Mommies love the Wii!!

If your family is like my family, you love our Wii (or your neighbor's!) - not only do you play video games, but you get fit at the same time!!

Look anywhere and you can see that fitness games have taken the market by storm and sounds like Wii is going to launch another great one this winter called Your Shape,by Ubisoft.

I have been told that what makes this game not-like-the-others is that it actually contains a camera allowing players to project their own likeness within the game! So it can correct improper positioning or help tone, slim any “problem” areas. I have also learned that there are 480 fun workouts to choose from. Sounds like this game might be giving me the luxury of having my own (virtual) personal trainer in the comfort of my own home!

Ubisoft has been developing this product with mom, actress, comedienne and author, Jenny McCarthy. Jenny responded to the product because she’s an advocate of healthy living and also leads a very busy life. Click here to see a video about how the game is supposed to work. And here is the website for the game as well!

I will look forward to posting again in November/December when I get to review the game before it comes to store near you!!

Funky Monkey Snacks Winners!!

We have a winner!! Thanks soooo much to everyone who played!

Here are the winning numbers through Random Integer GeneratorHere (random.org):

33

1

Timestamp: 2009-06-22 13:43:43 UTC

Win some Funky Monkey Snacks - yummy & healthy!

Ok - so how many times have you looked in your pantry and wished you could add a new, yummy, healthy snack for your kids to your stash? How often do you wish a healthy snack didn't always require you to wash it, cut it, slice it, refrigerate it, etc?

Funky Monkey Snacks to the rescue!! "Funky Monkey Snacks" are freeze dried fruit - all natural, with no added sugar, preservatives, colors or flavors. They are gluten-free, wheat-free and dairy-free. They come in four delicious flavors: Bananamon (banana and cinnamon - a personal favorite of mine), Carnaval Mix (banana, pineapple, apple, papaya and raisins), Jivealime (pineapple and lime juice) and Purple Funk (banana and acai berries). You can check out their website at http://www.funkymonkeysnacks.com/ to see all the good info on them!

Now, I have to tell you, we have tried freeze dried fruit before and it has usually been a thumbs down from Miss Allie. . .you know what Allie loved before she even tried Funky Monkey Snacks? The bright and colorful packaging and the names of them. . .we had a hit before she put the first bite in her mouth!

The first flavor Allie tried was the Bananamon (she loves to eat bananas with cinnamon sugar on them and this sounded like a good one to try) and it was a hit from the start! She had them as a snack in the car (not messy!) on the way to gymnastics and she LOVED them!! The next day I sent her with Carnaval Mix to school for a snack and she thought that was great too (Mommy Meryl thought that flavor was rather tasty as well!).

As a matter of fact, when we ran out of the sample I was so graciously sent for this review, I went to Whole Foods to stock my pantry. . .I really like that I was able to find another delicious and nutritious snack to our collection!!

I know that sometimes we are hesitant to buy something new that we have never tried before, so Funky Monkey Snacks has generously agreed to offer TWO sample packs (all four flavors in each sample pack) for TWO lucky Mommy Meryl readers to win. I guarantee that you won't be disappointed!

As with every game, there are rules:

1. Enter by checking out the Funky Monkey website and tell me what kind of flavor you think you would like most. Please don’t just say ‘choose me’, or your entry will be discarded.

2. The contest will run until Sunday, June 21 at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be selected through random drawing, contacted by e-mail, and listed on this post. Continental US entries only, please.

3. Please leave a valid e-mail address ! If you don’t wish to leave your e-mail address, your entry will be discarded. If the winners haven't responded within 3 days, an alternate winner will be chosen by random drawing.

4. If you’d like an extra entry or two, you can either subscribe to my blog (look on the top left side bar), or mention this contest on your blog with a link back to this post - or both. Please leave an extra comment on this post for each of the extra entry options that you choose, letting me know - for a total of 3 comments if you do both extra entry options.

Party Art Review

Check out my latest review here!!

Label Daddy Winner. . .

