Princess Karakul - Book Review

I was sent “Princess Karakul: The Runaway Bear” children’s book from Dorrance Publishing to review. The first thing I noticed about this book were the bright, colorful illustrations. This book is a tale about a grizzly bear princess named Karakul and her family adventures. It helps teach about anger, forgiveness, and the importance of family. It is a good easy reader book for older kids. I really enjoyed the story and the illustrations, and Sydney enjoyed looking at the bears.

The great thing about this book is that it is a children’s book written by a child! It was written by Rachaell Angelica Robinson when she was about 13 years old and was born with cerebral palsy. This was her first published book, and she wrote it with the help of her grandmother.

I love it when kids show such a love for reading that they work at writing their own books!

I received a complimentary copy of “Princess Karakul: The Runaway Bear” as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.

The Hair Coverings Store - Review and Giveaway

I recently received the “pink and plaid multi-use headband” from The Hair Coverings Store for my review. This sash can be used as a wide headband, folded to make a narrow headband, or even worn as a belt! I love the versatility of this headband. I don’t wear a lot of things in my hair usually – I’m a dry, straighten, and go kind of girl, but I love the color of this headband so I gave it a try. It took me a few tries to get it folded into the narrow headband (have I mentioned I’m a perfectionist?), but I got it and it looks great! I love being able to keep my hair out of my face while I’m chasing around my 16 month old. I haven’t tried it out as a wide headband yet, but I’m sure I will try that on beach trips (my hair + humidity = bad hair day).

The Hair Coverings Store has almost any hair accessory you could need from ponytail holders and banana clips to head scarfs, bandanas, and headbands! They have a huge selection with many different colors and styles. Don’t worry if you can’t tie a headband, they offer pre-tied ones as well! Seriously, you have to check out their huge selection if you ever need a hair accessory. They even offer live help with online ordering!

Giveaway

The Hair Coverings Store will offer the winner a free headband of their choice.

How to Enter:

Mandatory Entry: Visit www.HairCoverings.com and tell me which item you would like to have.

Additional entries (leave one comment per entry):

(1 entry) Follow my So Mommy blog (Click Follow on the right hand side of this page)
(1 entry) Follow The Hair Coverings Store on twitter HERE or Facebook HERE
(1 entry) Subscribe to The Hair Coverings Blog feed HERE
(1 entry) Join The Hair Coverings Google Friend Connect HERE. Click "Join This Site" in the Google Friend Connect box.

**Contest will end Saturday, May 29, 2010 at 10 p.m. CST. Winner will be drawn by a random number generator. If winner doesn’t respond in 48 hours, another winner will be drawn.**

*I received a hair cover in exchange for my honest review. See full disclaimer for more details.*

I'm the Daddy - Review and Giveaway

I was able to review a t-shirt from DaddyScrubs…well, actually my husband wore it, so I guess we both had a hand in this review! Daddy Scrubs is a company created in 2007 by a dad, specifically for new dads. He wanted to create something comfortable for dads to wear in the delivery room, so he created the scrubs. Not wanting dads to be confused with medical personnel, he created the “I’m the Daddy” scrubs. They also have t-shirts, coffee mugs, and license plate frames all for new dads.

The first thing I noticed about the t-shirt was the quality. It is very soft and sturdy, and it is 100% cotton. They are also tag free for added comfort. Kyle (aka the hubby/daddy) tried it on and liked it as well. We can’t wait until he has a chance to wear it in the hospital for our next baby! You can wash this t-shirt like any other t-shirt, and it has held up well for me! I think the scrubs and t-shirts would be a great gift for any daddy-to-be! Here are a few pictures of my hubby in his shirt, his is the “Blue, Edgy” style:

GIVEAWAY
DaddyScrubs is offering one reader their choice of the “I’m the Daddy” t-shirt (Blue or White, Edgy or Simple).

Here’s how to enter:
(1 entry) “Like” DaddyScrubs on Facebook HERE
(1 entry) “Like” So Mommy on Facebook HERE and suggest to at least 3 friends
(1 entry) Grab my blog button for your blog!

