**UPDATED TO INCLUDE A GIVEAWAY!**

Alex loves to create things. And while he has great ideas on what he would like to make, he's not always sure about how to go about it. Of course, I try to help him out here and there but sometimes he gets too frustrated. 

Thankfully, Crayola has these kits to help him create what he likes. For example, we were sent the Model Magic Presto Dots ~ Wiggle Bones Chameleon. The kit comes with a skeleton that snaps together, 5 packs of modeling clay, and a tool to help make the dots. This suits Alex perfectly as he loves reptiles and can create his chameleon the way he wants to. Also, for the most part, he can be independent with his design. 

I so appreciate this idea and product for my son. He wants to do everything on his own all the time and he doesn't like it to be too challenging. This is something that he would let me "help" him with but I wouldn't have to completely take over. As always, Crayola has created a great product for little ones that helps build their motor skills, imagination, and creativity all at once.

If a chameleon wouldn't suit the little one{s} in your life very well, there are other kits available. You can see the line on the Crayola website. 

BUY IT: You can purchase your Model Magic Presto Dots: Wiggle Bones Chameleon at a number of different retailers for $12.99.

THE GIVEAWAY!!

**Thanks to the company or pr agency, who supplied the items to facilitate this review. I wasn't compensated in any way. In this post I share my thoughts and opinions of the item mentioned. Others may have a different experience or opinion.**

Holiday Gift Guide ~ Crayola Model Magic Presto Dots

• 2010 Holiday Gift Guide crayola gift guide Holiday Gift Guide model magic presto dots review wiggle bones chameleon
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In a few days, we'll be hosting family for a Christmas Eve brinner {breakfast for dinner}. As a woman, I want to make sure all my bases are covered and that I make room to enjoy their company rather than run around like a chicken with my head cut off. Sometimes, upgrades to things I already use come in handy to make this possible. This is one of those times.

This year, I'm looking forward to putting some items from Simplehuman to the test. I was sent a Mini Retro Can and a Sensor Pump to try out. Before I even get into the review, I can honestly say I'm SO loving these items. 

The Mini Retro can comes in 5 colors and stands only 27 inches tall. I picked the stainless steel style and marvel at the fact that it's fingerprint proof. With little ones in the home, this comes in very handy. This little guy would be perfect in an office space or craft area. I, however, put it in my bathroom to allow myself and visiting guests the ease of stepping to open the can so tissues and such can easily be dropped in. That makes life so much easier. 

I like to reuse grocery bags as liners. They fit inside the can perfectly. When They're full, I can take the entire liner out of the can and walk it to the kitchen to empty it into our larger can. Easy peasy and mess free. 

Here are some other details taken from the Simplehuman website. 

• available in five bold colors: red, pink, white, green, and blue

• strong steel pedal: will last for years

• removable inner bucket: for easy trash disposal

• retro design: domed lid and flared handles are stylish and functional

• convenient side handles: just grab the side handles to move the can

• sturdy, non-skid base: non-skid base has rubber pads that are gentle on floors and keep the can steady

BUY IT: You can buy your own Mini Retro Can from Simplehuman for $19.99.

The other item sent to review, the Sensor Pump in brushed nickel, has been such a blessing and a huge help. This is more than just a soap pump, it's my kitchen sink's new best friend {it would be totally wrong to say it was MY best friend, right?}.

We placed this right at our sink to try it out. I figured that I'm in my kitchen enough that I would use it the most there. What I found is with cooking, fixing foods, and even needing a quick scrub after wiping a nose, the Sensor Pump is exactly what I've needed for such a long time.

I mean, how many times do I handle raw meat, or get eggs on my hand, or get a little one's slobber on me, etc. in a day? With the Sensor pump, I just have to wave my dirty hand beneath it and it dispenses the soap automatically into my hand. Phew! No more contaminating everything while trying to get my hands clean! 

Filling the Sensor Pump is a breeze. I just had to lift the lid to the chamber on the back of the pump and fill it with soap. Then, after I add 4 AA batteries, I'm ready to set the volume to be dispensed. Now, this is the really simple part. If, when I dispense soap, I feel it's too much or too little, I can press the plus or minus sign buttons on the top of the pump to adjust this. In no time, it's ready to use and and I don't need to touch it at all to get soap for washing my hands. 

