Biokleen GIVEAWAY: Non-Toxic Cleaning Solution

Biokleen, tough on dirt, gentle on the earth! I love their motto!

Biokleen manufactures natural, non-toxic cleaning products for your home or business. Formulated with exceptional quality and value that will provide you with great results while not causing any negative effects to you or the environment. Biokleen products are biodegradable with no harsh fumes and is gentle enough for sensitive skin.

I have used their dishwashing liquid for over a year now and really like the way it cleans. I find Biokleen in Whole Foods and Down to Earth here in Hawaii. They also carry other cleaning products that I have recently tried, including their laundry liquid and their all purpose cleaner.

Free & Clear Laundry Liquid
Allergen-Fighting Formula:Biokleen Free & Clear Laundry Liquid is fragrance free, and like all Biokleen products, is clear of dyes and brighteners. It removes the toughest dirt, grease, stains, and odors. Biokleen Free & Clear Laundry Liquid rinses clean, without leaving residue on clothes.
• 3x More Concentrated• Free of fragrance and clear of dyes and brighteners.• Phosphate & Chlorine Free• Makes a great pre-treat for stains• Safe for high-efficiency washers

This is a concentrated and powerful detergent and with no smell. I love washing my daughter's clothing in it. I would recommend this product to anyone who wants to reduce their chemical usage and want to stay allergen free.

All Purpose Cleaner & Degreaser
Concentrated Neutral All-Purpose Cleaner that really can do it all. Safe for any water-safe surface. Works even in cold water. Safe for workers. Low VOC.SIZES:16oz, 32oz, 64oz, 128oz/1gal, 5 gal, 55 galUSES: Floors, Offices, Kitchens, Washrooms, Grout, Chrome, Stainless Steel, Carpet, Appliances, Walls, Building Interiors, and More!

I have found that this product can do it all. Also, because this product is so strong it lasts a long time and is worth the price! I use it on my floors, carpet, and bathroom. A wonderful keeper!!

WIN IT!!
One lucky reader will win a Biokleen product of their choice!
TO ENTER: Visit Biokleen and tell me what other amazing product you like

EXTRA ENTRY:

1 Extra Entry - Fan Healthy Kids Examiner on Facebook

1 Extra Entry- Follow MBB with Google friend connect

1 Extra Entry -subscribe to Mom's Best Bets

2 Extra Entry -Biokleen on facebook and MBB

2 Extra Entry -Biokleen on Twitter and MBB (tweet daily for more)

1 Extra Entry -Enter another giveaway on MBB

3 Extra Entries if you put my button up on your blog.

3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to me

*This contest ends 7/28 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Open to US only

Shine On Now with American Girl and Make a Difference!

To foster a spirit of goodwill and help make the world a
brighter place, American Girl is introducing Shine On Now—a new charitable initiative that
harnesses the collective power of girls to help others in need.

Shine On Now begins today! American Girl is calling on girls across the country to help the company give up to $1 million in clothes, books, dolls, and money to the following four organizations: Kids in Distressed Situations, National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions, National Wildlife Federation, and Save the Children.

Girls can become an official American Girl Ambassador at
shineonnow.com and inspire other girls to join the Shine On Now effort. As ambassadors, girls will receive a free, downloadable tool kit filled with fun and actionable tips and ideas for fund-raising, volunteering, or donating to the four worthy charities participating in Shine On Now, or wherever they see an opportunity to make a difference.

On July 13, 2010, girls can go to shineonnow.com and put their collective efforts to powerful use. Visitors can contribute up to 100 free stars each day to help American Girl reach its goal of collecting one million stars by the end of the program on July 31, 2010. If the target is reached, American Girl will donate its maximum gift of $1 million in clothes, books, dolls, and money to the four designated charities.
Check out Shine On Now on twitter and facebook for more of the latest news.

I am thrilled to be part of American Girl's initiative to raise money and awareness for such worthy organizations. I will be blogging more about Shine On Now and there is an exciting giveaway to come, so stay tuned...

Mom's Best Bets Monday!

There are so many great ideas, reviews, and giveaways going on around the blogosphere that it is hard to remember them all. There is something new going on here every Monday that you can be a part of.

