Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs?

Meghan Says:

I LOVE giving my kids cereal for breakfast.  It’s the perfect thing for me in the morning, because it doesn’t require a lot of work, they can eat it themselves and it’s nutritious.  At least, the cereal *I* buy is nutritious.  I don’t buy “sugared” cereal.  And unless my husband has been on a solo shopping trip recently, I don’t have “sugared” cereal around.

So when I was given the opportunity, much like Heather had before, to join the General Mills Blog Tour I was curious to see how I’d feel about the product.  And when a box of Cocoa Puffs Combos, Chocolate & Vanilla, arrived at my door, my  husband was excited to see how he’d feel about the product!

You see, as much as I don’t buy sugared cereals, I don’t buy sweets.  The occasional pack of cookies or brownies, or pint of ice cream, makes it’s way into the house, but I do my best to avoid buying it.  I just really don’t feel like we need the extra calories in our lives.  And if it’s not in the house, there’s not temptation to eat it.  Which means that my husband generally has cereal if he wants dessert.  And Cocoa Puffs are the PERFECT cereal for him and the boys to have at night.

It didn’t take long for him to break into the box and get a bowl.  And it didn’t take long for the boys to catch on to the fact that there was something to be gotten into.  Zach was in his lap in no time flat insisting on “sharing” and Dylan was immediately asking me for a bowl of his own.  They all thoroughly enjoyed it, as was evidenced by the fact that the entire box was gone in a matter of days.   Cocoa Puffs Combos contain a mixture of chocolate and vanilla puffs, for a super flavorful cereal.  Dylan had fun getting only chocolate or vanilla puffs with each spoonful and Zach, well, Zach ate whatever came his way.

And what I like most about it is that it’s fortified with a bunch of stuff that’s HEALTHY.  Like Calcium, Vitamin D, Iron and everybody’s favorite, Niacin.   And getting my kid’s extra calcium is always high on my list.  On the off chance we don’t get enough calcium from the copious amounts of cheese we consume, it’s good to know that we’re getting 25% of our daily recommended allowance from one bowl of cereal (with milk).   According to the Grow Up Strong website, tofu is a great source of calcium as well.  And believe me, Tofu isn’t making a strong showing in our diets anytime soon.  Or ever, really.  (Be sure to visit the Grow Up Strong site for more nutrition information and for a money saving coupon)

It’s also low in fat, so if I’m jonesing for something sweet, I’m not going to feel guilty having a bowl.  And, really, it only has 1.5 more grams of sugar than the other cereal we eat regularly, which, in the grand scheme of things, isn’t a whole heck of a lot.

I’ll definitely be buying Cocoa Puffs Combos again.  And we’ll be enjoying it for dessert on a regular basis – and as an occasional breakfast treat.  And I’ll feel good about buying “sugared” cereal that’s also good for us.

But shhh…don’t tell my kids.  I want them to think it’s something extra special!

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Corneille

Meghan Says:

There’s not any specific musical genre that I stick to.  My ITunes purchases range from country, to rap, to R&B, to Classical, to…well, The Cars Soundtrack.

So I was excited when Team Mom announced they were doing a Music Moms program.  It seemed like a great opportunity to hear more artists and expand my musical collection a bit more.  Because honestly, it’s a little pathetic. I mean, unlike SOME people, I’ve never worked in the music industry.  (I worked in the wine industry, though, and I’m patiently waiting for the day when Team Mom offers Wine up for a review).

Anyway, the first artist up for us to listen to is Corneille, with his new CD The Birth of Cornelius.  I have to say, my standards were set pretty high when they told us he was being compared to John Legend, Tracy Chapman and Marvin Gaye.  Those are some pretty high standards to live up to.

And I was pleasantly surprised when I finally popped the CD in and listened to it.  There’s definitely a jazzy kind of vibe going on, and I was bopping around my house like a mad woman while it was playing.  My favorite song from the CD is the first track, Back to Life.  It gets you grooving, and the lyrics are really sweet.  His song, I’ll Never Call You Home Again, about his native Rwanda is eye opening and heart wrenching.

