big name formulas.  Just as we hoped, he took to the new formula like a champ without any problems at all.

Doesn't this adorable little guy deserve the very best?  I don't know about you, but I'm smitten.

For all the many {many, many} bottles in my sister’s future, I was happy that the gift pack included a Munchkin baby bottle drying rack, a formula dispenser, and a bottle brush.  With how convenient breastfeeding is with no extra equipment required, this will at least make things easier on her as she transitions to supplementing more as needed.  She especially loves the drying rack as it makes keeping the counters clear and there finally is a place for everything. 

But, my favorite thing included in the gift pack was a copy of Sandra Gordon’s new book, Save a Bundle: 50+ Ways to Save Big on Baby Gear.  In the past few years I’ve become the money saving guru in my family and have been teaching my sister as we go how to save on stuff for her baby.  The book offers some great advice on what baby products you should save on, and what you should splurge on that you will use for years and is the perfect shopping companion for her for the next few years.

Speaking of savings, now you can save even more by signing up for baby formula coupons from StoreBrandFormula.com.  While you’re there, you should enter to win the awesome new Origami Strollers from 4moms, the world’s first power-folding, self-charging stroller.  We reviewed the mamaRoo from 4moms when my son was first born and it was one of my all-time favorite baby products. They also have a weekly prize of two cases of baby formula, so there's no reason not to head over and enter today!

One lucky Rave & Review reader will win a Save a Bundle Prize Pack that includes:

• One can of Parent’s Choice Premium
• One can of Up & Up Advantage
• One copy of Save a Bundle: 50+ Ways to Save Big on Baby Gear
• Baby bottle drying rack
• Formula dispenser
• Bottle brush

To Enter: comment below with what you would do with the bundle you'd save switching to store brand formula

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 the Store Brand Formula giveaway {bit.ly/YHMuTH} and tag Rave & Review

2 Extra Entries {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry - Enter the Baby Formula Sweepstakes

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

1 Extra Entry - Follow StrBrandFormula on Twitter

1 Extra Entry - Like Store Brand Formula on Facebook

2 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 December 17th 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.

Winner, winner! This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to:  #19 Danielle N said... I would use the money to put a down payment on a house. Renting stinks!

The Perrigo Nutritionals product, information, and two gift packs have been provided by Perrigo Nutritionals.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Rio Soul Shoes Can Handle Anything... Beautifully {Review & Coupon Code} #HolidayGuide

A few days ago I got a wonderful surprise when a Rio Soul box arrived just for me.  I opened the box up to find these beauties, an early holiday present from Leanne. 

She knows full well that I am constantly in search of the perfect shoes that fit my personality but are still practical, comfortable and versatile and will not get in the way of my busy lifestyle.  And, Rio Soul shoes definitely fit this bill.

Having heard about the Rio Soul shoes in the awesome Party Blu Prints Holiday 2012 Celebrations eGuide, I was anxious to see them in person so it was a fun surprise to get them to check out just in time for all the holiday craziness. 

I was immediately impressed by how trendy they are without being too flashy.  They give just enough flare to my fun, casual look, which I love.  You can dress them up or down depending on your mood, and they look adorable no matter what you're doing.

And, can you believe they are even cuter in person?  After slipping them on, I was surprised by how great they felt.  I found I actually forgot I was even wearing shoes after a while.  It was like being allowed to wear a cozy pair of slippers to work every day.

Not only are these shoes cute and comfortable; they are also durable, light and flexible.  This is extremely important for me since I am a drummer and need the extra mobility and traction for the foot pedals when I’m jamming with my band.  They are also great for when I hit the gym really hard during my CrossFit training.

The minimalist design allows my foot to feel the ground so I can be more aware of my form for safer, weight lifting and more efficient running.  The design leaves me in control of my ankle foot and toes to maximize every movement with the most minimal interference. 

I love that I can wear these to the gym, to the mall while finishing my Christmas shopping, and even gracefully match them with sweaters for holiday parties.  These shoes really can do it all.

From all of my many travels I’ve learned to keep things simple, which is why I appreciate these sneakers so much.  Wearing shoes that can go anywhere and do anything really does help me keep things simple every day and make it so I'm up for whatever might come up throughout the day.

