Review: Pinypon Dolls & Toys

Lydia, my 5 year old, first saw Pinypon dolls during a cartoon that she was watching. She had to pause the show to find me so she could show me these neat little dolls.  So, when we had the opportunity to check them out and share them with  her friends, she was thrilled!

Pinypon dolls are unique in that all their pieces/parts are interchangeable -- including their expressions!  Each doll has 2 different expressions, all you need to do is pop off their hair and put it on the opposite way and you'll see their fresh face.

Lydia is quite the social butterfly at school, and was so excited to invite a few of her friends over to play with the toys.  We planned our party for after school, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.  I had even arranged to pick her up with 2 of her friends so they could come to the party, and other moms were bringing their daughters after school. About 45 minutes before school let out, the school called me about Nate (see earlier post about his stay in the hospital - he is still out of school and we are waiting for a pediatric neurologist appointment next week.)

Thankfully, I had everything set up before that phone call, and my sweet mom lives next door, so I checked all 3 girls out of school a bit early and dropped them off with my mom.  She led them in the play of the toys, including the really neat Pinypon - Caravan Playset.  My mom said the girls had a great time, and really enjoyed taking the dolls apart and putting them back together with different acessories. I later talked with one of the moms, and she said she thought they were pretty neat!  We had a caravan to give away at the party and she took it home and has played with it almost every day since.  Lydia has also had a great time with the toys!

With all the confusion, there weren't pictures of the party itself, but Lydia did a video review of the toys:

I think this would be a fun toy to find under the Christmas tree this year!  You can find them at Amazon, as well as local retailers.  You can also check them out on Facebook.  They share great offers, giveaways and information about the toys on their page.

*Disclosure: In exchange for sharing the toys with local friends, and providing an honest review, I received toys from Pinypon and MomSelect. All opinions are my own, and no additional compensation was provided.*

Care Bear Television Show Review

 Another new show on the HUB Network is Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot.   It's geared to the preschool crowd, so we shared an advance episode with Lydia's preschool class recently.   The kids all watched the show intently, and then had a great time coloring Care Bears.

Overall, the show was well-received by the class.  They laughed and smiled, and stayed interested in the storyline of the episode. My boys watched it with Lydia at home and they both remarked that it was a better representation of Care Bears than they remember from a few years ago.

The 30 minute show airs on the Hub Network on Saturdays at 8AM EST.  Th season began at the beginning of June. You can also catch episodes on the website if you don't receive the Hub Network.

Lydia liked the show, and is interested in watching more.  I remember Funshine Bear from years ago, and thought that was the perfect bear to post on My Little Patch of Sunshine!

Kaijudo Show Review

Recently, I had a few boys over to watch a new show that was sent to me thanks to my relationship with MomSelect and MommyParties.

The show, Kaijudo - Rise of the Duel Masters, airs on the Hub Network.  The overview of the show, from their website, said: 

"Kaijudo is the story of Raiden Pierce-Okamoto, aka Ray, a talented 14-year-old boy, and the two worlds in which he lives. One is the real world much like our own, and the other is a fantastical world of creatures, a parallel world made up of five civilizations, visible only to a chosen few..."

With that brief introduction, my boys were excited and couldn't wait to check out the show.   Even my husband got in on the party, and donned a Kaijudo headband along with the kids!  

My 11yo, Colin, was kind enough to write a review.

Recently my friends and I watched a new show on THE HUB, Kaijudo. We originally had very low expectations for the show. It just seemed like many other shows we have seen in the past, but it soon surpassed our expectations!

We found it to be very cool and interesting. I would definitely recommend this show to other kids ages 7-11.

This was an amazing, well-animated show, especially comparing it to shows like Pokemon. On Pokemon, they don’t really animate fight scenes, but this was fully animated and very exciting to watch.

I’m very excited to see more!

So, you can see -- it was a hit!  New episodes run on the HUB network Saturdays at 8PM EST.  The show is rated for kids 7 and up. We don't currently receive the HUB network from our cable provider, but the boys are able to keep up with the shows via the HUB website.  

Colin, especially, was excited to see that there is a corresponding card game currently available in stores and looks forward to buying some of the cards. 

*Disclosure: I received a party pack from Mom Select and Mommy Parties in exchange for posting my honest review and sharing the information about the new Kaijudo television show.  All opinions expressed are those of my family.*

Review: Hexbugs

We were lucky enough to host a HEXBUGS party, thanks to HEXBUG and Mommy Parties.  I shared the kids' review video last week, and we shared the goodies with friends on Halloween.

I put together some fun goody bags that included Halloween soda, Halloween Pez containers, chocolate lollipops, and of course the new, limited edition, Hexbug Nano Glow-in-the-Dark Micro-Robotic Creatures.  I heard shouts of "All right!" when the boys saw the HEXBUGS in their bags of treats!