It’s clear that Corneille writes from the heart, and there is a lot of emotion in what he sings.  He really has a soothing voice, so even if you’re not paying attention to the words, you’ll be sure to enjoy the sound.

He has an amazing life story (he was the only member of his family to escape Rwandan genocide in 1994) and, he’s pretty darn easy on the eyes, ladies.  You will soon be able to learn more about him, and gaze at photos, on his website.   For now, though, just check him out on ITunes.  You won’t be disappointed.

Heather Says:

As Meghan so subtly hinted, yes, I used to work in the music industry. I was in Artists and Repertoire, which is a fancy schmancy way to say that I was in the new artist department. So I have A LOT of experience listening to music. It was my job and all that.

I was interested to hear his music after reading a bit about him. Like Meghan mentioned, his entire family (parents & siblings) was wiped out Rwandan genocide. He was the only one that escaped – he was 17. He was born in Germany and spent seven years there before his family returned to Rwanda, after the Genocide he moved back there for three years. Then he went to Montreal for college. I was intrigued to hear how all these influences would effect his music.

His sound is very smooth, well-produced, easy to listen to. It’s the kind of album I would imagine being put on if one was cooking or having a dinner party. It’s got a distinct “chill-out” vibe to it. His song lyrics vary from the sublime (”last time I saw you/you were stripping me of/anyone and anything that was mine/that’s how I remember you” from I’ll Never Call You Home Again) to the silly (”Now I’m drinking my days and crying my nights away/I got about a million contacts in my iPhone and no unread messages today” from Liberation), but the melodies are well-crafted and full of hooks.

It’s not my kind of music, but I still appreciated his talent. However, considering how popular Cornielle is all over the world, I’d say a lot other people enjoy listening to his silky voice again and again. Be sure to check him out on iTunes so you can decide for yourself!

Giveaway!

We are lucky enough to have a CD to give away to one lucky winner!  Simply leave a comment here letting us know what your favorite “after hours” music is.  In other words, when the house is quiet, and you’ve got an after dinner cocktail or glass of wine, what music are you sure to pop into the CD player first?

Contest runs until 12 Noon on Tuesday, March 31st.  Open only to US Residents.  We will choose a winner randomly from all eligible entries.  To earn an extra entry, subscribe to our feed.  You can also earn one extra entry per day by Tweeting about this contest.  Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry!

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HINT Water

Meghan Says:

If you’ve been around here before, you might remember the last time we reviewed water.

And I outed myself as a water snob.

But what I didn’t share with you is the fact that I can’t stand flavored waters.  I HATE taking a sip of water and having it taste sweet.

Really…I won’t touch anything to my lips that’s supposed to be water that has a touch of sweetness.  Ewww.

Which is precisely why I was excited when the folks at HINT Water told me about their product.

It’s water that’s lightly flavored without any sweetner, preservatives or calories.

And I’m happy to say that when I first, hesitantly, took a sip I was VERY pleasantly surprised.

I started with the Tropical Fruit.  A nice, ice cold glass that totally hit the spot.

But then I had an idea.  A BRILLIANT idea.

I made a pitcher of iced tea, and I used the remaining half bottle of Tropical Punch HINT to add some flavor.

And it was delicious.  Absolutely delicious.

I also had a bottle of Honeydew Hibiscus, which was equally delicious.

Both waters had a slightly sweet aftertaste, but it wasn’t anything overwhelming, or anything that turned me off on it at all.

Dylan tried it and declared it to be “yummy”.  That’s high praise from a picky 4 year-old.

I will DEFINITELY be adding HINT to my list of preferred beverages.  And with so many amazing flavors I can’t wait to try more!

I think I’m going to start with Raspberry-Lime.  Or maybe Blackberry…

GIVEAWAY!!!

In honor of National Nutrition Month, HINT is offering a case of water to one lucky Hot Mom Review’s Reader!  That means YOU!

To enter, simply head over to the HINT website and check out what flavors are available by the case.  Leave a comment here letting us know what flavor you’d like to win.