We have a winner!! Thanks to everyone who played. . .!
Random Integer GeneratorHere are your random numbers

23
18
5
15
52
63
45
56
13
58
63
11
52
55
39
11
24
52
9
5
53
46
57
50
37
45
51
32
11
17
57
33
13
38
30
27
52
48
35
7
6
11
31
23
21
12
5
38
6
10
62
48
43
24
7
20
8
36
48
54
25
7
50
59
60
33
55
20
14
50
41
7
50
17
52
51
62
61
46
50
10
19
63
35
36
38
48
62
38
19
3
3
26
43
31
33
62
45
52
3
Timestamp: 2009-01-23 05:03:14 UTC

The winner is:

Kathleen said...
I like the T-shirt label in light brown, with the airplane logo. I love how you can fool around with the online software to make your own label before buying it.
January 19, 2009 6:15 PM

And please remember, if you didn't win but you want to try out Label Daddy, please go to their website and if you use the code "AZMOM" at checkout, you will receive a 10% discount.

Labels - Its All About the Sticky Stuff! Win a $30 gift card from Label Daddy!

Ok - so how many times have you written your child's name in Sharpies, only to find that over time it fades? How often have you ordered "sew-on" or "iron-on" labels - only to discover its too much of pain to use and over time the "iron-on" falls off?

Label Daddy to the rescue!! These labels are not only way cool, but they work! They really, really work!! These are “aggressive” stickers that are durable and stick on clothing/fabrics/sports equipment/backpacks etc….They go through the washing machine, dryer and dishwasher beautifully. They are NOT something you can buy at OfficeMax or anywhere else. They are a specialized material that has proven to be durable and to do the job. They are made to stay on until you peel them off with your fingers.

You should check the website in the helpful hints section to see the “correct” way to apply these labels so that you can have the best results. That being said, they are not indestructible; but, they are very strong and do what they are supposed to do. In time, if rubbed against and exposed to sunscreen (alcohol based lotions or chemicals) the labels will fade a bit. Label Daddy has introduced a “lamination” option on the website which, for an extra charge, gives the labels an “extra” layer of protection against those evils. But, I have to tell you, the labels Label Daddy sent me to try out are just the basic version and they have been perfect so far!

I have put them on the outside and inside of Allie's backpack, her lunchbox and her waterbottle. Despite much use and repeated washings in the dishwasher (the waterbottle), the labels look fabulous and are sticking better than any other label I have had. And with Allie being 6.5 years old, I have spent more than my share of money on various labels for preschool, school and camp! I have found the labels that I am sticking with (no pun intended!) - Label Daddy!

And they have much much more than just name labels - they have labels for your spices, for your garbage pails, return address lables, allergy notes and really really adorable photo labels!

Now, the best part is that Label Daddy is offering all of Mommy Meryl readers a ten percent discount on anything you purchase on their website - there is no minimum order to receive that discount. All you need to do is put azmom in as the code when you check out - it is that simple.

But wait, it gets better!! Label Daddy has generously agreed to offer a $30 gift card for one of Mommy Meryl's readers to win. I guarantee that you won't be disappointed!

As with every game, there are rules:

1. Enter by checking out the Label Daddy website and tell me what kind of label (be it color or graphic or style) that you would want to try. Please don’t just say ‘choose me’, or your entry will be discarded.

2. The contest will run until Thursday, January 22nd at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be selected through random drawing, contacted by e-mail, and listed on this post. Continential US entries only, please.

3. Please leave a valid e-mail address ! If you don’t wish to leave your e-mail address, your entry will be discarded. If the winner hasn’t responded within 3 days, an alternate winner will be chosen by random drawing.4. If you’d like an extra entry or two, you can either subscribe to my blog (look on the top left side bar), or mention this contest on your blog with a link back to this post - or both. Please leave an extra comment on this post for each of the extra entry options that you choose, letting me know - for a total of 3 comments if you do both extra entry options.

Again, if you just can't wait for the contest to be over, you can buy anything from Label Daddy at a 10 % discount when you use your code AZMOM at checkout!

I Guess I Just Miss Carrie, Big, Miranda, Samantha, & Charlotte. . .

One Fifth Avenue, by Candace Bushnell, author of Sex and the City, is a lengthy and at times tedious portrayal of a cast of characters who live in an old prominent apartment building in an exclusive area of Manhattan. The rich, famous and often quirky characters are introduced randomly at the beginning of the book. Initially it's difficult to keep track of all comings and goings of the characters but as the story unwinds and their lives become intertwined and connected the readers begins to get immersed and interested in their lives. The story lines of the characters are ones you would find when writing about the rich and famous; lying, stealing, infidelity; drinking, drugs and corruption. At times the characters are likeable and the reader is anxious to find out about their lives but more often than not they're predictable and dull. I definitely had higher expectations for the book and assumed it would be as entertaining as Sex and the City but I was disappointed