Treat yourself to some new flavors from Hershey's ! ( R+G)

I can't wait to share my  CHOCOLATEy experience with the new taste of Hershey's! They are so snacky, so watch out!

HERSHEY'S® Drops are delicious bite-sized chocolates with no candy shell, making them the perfect chocolate to enjoy and share anytime, anywhere!  The Hershey’s® Milk Chocolate used in the new Hershey’s® Milk Chocolate Drops features a recipe that was developed specifically for the Canadian palate and launched in 2009. Understanding people in different countries have different taste and experience preferences, Hershey Canada has brought together the ‘right amount of chocolate’ with the ‘right amount of creaminess’ for Canadians in a new ‘droppable’ format!
Could I ever say no to such a nice little treat? Chocolate can change my mood completely. And especially when they come smart little sizes, you do not know how many you pop into your mouth.But you feel all better after they melt in your mouth! That's the magic of chocolate. The recently launched Creamy Milk Chocolate from Hershey's is smooth and melts so well that you can relish every bit of it. It doesn't have the sugar coated candy shell and that's how you get to enjoy ALL the pure milk chocolate. Children will love them as they taste delicious and the size is so fun!


Another recently launched flavor is the "Cookies n Creme".My son loves cookies and milk for breakfast and this tastes very close to that! It is a very different taste from the usual chocolatey flavor. I shared some with my colleagues and they loved the great new taste of Hershey's. 

I really liked the 200g packs as they are are not too much for 2 or 3 people when shared. It will not give the feeling of having had too much, like when we buy a big pack. They are also resealable, so that's even better!

Hershey's has been a popular brand in the chocolate industry and the great products only continue to enhance their brand image. Great product, Hershey's!

Totally enjoyed writing this post about chocolates!

Thanks to Hershey's for sponsoring a giveaway to a chocolate-loving reader!

Mandatory Entry:
  • Follow my blog on GFC  ( 1 entry)
Additional entries ( 1 entry each, leave a comment)
  • Follow "Toddler Tales by Mommy" on Twitter.
  • Follow on Networked blogs
  • Become an email subscriber
This Giveaway is open to residents of  Canada until July 15, 2011.Random Generator will choose a winner and will be announced.
 
(Disclaimer: Thanks to Hershey's Canada  and the PR firm  for sending me the featured products for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way.All opinions expressed here are only my own.)

Review: The Little Red Book of Wisdom by Mark DeMoss

We all could use an another helping of wisdom! I thought this book would be an "advice" or "lecture" kind of book, telling all the do's and don't s. On the contrary, it wasn't. It is full of nuggets of wise words we all know of but march right on them as we are too busy doing our own things.

The author shares in mini-chapters about his own experience and why it is important to pay attention to the small things in life. He also goes on to talk about how following some small rules in life impacted his life and those around him.

It was an easy read but I was all happy while reading it. I was able to reflect on how I can use these wise tips in my life to make a difference in my own life and to others.The author doesn't come across as a teacher trying to teach all the good lessons but his style of sharing his life experiences, made it more reflective and thought provoking.It would be a great book to read while traveling!

Buy it from Thomas Nelson for $16.99
( Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers, I received a free advanced reading copy of this book as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. All opinions are only my own.)

Giveaway: ARM & HAMMER® Double Duty Clumping Litter – Super Odour Control Your Feline Friend Will Thank You For! 7/15

I would love to have a pet at home and really look forward to that day! Presently we do not have a pet but for those of you who have a pet at home, this is worth checking out.

More than 36,500 Canadian consumers voted ARM & HAMMER® Double Duty Clumping Litter as the 2011 Best in Household Products for the 8th annual BrandsSpark International’s Best
New Product Award. ARM & HAMMER® Double Duty Clumping Litter has powerful moisture-
activated Baking Soda crystals boosted with feces odour neutralizers that destroy both urine
and feces smells on contact. Rock solid clumps let you remove the source of smell easily.