You can earn an extra entry three ways:

1. Subscribe to our feed
2. Follow us on Twitter
3. Tweet about this contest -  Drink Water?  Win a case of HINT flavored water from @HotMomReviews http://tinyurl.com/HMRHINTGiveaway #HINTGiveaway   (You can tweet once per day for the duration of the contest.  Please be sure to leave a link to your tweet)

Contest is open to US Residents only and will run until Tuesday, March 17th at 12pm Pacific time.  We will randomly choose a winner from all eligible comments at that time.  Please be sure to leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry.

Winner will be notified via email and will have until Thursday, March 19th to send us their shipping information.  If we haven’t heard from the winner by the 20th, we will pick another winner.

GOOD LUCK!

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Protect A Bed – Pillow Protectors…and MORE!

Meghan Says:

SO-  In case you weren’t already aware, today is March 9th.

And in case you already knew that little bit of enlightening info, today is also National Napping Day.

Yes.  Seriously.  We have a National Napping Day.

The ONLY (not really) country in the world that doesn’t recognize the beauty of a daily Siesta decides to honor the nap with it’s very own Day O’Celebration.

Awesome.

What’s also funny about today being National Napping Day is the fact that *I* could have TOTALLY used a nap today.  But I didn’t get one.

That’s probably more ironic than funny, but it’s getting late and I’m tired.

So VERY tired.

Anyway, the awesome folks over at Protect A Bed want to celebrate National Napping Day with all of you.

But they want to do it in an…interesting, and disgusting, way.  They want to tip their hats to the droolers of the world.

(That means you, Heather.)

And because I love you all so much, I’m going to share with you the interesting…and disgusting…information they shared with me:

While for many Americans, a great nap often ends with a giant puddle of drool on the pillow, it doesn’t have to end with allergens and bacteria breeding inside of it. In honor of the naptime drooler on this National Napping Day, Protect-A-Bed is showcasing its pillow protector line and making the case for a more sanitary napping environment.

Studies abound tout the benefits of napping, from enhancing memory and learning, to improving work performance, and increasing mental acuity and overall health. That’s why on the first Monday after daylight saving time begins, when the majority of Americans lose one precious hour of sleep, it’s fitting to celebrate the benefits of the nap and those who take them.

On this National Napping Day, Protect-A-Bed has chosen to salute the most magnificent of our napping species: the drooler. Droolers are particularly special because they fall into such a wonderful napping slumber that a puddle of drool is the inevitable result. A salute to the drooler is a salute to great napping.

While their naps are superb, many naptime droolers feel a bit of embarrassment about leaving spots on the outside of the pillow upon waking from glorious slumber, but it’s what’s happening inside of the pillow that’s more of a concern. The average pillow is a veritable Petri dish of allergens, dust mites and bacteria. The drooler often compounds the problem by introducing extra moisture to the pillow. The warm, moist environment offers the perfect haven for allergens and bacteria to grow.

Sleeping on pillows filled with allergens and bacteria exacerbate allergy problems, as you inevitably breathe in the toxins, whether you’re taking a 20-minute restorative nap or getting eight hours of sleep.

Luckily, droolers and people with allergies can give a sigh of relief, because it doesn’t have to be that way. Pillow protectors, like those offered by Protect-A-Bed, create an allergy-free sleep zone and prevent allergens, dust mites, bacteria and moisture from getting into a pillow.

And because I KNOW you want me to repeat it, I’ll say it again:

…it’s what’s happening inside of the pillow that’s more of a concern. The average pillow is a veritable Petri dish of allergens, dust mites and bacteria. The drooler often compounds the problem by introducing extra moisture to the pillow. The warm, moist environment offers the perfect haven for allergens and bacteria to grow.

YES. You. Are. Welcome.

The beauty of the Protect A Bed website is that it is chock FULL of mattress protectors, crib protectors and pillow protectors. And after reading THAT little bit of information, I KNOW you’re adding “pillow protectors” to your list of items to pick up.

And since you’re here, I’m assuming you’re a mom, in which case you KNOW the beauty of mattress and crib protector’s.

I actually knew a guy in College who drooled like nobody’s business. It was disgusting.  I can only HOPE he has discovered the beauty of Protect A Bed’s pillow covers and has bought stock in the company.

Giveaway!!!

Protect A Bed has generously donated THREE sets of pillow protector’s to readers of Hot Mom Reviews!  Awesome, right?

