2011 July | Product Reviews by The Experimental Mommy

Kohl’s Cares Supports Kids’ Health and Education!

July 7, 2011 By admin 1 Comment

As the Owner of a product review blog, it may come as no surprise that I love to shop and let my readers know about my latest finds. While I never need a real excuse to shop, supporting a company that donates to charity certainly makes it easier to open my wallet.

Since the year 2000, Kohl’s has raised more than $180 million dollars through their Kohl’s Cares merchandising initiatives. How can you help? Look for kiosks located in Kohl’s department stores nationwide which are currently promoting Clifford the Big Red Dog. For just $5, you can purchase one of four Clifford plush characters (T-Bone is my favorite) as well as a two in one hardcover corresponding book through the end of September. In return, Kohl’s will donate 100% of the net profit to charities which support kids’ health and education programs. Even if you don’t have any little ones, adults can help, too, by purchasing Fast Weeknight Favorites, a hardcover cookbook from Good Housekeeping.

At just $5, the Clifford plush and book combo would make a great birthday gift for your preschooler’s classmates. You could even add a pair of pajamas from Kohl’s for a special gift. Stock up for the upcoming school year and support Kohl’s Cares! Not a Kohl’s near you? The Clifford plush dolls can be purchased online as well!

This post is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy. While I was compensated for this post, all opinions remain 100% mine.

Adorable Pajamas from CrazyForBargains: Review and Giveaway

July 4, 2011 By admin 504 Comments

My two daughters are definitely girly girls. They love all things pink, princess, frilly and sparkly. From the time they wake up, they want to play dress up, brush their hair, and put on high heels. And of course, this doesn’t end at bedtime. Neither one of my girls are t-shirt and shorts kinda girls at night…the more ruffles, the better! The problem is that princess-wear does not come cheap.

So, when I was contacted by CrazyForBargains.com, I was thrilled to see the incredibly huge selection of affordable sleepwear available for kids and adults! They have everything from women’s robes to boys’ slippers and they certainly have no lack of frilly girls’ nightgowns. About CrazyForBargains.com:

“Founded in 2000, CrazyforBargains.com is dedicated to providing our customers with quality, fun sleepwear at reasonable prices. We are a small, family-owned and operated company and pride ourselves in providing friendly, personal customer service.“

When I sat my daughters down, their eyes grew big with delight. It took them the better part of an hour to decide upon their selection. Finally, they chose the Laura Dare Pink Vintage Strappy Nightgown and the Laura Dare Dalmatian Tie Top Nightgown. I even got to choose a set of sleepwear (that never happens!) and I went with the Black and White Retro Cotton Capri Pajamas which I plan to wear during my upcoming trip to BlogHer 2011!

Because the prices were so low (my set was only $22.50!), I was unsure what to expect when the package arrived. If there is one thing I hate, it’s itchy pajamas. However, when I opened the package, I was pleasantly surprised. My capri pajama set was adorable and fit according to my normal size. After washing, the pajamas were very soft!! My daughters squealed when they saw the nightgowns and our bedtime routine was easier than usual as they couldn’t wait to put on their new gowns after bath. Both nightgowns fit well and have held up after several washings. I would definitely purchase from CrazyforBargains.com in the future!

GIVEAWAY

One winner will receive a $50 gift code for purchase at CrazyforBargains.com!

How to Enter:

1. Visit CrazyforBargains.com and tell me how you would spend $50!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and CrazyforBargains.com (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Limited to 10 a day, please. (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

5. Place my blog button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on July 25th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion of The Experimental Mommy. Others may have a differing opinion of the product. While a sample was received to facilitate this review, all opinions remain 100% honest.

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: CrazyforBargains.com, giveaway, sleepwear

Bailey’s Coffee Creamers Review and Giveaway!

July 3, 2011 By Jennifer

If I had the foresight back in the early 1980′s, I would have taken a photo of my mom and Bridgette’s mom on the sofa during the daily “Coffee talk” because I really wish I had it for this post! They used to get together just about every afternoon for coffee….right about the time Bridgette, myself, and our two younger brothers were driving them CRAZY! They would sit and visit while we all played (or got into mischief) and by the end of the coffee pot, all was right with the world again. Back then, we didn’t know any better…..Buster Brown hair-dos were in style, Jelly shoes were the coveted item, the fun activity of the day was to ride your bike behind the mosquito man’s truck and go through the “fog” that trailed it, and you drank your coffee with cream and sugar….NO FRILLS.

Today, we know better than that! Yeah, yeah, I know Jelly shoes came back (Why?) but today’s coffee is even BETTER! While you could spend a small fortune every day at a place I like to call “Fivebucks,” you save some dough and make yourself a coffee-house-style cup for a fraction of the price right in your own kitchen with BAILEY’S! You may already be familiar with the famous Bailey’s name for their wonderful Irish Cream adult beverage, but they also have a line of seven different non-alcoholic creamers that are excellent! From the website: ”People have loved the smooth, creamy richness and flavor of BAILEYS® Original Irish Cream since it was created over 30 years ago. So we thought (and soon found out we were not alone), wouldn’t it be great if people could enjoy this rich flavor in their coffee anytime they want? So we came up with BAILEYS® Coffee Creamers — delicious, non-alcoholic flavored coffee creamers, with all the quality and great taste for which BAILEYS is known.”

