First of all, I want to send a huge thanks to Litzky PR and TimeToPlayMag.com who arranged my trip to New York to attend the Time To Play Spring/Summer Showcase. I was one of 2 winners on the TimeToPlayMag.com website and I had a wonderful experience.


Now, when I arrived at the conference, I had a mission. Not only did I want to find out about the fun things available for my family, but I also had something else in mind. It started back when I found out that I had won the trip to New York. A lovely twitter friend contacted me and mentioned that she had a child with autism so she was really hoping that she would be able to find out about the toys available for her specific need. Well, that got me to thinking...

The month of April is National Autism Awareness Month and I had wanted to write something about this from the perspective of a mom with 2 healthy children and a college major in education. I wanted to write something original and helpful, though. So when I was given the opportunity to meet with many brands in person, I wanted to key in on that question; "What do you have for the child with autism?"

So, on that note, allow me to share with you my favorite of the recommendations I received from brands attending the Showcase.

 Playmobil 1.2.3 Large Farm $54.99

The colors are bright, the pieces are easy to manipulate, and the play options are endless.

MEGA Bloks Lil' Pink Bus $10.99

Seat the person anywhere you want in the Bus and store the pieces in the back when you're not building. (See the website for even more items.

From Wild Planet: Woody's Run-Around Roundup $25-30

This game is for 1-6 players and is played by spreading out the pieces and then finding them with the RFID reader. Once the reader is placed over the piece, Woody will let you know you found the right piece. This game keeps children active and plays on different levels of difficulties. 

From Nickelodeon and Play-Doh: Dora The Explorer Playset $9.99

Children can make their favorite character come to life by making different molds using the EZ Molder. This looks like a lot of fun!

These are the things to keep your eyes open for if you're looking for something to add to your home or classroom.

For more information on autism, visit Autism Speaks and/or read this article on National Autism Awareness Month 2010.

**This is written purely based on my opinion. I haven't received any of these items or any payment to share these with you. Although, some reviews may be coming up on my blog for a few of these products so stay tuned.

 

Time To Play Spring/Summer Showcase: My Picks For The Season

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Congrats to the winners!

Lindsay Phillips Winner Is:

Winning the Gummy Lump Giveaway:

Winning the LuShae Jewelry Giveaway:

and finally,

Winning the Scholastic Giveaway is:

A Handful of Winners!

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I asked her to "give me Hollywood" and she delivered. Don't you think?

For more Wordless Wednesday, click it!

Wordless Wednesday ~ April 28th

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Shoffee.com is my favorite one-stop-shop online for coffee. There, I can find K-Cups for my Keurig, Whole Bean Coffee, Ground Coffee, Tea, and even Hot Chocolate. What more can a coffee drinker need?


Alright, you caught me. There is something more I would love to have that sells over on Shoffee.com. That, my friends, is the NESCAFE' Dolce Gusto Machine by Krups.

This machine is so much more than a simple coffee brewer. With the NESCAFE' Dolce Gusto, drinks like Espressos, Cappuccinos, Lattes, Macchiatos, and more can be brewed in moments. I can't even begin to imagine how lovely it would be to have those types of coffee drinks available at my beck and call. What a wonderful way to indulge in a delicious drink without having to pack my kiddos up in the car and drive to my local coffee house.

 The Dolce Gusto takes capsules that were exclusively designed for it. And of course, you can find these capsules for a great price on Shoffee.com.

Check out some of the information shared about this brewer on Shoffee.com!

"It's never been easier to produce a high-quality, coffeehouse caliber drink experience in the convenience of your own home. NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto^tm is a single-cup coffee solution that is specially-designed for the savvy coffee drinker:

• No mess, No fuss. Everything you need to make hot or cold drinks are contained in our easy-to-use capsules
• NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto^tm utilizes a professional-level 15-bar pressure system (similar to coffeehouse machines) which helps to ensure that every cup is perfect with a foamy froth, rich crèma and luxurious flavor. Other single-cup home brewers offer only one-to-three bars of pressure
• The unique patented Custom Control Lever, combined with airtight capsules, is specifically designed to optimize the extraction pressure delivering the best quality, texture and customized strength with every cup
• The exclusive KRUPS® Thermoblock technology heats the water fresh every time, in less than one minute
• NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto^tm uses only the highest quality ingredients - featuring only 100% Arabica roast and ground coffee, rich chocolate and foamy milk
• Stylish and sleek design that will stand out on any kitchen counter"

BUY IT: You can purchase your NESCAFE' Dolce Gusto Machine from Shoffee.com for $169.99

THE GIVEAWAY!! NOW CLOSED

I may not be lucky enough to own this machine but soon, one of YOU will! Shoffee.com has offered a NESCAFE' Dolce Gusto prize pack that includes one machine and some extras (which will be decided on by Shoffee.com) to go with it!!