**Contest will end Saturday, May 29, 2010 at 10 p.m. CST. Winner will be drawn by a random number generator. If winner doesn’t respond in 48 hours, another winner will be drawn.**

*I received this t-shirt in exchange for my honest review. See full disclaimer for more details.*

SmartMom Jewelry WINNER

And the winner is.....Desires of My Heart, who said, "I like Teething Bling on FB (marsha......7@gmail.com)"


Thanks everyone for entering and make sure to check back tomorrow for TWO more giveaways!!

Practical Jewelry for Moms - Review and Giveaway

Anyone else have a child that is currently teething? Or maybe you know a new mom or soon-to-be mom that will have a teething child soon enough? If you have been around a teething child, you know that they pretty much chew on anything nearby, even if that includes necklaces, bracelets, metal, wood…well you get the picture! Keep reading for a stylish way to help your teething child.

I stopped wearing jewelry when Sydney was a few months old because she was always pulling my necklaces, jerking my earrings, or holding my bracelets. Several of you mom have probably done the same thing. Well, SmartMom has created a line of jewelry just for moms, and especially for those moms (like me) that have a teething child. They created “Teething Bling” that is safe for babies to chew on, while still looking great on mom! They offer a variety of colors from coral or turquoise to black or white, and even offer coordinating bracelets. “Teething Bling” products are non-toxic, phthalate, BPA, PVC, and lead free and all pendants come with a breakaway clasp, which is great if you have a necklace puller.

I also noticed that they have “Tween Bling” on their website as well. They look just as great, but are scented! All of their jewelry is reasonably priced and would make a great gift.

I was able to review the Pink Calcite and Cupcake gift set. It comes with a pendant and two coordinating bracelets. Each item was packaged separately, and all three were in a pretty bag ready for gift-giving. As soon as I took them out of the package, Sydney came over and took the necklace and started chewing on it. I love how pretty the necklace is, and I always get compliments when wearing it. I love the bracelets, but they are much chunkier than the normal bracelets I wear, so that has taken some getting used to for me. Sydney likes to wear the bracelets or play with them while I change her diaper (which is great).

GIVEAWAY
SmartMom Jewelry is offering one reader their choice of a gift set! How awesome is that? I’m excited for the winner already!

How to Enter:
*Leave ONE comment per entry. Be sure to leave an email address.*

(1 entry) Tell me which gift set you would like to have from HERE
(1 entry) “Like” Teething Bling on Facebook HERE – Tell them I sent you over if you’d like
(1 entry) “Like” So Mommy on Facebook HERE and share this giveaway with your friends


**Contest will end Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 5 p.m. CST. Winner will be drawn by a random number generator. If winner doesn’t respond in 48 hours, another winner will be drawn.**

*I received a Teething Bling gift set in exchange for my honest review. See full disclaimer for more details.*

My Very Own House Winner

The winner of the "My Very Own House" is...

Stephanie G who said, "like you on fb! chef....@yahoo.com"

Thanks everyone for entering..I loved reading about your childhood memories!

Anyone up for another giveaway this week???

Bra Makeover - Contest

Need a Bra Makeover? Apply for a Bra Makeover from Playtex! Did you know that 7 out of 10 women are wearing the wrong size bra??

Go to http://www.playtexbramakeover.com/ to apply for a bra makeover or nominate a friend. The winner will be flown to New York to receive a Bra Makeover with style expert Alison Deyette. Deyette is a fashion and trend lifestyle expert who has been featured on Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker and TLC's Ten Years Younger, as well as in print publications including Good Housekeeping, The Washington Post, and O Magazine. Apply for your chance to win a Playtex Bra Makeover today. Apply before Friday, May 21st, 2010.

Make sure to visit http://www.playtexbramakeover.com/ to enter!!

**By posting this information, I am entered into a contest to win a free bra from Playtex. I did not receive any compensation for this post and thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.**

My Very Own House Review and Giveaway

Sydney recently received a cardboard Cottage from Pharmtec. When I first opened the package I was amazed at how large the house was! It is 4.5’ x 3’ x 4’ tall, which allows kids plenty of room to play. My 13 year old sister fit easily into it to play with Sydney! Don’t worry if you don’t have room to keep it set up, it folds back up for storage. It comes with markers so your kids can decorate it however they want, or if you have young kids, you can color it or leave it white. It has 4 windows, 2 doors, and 2 mail slots – Sydney loves to play peek-a-boo through the windows. The corners of the house are rounded for safety. It has reinforcement flaps along the bottom to help ensure the house stays upright, even during rough-housing.