Let's share our BEST BET on the Linky or in the comments section below. It could be something you read about, an outrageous recipe, or maybe a product that is outstanding, or an amazing giveaway that you want to share about.Whatever your best bet is, please share below and we will choose a few to shine in the "Mom's Best Bets Spotlight!"

There were many Best Bets from last week, so it was very hard to choose but here are some great ones:
**Visit Mommy is Green (I do all the time) and win a $50 GC of Miessence products!!http://www.mommyisgreen.net/2010/06/actualorganicscom-miessence-organic.html

**Head over to Extreme Personal Measures to win the Vicera Ceramic Knife Giveaway

**Want to Boost your Blog? Then head to Market Mommy - $2600 Mega Marketing Prize! 6/30

***Enter to Win a Guidecraft Ballerina Swan Lake Toy Chest $160 here on Mom's Best Bets!!

Simple Stylish Organic Shoes

Is it possible to find a shoe that is comfortable, stylish and eco friendly? I often asked myself this question when searching for toddler shoes. There were always a lot of cute shoes to choose from but they all seemed hard and uncomfortable. Simple Shoes makes sustainable shoes for adults and children that you can live with. I haven't tried their adult shoes yet but we just love their children's line.

Their materials:

My daughter tried the Toddler's Doogie shoe with uppers of floral print certified organic cotton. The binding is washable suede from an eco-certified tannery
It has a very soft suede strap that allows for a great fit. My daughter can easily put these shoes on by herself. The linings are really soft and are made of a certified organic cotton and hemp blend, while the soles are made of natural and recycled non marking rubber. I cannot believe they are washable! They even use a water based glue instead of petroleum based to hold the shoe together. The foot form inserts are made of post consumer recycled paper. The shoebox is made of post-consumer recycled paper, soy based printing ink, natural latex and starch based glue. They are such a pretty bright pink and I like how they never rub even when she has them on all day long.

Each size even has a different animal on the box! My daughter has quite a few pink and sparkly shoes, but Simple Shoes are her favorite by far! She can run, play, and even have a tea party in these shoes. They are a Mom's Best Bet for their sustainability, cuteness appeal, and their overall comfort!

Find a store near you here or order online here.

*Product provided for review purposes. All opinions are Mom's Best Bets

Breathable Exercise Tops

"Our patented ventilated bra pads not only provide additional support, but also ultimate breathability that will keep you cool and well-ventilated during your workout."

Breeze Comfort is an online store that makes comfortable sports bras and tops. I recently tried their Sports Top Black Tankini ($45.99). It doesn't look like your average exercise top, probably because of it's halter style. It' s a stylish solid black halter top with tied back and flattering V-shape neckline. I like the slimming look it gives because of the sung fit around the chest and looser fit around the waist.

It's more breathable and comfortable than my other exercise tops. It has a shiny black look and I probably would rather it be a cotton material but overall I am happy with it and would recommend it to others. This company is located in Japan, so for all of my US readers, I suggest buying $50 worth so that the free shipping will apply. Otherwise, I feel it would be too expensive.

Growing Tree Educational Toys

Looking for some great deals on educational toys or baby toys? Check out Growing Tree Toys. They also have a Free Birthday Club: Kids and adults get a special email surprise 2 weeks before your child’s birthday! I just discovered this great online store.

Oxygen Bleach Giveaway

Chlorine bleach can make your clothes bright and white but it is also toxic to humans, animals, and plants. Tropical Traditions makes Oxygen Bleach that is a safe and effective alternative to chlorine based products and it can be used in many applications in and around the home. It is based on sodium percarbonate which uses oxygen for destaining and deodorizing. Oxygen Bleach is safe to use at all temperatures, on most washable fabrics, and all colors, in hard or soft water, and is compatible with other household cleaners. Also, it produces no harmful by-products which negatively affect the environment.

Laundry

I use it for my laundry and love the way it cleans and whitens without that horrible chlorine smell.
In the laundry Oxygen Bleach is used to destain, deodorize, and whiten. It is very effective as a laundry presoak for heavily stained articles. For light soils add 1 ounce of Oxygen Bleach with your laundry detergent per load. For moderate soils use 2 ounces and for heavily soiled articles use 4 ounces.