In addition to the little bugs -- which you can see the youngest of the crowd had a great time racing around on a tray -- we also had Nano Glow in the Dark Habitat / Race Tracks.  These tracks glowed in the dark really well ( but  didn't photograph well for me) and the kids had a great time watching their bugs whizz around the tracks.  I think this set of bugs is even faster than the last ones we had!

While most of the adults find them a bit creepy, the kids all squeal in delight about the HEXBUGS.  They are definitely a fun toy, and one that all the kids we shared them with agreed are FUN!

You can find them at major retailers, including Target, Radio Shack and Amazon.
*Disclosure: I received an awesome Halloween Party Pack, full of awesome toys, thanks to Mommy Parties and HEXBUGS. No additional compensation was provided.  All opinions are my own.*

Review: Zombie Hexbugs for Halloween

Thanks to HEXBUGS and MommyParties, we got an awesome box full of creepy hexbugs to share with some of the boys' friends!  They are getting together on Halloween, but I wanted to share this video in case you were looking for a fun gift for kids this Halloween.

The Zombie HEXBUGS glow in the dark and are a limited edition.  They are packaged in coffin-shaped boxes and they are perfect for Halloween.  They also have glow in the dark HEXBUGS from the Nano Galileo collection and even glow in the dark habitat sets.

I'll be sharing more pictures in a few days, but here is the video review the 3 kids put together!




*Disclosure: We received a package full of HEXBUGS to share with our local friends in exchange for providing a review on this blog.  No additional compensation was provided.*

Review: DaGeDar

Recently, we received a box of new toys that are being released in the Phoenix market this month!  DaGeDar are from Cepia, Inc. (the same company that makes Zhu Zhu Pets) and are expected to be a new summer sensation!

My boys were excited before we even opened the box.  LOL!  Once the box was open, they were interested in the balls and the track, but I told them we had to wait until a few friends came over before they could play.  I wanted to see how easy it was to play with no prior knowledge.

Finally, this weekend, 2 of their best buddies came over and they ripped open the packaging and got to playing.  From the laughter that came from the living room, I would say they were a hit.  It's a simple premise -- the balls (which are all uniquely decorated) roll and race through a track.

My boys took them into the bathroom and had them rolling around in the tub and the sink as well as on the track that is built for them.

I asked them to talk about these new toys -- and this is what they said:



You can find the toys at select Phoenix area Wal-Mart and Toys R Us stores. The price ranges from $4.99 to $19.99 and are appropriate for ages 5+.  I'm sure they'll be available nationwide in a  few months.

Just don't ask me how to pronounce the name -- because I don't know!

*Disclosure: I received a package of toys to share with my boys and their friends from Mommy Parties and Cepia, Inc.  No further compensation was provided.  All thoughts and opinions are our own.*

Nutella!

During my college years, I had the opportunity to spend spring break traveling in Europe and staying in youth  hostels.  Our first morning, we headed to the breakfast tables and saw a large bowl of what looked like melted chocolate.  A fellow student, who had traveled to Europe in the past, said "Oh, yea, that's Nutella.  It's just like Ovaltine -- full of vitamins!"  My friend and I looked at each other, spread some on a croissant and immediately fell in love.  We told each other "Hey!  It's full of vitamins!" and we enjoyed it every chance we got.

Once back in the States, I looked for it in the grocery store, and realized that it was NOT full of vitamins like Ovaltine.  That didn't take away from its deliciousness, however.  Nutella is a creamy, hazelnut spread flavored with cocoa.  It's wonderful spread on a croissant, toast, or paired with peanut butter for the perfect sandwich.  And, while it may not be full of vitamins, in moderation it is a wonderful food to add to the breakfast table.


I recently had the opportunity to share some Nutella and breakfast recipes with some friends of mine.  I had every intention to have the party at home (but have  you noticed how busy our family is lately?) so I had the party in my office instead.  My work friends appreciated the break and loved having the chance to sample Nutella and learn more about good breakfast choices.

Moderation is the key for everything, and there is no reason I can't reasonably enjoy a bit of chocolate as part of a well-balanced meal.  In some of the material I received, Connie Evers (child nutrition expert & mother of three) answered the question "What is the best breakfast to serve my child in the morning?" with the response: "The 'best' breakfast is the one that will be eaten!"

That made me laugh, because it is so true.  When we first started school this year, mornings were a definite struggle.  I know the importance of starting the day with a good breakfast, so I worked hard to find breakfast foods that 1. the boys would eat and 2. they could make themselves.  Toasting a piece of bread and topping it with Nutella and sliced bananas is definitely a breakfast my boys are not only able to make themselves, but also will eat!  Pour a glass of milk and breakfast is served. Another favorite breakfast are toasted waffles with nutella and peanut butter, sometimes with sliced strawberries. 