ARM & HAMMER® Double Duty Clumping Litter contains a powerful blend of baking soda and feces odour neutralizers to immediately absorb and destroy urine and feces scent as cats cover
their mess. Rock-solid clumps let you remove the source of odours easily 99 per cent dust free and low tracking.
  • Easy-pour, no spill spout.
  • A fresh scent refreshes the litter box each time your cat uses the box.
  • Available in retailers across Canada
A study conducted by Church & Dwight reported that 81 per cent of cat owners are embarrassed by litter box odors. As a proud cat owner, you need to fight that odour problem stat. Thankfully, Arm & Hammer® Double Duty Clumping Litter is the purr-fect solution. 

Sizes: 6.4 kg – SRP: $6.99 - $8.99
12.7 kg – SRP: $13.99 - $15.99

For more pet care tips, visit Arm & Hammer

1 lucky Canadian reader will have the opportunity to win 2 boxes of Arm & Hammer® Double Duty Clumping Litter.

Here's how you can win it:

Mandatory Entry:
  • Follow my blog on GFC
Additional entries ( 1 entry each, leave a comment)

  • Follow "Toddler Tales by Mommy" on Twitter.
  • Enter any other giveaway
  • Follow on Networked blogs
  • Become an email subscriber
This Giveaway is open to residents of Canada until July 15, 2010.Random Generator will choose a winner and will be announced.
 
(Disclaimer: Thanks to Arm & Hammer and the PR firm  for sponsoring this giveaway. I was not monetarily compensated for this review nor did I receive a product. The information on this post was provided by the sponsor.)

Scholastic DVD : The Scrambled Stated of America (R+G) 7/15


"The states are bored and long for a change, so they decide to swap spots in hopes that each can get to see a different part of the country."


This was a hilarious DVD and I even watched it many times, not because I had the time but it got me hooked! I couldn't resist the jokes  that the states were poking at each other! My son has had a special place in his heart for geography from a young age. He loves maps..just any map. He would sit and talk about it for a long time and enjoys knowing capitals and names of countries. So when I told him that this was a story about a country and states, he really paid close attention to it.

  • SCRAMBLED STATES OF AMERICA
  • THE SCRAMBLED STATES OF AMERICA TALENT SHOW
  • DO UNTO OTTERS (A BOOK ABOUT MANNERS)
  • OPEN WIDE: TOOTH SCHOOL INSIDE
Every story was a master piece and we LOVED, LOVED and LOVED it. It was funny too as the states of USA talk to each other about their ethnicity and what is popular in their states. They decide to scramble themselves to know more about where the other lived. Finally they all get back to their places as there is no place like home! It encouraged familiarity of the state names and also the pronunciation. 

I would look forward to seeing Scholastic produce something similar for the provinces of Canada too.

I also appreciate the story illustrated with a white background. The other 3 stories were equally interesting and Tooth School is one awesome tool to teach children about dental hygiene. I did some extra talking with my toddler about Tooth School as brushing is not his favorite activity.

This DVD supports Geography; manners; Dental Hygiene.
Awards : Parents' Choice Recommended, 2004; Kid's First Endorsed, (DVD/VHS), 2004
You can order this DVD from Newkideo for $14.95.
Thanks to Newkideo, we have a giveaway! 1 lucky reader will have the chance to win this  Scholastic DVD : The Scrambled Stated of America.

Mandatory Entry:
  • Follow my blog on GFC  ( 1 entry)
Additional entries ( 1 entry each, leave a comment)
  • Fan Newkideo on Facebook
  • Followe Newkideo on Twitter
  • Follow "Toddler Tales by Mommy" on Twitter.
  • Follow on Networked blogs
  • Become an email subscriber
This Giveaway is open to US & Canada until July 15, 2011.Random Generator will choose a winner and will be announced.
 
(Disclaimer: Thanks to Scholastic and the PR firm  for sending me the featured products for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way.All opinions expressed here are only my own.)

Scholastic Storybook Treasures DVD series ( R+G)


Scholastic has released some wonderful Children's DVD Series called the Storybook Treasures. It is an entertaining way to kindle interest in reading and also listening. I was sent a pack of 3 DVDs featuring:








Each DVD contains 5 stories and they are short enough for the attention time for children. 