Kitchen
For stained plastic ware, dishes, dish rags and dish towels add 1-2 ounces of Oxygen Bleach to the container to be cleaned or to the dishwater and soak for at least 15 minutes.
To keep your drains and disposals clear and smelling fresh add 1 ounce of Oxygen Bleach in 8 ounces of hot water and allow solution to sit in drain overnight.

It can also be used for your bathroom, yard, carpet, and even on wood.

The best thing about Tropical Traditions is there thorough information and explanation on all of their products. I feel safe using these products and love being able to share with you about them.

Tropical Traditions is giving away an Oxygen Bleach to one Mom's Best Bets reader!

To Enter: Visit Tropical Traditions and tell me what other product that you like and why.

EXTRA ENTRY:

2 Extra Entry-comment on a post or subscribe to my other blog here

1 Extra Entry- Follow Me with Google friend connect

1 Extra Entry -subscribe to Mom's Best Bets

1 Extra Entry -subscribe by email

1 Extra Entry-sign up for TT's newsletter

1 Extra Entry - Follow me on Facebook

1 Extra Entry - Follow me on Twitter and tweet for extra chances

3 Extra Entries if you put my button up on your blog.

3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to me

*This contest ends 7/6 Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm Pacific Time.

Winner will be notified via email.Open to US and Canada.
*Product provided from Tropical Traditions for review purposes.

Drinking Water Safe for Humans but not Goldfish

Yesterday I visted a pet store with my daughter. She was marveling at the beautiful goldfish when my eye caught some goldfish water for sale. The label stated that fish can survive in tap water but they thrive in pure oxygenated water that doesn't contain heavy metals. I was appalled to think that our drinking water isn't adequate for fish yet humans drink it everyday!

To ensure that you aren't just surviving but thriving try an inexpensive way to get cleaner water by using a pitcher such as the ZeroWater® Pitcher for $35.00.
ZeroWater® is the only filtered water from a pitcher that meets the FDA definition for purified bottled water. The Pitcher comes with the following products:
One ZeroWater® filter cartridge that removes contaminants that cause water to have an unpleasant taste.
An independently made TDS Meter to give you peace of mind that your ZeroWater® filter cartridges are working properly. It also lets you know when to replace the filters. When your water starts reading 006 it's time for a change.
The one-chamber Pitcher with lid has a pour spout, exclusive in-fridge push button dispenser and a special storage compartment for the TDS Meter.
More complete filtration than ordinary carbon filters
Clean, crisp taste
Includes one Pitcher, one filter, and one TDS meter.
So, if it’s not all zeros, it’s not ZeroWater®.

It's sold online and in many stores near you such as Target.

Mom's Best Bet Mondays!

There are so many great ideas, reviews, and giveaways going on around the blogosphere that it is hard to remember them all. There is something new going on here every Monday that you can be a part of.
Let's share our BEST BET on the Linky or in the comments section below. It could be something you read about, an outrageous recipe, or maybe a product that is outstanding, or an amazing giveaway that you want to share about.
Whatever your best bet is, please share below and we will choose a few to shine in the "Mom's Best Bets Spotlight!"
There were many Best Bets from last week, so it was very hard to choose but here are some great ones:

**Visit Babasfarmlife- to win a Shiny Little Blessings Necklace 6/22

**Amazon has everything so head over to Anonymous 8 and win a gift certificate to Amazon.com here http://anonymous8.com/giveaways/30-gc-to-amazon/?d9738768
***Enter to Win a Guidecraft Ballerina Swan Lake Toy Chest $160 here on Mom's Best Bets!!

Ballet and Tap Discount Dance Supply

I was so excited when my daughter expressed interest in taking dance classes for the first time. There is nothing cuter than a little one in their first ballet or jazz outfit. Now that my child is taking two dance classes, I can see how quickly children need new tights and they grow out of their shoes so fast. It can get expensive paying for the apparel alone, not to mention the class tuition and the performances.

Here in Hawaii, there is only one small dance supply store, so I decided to find an online store that I could trust with unbeatable prices. Discount Dance Supply was recommended by a friend so I googled them and liked what I saw.