To enter:

• visit Shoffee.com and tell me one specific thing (K-cup, capsule, or brewer) that you would love to own. **Be sure to include your e-mail address for your entry to count.**

For additional entries:

• Blog about this giveaway with links to this giveaway and Shoffee.com.
• Become a fan of Shoffee on Facebook and let them know I sent you.
• Grab my button for your sidebar. (Click "Grab a button" on my sidebar or top menu)
• Subscribe to my blog by e-mail through feedburner(at the top of the right sidebar. comment with the e-mail address you subscribed with)
• Subscribe to my feed (at the top of the right sidebar)
• Follow my blog (the middle of the left sidebar)
• Follow me on Twitter @TheMrsC (comment with your twitter name)
• Tweet about this giveaway.  If you want, you can say “Win a NESCAFE' Dolce Gusto from Shoffee.com in the Spring Event at www.coffeewiththemrs.com!! @TheMrsC @shoffee_joe.” Just make sure to @TheMrsC and @shoffee_joe and link to my blog (or the giveaway) and Shoffee.com.  (comment with a link to your tweet)
• TWICE daily retweets are available for extra entries. Leave a comment with a link to your daily tweet(s)

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. This giveaway will run until May 24th at 11:59pm ET. The winner will be selected by using random.org and will be contacted and announced on May 25th. If the prize is not claimed within 48 hours, I will randomly select another winner.

**This review is based strictly on my experience with and opinion of Shoffee.com. I did not receive a review item and was not compensated in any way otherwise for the review itself or to influence my choice of words. Others may not agree with my opinion.**


 

April Showers ~ Shoffee.com and Nescafe' Dolce Gusto (giveaway now closed)

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I'm tellin' ya what... (don't judge my non-grammar skillz, k??)

I could not be happier for a Friday than I am today! It's been a long week and we have a fun weekend in store with a little trip for me come Monday  to NYC. Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

Anyway, it's time to join in the fun at An Island Life with a simple question/answer post. Click the link to hop over there and join in!

Here's my question for the day...

Have you ever been on a tropical vacation? If yes, where to? If not, where would you go?

I've never been on a tropical vacation. I've been to the Domincan Republic but that was on a missions trip and I can promise you there was nothing "vacation" about it (save for the pool at one of the hotels we stayed in). If I could go on a tropical vacation, I wouldn't have a specific place in mind. Anywhere I can go and take gorgeous photographs is right up my alley. (Fair skin doesn't get along with the beach too well.)

 

Aloha Friday ~ 4-23

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If you're looking for a getaway that your family will never forget, book your stay at Kalahari Resorts.

Once you enter the resort, you'll immediately feel as though you were whisked away to another world. You'll be surrounded by African-inspired decor and encouraged to leave your everyday life behind.


Right in the lobby, you'll find many things beyond the registration desk. There's shopping, ice cream, candy, desserts, gourmet coffee, casual dining, and even photo opportunities with a lion cub. Beyond the lobby, there are many other things to see and do in the resort.

This story is limited to the things we saw as well as the time of year we visited. In the summer, an entirely different side of Kalahari  Resorts opens up with it's outdoor waterpark, camel rides, giraffes to feed, pony rides, and more. Also, coming this summer to the Kalahari Resorts in Sandusky, Ohio, is a huge rock climbing wall and zip line. 

(We hope to return and see those things too.)

One night, we visited Kahunaville Restaurant and Bar for dinner. They were kind enough to accommodate my family and gave us a table where parking Eliana's stroller wouldn't be in the way. 

From where we sat, we could see the water park in full swing but not be bothered by the noise of it. We could also see the adorable limbo contest they had on the stage for a little girl's birthday party.

We looked over the menu and chose a meal of macaroni and cheese for Alex while my husband and I both chose the same meal of the Kahuna BBQ Chicken Sandwich.

Boneless marinated breast of chicken, grilled and topped with honey-smoked ham, hickory smoked BBQ sauce and mozzarella cheese, topped with onion crisps and served on a Kahuna bun.

This sandwich was very big but neither of us wanted to see it go to waste since it was so delicious. We both gobbled it up in record time leaving only a few fries on the plate as we couldn't eat another bite.

A picture of the bar located in the center of the restaurant.

We found Kahunaville to be a wonderful place to grab a nice dinner and felt the prices were average for eating out as a family. 

As for the rooms, they offer many different types of rooms in many different sizes, layouts, and price points. There's a collection of guest rooms, family suites, and even condo suites.  It all depends on how many are in your party and how long you plan on staying. Although, I would recommend a family suite or even a condo suite for a family stay. A condo suite would be perfect for you to split with another family as there are so many bedrooms and even a full kitchen. (You wouldn't have to eat out all day every day this way.)

Our overall opinion of our stay, in a word, is "awesome". We would love to go back in the summer and enjoy the resort's amenities while hopefully making it to an amusement park too. This is really an amazing place to stay with the family no matter what the weather. I like knowing that we will never be bored while staying at Kalahari Resorts since there is so much to do.

I easily give Kalahari Resorts 5 out of 5 stars!

*Please see the website for more information and for booking prices as they change during the seasons and even days. 

**For the purpose of review, my family was given a complimentary stay at Kalahari Resorts. The opinions expressed are strictly my own and were/are not influenced by receiving the stay. Other opinions and experiences may differ from mine.

