Mermaid Mountain from CP Toys

Mermaid Mountain

Imaginary play goes to new depths with this 15" W. x 6" D. x 12" H. "underwater" mountain inhabited by 6 posable mermaids, a snail, seahorse and other fanciful accessories. All in durable plastic and fabric. 22 pc. set. Ages 4 yrs. 

Looking for kids toys that are educational?  CP Toys has lots of toys and playsets to choose from.


I am always lookiung for mermaid toys, since they are hard to come by.  When I saw how sweet their mermaid mountain was, I was excited to see it.  


The little mermaid dolls are very cute and have different colored hair with matching fabric mermaid tails.  If you take the tail off then they can be human as well.  They are well made and have spent many days in our pool and at the beach and still in perfect condition.   The set also comes with very cute sea creatures, including a crab, sea horse, snail, fish, and a few more.  They also have moving parts and are brightly colored.  


The mountain is the backdrop to add a realistic touch while playing.  Some of the sea creatures and treasure box can sit on the ledges.  The only drawback I found was that the ledges aren't wide enough for the mermaids to sit on.  We solved this issue by using this toy at the pool and beach where they swim all over the mountain.  If you are playing at home, children would need to be encouraged to have the mermaids swim around and by the mountain.

Overall, we have really enjoyed this toy and all of the pretend play it fosters.

Now you can win a Mermaid Mountain of your own!
GIVEAWAY
TO ENTER: Visit CP Toys and let me know what other product catches your eye

EXTRA ENTRY: 

1 Extra Entry- Follow MBB with Google friend connect
1 Extra Entry -subscribe to Mom's Best Bets
1 Extra Entry -CP on Facebook and MBB

1 Extra Entry -CP 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 1/15/2012 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Open to US and Canada only

Mom's Best Bet 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!"

Here are some best bets from last week to enter:

**0.925 Silver Bracelet Giveaway Ends 12/30  

**Kate n' Kaboodle- JJ Cole Hooded Bath Towel 12/30  

Moon Dough Breakfast Review

Moon Dough is that magical molding dough that dazzles kids.  It also can make moms a little worried by the mess it leaves behind but they now have a brand new formula that's less crumbly, never dries out, is odor free, and is less to clean up. 
I was sent the Moon Dough Breakfast Set to create a yummy  pretend breakfast with my daughter.  We had so much fun making waffles, toast, and pancakes.  It was easy with the new Push and Pop Tools. It was simple to stack the pancakes and waffles as well.  It has a new consistency that is less messy and more fun for kids.  This kit would make a great and creative gift under the tree.

Contains:

• 3 Push and Pop Tools 
• Topping Mold 
• 1.5 oz. Red Moon Dough 
• 1.5 oz. Yellow Moon Dough 
• Playmat 
• Instruction Guide

You can buy the Moon Dough Breakfast Set at Kmart, Target, Walmart and Amazon.com.
Disclaimer: Product provided buy Team Tom and Moon Dough for review purposes.

Personalized iphone Case Giveaway

Need a cool techy last minute gift?  Or maybe you just want to purchase this great pick for yourself.  It's a Zazzle's Case-Mate iPhone Case.

Everyone that I know that has an iphone loves it, carries it everywhere, and is constantly pulling it out in front of their friends and family.  So, why not dress it up a little with Zazzle's customized iphone cases. I just received mine and I can't stop looking at the gorgeous beach scene with my daughter dancing the hula on it.  It's really special and well done.  It's a perfect gift or stocking stuffer. 

Starting at $34.95

• Available for the iPhone 3G/3GS and iPhone 4/4S
• Hard-shell & form-fitting cases
• Access to all ports, controls & sensors
• Makes a great gift
• 100% satisfaction guaranteed

Case-Mate offers custom cases where users can

create their own iPhone case or choose from hundreds of thousands of designs
submitted by artists from around the world. 



Now you have a chance to WIN and to create your own personalized case!Zazzle 
TO ENTER: Visit Zazzle and let me know what other product catches your eye

EXTRA ENTRY: 

1 Extra Entry- Follow MBB with Google friend connect
1 Extra Entry -subscribe to Mom's Best Bets
1 Extra Entry -Zazzle on Facebook and MBB

1 Extra Entry -Zazzle 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 1/5/2012 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Open to US and Canada only

Mom's Best Bet 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!"

Here are some best bets from last week to enter:

**$100 SpaFinder Gift Card (12/21)  

**Beautiful Heart Necklace & more ($100) 12/31 

Guidecraft Book Shelf-The Perfect Gift and 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." 

Guidecraft is known for their attention to detail and solid construction. My best bet for a big gift for a child that is useful and educational is Guidecraft's lovely book shelves. I love how you can pair it with new books for an awesome gift, encouraging reading and independence.  