"My little tapper"

Their prices are very competitive and the products that I received were lovely.
I received their Capezio® New And Improved Child Jr. Tyette Tap Shoe
This tap shoe features a firm heel counter and light toe box for support and a snug fit while maintaining comfort. They fit perfectly and I really liked the ribbon to tie for flair.
Retail Value: $23.36
Your Price: $18.95
You Save: $4.41 (19%)

Their Natalie Child Two-Tone Tutu received 5.0 out of 5 stars
Natalie's "My Little Princess" 3 layer tutu skirt features sparkling glitter overlay for a show stopping performance. Tutu skirt features bow accents with rosettes and measures to 6 ½" in length. This was definitely not a needed item for dance class, but it really shows beautifully in pictures and would be an affordable pick for any performance at $9.95.

Lastly, every dancer knows how quickly tights wear out. There are many different types and some more expensive than others. For really young children I suggest to buy more of the the cheaper pairs. Capezio® Child's Seamless Run Resistant Footed Tights are 100% Nylon footed seamless runproof tights. Features include a comfortable 1" plush waistband and dyed-to-match CoolMax® gusset for color uniformity and moisture management.

Discount Dance Supply has so much more for dancers of all ages. I really like their prices and through these 3 reviews they seem to be concerned with supplying quality items at affordable prices. Follow them on twitter or facebook for great deals and specials.

Swirling Oil in the Gulf of Mexico

Swirling Oil in the Gulf of Mexico (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

When I first saw this picture I though it was an oil painting. If only these oil swirls were on canvas instead of swamping our oceans and killing the animals who call these areas home.

Guidecraft Swan Lake Toy Box Giveaway

"For over 40 years, Guidecraft's educational kids toys, arts & crafts, and kids room furniture have delighted kids and parents alike. Developmental toys, from building blocks to award-winning Magneatos encourage open-ended educational play."

It's hard not to notice a Guidecraft product when shopping. They stand out from the rest. When my daughter was a baby I would love to walk around some local baby stores that sold a lot quality items. I always loved the Guidecraft pieces for their beauty and appeal. Guidecraft sells everything from Doll Furniture, Kitchen Helpers, Dramatic Play, Furniture , Art Equipment ,Toys and Manipulatives, and so much more.

I was recently given the opportunity to review one of their toy boxes. There are so many unique toy boxes that it was hard to choose..for me, that is. My daughter, however, saw the pink swam lake ballet toy box and knew that was the one she wanted.

My thoughts:

I was impressed how well the toy box was packaged. When this set came all the way to Hawaii there were no scrapes or damage, just one very tiny scratch. My husband assembled the toy box and noted how the pieces were heavy and sturdy, unlike many toy boxes that we have seen. The directions were moderately easy and in a small amount of time the toy box came to life. It was bigger than I had imagined which made me very happy, since I wanted the space to be able to store more toys.

The safety hinges and cut outs to prevent finger pinching is wonderful. To tell you the truth the pictures on their website don't do the product justice. It is really a stunning piece that is hand painted, and carved. I could not be more pleased with it.

Dimensions:
22.5" h x 30" w x 17.5" lweight: 26lb

*Here are the assembly instructions and video. I encourage you to watch the videos on their products. It's well made and really gives you the information and pictures you will need to make your choice.WIN IT!!

One lucky reader will win this Guidecraft Toy chest!

TO ENTER: Visit Guidecraft and tell me what other amazing product you like
EXTRA ENTRY:
2 Extra Entry - Visit me at my other blog and subscribe/rss
1 Extra Entry -Leave a comment here
1 Extra Entry- Follow MBB with Google friend connect
1 Extra Entry -subscribe to Mom's Best Bets
1 Extra Entry -Guidecraft on facebook and MBB
1 Extra Entry -Guidecraft on Twitter and MBB (tweet daily for more)
1 Extra Entry -Enter another giveaway on MBB
3 Extra Entries if you put my button up on your blog.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to me
*This contest ends 7/15 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Open to US only

Eco Craft: Artterro collage jewelry making

My Eco collage bangle-handmade by my daughter!

I love doing crafts with my child. I think sometimes I even have more fun than she does. This was the case when we tried Artterro's collage jewelry kit!
Artterro is an Eco company that specializes in art kits for children.


