Category Archives: Past Giveaways

Yes, this is my final Rice Krispies Treats recipe decision and it’s Very Berry!

Food and Drink, New posts, Past Giveaways, ,

Updated June 25th – Congratulations to the winner of our Rice Krispies Treats Recipe Cookbook giveway, Susan R.!

I’ve decided to enter my star shaped Rice Krispies Treats with raspberry sorbet, Cool Whip, and fresh berries recipe in the Rice Krispies Treats recipe challenge I’m participating in as a Rice Krispies ambassador along with 9 other great bloggers.

Being a part of the July 4th Rice Krispies Treats Recipe Challenge has been a blast for me despite the fact that I’ve been traveling and haven’t been able to make as many recipes as I would have liked.  I was able to spend several hours creating a few different recipes and have finally settled on my favorite.. Very Berry Rice Krispies Treats. The other two recipes I made but am not submitting for the contest are (1) Rice Krispies Treats cup filled with sorbet and fresh fruit, with a chocolate rim, and (2) Rice Krispies Treats chocolate covered bowl filled with ice cream and fresh fruit.

My kids, 10 and 4, had so much fun helping me with the Rice Krispies Treats Recipe Challenge.  Madelyn stirred the melting marshmallows and helped put the Rice Krispies in the mix while Sebastian filmed what turned out to be a very shaky video of me going through the entire process of making these delicious Rice Krispies Treats.  I am so proud of Sebastian for trying!  He did a great job.

Star shaped Rice Krispies Treats with raspberry sorbet, Cool Whip, and fresh berries

Instructions

  • Make Rice Krispies Treats as usual
    • Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large pan on low heat
    • Mix marshmallows in and stir constantly until completely melted
    • Remove from heat
    • Stir in 6 cups Rice Krispies
    • SPECIAL – Separate Rice Krispies Treats mix into two 13×9 inch pans to make two thin layers
  • Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour – not necessary, but keeps the sorbet you are going to put on the soon to be cut out stars, from melting quickly
  • Once cool, cut Rice Krispies Treats into star shapes with a cookie cutter and put the individual stars on wax paper
  • Coat 1/2 of the cool Rice Krispies Treats stars with raspberry sorbet (substitute with your favorite flavor, ice cream, or frozen yogurt)
  • Place a star on top of the sorbet covered Rice Krispies Treats stars
  • Top with Cool Whip, strawberries, and blueberries
  • Garnish the plate with fresh fruit and enjoy immediately!  😉
Rice Krispies Treats recipe ingredients and cookie cutters
Madelyn's Rice Krispies Treats star

– So what do you think of my Rice Krispies Treats recipe?

GIVEAWAY! – This contest has ended.

I have been given the opportunity, as a Rice Krispies brand ambassador, to give a lucky reader a Rice Krispie cookbook.  To enter to win, leave a comment telling us what your favorite Rice Krispies Treats recipe is and/or your favorite Rice Krispies Treats memory.  Entries accepted through 5:00pm ET on June 24th. View official giveaway rules here.

Disclosure: I received a box of  Rice Krispies cereal and marshmallows free to use for the Rice Krispies Treats recipe challenge and a gift card to buy additional ingredients (sorbet, Cool Whip, fruit, etc..). I am being compensated for being a brand ambassador for Rice Krispies. My Rice Krispies Treats recipe is being submitted to a contest from which the winner will have their recipe posted on the Rice Krispies Web site and possibly in a Rice Krispies Treats recipe cookbook.

VTech MobiGo review and giveaway

Educational Toys, New posts, Past Giveaways, Summer Time Fun, ,

This contest has ended. Congratulation to the winner Amy P.!

Madelyn playing with her VTech MobiGo

VTech’s done it again with another great product that kids love to play with and learn from. Way to go VTech!

VTech MobiGo

Madelyn got a VTech MobiGo a few days ago and as you can see in the photographs, she loves it and takes it with her everywhere. My 10 year old went to camp about 35 minutes away and the MobiGo was great to have in the car. I actually got to listen to grown-up music while she played with her MobiGo! What was really great is that Madelyn, 4 years old, didn’t get frustrated with any of the games or have to ask me for help.
I’ve reviewed a lof of electronic toys for kids over the last 8 years and MobiGo is one of the easiest for young kids to pick up on right away and keeps preschoolers and grade schoolers interest very well.