The narrator has an appealing voice and sounds dramatic for the story, which makes a lot of difference. 

I think there could be some improvement in illustrations. Some stories like the Napping House appear too blue because of all the pale blue colors used to define the theme of the story. I think illustrations should be vibrant and make the characters stand out from the background. In some stories, illustrations fade away as the colors are not lively.The Story about Ping was my son's favorite as it looked more like a real storybook with the bright yellow duck. So I thought the way in which colors are played with certainly have an impact on children's mind and how they perceive something as interesting or boring.

I will certainly commend the appearance of text on the screen and the way in which it gets highlighted as the story proceeds. The intention of the DVD is partly to encourage reading skills and the words that appear in readable size on the screen will definitely contribute in achieving that goal. 

It is well worth the money as it is excellent quality material in the form of DVD with simple, silly, funny and interesting story lines. It will also help an older sibling learn story-telling skills which is great as they can read for an younger sibling or narrate their own imaginative stories.

Great gift and will be well appreciated by children and parents alike. You can order the 3 pack DVD set  from Newkideo for $24.95

(Open to residents of Canada only)

Prize pack worth almost $300 !

You will have the chance to win a mega toddler prize pack which will include this Scholastic 3 DVD set.


(Disclaimer: Thanks to Scholastic and the PR company for sending me the featured product for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.)

Review : Gomu - An Eraser Wonderland!

This is a hot new product for children 6+ and I just realized why something so small can be such a hit!
   
Gomu is the only collectible eraser which comes in a ton of shapes..one to suit your taste and style! The different categories are Pet, Surf, Zoo, Fashion, Ocean, Beauty, Gadgets and School.Each eraser has a different Gomu point value. Gomu points let you know how rare your eraser is. The higher the point value, the more rare the eraser is. So mix and match! The Gomu collector tool gives you information on every eraser so you know just what your collection is worth. 

I was sent a pack of Gomu erasers and how fun they look! They do not just look pretty on the outside but even on the inside. 
I opened the eraser that looked like a mini suitcase and it had all the details of a suitcase on the inside too..it is too good to be an eraser!It is also solid and firm and does a good job of erasing. It is wonderful for school going children.


I remember collecting stuff like this while I was in school and the trend still continues in school! I guess it is so fun to trade stuff and kids will not only enjoy collecting these erasers but will enjoy trading them for their favorites. And also they start less than a dollar, so it can even be a tiny, affordable gift or reward that parents can use to discipline and encourage good behavior.I am sure the kids will look forward to what will be the next shape they will get.

And I have already kept my favorite ones aside!

(Disclaimer: Thanks to Spin Master for sending me the featured product for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way.All opinions expressed here are only my own.)

Hasbro's Memory Game - Cars 2 Edition! ( R+G)


Lightning McQueen and Mater have become like 2 real people living in our house, after my son watched the movie Cars. It is surely a heartwarming movie that has captured the little hearts all over the world! My son will accept anything with Cars character. He is willing to try anything as long as it has Cars on it! He had a great start to wearing underwear, thanks to Lightning and Mater! He loves to read Cars story book and I will not mention the number of times he has watched the Cars movie! He is still not tired of watching it.

When I got to review this Memory Game with him, he was jumping with joy " Lightning! Hurrah! Lightning!".


Includes: 2 Character Pawns, 28 Picture Cards, Speedway Gameboard, Spectator Grandstand, Instructions. 

This game is pretty easy to play and can be played even by one child, by himself. Place the pawn on the start of the speedway. Arrange the picture cards face down and choose 2 pictures to see if they match. If not, you put it back face down. Now it is the 2nd player's chance to pick 2 cards and see if they match. All through the game, the focus is on remembering which card has which character in it and where it is placed. So that when it is your chance to pick the card, you will remember which card to pick so that it matches. If it matches, you place it  on the Grandstand.For every match, you move the pawn by one place on the speedway. The first pawn to cross the finish line wins! 

This was LOVED by my son and he enjoys it every time we have played this game. He even kept the game beside him while he slept as it was precious to him!

If you have a Cars fan, be sure to enter the giveaway! You can also buy it for $12.99 at Toys R Us.

