Reviews – Page 9 – Nifty Mom

Fog Machine & HalloweenCostumes.com Review & Giveaway

Not only do I love fall, but I love Halloween. We have been getting our two and three year old sons pumped up for Halloween and they are getting super excited. We’ve been decorating, doing crafts, and baking treats. This year my husband and I have decided to have a Halloween party and we’ve been on the hunt for party supplies. One thing we didn’t have was a fog machine. While browsing HalloweenCostumes.com, I found a 400W Fog Machine that seemed perfect for any party and especially a Halloween Party. I also had to get a quart of Liquid Fog to run the machine.

The fog machine has basic instructions that are easy to follow. I simply poured the liquid into the designated reservoir and plugged it in. As instructed, I waited for the red light to come on and switch the machine to on. It soon released fog into the room. After a minute or so, it shuts off and ‘rests’ before releasing more fog. It continues to cycle until it runs out of liquid or is switched off and/or unplugged. The 400W Fog Machine create 2,000 cubic feet of fog per minute. I let it cycle for 3 or 4 times and it was pretty foggy in my house. The kids definitely enjoyed it. It will certainly be a great addition to our Halloween party this year and can be used for other parties throughout the year. I did find that the machine does get pretty warm, so one should use caution when around it and picking it up after using it.

About HalloweenCostumes.com:

HalloweenCostumes.com is one of the largest retailers online for Halloween costumes. They have hundreds of costumes, with something for everyone. Their site is easy to navigate, browse categories, or search for something specific. Not only do they have costumes, you can also find accessories and Halloween Decor. Stay connected for the latest updates and become a fan on Facebook, Follow @funcostumes on Twitter, and Pinterest.

Win it!

HalloweenCostumes.com is giving one lucky Nifty Mom reader a costume (or decor) of their choice up to $40. Entering is simple using the Rafflecopter form below.

No purchase necessary to enter. The giveaway is open to US residents only, 18+ and giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST October 17th, 2012. Winner will be selected via random.org and contact by email. The winner has 48 hours to reply to confirm their prize or a new winner will be picked. Sponsor is responsible for shipping the prize to the winner, not Nifty Mom. If you have any issues entering or have any questions, please email me at contact (at) niftymom(dot)com.

GOOD LUCK!

**GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED**

Disclosure – I received the named product at no cost to conduct this review and was in no other way compensated. All opinions expressed are 100% mine.

‘Start Simple, Start Right’ with Kellogg’s Cereals

Some mornings I need to get breakfast on the table as quickly as possible. Not because we are in a hurry or have somewhere to be. But because when my sons are hungry, they become very impatient and think that food should just appear in front of them instantly. Trust me, listening to a 2 year old and 3 year old competing to be the loudest one to say ‘Mom.Breakfast’ over and over, while a 9 month old is beating on his tray trying to be heard over his brothers isn’t always the most pleasant way to start a morning. When I need something quick, I love to turn to cereal. Not only can I get it on the table within minutes, but there area lot of healthy options.

We normally keep at least 5 different cereal boxes in our pantry. Not only is it a great breakfast choice, it is also a healthy snack. When my husband gives my sons their evening snack, he typically give them cereal and sits down to enjoy a bowl with them. Most of the cereals we eat are Kellogg’s. It is a brand I grew up with and a brand I will always trust. They have a little something for everyone. Some of the healthy wholesome cereals we have been eating thanks to Kellogg’s:

My sons are both a fan of Rice Krispies. They love the ‘snap, crackle, pop’ and they even enjoyed the Gluten Free one. I have also been a huge fan of Corn Flakes. I decided to share some with my sons to let them try it out. My two year old said ‘Mmmm, Yummy’ while rubbing his belly. I would say that is a sign of approval from him! My husband’s favorite is the Raisin Bran (and one of my other favorites). We really enjoyed all the Kellogg’s cereals and it is comforting as a Mom to know my family is eating a healthy breakfast (or snack).

All the above cereals are made with seven ingredients or less, plus vitamins and minerals, and all start with just a single grain. This is Kellogg’s Seed-to-Spoon approach. In just a few steps, all the cereals go from being a single grain, to being the cereal we all enjoy. I just love seeing how simple the process is and knowing where the food I feed my family comes from.