Kalahari Resorts ~ A Family Adventure Waiting To Happen

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Alex loves to watch TV and even enjoys trying his hand at a video game or too. And in a media powered world, it's very hard to keep him from these things. Instead, I try to find ways for him to enjoy modern technology while helping him learn at the same time. 

VTech offers many different ways for Alex to play and learn as he grows. (There are even toys for Eliana's age of 6 months, too.)

For review in this event, Alex was sent the V.Smile Motion system. In short, this is a wireless gaming system that encourages the learning of children ages 3-7 through playing with their favorite characters.

The system comes with one remote control. The size of the remote makes handling very easy for little ones and the "one big button" is a feature that Alex really enjoys using when he plays his games. It also comes with one game entitled Action Mania that is jam-packed with active games like racing cars or bobsledding for example.

I particularly enjoy the fact that this system will hold its own games. On the top of the system is a storage area that can store the games easily and fosters independence as Alex can take out and put away his own games as he chooses.

We found a great deal on some games so we picked up 2 different ones for Alex and gave him the system with the games for a gift at his birthday party.

He was excited for sure but he didn't really understand what he had received. He only understood "Thomas & Friends" and "Handy Manny" as those are the games he received.

Once we got home, we opened up and put in his Thomas & Friends game to play. I love how he learns things like time management, problem solving, colors, and more from just this one game. And from the Handy Manny game, he's learning about things like patterns and even how to speak and understand Spanish.

This is absolutely something that we will continue to use and enjoy as Alex gets older. His favorite games can get years of play as he can adjust the difficultly level and find new games and challenges to match his current needs. And when he finally does grow out of the games he has now (that are for ages 3-6), there are other games available to teach him new things at a new completely different learning level. 

BUY IT:  You can purchase the V.Smile Motion for about $59.99 and games for around $24.99

THE GIVEAWAY!! NOW CLOSED

Vtech has offered one V.Smile Motion system for one lucky winner!

To enter:

• Visit Vtech and tell me one other item that you would like to have for your little one. (Make sure to include your e-mail address for your entry to count!)

For additional entries:

• Blog about this giveaway with links to this giveaway and Vtech.
• Grab my button for your sidebar. (Click "Grab a button" on my sidebar or top menu)
• Subscribe to my blog by e-mail through feedburner(at the top of the right sidebar. comment with the e-mail address you subscribed with)
• Subscribe to my feed (at the top of the right sidebar)
• Follow my blog (the middle of the left sidebar)
• Follow me on Twitter @TheMrsC (comment with your twitter name)
• Follow Vtech Kids on facebook and tell them I sent you!
• Tweet about this giveaway.  “Win a Vtech V.Smile System in the Spring Event at www.coffeewiththemrs.com!! @TheMrsC @vtechtoys” (comment with a link to your tweet)
• TWICE daily retweets are available for extra entries. Leave a comment with a link to your daily tweet

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. This giveaway will run until May 14th at 11:59pm ET. The winner will be selected by using random.org and will be contacted and announced on May 15th. If the prize is not claimed within 48 hours, I will randomly select another winner.

** Thanks to Vtech for the V.Smile Motion System to review.**

**This review is based strictly on my experience and opinion. I was not compensated in any way for the review itself or to influence my choice of words. Others may not agree with my opinion.**

April Showers ~ Vtech V.Smile Motion Review (Giveaway now closed)

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One of my favorite pics from our Kalahari Resorts trip. (review coming soon) Alex and the hubster are best buds and I love watching them together. :)



For more Wordless Wednesday, click it!

Wordless Wednesday ~ April 21st

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While I've been testing out my new appliances from Frigidaire, I've found something that I truly adore about my Over the Range Microwave. "What's that?" you ask. Oh, my friend, let me tell you all about it.

On the microwave is this neat little button that is named "melt soften". In one button, a lot of time and frustration is saved when it comes to my little world of baking. Yes, it's true. I love to bake. (I just don't talk about it much here because I don't do it all that often.) Now, when a recipe calls for softened cream cheese, melted butter, melted chocolate, or softened ice cream, I can have that ready at the touch of a button and done in a couple minutes. 

On my old microwave, my options were extremely limited. This meant that I did A LOT of guessing with times/power settings and mostly did it all wrong. My melted objects would be boiling over and cooked to the sides of the dish and my softened items would be melted. It was a terrible mess...always.

I want you to see the beauty of how easy this button is to use and understand exactly how it helps to make life easier, so I put together a video for you. 

There are even more neat features on both my range and over the range microwave from Frigidaire. I'll be sure to share them with ya so stick around to hear all about it.

I wrote this review while participating in a Test Drive Campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Frigidaire and received a Frigidaire Range/Microwave to facilitate my review.

My Frigidaire Microwave ~ A Neat Feature

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I'd like to share with you the winner of the Nelle & Lizzy Ring!

Congrats to:

I've sent an e-mail and will wait 48 hours for the prize to be claimed before randomly selecting another winner. :)

Don't miss the other giveaways going on! And as always...there's more to come.

Nelle & Lizzy Giveaway Winner!

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