Madelyn loves the squirrel game during which she has to draw/trace horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines that magically turn into bridges, swinging ropes, wheels, elevators, and more that help get the squirrel get back home.
The MobiGo keeps Madelyn’s attention very well. Not that I want my kids to be staring at a game system for hours but what’s important to me is that the game be entertaining enough (and educational.. of course!) to keep their attention and MobiGo’s Touch through completion.
The MobiGo is a comfortable size for preschoolers to hold and the smooth grips on the sides make it so that the MobiGo shouldn’t slip out of her hands.

VTech MobiGo details:

  • Touch-screen: Applying touch control that includes tap, flick, pat and drag & drop, kids learn with fun on the same technology as parents do with their touch-screen devices.
  • Educational games: From coloring, drawing and playing instruments, kids can discover a wide variety of fun and engaging learning games. MobiGo teaches a wide range of skills including math, vocabulary, spelling, logic and categorization. The slide open QWERTY keyboard introduces and facilitates typing skills.
  • Downloadable Content: Additional games and content will be available for download so kids can customize their MobiGo with the latest innovative games and continue the learning and fun for years to come. This feature hasn’t officially launched yet but I can’t wait to see what’s available!
  • Portable: Handheld robust gaming console makes learning fun on the go for little hands and is equipped with headphone and AC adapter jacks.. headphones must be purchased separately.

MobiGo Game Cartridges

11 licensed title game cartridges will be available for purchase for approximatly $19.99 with more being added in the near future.
Titles include:
Ben 10, Disney/Pixar’s Cars, Disney Fairies, Disney Princesses, Dora the Explorer, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Mr. Men & Little Miss, NASCAR, Shrek, Super Hero Squad, and Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3.

VTech MobiGo key facts

  • MobiGo Touch Learning System will be available nationwide in August at key retailers and online at Amazon.com and www.vtechkids.com.
  • Suggested retail price: $59.99
  • MobiGo Touch Learning System is recommended for ages 3 to 8 years
  • The slide-out QWERTY keyboard familiarizes children with typing skills.. you know your kids are going to be texting when they’re 6 or so. 😉
  • For more information on VTech’s additional product lines, visit www.vtechkids.com, www.facebook.com/VTechToys on Facebook or follow @VTechToys on Twitter.

A short video demo

Watch this short video of Madelyn playing with her VTech MobiGo. You can see how easy it is for Madelyn (4 years old) to use the touchscreen in this video and how great the graphics are.
(sorry about the shaky video and that I don’t sound very enthusiastic.. I wasn’t feeling so great when I shot the video)

VTech MobiGo Giveaway

We are giving a lucky reader a VTech MobiGo Touch Learning system!
Entries accepted through June 21, 2010.
The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond. Open to US residents 18+ only. Your email and contact information may be shared with Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide for shipping purposes only.

Mandatory entry: To enter to win our VTech MobiGo giveaway sweepstakes, fill out the form below.

Extra entries:
Do as many as you’d like for up to 10 entries!
– Leave a comment below telling us why you want to win. (2 extra entries)
– Follow @mommyinsider on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. (2 extra entries)
– Follow @VTechToys on Twitter (2 extra entries)
– Follow VTech Kids on Facebook and tell them you entered to win a MobiGo from The Mommy Insider (3 extra entries)

This giveaway ended June 21st, 2010.

HTC Droid ERIS Review

Gadgets, Past Giveaways, , ,
HTC Droid ERIS

The DROID ERIS by HTC understands what moms need.  Moms and teens can make this phone their own, personalizing almost everything about it from custom scenes to apps, and more.

With the Droid ERIS, Moms have 24/7 access to friends, family, and teachers, using ERIS’ Facebook® friends, Google Talk™, and Flickr® apps and you will never miss a Tweet again, with HTC Peep™.  Moms can keep up with conversations they’ve had with a particular friend via that friend’s contact card in Contacts.  No more searching your email, text messages, or Facebook.. you can just go to that person’s contact card and see all of your conversations right there in one place.  – A great feature for busy moms!

HTC Droid ERIS features:

  • Choose from thousands of apps on the Android Market™.
  • Know the time and weather, no matter where you travel. When your plane lands, your phone updates automatically.
  • Seven page home screen provides ample space to place the information that means the most to you at your fingertips
  • Wi-Fi & 3G compatible
  • USB Syncing cable  included
  • 5.0 Megapixel Camera with Autofocus
  • 3.2” Display
  • Full HTML Browser w/ Wi-Fi
  • Removable Micro SD Memory – up to 16GB
  • Bluetooth v2.0 compatible
  • Operating on Android 1.5 with HTC’s breakthrough new User Interface, SenseTM

Currently available to Verizon Wireless customers, the DROID ERIS is an affordable smartphone for busy moms and dads that need to stay in touch.