They are committed to including products that are:
100% post-consumer waste handmade paper from India and Thailand
Colorful 100% wool felt from Nepal is very satisfying to work with and easy to sew on. Unique and fancy patterned decoupage tissue papers from France
Hand-dyed cotton Artisan Batik fabrics
High-quality wooden bangles, beads and pendants
Beautiful glass and wooden beads adorn projects
High-quality jewelry and copper wire, felting needles, and glass marbles are made in the US! It was so easy to do create beautiful jewelry pieces with my daughter. And yes, I confiscated the bangle for my self! Is it gorgeous or what? They have so many other kits, take a look!



Artterro's GREEN initiative:
They partner with Green Solutions Printing, a small family-owned business in Eugene, OR, where all our packaging inserts and marketing materials are printed on 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper using vegetable based inks and renewable energy.
Their kits are assembled at and shipped from Goodwill Industries in Milwaukee, WI. They have donated kits to Project Kids in Cambodia.

Vog/ Smog Buster Tea

Vog and Smog are forms of air pollution. In Hawaii we sometimes have Vog caused by volcanoes that can produce gases that contain Hydrogen Sulfides and acid forming Sulfur compounds.
Vog and smog can be serious threats, especially for individuals with asthma.

Healing Dragons introduced a new herbal tea – "VOG BUSTER TEA" – into the Hawaiian market in order to provide comfort to the many people adversely affected by volcanic haze caused by fumes and smoke emanating from the ongoing eruption of Kilauea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Outside Hawaii, their tea is available with the "SMOG BUSTER" label.

The tea is a unique blend of four herbs. It is so mild and delicious that my daughter even liked the taste. It is loaded with anti-oxidants, immune strengtheners, and Omega 3 fatty acids.

The tea has been found to be quite effective for scratchy throat, headache, and red and irritated eyes, inflammation and bronchial congestion.

When I spoke with one of the Doctors behind this tea I was surprised to discover that it is safe enough for anyone, including pregnant women. The herbs are laboratory tested by their California herbal suppliers to be free of caffeine, pesticides, heavy metals, and micro-bacteria. Their tea is blended and bagged in California at a FDA compliant facility in gold foil pouches each containing 16 tea bags.
SMOG/VOG BUSTER TEA Ingredients: Prunella, Uncaria, Perilla seed, Pyrola and Schizonepetae

I first did a little research on each herb to make sure I knew what these herbs were. For the most part my reading confirmed that these herbs were all safe and nutritious. I have to say that this tea is very easy to drink and has a slight naturally sweet taste. Yes, it did make me feel soothed immediately after I drank it. On Oahu, we don't get too much Vog, but I still can feel the difference when there is that heavy, still, thick feeling in the air. I usually try to stay indoors more, drink a lot of water and my Vog buster tea. My head seems to clear from pretty quickly after sipping some. The best part is that this tea is very inexpensive. For around $5.00 you can purchase a whole bag of it! Healing dragons tea will now be in my cupboard! This tea is sold in Hawaii and California stores.

Mom's Best Bet Mondays!

There are so many great ideas, reviews, and giveaways going on around the blogosphere that it is hard to remember them all. There is something new going on here every Monday that you can be a part of.

Let's share our BEST BET on the Linky or in the comments section below. It could be something you read about, an outrageous recipe, or maybe a product that is outstanding, or an amazing giveaway that you want to share about.

Whatever your best bet is, please share below and we will choose a few to shine in the "Mom's Best Bets Spotlight!"

There were many Best Bets from last week, so it was very hard to choose but here are some great ones:

**Ending today at Shelley's Swag is Seventh Generation Starter Kit 6/14
**Little Yaya's is giving away Extreme cookware :*http://littleyayasandblessed.blogspot.com/2010/05/xtrema-review-and-giveaway.html

*Enter to Win Hawaiian Pualani Swimwear here on Mom's Best Bets!!

Giveaway: Win a free pair of CROCS

My daughter is modeling the new Crocs™ Electro Slide. A new stylish slide for kids, the Crocs™ Electro slide offers a double colored footbed and jibbitz™ shoe charm holes for a personalized touch. With the dual-density croslite™ material footbed your little one will have the comfort to keep them romping all day long.

This is a MOM'S BEST BET for a summer shoe! This design will easily keep toes cool and all of that summer sand won't get trapped in and annoy little toes:)

Check out all of their new designs for men, women, and children. We are a Crocs wearing family because they are comfy, easy to clean, super cute, and great for warm days!