Here's a peek at how amazingly simple this makes hand washing. 

The hubster and I both agree that this has made life so much easier and we enjoy having this in our home.

Here are more details about the Sensor Pump taken from the Simplehuman website.

• I'm touch-free: simply place your hand under the sensor to dispense soap, hand sanitizer or lotion automatically

• no messy spills: wide opening makes refills fast, easy and mess-free

• volume control: easy-to-use buttons control how much soap, lotion or sanitizer is dispensed

• clear soap chamber: shows soap level at a glance

• 4 "AA" batteries required (not included)

• intuitive LED: lights up green when sensor is activated, and turns red to signal low battery power

• available in brushed nickel and black

• Sizes and dimensions: 
• 3.1 x 5.9 x 8.2 (W.D.H.)
• Warranty: 
• 2-year warranty 

I know you want one for your home too. I can't blame you at all. Don't worry. It's not super expensive.

BUY IT: You can pick up your own Sensor Pump from Simplehuman for $39.99.

These two items make life easier which will make my company feel more at home. The less work they have to do, the better. I'm now a big fan of Simplehuman and will perusing their website for more items that could be useful.

**Thanks to Simplehuman for supplying the complimentary, mentioned items to facilitate this review. I wasn't compensated in any other way for this review. In this post I share my thoughts and opinions of the products being reviewed. Others may have a different experience or opinion.**

Make Your Home Holiday Ready With Simplehuman {review}

• 2010 Holiday Gift Guide Holiday Gift Guide homegoods Mini Retro Can review Sensor Pump
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I'm one of those people who absolutely loves to play with gadgets. I am especially liking the new touch screen technology in cell phones and tablets. I think it makes life quick, easy, and organized.

Take, for example, the Vivaz from Sony Ericsson. This is a phone that can be found in any AT&T store. I was sent this phone to review for the gift guide and I think this is an incredible gift idea. After using it a little bit, I think the young crowd {high school and college age} would really enjoy it.

And what's not to like?

The Vivaz looks sharp, is easy to navigate, and makes things like Twitter and YouTube accessible at the touch of an icon. Oh, yes. I did say YouTube. This phone comes ready for all the YouTube action one can handle. And it will be easy to get used to using that icon with all the HD video being taken on the phone.

I was blown away by the picture on this phone. The HD is just so crystal clear. It makes photos and videos worth taking and sharing.

Another feature on the phone is the AT&T Navigator. By using this, I was able to listen to the directions I needed to get from point "A" to point "B". The Navigator is also keeps users up to date on traffic and helps to maneuver around any problems while still finding the quickest route available.

The Vivaz is also great for listening to tunes. Accessing the Bluetooth stereo is simple and keeps the chords out of the way. Also, if I happen to be near a device like PlayStation3, I can hook my phone up to it and share music and photos.

Speaking of photos, the camera on this phone is the best I've used to date {in terms of camera phones}. It doesn't just take a picture. The camera is equipped with face detection and will also let me know if everyone is smiling before I take a picture. No more wasted shots or taking the same picture 10 times over. I can just wait until I see the shot I want, take one or two pictures and be done. And when I go to show off those pictures, the Vivaz's Accelerometer {auto-rotate} will rotate the picture as I turn the phone. {I like doing this just to watch the screen rotate.}

Would you like to see this phone in action? You can try the Vivaz by clicking the words or see the Vivaz.

I'm all about the Vivaz and think it's the perfect item to fill a stocking with. I can't speak for everyone, but I would love to see something like this in my stocking this year. It's a fun, easy to handle gift for a techy and it should get a lot of use.

Please visit the Vivaz page for more details or answers to the items that matter most to you in a cell phone.

BUY IT: If you purchase this phone without a plan, it costs around $350. Check out the price with a contract through your local AT&T store, though. In my area, the phone is currently free with a new account.