The HTC Droid ERIS is a great smartphone for beginner smartphone users.  My mother who is with Verizon, has the HTC Droid ERIS loves it.  She transitioned from a Palm to the ERIS and is very happy.  She appreciates the touch screen, multiple home screens,  the camera quality, easy calling features, email, and has actually downloaded a few game apps!  Like with any smartphone the HTC Droid ERIS requires that you add a data package to your Verizon account which costs $29.99 or more.

Learn more about the HTC Droid ERIS on HTC’s website here.

Enter to win an HTC Droid ERIS! – this contest is closed

We are giving a lucky reader (who already has Verizon service) an HTC Droid ERIS!
Verizon service, activation, and contract not included.
All types of entries accepted through June 15th, 2010.

How to enter:
Mandatory: Fill out the form below
Extra entries: Leave a relevant comment (why you want this phone, what you love about it, etc..) for 3 extra entries.   One relevant comment per day per person allowed to count for 3 entries per comment.
Follow @mommyinsider on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway – Sample Tweet: Enter to win an HTC Droid ERIS on The Mommy Insider! http://wp.me/plszx-1c3

This giveaway contest is closed

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A summer party with Playtex and a giveaway!

Cleaning & Cleaners, Holiday, New posts, Past Giveaways, , , , ,

I recently had a great summer party at my house despite the fact that the thought of organizing and having a party makes my brain hurt.  That’s the ADHD. I can’t process the thoughts required to put together a party which includes decorating, food preparation, and then clean up.. just thinking about it makes my brain hurt.

My summer party actually turned out really good. I didn’t get stressed before or during the party which was exciting in itself.  I made a few appetizers including Sweet Potato Chips that were pretty delicious once I finally got the timing right.

Playtex sent me a few pairs of gloves to try out before, during, and after my party and I’m telling you, they were pretty awesome. First, I used the GreatLengths™ Gloves to clean my glass patio table and chairs one of which had bird poop on it (see photos below.. not of the bird poop!).  Before having the gloves I would have just used a few paper towels to clean it off and would have been totally grossed out but the gloves took out the gross factor which was really nice.  I also used these gloves when cutting flowers from the garden.  I was lazy and didn’t want to go to the shed to get my regular gloves out but these worked really well.

GreatLengths™ Gloves

  • Test them out when prepping your grill and/or wiping down your patio furniture for the party; these gloves are ideal for the extra messy clean-up jobs (like getting bird poop off of patio chairs)

CleanCuisine™ Gloves

  • Use them while preparing spicy recipes like salsa or try them out when preparing meat or fish for the grill so you are sure to keep clean and germ-free
  • Try using them while chopping garlic or onions which often stings hands and/or leave a lingering odor

Living® Gloves

  • A twist on the classic Playtex® Living® gloves, this new version is ideal for clean-up tasks like washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen
Here are a couple of super-easy, quick appetizers (great for moms!) to try out at your next party:

Oven Roasted Corn on the Cob – courtesy of FoodNetwork.com
Ingredients:
4 ears fresh corn
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place corn husks directly on the oven rack and roast for 30 minutes or until corn is soft. Peel down the husks and use as a handle when eating.  My whoops.. Out of habit, I took the corn husks off before roasting the corn the first time with not such tasty results.

Sweet Potato Chips
Ingredients: 2 sweet potatoes
Directions: Slice two sweet potatoes very thin.  Lay as many slices as will fit without overlapping directly on your clean microwave turn table then spray the slices lightly with olive oil cooking spray (salt optional).  Microwave them in increments of a few minutes checking for desired crispness.

Playtex Gloves

Learn more about Playtex Gloves at the Playtex website here and buy Playtex gloves at your local grocery store or drugstore.

GIVEAWAY!
Playtex is giving 1 lucky reader 3 Glove samples AND a $50 gift certificate to the grocery store of their choice to buy food/drinks for their own Patio Party.
This is the perfect time of year for a nice patio party!  Leave a comment below telling me why you want to win and if you have something fun or funny to tell me about a previous party you held, you’ll get two entries!
Entries accepted until August 18th.