About Crocs, Inc.
Crocs, Inc. is a designer, manufacturer and retailer of footwear for men, women and children under the Crocs™ brand.
All Crocs™ brand shoes feature Crocs’ proprietary closed-cell resin, Croslite™, which represents a substantial innovation in footwear. The Croslite™ material enables Crocs to produce soft, comfortable, lightweight, superior-gripping, non-marking and odor-resistant shoes. These unique elements make Crocs™ footwear ideal for casual wear, as well as for professional and recreational uses such as boating, hiking, hospitality and gardening. The versatile use of the material has enabled Crocs to successfully market its products to a broad range of consumers.
Crocs™ shoes are sold in more than 125 countries and come in a wide array of colors and styles.

Crocs Cares donates to worthy causes like giving more than 10,000 pairs of Crocs to the Lamia Afghan Foundation

WIN IT!!

“One lucky duck will win their choice of style from Crocs' women's shoes! Must be a pair from the core product line, not Ocean Minded or YOU by crocs line. Subject to style and size availability, may need to choose back up pair. Open to US and Canada.”

TO ENTER: Visit Crocs and tell me what pair you would like

EXTRA ENTRY:

2 Extra Entry - Visit me at my other blog and subscribe/rss

1 Extra Entry -Leave a comment here

1 Extra Entry- Follow MBB with Google friend connect

1 Extra Entry -subscribe to Mom's Best Bets

1 Extra Entry -Crocs on facebook and MBB

1 Extra Entry -Crocs on Twitter and MBB (tweet daily for more)

1 Extra Entry -Enter another giveaway on MBB

3 Extra Entries if you put my button up on your blog.

3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to me

*This contest ends 7/05 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time.

King Kamehameha Day Parade

ALOHA! Happy King Kamehameha Day.

I am a Honolulu Healthy Kids Examiner now. Click here to read about the floral parade and my organic lunch pick!

If you would like to be an examiner in your neck of the woods go here and and learn how you can write about the topics and places you love and get paid doing so!

Verizon Palm Pre Plus Review

I’m officially a Verizon Palm® Pre™ Plus user. I have been testing out Verizon's Palm Pre Plus so that I can share my thoughts with you.
The Palm Pre Plus is a breathe of fresh "techy" air! Perfect for a mom on the move! How did I manage without this compact little wonder? It contains a vast amount of features. I still have more to try out, but some of my favorites are it's notification panel located on the main screen that will let you know if you have a new voicemail or text message.

I can also check blogger, facebook, twitter, and other social networks in seconds.

A picture taken with my phone!

The Palm Pre Plus also has a sophisticated 3 megapixel camera with a built in flash. I am forever forgetting my camera at important times. The other day my four year old daughter dove down in the ocean for the first time and came up with a gorgeous shell. I got the picture because I always carry my phone with me. But otherwise I would have missed this photo op. I can also take pictures for Mom's Best Bets easly when I am traveling.

*Demo here

The Palm Pre Plus can search for destinations and help you with directions using GPS navigation. This vivid touchscreen and slide–out keyboard is elegant and will fit in the palm of your hand.

So, how is the Verizon Network? So far, so good. The voice quality has been clear and I haven't encountered loss of service driving around the island.

The Touchscreen is so easy to use that my four year old can make calls herself and loves all of the fun apps it has. The other day we were stuck in traffic and I handed it to her. Amazingly enough she was playing learning games and having a ball navigating it.
It also has WiFi (with Mobile Hotspot optional), Bluetooth , GPS with Tower Location, 3MP Camera with Flash and Extended Depth of Field, Support for Exchange, Gmail, Yahoo, LinkedIn, and Facebook in Synergy.