(Open to residents of Canada only)

Prize pack worth almost $300 and still adding!

You will have the chance to win a mega toddler prize pack which will include this Memory Game - Cars 2 Edition.


(Disclaimer: Thanks to Hasbro Canada and the PR company for sending me the featured product for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.)

SORRY! Sliders Disney Pixar Cars 2 Edition (R+G)

This is another fun and exciting game for a broad range of players. I have a wide grin just like that grin you see on Hasbro's logo, every time I see a child enjoy a good game! What better time than for a family to sit together to play and laugh, it is priceless.
Race your friends your own cool racetracks! Rev through Radiator Springs, tear through Tokyo, power through Porta Corsa and rip through London. But watch out! Oil slicks, traffic cones and radiation zones make it a bumpy ride to victory. It’s time to put your sliders skills into top gear! 


Contents: Track pieces, Barriers, 4 racers, Assorted obstacles, Lap counter tokens, Mater token, Sticker sheet, Game guide. 

Set-up for this Sliders game is easy and this game is just right even for a 5 yr old. We played it with a friend's son who visited us and he was only 5. You can even leave out the scoring and let you child do the counting.My 3 yr old loved the counting part and helped count. It encourages a deep involvement right from their mind. Make it as entertaining and educational as possible!
It  comes in a nice box as the tracks have to be put away safely. No fun without the tracks! If you have played the original Sliders game, this is will be a new experience with Cars theme. It helps children to follow simple rules and taking turns to race their sliders while paying attention to the obstacles on the way.When 4 laps are over, the big race begins. The one who finishes first is the winner!

We did not have the previous Sliders game and this first try was quite enjoyable. Once Cars 2 is out, your kids are going to be begging you for these games! Or you can try to win this for them !

(Open to residents of Canada only)

Prize pack worth almost $300 and still adding!

You will have the chance to win a mega toddler prize pack which will include this SORRY! Sliders Disney Pixar Cars 2 Edition.


(Disclaimer: Thanks to Hasbro Canada and the PR company for sending me the featured product for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.)

Review: Chex Cereal - Love at first bite!

Doesn't that look simply delissssssh? It does taste super-delicious too and is full of the goodness that every one will fall in LOVE with at the first bite. 

I had the wonderful opportunity to review Chex gluten free cereal in two nutritious and delicious flavors - Rice Chex and Honey-Nut Chex. I am cereal lover and can eat cereal anytime of the day. So, I enjoyed a bowl of Chex flavours right away when they arrived. Hmmm.. I thought they would taste different because of the "gluten free" factor, given I have NEVER tried anything gluten free.But, it only tasted much healthier and tastier than I expected. 

I should mention that the Honey Nut Chex has a very healthy dose of sweetness unlike the other sugar loaded cereals. Hubby felt it was still too sweet for my 3 yr old. It was crispy and tasted great with milk. It is made with Corn meal.

Rice Chex is plain cereal, made with whole grain rice. It was nice to have Rice Chex, sort of like a neutralizer in between having some sweet cereal. It is crispy and also tastes great with milk. I think this cereal can also be used to coat chicken and other meat, while baking or frying them.

Until one of my family members was diagnosed with Celiac's disease, I did not bother to check about gluten free foods and how it can help with Celiac's disease and to some with Irritable bowel Syndrome. I will definitely be recommending this cereal to my friends and family who think they have to exclude tasty cereal choices because of the presence of gluten in such foods.

Look for Chex Gluten Free cereal  in the cereal aisle of your local grocery store! Launching on June 17th you’ll be able to check out everyday recipes at www.chexcanada.com

Disclosure: I am participating in the Chex Gluten Free program by Mom Central Canada on behalf of General Mills.  I received a Chex gift pack and a gift card as a thank you for my participation.  The opinions on this blog are my own.

10 Things NOT to Put in Your Personal Blog

So, I have had this conversation with hubby many times and we agree on what Pamela S Stevens has to say on TopTen Reviews. I wanted to create a post with my own thoughts on this topic but I have procrastinated it so much that I decided to google for it and found a short but crisp article at TopTen Reviews

If your blog or journal is posted for “Everyone,” meaning that anyone can look at it, you should hold back identifiable information. 

