Tonight as we celebrate the second night of Passover, I send greetings to all my readers!

Everybody loves... BABIES. Coming to theatres this Mother's Day Weekend (May 7th), this visually stunning new movie simultaneously follows four babies around the world - from first breath to first steps. From Mongolia to Namibia to San Francisco to Tokyo, BABIES joyfully captures on film the earliest stages of the journey of humanity that are at once unique and universal to us all.

Take a moment to check out this trailer and let me know what you guys think!

Get Tickets to How to Train Your Dragon Online!Visit the Official How to Train Your Dragon Site

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay and actress/mom Lori Loughlin have teamed up with Hellmann's® and Best Foods® Mayonnaise to unveil the Real Food Project on Hellmanns.com, a comprehensive online resource offering tips and ideas on how to create real meals made with Real Food.

Because videos are great for multi-tasking moms, The Real Food Project features a series of entertaining how-to tutorials, hosted by Bobby Flay, to give us tools and techniques to prepare great-tasting, at-home meals for our families. Just by visiting Hellmanns.com you can access a wide range of recipes, including sandwiches, entrees and side dishes, all designed to please picky palates. There are even chances to win great prizes like a kitchen essentials bundle, Bobby Flay Grill It and Hellmann's® and Best Foods® products by playing the "Wheel of Real" instant win game and entering the Real Food Sweepstakes.

Don't wait..go and check it out today!!!

Disclosure: I was entered for a chance to win a Hellmann's® prize package in exchange for this post. No monetary exchange took place

You guys already know I am a Tropicana Juicy Rewards Insider and I hope you have all registered with the program and started earning those valuable points!

As we are heading into my daughter Sarah's spring break from school and I know I am going to need activities to keep her occupied, I thought I would take a moment to look at some of the rewards offered in my area.

I live in Rockland County, New York - about 45 minutes outside Manhattan, on the New Jersey Border.  So although I have many areas to look in, I thought I would concentrate on offers that were no more then ten miles from my home.

I expected to find maybe five or ten offers, so imagine my suprise when I found 78 matches!!  All within ten miles!!  Now that is too cool!  These offers range from 2 for 1 admission to Boscobel House and Garden to  Buy one, get one free at Sport-A Rama ice skating center!  Not to mention offers for discounts on salon services, household services, and apparel!

Take a minute, register for the Tropicana Juicy Rewards Program and search for offers in your area.  What great things did YOU find?

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in the Tropicana Juicy Insiders Ambassador program by Mom Central on behalf of Tropicana. I received 12 free Juicy Rewards points and a $50 Visa gift card to use in redemption of the points and to facilitate my review

Kissa Me Once, Kissa Me Twice, The Kissa Me Vibrator is Ohhhh So Very Nice!

Let me start out by telling you that this review is adult in nature and intended for mature audiences only!  Moms,send those kids out to play and get ready to read about a cool little toy that Eden Fantasys is producing all by themselves!

As soon as I received this amazing toy I was impressed with the fact that it comes in the prettiest black velvet padded drawstring bag!  Perfect for storing as it does have a glass component on the head.  I love it when sex toys not only feel good but look pretty and The Kissa scores high in both places.

Here is some information taken from the website:

Material:Tempered glass .
Texture:Ribbed / Nubbed .
Safety features:Non-porous / Phthalates free / Hypo-allergenic / Food-grade material / Latex free
 
Color:Pink .
Length:6"
Insertable length:4 1/2"
Circumference:5"
Diameter:1 1/2" .
Weight:0.4 lb
 
Functions:Vibrating
Special Features:Multispeed


Control type:Push button
Powered By:Aa-1
 
It seems as if some people are wondering if the nubby ends and added texture is painful but I can tell you that in this bloggers opinion not once over repeated uses did I ever experience any pain.  Pure pleasure readers...pure pleasure!  My lover commented how much he enjoyed the weight of it and the feel as well.  Needless to say the expression on my face while using it was the ace-in-the-hole!
 
This is a great toy that is gentle enough for the un-initiated as well as varied enough for the more experienced.  The fact that it is being produced by Eden Fantasys themselves makes it even better.
 