Features
Palm webOS™ platform
Touch screen with slide out QWERTY keyboard
Wi–Fi Ready (802.11 b/g)
3G Mobile Hot Spot
HTML Web Browser
Palm Synergy™ –See contacts, calendars, or conversations from multiple sources in one view
Memory: 16GB Flash/512 RAM
Bluetooth® Wireless Technology–(V 2.1+EDR)
Music Player for MP3, AAC, AAC+, WAV, AMR, QCELP
Gesture area –enables simple, intuitive gestures for navigation
Universal search –Automatically start searching the phone or the web just by typing on the keyboard
Email –Exchange ActiveSync support for corporate email, as well as personal email support (Google push, Yahoo!, POP3, IMAP)
Instant Messaging for Google Talk and AOL
VZ Navigatorsm Capable
Assisted & Standalone GPS
View Microsoft Word, Excel®, PowerPoint®, and PDF documents
Palm Over the Air Updates
3 Megapixel camera with flash
Wi–Fi Ready (802.11 b/g)
Music Player for MP3, AAC, AAC+, WAV, AMR, QCELP
Download MP3’s from Amazon Music Store
Speakerphone
Total Equipment Coverage is Available General Information
Display: 3.1"(HVGA 480 x 320), 24 bit TFT
CDMA 1x EVDO Rev A: 800/1900mHz
Hearing Aid Compatibility = M4
SAR Information: 0.919 W/1Kg at Ear; 0.936 W/1Kg on Body
Battery Usage: Up to 330 minutes talk time / Up to 350 hours standby
Dimensions: 3.95" (H) x 2.34" x (W) x 0.67" (D)
Weight: 4.89 oz.

Are there any cons to the Palm?

The battery power doesn't last very long and with average usage I usually run out in the afternoon. A car battery would be a good idea to have when using this phone on the go.

The reason why I like the The Palm Pre Plus so much is because it's just like a MOM, it's a Mega Multitasker! There are so many applications that you can open simultaneously on the Palm Pre Plus.

I can keep my calendar up to date, get directions, take a video and then edit it and share it from my phone. Being a daily blogger I need to be connected to the Internet and social media sites to stay on top of the latest news. Yes, it costs more but you are getting a a lot for the extra cost of a regular phone.

Bottom line: It can make your day more organized, easy, and fun!

*Product provided for review purposes. All opinion about this phone are solely Mom's Best Bets

Aerin Rose Swimwear-The Perfect Fit!

You may have seen Aerin Rose bathing suits featured in O Magazine recently for their superb "fit." Aerin Rose Bra-sized Swimwear provides quality construction and a perfect for women who want fashion and fit. This is the time of year when women are all looking for swimwear that truly flatters their figure so that they can feel their best at the beach or swimming in the pool.

I really like the 2010 Arein Rose collection because they feature mix and match separates including underwire tops, bikinis, tankinis and full coverage one piece body slimming bathing suits-- allowing all women to look great and feel comfortable, no matter what their shape or size. Each swimsuit is offered in bra sizes B through G, helping women to find the perfect fit, while creating their own personal style. My favorite design for 2010 is the Marrakesh blue and purple paisley-love it!

And for the Mommy-to-be, try our maternity suit -maximum support with a shirred bodice for your growing belly!! To view the full line, please visit: http://www.aerinrose.com/

Aerin Kwait-Taubin, designer/founder of Aerin Rose Swimwear has some great tips for you when choosing a suit!

If you are full busted:
Look for under wires combined with built-in shelf bras.
Wide and open necklines that bring the attention to your collar bone and face will flatter.

Do not wear suits that come up high over the bust because it creates the illusion of a longer and larger bust line.
Halters are also very visually flattering on full bust but it needs to be combined with support from the wire to alleviate too much weight on the neck.
Straps on the shoulder are another appealing option but make sure they have adjustable slides to get the perfect fit.
Tie backs or backs with adjustability are also something important to look for to give the perfect fit.

If you are small busted:
Look for built- in (not removable) push up pads.
Avoid removable pads which can shift around and look uneven as well as show outlines when the suit gets wet.
Ruffles and other details on the cups are also good to give the cups a fuller appearance

To create a smaller waistline and/or hips:
Look for tummy control fabrics in one piece suits.
Tankinis are a great concealer while still giving you the two piece convenience.
For minimizing the tummy and hip area, a fabulous disguise is shirring, in any way that goes across the stomach and/or lower torso.
Color blocking, where the outer sides of the body are a darker color than the middle visually helps to minimize hips.
Wear leg lines that go a little higher. If the leg line is not high cut enough, it will sit too low on your hip (the widest part of your body) and draw the eye there, if it is higher your hip and leg will appear elongated and slimmer.