**Thanks to the PR firm who supplied the complimentary, mentioned item to facilitate this review. I wasn't compensated in any other way for this review. In this post I share my thoughts and opinions of the product being reviewed. Others may have a different experience or opinion.**

Sony Ericsson Vivaz Makes A Great Techy Gift {review}

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There is no such thing as "too much coffee" in my home. I can't get enough whether it's just a regular coffee, or a gourmet cup 'o joe. If it tastes good, I'm a fan. 

It wasn't until I was able to review the Tassimo T20, that I realized that I was missing out on some very good coffee. Quite honestly, owning this makes every big coffee shop unnecessary. Not only can I make the very same drinks as the ones I buy from them, I can do it at a fraction of the price. I'm loving this!

Tassimo sent me a home brewer and 2 packs of  T Discs to give me an idea of how it works. By the way, both flavors of T Discs were delicious. My one and only complaint is with the Iced Coffee. It tastes so good but I drink iced coffee so quickly that I don't really take my time and enjoy it. Yes, my complaint is born of my own poor, coffee drinking habits.

I filled up the water reservoir and cleaned out the machine as the booklet instructed. Then, I was ready to go and eager to make my first cup of Starbucks Coffee. 

The T-Disc is easily placed in the machine by putting it in upside down. Then, {and this is the best part} the Tassimo reads the code of the T-Disc and knows how to prepare it and how big or small to make it. Honestly, I've never seen gourmet coffee made easier. I don't need to push anything but the "go" button when the machine gives me the green light. Tassimo prepares my coffee with ease and speed. 

Do you see the steamy goodness? Seeing that makes my day every time I see it. Also, I want to point out the stand that the mug is sitting on. I quickly learned that this can be removed  so I can brew my coffee in a taller mug. It can also be placed at two different heights on the Tassimo. One height is for the average mug and the shorter one would be perfect for an espresso glass or small coffee mug. I found it extremely to remove or move around as I tested the machine out. 

When the coffee {or beverage of choice} is done brewing, the green light with the plus sign lights up. This means that I can take my mug and/or open up the Tassimo to make a second cup of coffee or add a second T-Disc to my same mug. {Some drinks use 2, separate discs to create one drink}.

And within minutes, I'm enjoying a yummy cup of Starbucks {or one of the many other brands of T-Discs available} coffee. I've found that the discs for this machine are rather reasonable in price and taste amazing. I love that I can wake up and have a macchiato just because I feel like it.

The Bosch Tassimo is definitely worth the purchase. It meets any coffee craving you may have and fits compactly on the counter top. It doesn't get better than that if you ask me. Also, if you buy one, be sure to register it with Bosch to receive your two, free packs of T-Discs. I enjoyed looking over the selection and choosing the 2 I thought I would most enjoy.

BUY IT: You can purchase the Bosch Tassimo T20 for around $130.

**Thanks to Bosch for supplying the complimentary, mentioned items to facilitate this review. I wasn't compensated in any other way for this review. In this post I share my thoughts and opinions of the products being reviewed. Others may have a different experience or opinion.**

Bosch Tassimo Keeps Me Warm For The Holidays {review}

• 2010 Holiday Gift Guide bosch tassimo t20 coffee Holiday Gift Guide review
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I am a music lover. It's true. I love to have music on whenever I'm doing any sort of work. However, my family doesn't necessarily want to hear the music I'm jamming as I work away.

Headphones play a very important role in keeping everyone happy but it's also important to me that the sound is good quality.

As part of the gift guide, Philips | O'Neill sent me a pair of headphones in "The Stretch" style and the Powder White color.

Here's what the box looks like. Talk about presentation. I had high expectations of these headphones when I saw the way they were packaged.

 Here are some views of the top and side of the headphones.  Can you see how big the headphones are? These fit right around my ears and silence out the background noise so I can hear only what I want to hear. It's also a very comfortable fit. They're cushioned and feel like they were made just for me.

The quality of sound coming from these headphones is amazing too. I feel like I'm hearing a live performance with every song. I've honestly never heard music sound so clear on another set of headphones.

Here's where "The Stretch" comes in. There is a band that fits right to my head and stretches to create a custom fit every time. It's strong enough to hold but gentle enough to not be uncomfortable...even after wearing them for a while.