Also, you can see just how each cereal goes from being a simple grain to the cereal in your bowl in the follow videos.

Be sure to check out Kellogg’s ‘Start Simple, Start Right’ website for more information on the simple grain cereals. I know after learning about their Seed-to-Spoon process, I will start paying more attention to the ingredients in all the cereals I purchase.

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Kellogg’s. I received sample products to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.”

The First Years Compass B570 Pathway Booster Car Seat {Review}

When you become a Mom, keeping your kids safe becomes a priority. With three little ones, I am constantly having to child-proof cabinets and drawers, move things out of their reach, and buy the latest safety products. When it comes to car safety, we have been on the hunt for a new booster seat for our three year old. He is outgrowing his convertible car seat and we wanted a booster seat that would last for long time. After weeks of searching with no luck, I was introduced to the Compass B570 Booster Car Seat by The First Years.

After the box arrived, my husband installed the seat into our vehicle immediately (he’s very impatient) while I finished reading up on all the features and settings. When my husband returned inside quickly, I thought something was wrong. There was no way he installed it already. He always has a difficult time securing car seats (shhh, don’t tell him I said that). Nope, I was wrong. He was finished installing it! The booster seat installation was easy with the lower latch anchor attachments. The back is also self-adjusting, creating the perfect fit for any type of seat. I am still in shock it was that easy.

Time to test it out. When Ethan saw his new car seat, he was thrilled. It was something new and it was more of a ‘big boy’ seat to set him apart from his two year old brother. When I buckled him up, I could easily adjust the shoulder belt (up to 1.5″) and the lap belt to fit him comfortably. The first thing he did was play with the arm rests, moving them up and down and up and down. As he was doing that, he noticed the cup holders on each side. I think besides the comfort, this is his favorite feature. They are removable, which is good for me because I can easily take them out and clean them by running them through the dishwasher. He loves them because he can have his cup in one, and he removes the other one and holds snacks in it.

Some other features I love:

Five-star “Ease of Use” government rating from NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

Deeper headrest for impact safety

Six-position adjustable “no gap” back, so it can grow as your child grows

Patented easy, one-hand fold

Easy to move to another vehicle with the built-in carry handle

Soft Fabric and well cushioned

Side-impact tested to international standards

Narrow bottom rails for better installation in smaller cars

Long lasting because it fits children 30-100 lbs. (3-10 years old) (and it is very durable)

Weighs just 9 lbs

I know next year when my two year old turns three, I will definitely be purchasing another one. He already tries sitting in it, but his brother makes sure that doesn’t happen. Ethan and I are very happy with the First Years booster seat and I highly recommend it.

Purchase the Compass B570 Pathway Booster Car Seat for just $99.99 at local retailers (find a location near you) or on Amazon.com (currently on sale for just $85).

Learn more about The First Years products at thefirstyears.com. For the latest information and updates, follow them on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, and subscribe to their YouTube Channel.

Disclosure – I received the named product at no cost to conduct this review and was in no other way compensated. All opinions expressed are 100% mine.

VTech Switch & Go Dinos – Hot New Toys for Kids Ages 3-8 {Review}

Cars and dinosaurs. Those are my sons’ two favorite things. They always want to play with cars, dinosaur toys, or watch either on TV. When it comes to toys, my sons tend to get bored with them quick and it is hard to find ones that capture and keep their attention. So what kind of toy could really make them go crazy (in a good way)? How about one that is a dinosaur and a vehicle in one. That’s what VTech has created with their new Switch & Go Dinos.

I received two (of the seven) Switch & Go Dinos for the boys to play with and they exceeded my expectations. I have seen the commercials advertising them, as my 3 year old always makes sure to get my attention to tell me to ‘buy that’ every time it is on. I didn’t realize how big they are and how many features they actually have. Within a few simple steps, each one can transform from a vehicle to a dinosaur, and vise versa. They each have a screen in the front that is animated with the vehicle drivers or the dinos eyes. There are so many features to the dinos, I probably still don’t know them all.