And at $29.99 it is well worth it considering what fun it is to use!
 
Have fun playing!

Kissa Glass vibrator by EdenFantasys Material: Tempered glass Safety: $29.99 Buy from EdenFantasys
Rating:	Vroom:	Bee:

 

My Journey As a "The View" Brand Ambassador Comes to an End But It Doesn't Mean I'm Going To Stop Loving This Show!

 

I wanted to let you, my dear readers, know that my time as a " The View" ambassador has come to an end!  It has been a blast both posting for you as well as networking with some of the other bloggers also working in this campaign.  I hope you enjoyed reading about what I had to say about "The View" and it's colorful hosts and interesting guests!

 

Keep watching the show and let me know if you have any feedback for the ABC Daytime Team.  I will have an opportunity to give some input later on this month and it is totally cool that they are listening!

 

Stay tuned for more exciting projects from your favorite purple blog!

 

Discloure: I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for ABC Daytime and will receive a tote bag or other The View branded items to facilitate my review.

 

Originally submitted at CSN Stores

Classic and elegant this cheval mirror with its nostalgic oak finish is the perfect addition to and home. It brings home decor back to a more elegant design where woods were appreciated and furniture was hand crafted and appreciated. This beautiful design is lovely and a functional, and a must have...

Nostalgic Oak Cheval Mirror

You Can Always Count on CSN Stores!

By Wendy - It's Really Only a Purple World from Pomona, NY on 3/14/2010

5out of 5

Pros: Sturdy, Quality Design, Sharp Reflection, Attractive Design, Easy To Assemble
Best Uses: Getting Dressed, Perfect for Teenagers
Describe Yourself: Budget Shopper

I picked this for my teenager, Sarah, who is always looking in the mirror and she is thrilled! It is sturdy, attractive, and worth every penny!

It was easy to assemble and we used a little wood glue to make it strong enough to bear being used by Sarah ( who always is looking in the mirror!).  The color is even and rich and it is the start of my redecorating her room to reflect her changing needs.  The price was very competitive and the shipping was FREE!  I am planning to use the CSN Stores as my "go to" place for all my home needs! 

Disclosure: Although CSN Stores provided me this product for free it had no bearing on my review and/or opinion.

(legalese)

A Long Overdue Shout Out To Sunny At AT&T Mobile Phone Store  Located in Mt. Ivy Plaza, Pomona, NY!!

One of the great things about having a blog is the ability to let people know when you have a specific experience with a brand or product that bears repeating.

A few weeks ago I had such an experience with a Verizon Cell Phone store located in Pacesetter Shopping Center, Pomona New York that has really made me sour on the whole Verizon brand!

My cell phone service is provided by my company but I provide the actual phone.  I don't know specific numbers but I am sure that their contract is rather large.  Last weekend my cell phone stopped working.  I could not figure out whether it was the battery, the charger, or the phone itself.  The only thing I knew was that it was the weekend and I needed a phone that worked.  I knew a Verizon Store had just opened up around the corner from me and as I have Verizon FiOS service at home I figured, " How hard could it be to buy a cell phone?"  Boy, did I figure wrong!

Off I go to the store and wait about twenty minutes for the salesperson to help me.  I explained what I needed and that my service was from my company.  They show me a phone for about seventy dollars - Hey, this is easy!  Until I go to check out.  Here is where it really gets interesting...

The salesman keeps trying to get me to upgrade my service, despite me telling him multiple times my service is on a business plan and I am not authorized to do so.  After another thirty minutes they finally get it and then they tell me that unless I upgrade my contract the phone will be three hundred dollars!  Yes, there will be many exclamation marks in this blog post!!!

I try and I try to explain my situation and appeal to them to get me through the weekend until my company re-opens on Monday but they could care less!  I leave frustrated and angry! 