Another feature that is worth pointing out is the chord. There is a short hook-up chord hanging from one ear of the headphones. This connects to a longer chord that is very strong and durable. The purpose of this is to prevent the cable from breaking should there be some pulling on it. The cable is also tangle free. Hallelujah! I have 2 small kids with very busy hands that love to tangle things up just for the sake of tangling, it seems. It's so nice to know "mom's good headphones" are safe from their busyness.

Please see the ABOUT page for a description of The Stretch headphones from Philips | O'Neill.

BUY IT: You can purchase a pair of Philips | O'Neill The Stretch Headphones for around $100

**Thanks to the PR Company who supplied the complimentary, mentioned item to facilitate this review. I wasn't compensated in any other way. In this post I share my thoughts and opinions of the products being reviewed. Others may have a different experience or opinion.**

The Stretch Headphones from Philips | O'Neill {review}

• 2010 Holiday Gift Guide Holiday Gift Guide Philips O'Neill Headphones review
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I have a lot of winners to announce and to save space, I'm going to just post the giveaway and the winner of that giveaway without showing the random.org shot. As always, I'm using random.org to select winners.

Winning the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf giveaway:

Winning the Bratz and Moxie Teenz dolls:

Winning the Honeywell MyChime wireless doorbell and soundcard:

Winning the Build A Bear Gift Card:

Winning the Thomas & Friends toothbrush from Spinbrush is:

AND FINALLY

Winning the I SPY Wii game giveaway is:

All winners have been e-mailed and have 48 hours to claim their prize before I will randomly select another winner.

Thanks to all of you for entering! Keep your eyes peeled for more great giveaways. :)

Whole Lot Of Winners...

• 2010 Holiday Gift Guide Build-A-Bear Workshop giveaway Holiday Gift Guide Honeywell I SPY MGA Entertainment spinbrush the coffee bean and tea leaf winners
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 Alex loves to pretend. He's always playing some character and asking someone around him to join in and be part of the play. Lately, Alex has been running around with Eliana's shopping cart and pretending to pick items out to be rung up.

Where does he ring them up? I'm so glad you asked.

Alex received this amazing, new Talking Cash Register from Zillionz as part of the gift guide. With it came play money, a play credit card, and stickers that can be scanned with the scanner on the register. 

The play money in the register looks just like real money. So, when I talk to Alex about it, he can learn the name and value of each item. I think this is a great way to introduce him to money and math all at once since the register also works as a cash register. And since the play money is true to life size, it can be replaced with his own money when he gets older. 

The cash register speaks 3 languages {English, French, and Spanish}. So as Alex learns all about numbers and adding, he's learning that in those different languages. As a mom, I appreciate this because I know how his mind works and how he learns new things. 

Another fun way for him to play pretend is by using the loud speaker. He does this a lot, by the way. It always makes me giggle to hear him saying things like "I need some help here, please." *giggle* He's a natural. 

We love having this as part of our pretend play in our home and look forward to seeing Alex grow with it and learn as he goes. 

Check out the website's product description:

ZILLIONZ™ REAL-MONEY TALKING CASH REGISTER RING UP REAL MONEY It talks...it counts...it’s the TALKING CASH REGISTER. This is the centerpiece of your child’s ‘play store’. Use the hand-held scanner to read barcode stickers (included) or call up a price check over the loudspeaker microphone. The talking keypad announces your entries and totals while the digital display shows them. The included credit card and play money will help get you started. When you’re tired of play money, use the cash drawer to store real currency and coins! A great tool for learning about money and math. AGE: 4 & Up

	Features TALKING KEYPAD REAL HAND-HELD SCANNER WITH BARCODE STICKERS DIGITAL DISPLAY LOUDSPEAKER MICROPHONE

BUY IT: You can purchase the Zillionz Talking Cash Register for $39.99

**Thanks to the PR Company who supplied the complimentary, mentioned item to facilitate this review. I wasn't compensated in any other way. In this post I share my thoughts and opinions of the products being reviewed. Others may have a different experience or opinion.**

Zillionz Talking Cash Register Is A Hit!! (review)

• 2010 Holiday Gift Guide Holiday Gift Guide review toys Zillionz Talking Cash Register
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