Although I do still like to wear my not-so-practical pumps and flats every now and again, I love that I can now easily stash my light-weight Rio Souls in my purse or a backpack for whatever might roll my way.  With no more added weight or bulk than a pair of flip flops and the comfort of a sneaker, there's no excuse for not having practical shoes anymore. 

And, these are probably the most impressively practical shoes I could ever own.  Not every shoe can keep up with me, and even fewer look this good while doing it.  Thank goodness I have a 20% off with free shipping coupon at RioSoul.com that I can use to buy some more in every color of the rainbow – hey a girl needs to be prepared, right?

Want to use my 20% off + free shipping coupon for yourself?  Simply enter R888SOUL at checkout to score a truly great deal just in time for the holidays. 



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 Rio Soul.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.  #CBias #SocialFabric #HolidayGuide

Zometool Building Sets: Where Science and Art Meet {Review, Coupon Code & Giveaway}

It’s a rare activity that keeps a 4-year-old, 12-year-old and 30-{something}-year-old entertained for hours, but I think I’ve finally hit on the holy grail of all ageless activities – building stuff.  I figured this out this Thanksgiving with the help of Zometool and our holiday gatherings will now never be the same again.   

Thanksgiving up until now in our family consisted of two separate camps – the grown-ups and the kids.  Unfortunately, my 12-year-old niece was born in the gap between generations that left her too young for grown up activities but too old for the youngest generation who are mostly in diapers.  Usually, she passes the time by sitting with the grown-ups and looking slightly amused, but not this year.


This year I brought two sets of Zometool to the gathering specifically for her and told her to have fun.  I brought Ice Crystals and Stars with 90 pieces because I thought we could make some fun holiday snowflakes and designs and Crazy Bubbles with 52 pieces as I thought bubbles would be fun even for the younger kiddos. 

Many there had never heard of Zometool, so we gathered quite the crowd as I explained that they are the new highly addictive building sets designed for kids aged 6-16.  They may be made for kids, but they are also used by Nobel Prize winners, teachers, and apparently, 30-somethings.  At first glance they look like your typical rod-and-connector building sets, but once you start tinkering with them, you realize they are so much more than you imagined. 

Sure, you can randomly connect spheres and rods as my 4 year old did, but the fun really starts when you figure out that the connector pieces are not simply spheres with holes all around them, those tiny holes are actually different shaped openings that only certain rods connect with.  This makes building with them more challenging than a child’s toy, yet more fun to try and master as you create larger and more complex shapes and structures.


The three of us set up shop in the back living room and emptied all 142 pieces onto the table as well as the instructions included in both kits.  And, as it turns out, in addition to being beautiful, my niece is also incredibly creative and extremely talented because she barely needed instructions, she instinctively knew just what to do.  While I must admit my learning curve was much slower than my niece’s, once I “got” it, it was only a matter of time and I was creating more and more advanced shapes for our first bubble experiment.


We sat and worked together building all sorts of crazy structures and designs for hours and hours, only stopping for a quick turkey dinner and to test our structures in the bubble mixture outside.  After two rounds of bubbles, we then switched to creating snowflakes and stars and kept on creating until the party came to an end. 

At the end of the party, my niece and I were both hooked and she told me that she loved playing with the Zometool all day long.  I know she would really like the Plato’s Solids Zometool set, so even though I’ve already got her gift this Christmas, I’m passing along the info to her grandma.


And, now her grandma can snag an awesome 15% off and free shipping because I’ve got an exclusive coupon code to share with you!  Simply enter the coupon code Rave at checkout on Zometool.com and you can score some Zometool sets of your own until November 30th.  Perfect for holiday shopping for all those kids interested in science, architecture, art or engineering, as well as those kids who need a little less screen time. 

Zometool sets are made in Colorado and have won all sorts of awards just in the past year.  They have many kits available as well as creator sets that give you open-ended fun for hours.  What set would you choose?

One lucky Rave & Review reader will win a Crazy Bubbles kit or the Pyramid Puzzle!

To Enter: Visit Zometool.com and tell me something you learned or a product you'd like to try out in a comment below

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 the Zometool giveaway {bit.ly/10VC0O0} and tag Rave & Review and Zometool

2 Extra Entries {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry - Like Zometool on Facebook where you can see awesome creations from fans

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

1 Extra Entry - Follow Zometool on Twitter

2 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 December 1st at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.

Winner, winner!  This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to:  #31 Jenn said... email subscriber

A big thank you to Zometool for sending samples to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.