Off I go to find a phone.  Yeah, Right.  Radio Shack - no luck with either a battery or charger for my phone.  I go to the AT&T store and there I meet Sunny.  He looks everywhere to try to get me a battery but no luck..and then, Sunny, my knight in shining armor, my cell phone angel finds an old,clamshell type phone that is unlocked for Verizon and hands it to me.  Saved!  Hallelujah!  "How much?" I ask, willing at this point to pay anything to have a phone that I can use.  "Nothing" says Sunny..."just tell your friends to come to AT&T for their cell phone needs".

Verizon...shame on you!  Sunny...I can not thank you enough for reaching out to me and to all my friends in the blogging world...remember this story and spread the word!

A Fresh Approach to Clean Clothes: A Review and Give-a-way Of Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent!

I know, I know..it is hard to get excited about laundry detergent.  But then again, doing laundry is one of those " have-to" kinds of things that give us clean clothes so we can do those " love-to" types of things looking our best!

Tropical Traditions, a company I have worked with before and absolutely adore, sent me their Powdered Laundry Detergent to review ( and give-a-way too!).

This is what they have to say about this product:

Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent cleans and removes stains from your laundry with the power of Oxygen Bleach Destainer and Deodorizer. Powdered Laundry Detergent is safe and effective at ALL temperatures on whites, permanent press, bright colors, pastels, prints, and delicates in hard or soft water. (Not suitable for Silk or Wool) Tropical Traditions Powdered Laundry Detergent is non-toxic, environmentally safe and contains no phosphates. Powdered Laundry Detergent cleans and safely bleaches your clothes with the added power of Oxygen Bleach Destainer and Deodorizer.

With our Laundry Detergent there are no harmful by-products upon decomposition. Powdered Laundry Detergent dissolves as completely as liquid detergents and rinses away completely leaving no residue in your clothes.

Powdered Laundry Detergent costs less to use than commercial liquid detergents and costs no more to use than commercial powdered household laundry detergents. Powdered Laundry Detergent contains no dyes, perfumes, fillers or phosphates. Compare our Laundry Detergent to your normal laundry detergent and you’ll see the difference!

Powdered Laundry Detergent can be used with Oxygen Bleach Destainer and Deodorizer to provide optimum cleaning and stain removal!

General Use Directions:

Begin filling washer with water, add Powdered Laundry Detergent, then add laundry.

For regular size washers and normally soiled loads use 1/4 cup (2 oz) of detergent.

For large size washers add 1/2 cup (4 oz) of detergent.

For heavily soiled loads add 1/2 cup (4 oz) of detergent and 1/4 to 1/2 cup (2-4 oz) of Oxygen Bleach

For extra cleaning and stain removal power use Oxygen Bleach as a pre-soak or add 2-4 ounces of Oxygen Bleach to 1/4 cup of our Laundry Detergent per load!!

Note: For front-loading machines use half the amount that is called for with top loading washing machines. For front loading washers and normally soiled loads, use 1/8 cup (1 oz) of Powdered Laundry Detergent.


Now this is what I have to say:  What a great product!  I have always had a problem with powdered laundry detergents as they have a tendency to not dissolve fully when I wash my clothes and leave a residue that I wind up having to re-wash the clothes in order to remove.  Tropical Traditions Laundry Detergent left no residue and left my clothes clean and smelling fresh!  The 5 lb. container is so concentrated that I have complete confidence it will last much longer then the powdered laundry detergents that I usually buy in my local supermarket.

Now comes the good part: Tropical Traditions is allowing me to give-a-way a 5 lb. container of this great product! 

If you want to enter, here's what you have to do:


(1) You MUST be a follower of my blog ( this will be verified)

AND

(2) You MUST subscribe to the Tropical Traditions email Sales Newsletter via this link!

BOTH (1) and (2) MUST be done for your initial entry! Leave me ONE comment stating that both items were completed and make sure the email address that you subscribed to the newsletter with is provided within your comment.

If you already subscribe to either/or/both please just let me know in that mandatory first comment as well.

If you want additional entries:

(3) Follow me on Twitter

(4) Tweet about this giveaway ( leave one comment with a link to your tweet)

(5) Go to the Tropical Traditions website and tell me another product you would like to try

(6) Blog about this giveaway and leave me a comment with a link to your post and link back to this give-a-way post as well!