Sydney absolutely LOVES this house! She really enjoys opening and shutting the doors and windows (which have remained intact). They tear a little in the corners (this happened when 2 kids were fighting over the windows being open or closed though). It has definitely stayed upright, even with 3 young kids running in and out of it and banging on the walls. For cardboard, it is VERY sturdy! The strips under the door are a good bit bent as you can see in the picture, but that hasn't seemed to affect it any.  We set it up in just a few minutes, but it took us a little longer to fold it down to storage size. It does take up quite a bit of space in our house, but for right now it’s worth it seeing how much Sydney enjoys it!

Buy it Now
If you can’t wait to win one, you can buy one now HERE!

Giveaway
Pharmtec is offering one lucky reader their very own Cottage!! This giveaway is open only to the Continental U.S. for shipping reasons. Read on for entry instructions!

How to Enter:
Please leave ONE comment per entry! I will be emailing the winner so make sure to enter your email address!

(1 entry) – “LIKE” So Mommy on Facebook HERE
(1 entry) – Share this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter
(1 entry) – Tell me your favorite childhood memory

Giveaway will end Tuesday, May 18, 2010 at 5 p.m. CST. Winner will be drawn by a random number generator. If winner doesn’t respond within 48 hours, another winner will be drawn.

**Cottage was provided for my personal review. All opinions are my honest opinions. See full disclaimer for details.**

Mighty Beanz Winner

They Mighty Beanz winner was ... andrea61071 who said, "These look like fun, my kids have never played with these before."

Congratulations and thank you all for reading my blog!!

Kidorable WINNER

And the winner of the Kidorable Umbrella is...SHAWNA!  

Congratulations and thank you all for entering! Don't forget to enter the Mighty Beanz giveaway and look for more giveaways next week!

Mightgy Beanz Review and Giveaway

I recently received a set of "Mighty Beanz" from Spinmaster to review.  Spinmaster has several products you may recognize, such as Aquadoodle, Flick Trix, Liv Dolls, How to Train Your Dragon toys, and even Yo Gabba Gabba for the little ones.  Right now, "Mighty Beanz" are back and ready for more action. 

Mighty Beanz are small, weighted "bean" characters that can be played with (instructions for different games are included in packages) and even collected.  Each bean belongs to a "Bean Team" and each team has a "rarity level".  They can be common, rare, or ultra-rare.  Some of the teams themes are zoo, prehistoric, fast-food, sport, and many more (20 different teams in all).  Right now, the hunt is on for the ultra-rare "Moose" bean!Mighty beans are very reasonably priced at SRP of $4.99 for a 6-pack.  You can even buy a collectors case and a flip track for them!  They are best for children over the age of 5 because they are pretty small (about an inch tall, I think).

The kids in our family are too young to play with these, so I had to review these myself.  Some of the games seemed a little complicated for the younger kids playing with these, but they did have racing games that I think all of the ages would enjoy, especially with the flick track.  Some of the bean characters were a little too gross for my taste (the sick beans especially), but they mostly just looked a little odd.  I think they would be something that boys ages 7-10 would probably enjoy.

GIVEAWAY
Spinmaster has offered one lucky ready a 6 pack of Mighty Beanz!

How to Enter
*Leave one comment per entry please*

(1 entry) - Do your kids already play with Mighty Beanz?
(1 entry) - Follow So Mommy on Facebook HERE and share this giveaway

Giveaway will end Monday, May 10, 2010 at 5 p.m. CST.  Winner will be drawn by a random number generator.   If winner doesn't respond in 48 hours, another winner will be drawn.

Search Amazon.com for mighty beanz

**Mighty Beanz were provided for my review.  All opinions are mine.  See full disclaimer for details.**

Ladybug Baby Bug by Janice and Mark Perkins

I recently received a copy of “Ladybug Baby Bug” to review, and I love that they use bright, bold colors (red, white, black). Sydney loves to look at the pages! It is a very simple, short book about Ladybug Baby Bug and her family. Each page tells what Ladybug Baby bug does with each member of the family.

This is a great book for young kids and early readers. It is short enough that Sydney can pay attention the whole time. The words are large print to help younger readers (or grandparents!). Since it is a paperback book, I have to watch Sydney with it. She’s only 15 months and hasn’t learned to always be careful with books. Other than that, I think the authors did a good job creating this sweet book for kids!