Some nutritional information about Nutella:

• Each 13 oz jar contains more than 50 hazelnuts
• NO hydrogenated oil or trans fat
• No artificial colors or preservatives

It can be found in most grocery stores near the peanut butters and jellies.  If you haven't tried it yet, I suggest picking up a jar during your next grocery visit! 

*Disclosure: I received a party pack with samples and information, thanks to Nutella and Mommy Parties.  No additional compensation was provided.*

Review: Roman Town

The boys invited a few friends over a couple weeks ago and had a blast playing a new computer game, Roman Town. The game sets up the kids as archeologists and gives them the chance to participate in a dig and learn about artifacts.  The boys (ages 8 - 13) all had a good time playing the game and discovering new things.

The game was easy to navigate and the kids didn't need any prompting and very little help playing it.  They ran into some frustrations when asked to fill in a report, but the older kids stepped in and got the report completed so they could go on and uncover more artifacts.  There were plenty of opportunities to learn more about the things they discovered and they had fun playing for quite a while!




Mommy Parties, who sponsored the party along with Roman Town's creators (dig-itgames.com), sent along a fun package including not only copies of the game, but also water bottles and hats for the kids.  The kids got a kick out of the hats, which they don't have much opportunity to wear in Arizona, and all the water bottles got used that day.

The boys had fun playing in the dirt in our backyard after playing on the computer and did a little discovery of their own.  They had a fun afternoon, and played hard.

My boys have played the game a few times since the party.  I wish there was a download option as well as a CD option because my boys' netbooks don't have CD drives and I would've liked to load the game on their machines.

I love that Roman Town was educational as well as fun for the kids!  Definitely a game to consider for your kids.

Review: Toy Story 3 Action Links Toy

sWhen a huge box landed on our doorstep a while ago, my boys were eager to see what was inside.  When they saw the Toy Story 3 Action Link toys, they were thrilled and couldn't wait to get their hands on the toys.  They were not so thrilled when I told them they had to wait until we could schedule a party.

So, you can imagine their excitement when the party date finally arrived. We had a few boys over to set up and test out these new toys and they received resounding positive reviews!  The kids had a great time setting up the different sets and loved how they could all fit together, or be played with separately.  They were able to play with a number of the sets, as well as share a couple of the sets with friends and also Toy Story 3 buddy packs of the action figures.



These toys were a big hit, and got a thumbs up from everyone who played with them! 

Disclosure: I received a party pack of toys and party ideas from Mommy Parties.  No additional compensation was provided, but my kids were super-thrilled to be included in another awesome party!

Review: EpiSencials

I recently received a box of Episencials, a line of skin care products geared towards children, but perfect for everyone aged 0 - 150!  Lydia immediately noticed the Eric Carle design on the bottle of playful foaming wash and wanted to read The Very Hungry Caterpillar right away.

Books aside, the skin care line is very nice.  It is made from all natural products, including essential oils and even sugar as a surfectant to aid cleaning.  What I really liked is that everything is natural -- including the fragrance -- which is from natural fruit extracts and not a man-made chemical. Many of the ingredients are from organic plants.  Even the bottle is

Everything is made in the USA (and you know how much I like to see that!), their products are manufactured with solar power AND the recycled bottles are both phthalate and BpA-free.

Episencial and Mommy Parties sent me a box of goodies to share with my friends, which is just what I did!  I was able to share with some moms at home, and others at work that couldn't come to my house for a get-together.  Everybody got a bottle of the playful foaming wash and samples of more products. I shared the tube of the diaper cream to the mom with the youngest child still in diapers.

In Arizona, we always battle dry skin.  I really liked the silkiness of the better body butter, and how easily it soaked in.  A step up from that is their soothing cream.  That is formulated for eczema, itches and bothered skin -- and it has made a huge difference in the rash that Lydia often has on her chin and cheeks.  It includes jojoba oil, neem, calendula and probiotics to help protect and heal the skin.

Everyone was so busy chatting and playing, that I kinda forgot to take any pictures of the get-together.  BUT, I did take a video of Lydia in the bath using the foaming wash, so you can see her reaction to it.



You can find out all the information about Episencial at their website. They are also active on Facebook.  In fact, check out their Facebook page for information about a preschool grant program they are currently sponsoring.

I really like the Episencial products I tried.  It is so hard to know what is really natural, or what is marketed as natural and sometimes it is confusing.  Episencial has done a good job of explaining all their ingredients, and I feel confident that they are high-quality, natural products made with high quality ingredients.  I'll be giving Episencial at the next baby shower I attend!

*Disclosure: I received products for myself and to share with my friends from Mommy Parties and Episencial.  No further compensation was provided.  All opinions, thoughts, words and video are my own.*