Give-a-way to run until 11:59 pm EST on March 21, 2010. Winner will be chosen via Random.org. Email will be sent to winner with a response needed within 72 hours of winning email with shipping information. If winner does not respond to email, an alternate winner will be chosen. Good only within the continental USA. Make sure you leave a contact email within your post or check to make sure that I can email you via your blogger profile.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Here we go with my weekly post letting you know about what to expect this week on " The View" and what I have to say about it!!


MONDAY, MARCH 8 – The day after the Oscars!! It Isn’t over till the co-hosts have spoken! Guest co-host Vanessa Williams (“ABC’s Ugly Betty”); Day of “Hot Topics”; co-host Sherri Shepherd will Skype live from Hollywood post-Academy Awards and share her Oscar experience; Chris Cuomo breaks down crimes in the headlines. First time musical guests – Lady Antebellum performs!

My Comments: As much as I can't wait to hear what Sherri has to say about The Oscars, I am also really excited to see and hear Lady Antebellum perform!

TUESDAY, MARCH 9 – Guests -Andy Garcia and his daughter Dominik Garcia-Lorido (“City Island”); Elissa Stein and Susan Kim (author, Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation).

My Comments:   I love Andy Garcia and am interested to see this interview with him and his daughter.




WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10 – Guests: Forest Whitaker (“Our Family Wedding”); Jesse Ventura (author, American Conspiracies).

My Comment: Forest Whitaker is an amazing actor and I have yet to see him deliver a less then stellar performance.  He strikes me as very serious and highly intellectual so this should be a very interesting interaction with our hosts!

THURSDAY, MARCH 11 – Sir Elton John will be sitting with the women at the table and partaking in “Hot Topics”; Guest - Eric McCormack (“Who Is Clark Rockefeller?”).

My Comment: Although I have seen Elton John perform on TV countless times, other then his statements about charity and fundraising I can't really recall seeing him just sit around and "chat".  I am hoping that this segment with him gives me a new perspective about the man outside his music.

FRIDAY, MARCH 12 – Co- Host Kate Gosselin is back and will join the women and the return of “The View: Fashion Friday” with designer Carolina Herrera.

My Comment: As a fan of another ABC show " Dancing with the Stars" I am so excited that she will be one of this season's stars!  Hopefully she will talk about her upcoming involvement with this great competition!
 
 
Don't take my word for it though...tune in, see for yourself, and talk about it!  Till next week!

Discloure: I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for ABC Daytime and will receive a tote bag or other The View branded items to facilitate my review.

Orange You So Happy I am a Tropicana Juicy Rewards Ambassador?

I don't know about you, but I have been drinking Tropicana Juices for as long as I can remember!  It is a product I buy on a regular basis for my house. 

What makes a great product even better is when I get rewarded by a company for doing something I was already doing.With that in mind I am happy to tell you about a new promotion where you can register with Tropicana Juicy Rewards. You can then bank points, based on Tropicana purchases, that can be redeemed for discounts on hundreds on goods and services easily searchable on the website!  How cool is that!

Even better if you register for the program right now you can use the code MOMCE-NTRAL to get a free point to start you off with!

I also suggest becoming a Facebook fan as well so you can keep up with any new promotions!

If ypu utilize Twitter, it might also be a good idea to become a Twitter follower of the program as well!

In the next few weeks you will see more posts about this great rewards program as well as my own experience redeeming rewards!  I can't wait to share what I find!

Orange YOU so happy you decided to join Tropicana Juicy Rewards!!!

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in the Tropicana Juicy Insiders Ambassador program by Mom Central on behalf of Tropicana. I received 12 free Juicy Rewards points and a $50 Visa gift card to use in redemption of the points and to facilitate my review.

Here we go my dear readers!  I hope you have been enjoying my posts regarding " The View".  This is what is in store for you this week!


Tuesday, Mar 2: Robert Pattinson makes his first-ever appearance on the show with his “Remember Me” co-star, Emilie de Ravin. Mitt Romney, the 70th Governor of Massachusetts also makes his first-ever appearance.