We first played with the Attila the Ankylosaurus Dinosaur. This heavy construction vehicle comes with a wrecking ball, tow hook, and a trailer. The tow hook can be used to tow around other Switch & Go Dinos. There are over 70 sayings and sound effects that it makes. My sons loved towing around the trailer and playing with the wrecking ball. When the Attila is switched into a dino, the wrecking ball is now a powerful tail and with the push of a button, the tail moves. I really love that there were two parts to the toys so my sons could each play with a different part as they played together with it.

Next, we got out Brok the Brachiosaurus Dinosaur. This is the king of the Switch & Go Dinos. It comes with a smaller race car and a Pterodactyl. When it in the car mode, it can carried a car, including the race car. With just the pull of the spoiler, the race car launches down for front of the car and the Pterodactyl launches out of the car. They had so much fun launching the car. This was one of my two year old’s favorite features. When switched to the dino, Brok towers high and can move his neck and head all around. This Switch & Go has over 80 different sounds effects and sayings from real-life sounds, fun facts, and cool phrases.

The dinos are heavy duty and I know my boys will test their durability (they aren’t really gentle with their toys). I really love all the different sound effects and sayings that each one has. Normally with new toys, it takes about ten minutes to memorize its sayings and I get annoyed hearing the same thing over and over again. Not with the dinos. I still notice something new every time they are playing with them. The sounds effects are also very realistic. I can’t tell you what my sons’ favorite things are about the toys, because they get so excited just seeing them and the excitement doesn’t die down as they continuously play with them. I can see the dinos being in our household for a very long time.

I would definitely be purchasing more of the collection for my boys. You can purchase the Switch & Go Dinos at national retailers near you, or on Amazon.com.

VTech is holding a Show & Tell Contest on their Facebook page! To enter the contest your child can DRAW or BUILD their own Dino, and no purchase is necessary! Submit your entry by October 1st, for your chance to win a lifetime supply of VTech toys, one of 25 Dino toy sets and more!

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for VTech. I received VTech Switch & Go Dinos product samples to facilitate my review.”

Provella – A Probiotic Dietary Supplement for Women

My day-to-day routines always revolve around my sons and my husband. From the moment I wake up, I spend most of my time making sure they are well-fed, well-nurtured, and well-taken care of. As I always put them first, I tend to forget about taking care of myself and my health. My three sons are within 2.5 years in age (3, 2, and 8mo). Since they are so close in age, I was basically pregnant for three years straight (not exactly, but it felt like it) and it really took a toll on my body and hormones. Now that my youngest is 8 months old, I have been wanting to get back on track with my health, but haven’t found the time. I just recently learned about probiotics and Provella and had the chance to try a 30-day sample.

Provella is a probiotic dietary supplement pill that helps promote digestive, feminine, and immune health.* What are probiotics? They are live microorganisms, typically bacteria, that are taken to benefit your heath. Everyone has good bacteria and bad bacteria that should be somewhat balanced. A woman’s good bacteria, flora, can be easily disrupted by the use of antibiotic, changes in hormone levels, diets and more causing changes, discomfort, or irregularities in different aspects of your digestive and feminine health. The use of a probiotic helps maintain a good level of flora and restore it, if needed.

To be effective, Provella needs to be taken daily with or without food. Taking it daily is important to ensure the good bacteria stays in your system. I have been taking it for over three weeks now. I couldn’t feel a difference when I first started taking it, but I didn’t expect to. I am pretty sure the longer it is taken, the more effective it becomes. After three weeks, I will have to say, I do feel healthier. Last week as my sons got a mild cold, I managed to not get ill. I believe it has to do with taking Provella and having a healthier immune system. Things have also been more regular and I feel great!

View the video below to learn more about how it works.

Provella can be purchased at your local pharmacy without a prescription behind the counter. Make sure to print out and take this $6 off coupon. It is also available online on Drugstore.com.