They sell 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 their Classic White Bookshelf.  This is what it looks like (picture below).  I really like how I can combine toys and books on these shelves.  We are going to put her smaller books in one of the pink boxes and toys in the other boxes.  She will be getting a lot of books for Christmas, so this will perfect for organizing them.  

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. My husband put together the book shelf quickly (it took about 20 minutes).  Again, I love how sturdy and well made this book shelf is.

They offer videos on their products to help with assembly, which can be helpful. Check out all of their bookshelves and case since there are so many varieties depending on your style, and space, and child's age.  Now you have a chance to WIN IT!!

One lucky reader will win this Classic Guidecraft Book Shelf!

TO ENTER: Visit Guidecraft and tell me what other amazing product you like 

EXTRA ENTRY: 

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 1/5/2012 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Open to Continental US only

Healthy Holiday Red Cabbage Salad

Picture and recipe courtesy of www.ohsheglows.com

I made this recipe from a new blog that I found, Oh She Glows.  Her picture made it look so good! Click for the recipe;

Over The Rainbow Cabbage Salad with Tahini-Lemon Dressing

"Purple foods, like eggplant, beets, blueberries, and purple cabbage, contain anthocyanins. These health-promoting chemicals protect cells in your body and play active roles in promoting eye and heart health, decreasing cancer cell proliferation and more."

It was crunchy, yummy, and oh so healthy!   A perfect way to cleanse from all the holiday cookie eating.

School Zone Spelling App

Looking for educational apps for your kids?  I am constantly running into parents who are looking for apps for their kids that help them to learn to read, write, or solve math problems in an interactive fun way.  

School Zone has a Spelling 1-2 app that is an engaging under sea adventure for your little one. 

Description

This software includes over 2,000 first and second grade level words, plus personal spelling lists that can be added while they play.  Kids get three games in one. In the Sunken Ship's Galley Game, they learn to spell by seeing the word, hearing it, and then typing it. Kids unscramble words by rearranging the letters in the Coral Reef Game, and in Neptune's Cave Game, they choose the correct spelling from a number of misspelled versions. Each unique game helps sharpen spelling skills at every level. To make the game more fun and to motivate young spellers, each game offers cool collectables. As children successfully spell words, they release trapped fish and earn prizes. After a fish is released, it goes to live in the Tropical Lagoon. Children use the prizes they earn to decorate the lagoon, creating a special place for the fish to live. It's a virtual aquarium. 


Ages 6-8
Grades First-Second


Features
- Accepts custom word lists
- Multiple-player log-in
- Three unique spelling games
- Audio pronunciations
- Progress tracking
- Progress reporting
- Printable progress reports
- Instant grading
- Audio prompts and encouragement
- Animated scenes
- Playful music
- Colorful graphics


Skills


- Word recognition
- Spelling patterns
- Letter sounds
- Long vowel sounds
- Short vowel sounds
- Combination sounds
- Silent letters

My daughter really enjoys playing on her iPad. It's so helpful to know that she can increase her spelling skills by playing games thanks to School Zone! Get it for $9.99 here

My Christmas Tree in Hawaii

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Gaiam TV for a Healthy You

I love finding healthy products for my home and my family.  Gaiam.com helps me to accomplish this with their superior quality and customer service.  I just discovered that they have expanded and can offer more than just products, now they have Gaiam TV to educated as well.  

Gaiam TV covers movies that focus on exercise, Yoga Studio, Fitness Studio, Wellness Center, Films, Documentaries  on the Environment, and much more.
Whether you have 10 minutes or one hour, GaiamTV.com has a fitness or yoga video for you. Get unlimited access to hundreds of hours of yoga, Pilates and cardio  classes.   


Awakening the Dreamer is a new film that discusses the worldwide initiative that has inspired thousands of people to realize their tremendous potential as agents of change and in making a positive impact on your community.

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Awakening The Dreamer 

Awakening the Dreamer – Changing the Dream

Wake up to your own role in creating a new future. This new perspective of the current state of our planet features top scientific, indigenous and activist minds from around the world. Now available for the first-time ever on video, The Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the DreamSymposium empowers participants to respond to the urgency and the opportunity of our times with action and informed, grounded optimism. Taped live, the Symposium features leading-edge information, inspiring multimedia and transformative exercises for experience like none other. Together, we can change the world.

The Symposium is designed to be viewed in its entirety. However, it’s been segmented for your convenience as well as ease in re-viewing segments that were most meaningful to you. Sharing the Symposium video with a group can add a rich dimension to the experience.

Written by:Tracy Apple, Mary Earle Chase, Neal Rogin

Produced by:Christie Stentz, Lynn Powers, Lynne Twist

Directed by:Michael Badertscher

Network/Studio:Gaiam

Country of Origin:USA

Start your FREE trial today! www.gaiamtv.com/trial