To enter, simply pop over to Protect A Bed’s website and tell us what product you’d find most useful.  For an additional entry, please subscribe to our website, so you’re continuously updated on the awesome stuff we talk about!  PLUS, tweet about this contest for one more entry each day.  That’s a total of 8 possible entries per person! Just be sure to leave a comment with the direct link to your tweet.

That’s THREE easy ways to enter!

Only one winner per household will be chosen.  Open only to US Resident’s.  Contest runs until Monday, March 16th at 12pm Pacific Time.

GOOD LUCK!

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SYLVANIA PalPODzzz Portable Nightlights

HEATHER SAYS:

My daughter Maddie is OBSESSED with things that light up. Remote controls, toys, the blinking light on the VCR, you name it. If she hits her head (she’s SO close to walking), my sure-fire trick to get her to stop crying is to hand her my cell phone. Unfortunately, my cell phone is about two more head-bonks away from having water damage, so I can’t rely on that old stand-by anymore.

When Parent Bloggers Network asked me if I wanted to review the SYLVANIA PalPODzzz Portable Nightlight, I jumped at the chance because I knew Maddie would LOVE the lady bug light (there is a rocket ship version for the little astronaut in your life). It’s so stinking cute – Maddie literally squealed with delight when she saw it.

SQUEE!

There are so many great things about this night light. The first one I already said – it’s ADORBS. Second, when you plug it in, the whole thing has this awesome soft glow.

Third, the little face lights up to make a flashlight. You can set the flashlight to either come on automatically when it’s removed from the base, or rely on the on/off button. Fourth, the green base still glows with or without the flashlight. Fifth, the flashlight and base only glow when the room is dark, so no energy is wasted. And sixth (and quite possibly my favorite), the batteries in the flashlight are rechargeable. So no more buying and replacing batteries, and no dad batteries clogging up landfills. YAY for being green and stuff!

Madeline plays with the ladybug every day. She clutches it when she crawls across the room (so far, it’s totally indestructible), and it has withstood many, MANY trips to her mouth, something that is SO important when you have a teething kidlet.

The flashlight is bright enough to make things fun, but it doesn’t hurt your eyes when it’s pointed at them – TRUST ME. In it’s nightlight form, it’s bright enough for late-night diaper changes, but soft enough that it doesn’t prevent sleep.

I think this is a great product. Good for the environment, fun for the kids, and reasonably priced at $19.99.

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Bella Sara Miniatures & Treasures

You might remember a few months ago when I first reviewed the Bella Sara website and admitted to you that I’m a total & complete dork who enjoys online games that are meant for tween girls.

You’ll be happy to know that that statement is still true!

The awesome group from Team Mom just hooked us up with the newest line of trading cards & cute little collectible horse figurines from Bella Sara.

To be honest, the collectible figures aren’t really my thing, and with an 18 month old hanging around who puts EVERYTHING into his mouth, I see it as more of a choking hazard than an adorable wee horse to love and cherish.  BUT, I can see our friend’s 8 year old daughter totally digging them.  So I’ll send those their way.

*Phoenix watches over my work*

There are 20 collectible horses available now and another 20 will be available in October.  I can only imagine how much I would have loved these things when I was a kid.

The trading cards, and accompanying Magical Online World North of North, once again held my Dylan’s attention for more than six seconds.  They’ve introduced 27 new horses to the mix, and so far apparently everyone is getting along swimingly.

The new Treasures line also introduces more “printable activities including bonus codes, coloring pages, wallpapers, a poster and jigsaw puzzles” so there’s even more to do on the Bella Sara website than there was back in October.

According to the literature,

Bella Sara, the most successful trading card product ever developed for girls, features horse-themed fantasy cards that offer positive, inspirational messages.  The collectible fun packs include unique codes that can be activated on the Bella Sara website.  Bella Sara taps into young girls’ love of horses and offers them the ability to nurture virtual horses in their online stables, read stories and play games.

A pack of 5 Treasures cards also contains a mini-game, stickers and Bella Sara tattoos.  All for only $2.99.  Trust me when I say that for 3 or 6 bucks, your young daughter will be safely entertained online for HOURS.

Now that really is magical!

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