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Provella. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”

Enjoying the Refreshing Arbor Mist Frozen Wine Cocktails

Arbor Mist Frozen Wine Cocktails At least once a month our good friends come over and we make dinner or barbecue and sometimes enjoy a nice glass of wine. During our last few get-togethers, we have been eating outside. With the weather being warmer, a nice frozen cocktail would be more refreshing than a glass of wine. We normally don’t have time to mix up and make a frozen cocktail, but then I was introduced to the new Frozen Wine Cocktails from Arbor Mist. I got the opportunity to try all the new flavors, so this past weekend when our friends came over to barbecue, we decided to try them out.

The frozen cocktails come in 10fl oz pouches and need to be frozen for about five hours. When ready you are ready to drink them, you just massage the pouch, loosening it up to a nice slush. Then open the top and squeeze to pour into a glass and enjoy. The frozen cocktails contain 6% alcohol, the same as Arbor Mist Wines. They are available in three flavors: Blackberry Merlot, Strawberry White Zinfandel, White Pear Pinot Grigio.

First, we tried the Strawberry White Zinfandel. We split one pouch into two glasses, but it would easy fit nicely in a slightly larger wine glass than the ones we used. The flavor was great and I would compare it a strawberry daiquiri. It was very refreshing, slightly sweet with just the right amount of strawberry flavor. Out of the three, I would say this one has the least wine taste to it. I think even if someone isn’t a fan of wines, they would still enjoy it.

Next up was the White Pear Pinot Grigio. I am a pretty big fan of Pinot Grigio wines so I had high expectations of for this one. I am happy to say that those expectations were met! The taste of wine came through the fruit flavors perfectly.

Last was the Blackberry Merlot. Blackberry is one of my favorite fruit flavors so I couldn’t wait to try this one either. Again, I was highly impressed. The sweet dark fruit flavor was amazing. For me, it was the sweetest of the three. Picking a favorite would be hard, because I am a huge fan of all three.

Arbor Mist Frozen Wine Cocktails are a great addition to a barbecue, get-together, day by the pool, or just to add a refreshing cocktail to the end of your day. Not only are the flavors great, but they are easy to make (just freeze and pour), and the slushy texture is perfect. I may have to pick up a few more for our next barbecue. When would you enjoy an Arbor Mist Frozen Wine Cocktail?

I received samples of the product at no cost to conduct this review through SheSpeaks and was in no other way compensated. All opinions expressed are 100% mine. Please drink responsibly.

Rock ‘N Learn ‘Preschool – Ready for School’ DVD {Review}

My sons (3 & 2) can’t seem to get enough of the Rock ‘N Learn DVDs. I love how educational and entertaining they are. When I learned about their Preschool DVDs they offer, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one. We have been talking about getting my three year old into a preschool so I thought the DVD would be great to help teach him some of the essential skills when preparing to go to preschool.

In thirty minutes, ‘Ready for School’ highlights:

Getting Dressed
Tying Shoes
Cleaning Your Room
Listening Skills
Printing Letters

While I was putting the DVD to play it for the first time, I was unsure if my sons would like it as much as their other Rock ‘N Learn DVDs because it is a different series, with different characters. Surprisingly, I am pretty sure they enjoyed this one even more than the other ones. The animations are bright and easily caught the attention of my sons. The songs are captivating and my three year old was excitedly shouting out answers to questions about letters, shapes, and numbers. After it ended, he wanted to watch it again. The next time we played it, he grabbed the remote and replayed the Getting Dressed song over and over again until I took the remote from him. That is definitely his favorite part right now. One section covers printing letters and my son got out his magnetic doodle pad to try to write some of the letters as the characters did on the DVD. I was very impressed!

Yet again, Rock ‘N Learn didn’t let me down! ‘Ready for School’ has been a huge hit in this household.

Some other ‘Preschool’ DVD titles include ‘Phonics for Beginners’, ‘Colors’, ‘Shapes & Numbers’, and ‘First Sight Words’. Do you want to buy it? Good News! They are offering a series of value-priced ‘Preschool’ DVDs at Sam’s Club locations nationwide. Purchase one for just $7.98 (retail $14.99) for a limited time through September while supplies last.

For the latest updates and information, follow Rock N Learn on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

I received the named product at no cost to conduct this review and was in no other way compensated. All opinions expressed are 100% mine. This review is brought to you by Karma Media.

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