Here are 10 things to never put in your personal blog:
  • 1. Your full name.
  • 2. Your kids, friends or family member’s full names.
  • 3. Where you work.
  • 4. Where you live.
  • 5. Telephone or cell number.
  • 6. Personal email address.
  • 7. Where you will be and when you will be there.
  • 8. Pictures of where you live or work that include identifiable information.
  • 9. Pictures of your car that show the license plate number.
  • 10. Travel Itinerary.
If you hold back identifiable information you can be assured that most of your thoughts are safe to share. If you are not concerned with generating traffic to your blog, just write and don’t worry about whether it is going to be read, linked to or even liked. However, even if your blog is set to “Protected,” meaning only certain people can read it, you still need to be careful about writing content that may come back to haunt you later. 

If you really just want to write and not worry about sharing, set your blog to private, and keep your posts to yourself. Either way, public or private, blogging can be fun, cathartic and informative. 

Going by my gut feeling, I have somehow managed to follow these pointers unconsciously. I blog for fun and love to try new products. Last thing I want is my blog to become a burden to me! Despite being extremely cautious, we have experienced identity fraud and thankfully it wasn't damaging. I also prefer not to post any of my personal pictures which has "people" in it in the world wide web which provides easy access to my pictures. 

If I want to share my travel experience, I will make a post on it "after" my trip. I am sure it is very much possible to write a review without including too much details on the date and day I was out of my home.

If you really want to share personal details on your blog, there is an option to make your blog private whereby you choose your readers. I have not yet tried that, but I am aware that it is possible to do that. If I want to share with my family about my experience on something that I am going through, I will make a private blog.

Last but not the least, some bloggers are just fine with sharing many details from their life on their public blog. There are many options available and whatever works the best for you to express what you want to express, is the way to go!
I would love to hear what fellow bloggers think about this topic!

Winners and ....

Congratulations Winners! You can expect an email from me soon.

Arm & hammer Laundry Products - D.Calvert said... 46  

PBS Kids DVD : Caillou's Summer Vacation - Jacqueline S said... 61 

Pocoyo Let's Party DVD: Jessica said... 12 

Thank you all so much for taking the time to participate in the giveaways. I feel sad to choose just 1 winner. Now that gives me another idea of having more than one winner in the future giveaways, so that there are more chances of winning the prize. I know you all take time to enter and I will work out something!

I hope that you all have seen the Mega Toddler Giveaway Prize Pack and it is growing in size! It has all the toys and games that a toddler would love. Mommies of little girls, do not get disappointed on seeing the truck and race cars, I do have a pink LeapTop for your little princess! She will love it in her favorite color. Oh and before I forget, I might be adding 2 more games to the prize pack, just keeping my fingers crossed until I hear from the sponsor.

I am also working on another prize pack, which if all goes well, will go live right after the Toddler Giveaway. Who is it for? Nah, nah..I can't really tell you that :) You just have to wait for the surprise! So spread the news about the Mega Toddler Giveaway and post the button on your blogs. Thank you to all of you and have a blessed week.

Crayola Coloured Bubbles Wand Set ( R+G)

I was excited to be a part of the Crayola Mom Advisory Panel as I love to do creative things with my son. Imagination sparks off when colors come together with different shapes and sizes. Colors can do wonders to a child's brain and it is well noticeable when you see infant toys in bright, vibrant colors.

I have tried a few Crayola products and really liked some of the products. This time I was sent the Washable Coloured Bubbles Wand Set.


Hubby was excited to try this with my son. So they set off outside to the lawn and started blowing bubbles. It was quite a colorful mess! My toddler loved to get color in his hands and was quite excited with the few bubbles that hubby managed to blow. Hubby was not too happy with the color that landed in his hands and clothes as he said that it was dripping excessively while trying to dip the wand and take it out to blow it. He said that he would have enjoyed it more with my son, if it had worked without dripping. Toddlers like mess so my son didn't mind. His clothes had colours and it was good that I was able to wash them right after as I did not want to test it on his favorite clothes! Maybe colorless bubbles would be a better option, since even if it drips, we do not have to be conscious of the stains and such.