My Comment: Having seen the coming previews for "Remember Me" and loving both Pattinson of Twilight fame and de ravin from Lost I can't wait to see what they have to say about this new collaboration!

• Wednesday, Mar 3: This show will feature the best of “View Tube,” including backstage antics and celebrity exit interviews. Lisa Kudrow of “Who Do You Think You Are” will be joining the hosts as well.

My Comment: There has been alot of buzz about this new show which delves into the geneology of various celebrities.  It will be interesting to see who Lisa Kudrow found out she was related to, which I am hopeful she will discuss!

 • Thursday, Mar 4: Celebrity guest co-host Valerie Bertinelli, former Oscar nominee Abigail Breslin from Broadway’s “The Miracle Worker,” Mia Wasikowska from Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland,” and a musical performance from Broadway’s “Fela” will be featured on this jam-packed episode.

My Comment:  Valerie Bertinelli has been at the center of some controversy lately over her weight loss so the fact that she is guest-hosting should provide some wonderful conversation amongst our always outspoken hosts!  I am actually most excited about seeing the performance from "Fela" as it has gotten rave reviews and is on my list of shows I want to see.

 • Friday, Mar 5: The View’s “Road to the Oscars” episode welcomes former Oscar nominee Don Cheadle and Wesley Snipes and “Fashion Friday” celebrates “The History of Oscar Fashions” with a two-part look back at some of the most memorable – and perhaps forgettable – Oscar hits and misses, with host and celebrity stylist Robert Verdi. Hosts of “At the Movies” Michael Phillips and

Tony Scott will also be on set to unveil their 2010 Oscar predictions.

My Comment:  As much as I love "The Oscars" and the fact that actors are honored for their craft, for me it is all about what they wore and how they wore it!  So the two-part segment about the history of Oscar fashions is what I am really looking forward to in this particular show!

So there you have it..what a jam packed week of performances and guests!  Tune in and let me know what you thought!
Discloure: I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for ABC Daytime and will receive a tote bag or other The View branded items to facilitate my review.

Wisk: Pimp My Laundry Room Video Contest!!

From time to time I get notices from various PR companies about some great promotions around the web.  Today is one of those times!

I was just notified by BSM Media of a great new contest being sponsored by Wish HE Detergent and I thought that you, my dear readers, might be interested in the details:

"If there is one chore that Moms are familiar with, it's laundry. For many of us, it's a daily occurrence that gives new meaning to the phrase "spin cycle!" That's why it's not surprising that laundry rooms are among the most frequented areas of the house for Mom....unfortunately, they tend to also be some of the most uninspired rooms in the home when it comes to design. Luckily, Wisk® Laundry Detergent understands and wants to help!


If your laundry room is plain and boring or a downright dungeon, you just might be in desperate need of a laundry room makeover. Wisk® Laundry Detergent is teaming up with TV's Designing Spaces to pimp-out one laundry room in dire need of a face-lift as part of the Wisk® Pimp My Laundry Room video contest.

Just enter a short video from March 1 to March 29, 2010 at http://www.laundryhe.com/ explaining why you deserve a laundry room makeover and Wisk® could be on your doorstep with their partners-in-design, Whirlpool's DreamLaundry® Solutions team led by Bill Thomas and Emily Johnston, owner of the interior design firm EJ Interiors and founder of Materials Girls Blog. Together, they'll take your laundry room from drab to fab in no time thanks to a laundry room makeover complete with a new Whirlpool® High Efficiency (HE) washer/dryer set and a year's worth of Wisk® HE Laundry Detergent. Even better, she'll get to star in her very own episode of Designing Spaces!

The top Finalists will be featured on LaundryHE.com from April 12 - 19 and the Grand Prize Winner will be chosen by popular ballot so be sure to get your friends and family online and voting! Even better, a vote is an automatic entry to a sweepstakes for a year's supply of Wisk HE Laundry Detergent." - from the BSM Media email.




Please note: I am partnering with BSM Media for a Wisk contest with product giveaway in regards to posting about this contest.