Another great thing about this book is that half of all sales to the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, which is a group of people serving 40% families with small children and 60% elderly on fixed incomes.

You can buy it now HERE.
Visit their Facebook Page HERE


**Ladybug Baby Bug was provided for my honest review. All opinions are mine. Please see full disclaimer for more information.**

Kidorable Review and Giveaway

I was recently sent some of the cutest kid’s rain gear I have ever seen from Kidorable! I’m sure you all will agree when you look at the pictures of my daughter in her rain coat and boots!

Not only are these products adorable, but they are quality made products. They have styles available for boys (pirates, frogs, firemen, etc) and girls (ladybugs, cats, fairy, butterfly, etc). They carry rain gear from 12 months up to size 11/12, and also other goodies such as backpacks, towels, scarves, and gloves. You have to check out all of the different styles to fully appreciate their products! They now have rain gear inspired by Madonna’s “English Roses” children’s book!

When I first opened Sydney’s package from Kidorable, I was amazed. The raincoat was a very thick, sturdy coat, and it even came with it’s own (matching!!) wooden hanger! The boots were just as cute packaged in their own box with a little window to see them. Sydney loved looking at the boots. The “My First” raincoat is size 1T and is a little big on my 15 month old daughter (which is good – she can wear it easily over clothes now and still have growing room). The “My First” boots are size 5, and again are a little big and therefore a little hard for Sydney to walk in, but she absolutely loves them! They are made of natural rubber.

We absolutely LOVE these products! I love to see a company with adorable, high quality products…but when they are this unique it’s even better! Anytime Sydney wears her rain gear out, everyone has to tell her how cute it is!

GIVEAWAY
Kidorable has offered to give one lucky reader their choice of an umbrella from HERE. Keep reading to find out how to enter!  Here are a few of the umbrellas they offer!

HOW TO ENTER:
Leave a separate comment for each entry. Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you.

(1 entry) – Join Kidorable’s Birthday Club HERE (Only if you have a child)
(1 entry) – “Like” Kidorable on Facebook HERE
(1 entry) – Suggest So Mommy to your friends and Share about this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, email, or just word of mouth – Please be honest!

Giveaway will end Friday, May 7th, 2010 at 5 p.m. CST. Winner will be drawn by a random number generator. If winner doesn’t respond within 48 hours, another winner will be drawn.

**Rain gear was supplied by Kidorable for my honest review. All opinions are completely mine. See full disclaimer for details.**

Plan B by Pete Wilson - Book Review

Sometimes God does his best work in Plan B situations.

I received “Plan B” by Pete Wilson from Booksneeze recently. I was very interested in reading this book. The question the author poses is, “What do you do when God doesn’t show up the way you thought he would?” I think pretty much everyone faces a plan B situation at some point in their life, some plan B’s are worse than others, and some just last longer, but I feel that we all have them. Pete Wilson admits he doesn’t have “THE” answer to the question, but he uses real-life stories from his life and his friendships and also several Bible stories, such as the stories of David, Mary, and Ruth. The “Plan B” book also includes a Study Guide for small group studies.

“What do you do when your dreams are shattered?”
“What do you do when your life isn’t turning out the way you thought?”
“What do you do when you have to turn to Plan B?”

Pete Wilson attempts to help you understand these situations and learn from them. He writes in a very conversational tone. It feels like he is sitting at a table discussing this with you (not like he’s hammering gospel into your head). I really think this approach would be great for those friends that you know are struggling, but, for whatever reason, don’t want to turn to God for help. He offers several Biblical and real-life situations that many of us have faced or know someone who has. This makes it very easy to relate to the book and the author.

There were a few statements in the book that I didn’t agree with, such as when he said “all hell broke loose” when talking about his sons break-down. I just wouldn’t expect that statement in a Christian help book or from a pastor, but that may just be me. Overall, I really enjoyed the authors perspective on how to handle a Plan B situation, and I think I learned several things from it!

**I received “Plan B” by Pete Wilson from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are completely mine. See full disclaimer for details.**

Little Bug Market WINNER

Thank you all for winning!  The winner of the bowtie pasta and veggies set is Candace! Check back soon (like maybe tomorrow..hint, hint) for another ADORABLE (or kidorable...hint, hint) giveaway!!