If you do not mind a colorful toddler, you will enjoy this product which retails for $9.99.

Crayola is sponsoring an awesome giveaway - Beginnings Color Me A Song! It retails for $19.99.

(Open to residents of Canada only)

Prize pack worth almost $300 and still adding!

You will have the chance to win a mega toddler prize pack which will include this Beginnings Color Me A Song.

(Disclaimer: Thanks to Crayola and the PR company for sending me the featured product for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.)

TONKA TS 4000 DUMP TRUCK Vehicle: ( R+G)

My little one gets super-excited when he sees trucks pass by and he is totally amazed by how such a thing could be so huge and do such big jobs. He has a book about different trucks and takes great pleasure in reading it with mommy ( though mommy prefers a story book) who has no other choice but talk about trucks. Ok, my little man ...for that sweet face of yours, I will like the trucks! Err..Just for now, ok?

I had told him that a Tonka Truck was on its way and he asked my every day if the UPS man had it in his truck, until it arrived. Boy! Was he thrilled to see this?!
TONKA tough, this durable steel dump truck is guaranteed for life! Featuring a working steel dump bed, the classic TONKA yellow color, signature grill and sturdy design, this long lasting truck will provide kids with endless entertainment hauling loads and traveling over rough terrain. 

It has already traveled a few miles, collecting rocks, sand and sticks. I am sure it will stand up to the jobs ahead as I see it's quality is just right for the job. He makes sure he gives it a good wash to keep it sparkling clean! The edges of the truck is bent and smooth and looks like it will not cause injury if by accident the child falls on it.But I always keep it away when he is not playing with it. I encourage him to put away toys when he is not playing with them. He is very pleased with his new addition and proud to have a tough truck like those guys on the road who drive around heavy trucks!

It is high quality toy for a little boy and retails for $34.99.

We have a giveaway! Thank you Hasbro for sponsoring this giveaway to one lucky Canadian reader.

(Open to residents of Canada only)

Prize pack worth almost $300 and still adding!

You will have the chance to win a mega toddler prize pack which will include thisTONKA TS 4000 DUMP TRUCK Vehicle.

(Disclaimer: Thanks to Hasbro Canada and the PR company for sending me the featured product for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.)

Tonka R/C Ricochet ( R+G)

This post is more sort of dedicated to Dads as all the dads out there would love to race this with their little boys! Mine were fighting over it as one likes it with the remote and one likes it without the remote, obviously my son doesn't want the remote. Asked why, he says so that he can keep it in his hands all the time! Plainly, he is not happy to share this toy with daddy, who is way too much in love with Tonka Ricochet.
When it arrived, I was surprised at how big it was. It is easily a foot and a quarter and a bit on the heavy side. It's not a toddler toy. But my 3 yr old played with it as my husband monitored him. It is battery powered and can be very, very fast. It is meant for 8+ yrs as they can race it by themselves. As always, play it safe! We made sure that there was nothing around that could get tangled in the car. It was very convenient to drive it on the sidewalk or on a plain surface.

It is really a cool monster truck when at the push of the controller it gets up on its feet to transform into a monster truck. It goes lower to the ground like a monster race car when turned again. It can go forward and reverse and turn right, left. Very sturdy and built for tough play.
The best part is that it comes with rechargeable batteries and a charger. Since it is a heavy toy, the battery lasts only for 15-20 minutes. We loved this toy and it can fascinate little boys and men, equally!

It retails for $79.99

And YES! There is a giveaway! Let's thank Hasbro for sponsoring this beautiful Tonka R/C Ricochet giveaway to 1 lucky Canadian reader. Do not forget to check out the Mega Toddler Giveaway to win a pack of goodies for your little one!

(Open to residents of Canada only)

Prize pack worth almost $300 and still adding!

You will have the chance to win a mega toddler prize pack which will include this Tonka R/C Ricochet.

(Disclaimer: Thanks to LeapFrog Canada and the PR company for sending me the featured product for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.)