I got a sample of the French Vanilla and words can’t describe how good it is. It smells incredible, the consistency is just right, and the flavor excellent. Want something a little more fancy than Vanilla? BAILEY’S also has Hazelnut, The Original Irish Cream, Chocolate, Creme Brulee, Caramel, and Toffee Almond Cream. People have been adding the Original BAILEY’S to their coffee for years, but BAILEY’S coffee creamers are all socially acceptable before happy hour! My school goes back in session August 8 (ouch) and this is when I REALLY need my coffee. I can promise you there will be a bottle of BAILEY’S coffee creamer in the faculty lounge with my name on it from this day forward. This is definitely not your momma’s coffee creamer! BAILEY’S is found in the refrigerated section at your local grocery and comes in two convenient sizes.

How would you like to add a little flavor to your coffee? BAILEY”S has a fantastic giveaway for our readers! Here’s how to enter:

GIVEAWAY

Two winners will receive THREE FREE bottles of Bailey’s Coffee Creamers!

How to Enter:

1. Visit Bailey’s Coffee Creamers and tell me which flavor you want to try first!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and Bailey’s Coffee Creamers (10 extra entries).

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and Bailey’s Coffee Creamers on Facebook.

5. Place my blog button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on July 22nd. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This review is the opinion Jennifer of The Experimental Mommy. Others may have a differing opinion of the product. While a sample was received to facilitate this review, all opinions remain 100% honest.

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: Bailey's Coffee Creamers, giveaway

Summer Camp 101

July 2, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

How’s your Summer so far? Here in Southeast Louisiana, the weather is extremely hot, but we have been enjoying the lazy days of Summer. Because my husband is a teacher, he is staying at home with our two girls so we do not have the expense of summer camp (he affectionately calls it “Daddy Boot Camp”). However, we have sorted through all of the options and chosen a few activities for our kids to give Dad a break and the girls a chance of the regular routine.

Earlier this Summer, we took a family vacation to Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia, which was quite possibly our best trip to date. One week of camp was included for both kids and they loved it! Activities ranged from swimming to hiking and art to circus tricks. It was a dream come true!

This past week, my oldest daughter attended a camp at my alma mater. After the first day, she came home completely excited because she was issued a locker! As a first grader, she has had no experience with lockers and she felt like a big kid. It was tons of fun to hear her talk about walking the same hallways and eating in the same cafeteria that I did almost 20 years ago. But, let me tell you….things have changed! Despite the same four walls, the program and technology available to the girls has come a long way! Incoming freshman have access to laser printers, netbooks and even a tablet PC! That’s a far cry from my loose leaf and number 2 pencil!

Next week, the girls will stay home with my husband and “Daddy Boot Camp” will be in full swing! But, after a week of learning time, the girls will attend a Summer Dance Camp at a local dance studio. They will learn dance routines, make their own costumes, prepare the scenery and learn all about stage makeup. They could not be more excited.

What are your kids up to this Summer?

Filed Under: Promotions

CP Toys Interactive Hop and Learn: Review and Giveaway

July 1, 2011 By admin

This Summer has been brutally hot in Southeast Louisiana. We have tried to take the kids outside to play first thing in the morning before the sun gets too high in the sky, but the temperature has been 90 degrees at 8am! Due to the weather, we have been trying to find as many active indoor games as possible.

Both of my daughters are staying home with Daddy (as he is a teacher and off for the Summer), so learning time as well as active time is very important in our home. So, I was thrilled to find the CP Toys Interactive Hop and Learn game which appears to combine fun and education! About the game:

“More than the classic game of Hopscotch, this electronic version has 5 play modes that teach numbers, colors, shapes or the C major scale with each hop-along turn. The music mode plays 10 different tunes, while a quiz mode adds to the challenging fun.”

The game requires 3 AA batteries which are not included, but that is the only assembly required. My three year old was the first to try it out. She is learning color, number and shape recognition so the learning mode is great for her. Questions such as “Find the brown circle.” or “Jump on number 8!” are easy for her to comprehend. Her face would light up as she heard the applause for getting the answer correct. She also loved the piano mode which rewards activity by playing a musical note. Making your own sings by hopping is fun!

While my six year old was unimpressed with the learning mode, she absolutely loved the quiz mode. The Interactive Hop and Learn asks players to solve a math equation by hopping on the correct number, or quickly find matching pairs of shapes or numbers. She found this game challenging because the questions come at you pretty fast. After a ton of jumping, running and giggling, I knew the game was a hit for both my three and six year old daughters.

The Interactive Hop and Learn can be purchased from CP Toys for just $39.99! Want 15% off? Check out my discount button on my right sidebar and purchase the game for only $33.99!

GIVEAWAY

One reader will win the Interactive Hop and Learn from CP Toys!

How to Enter:

1. Visit Constructive Playthings and take a look around. Come back here and tell us what other item a child in your life would love to receive. Remember that by clicking my sidebar button you receive a 15% discount off your entire order.

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and CP Toys (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @ConstructiveMom on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Limited to 10 a day, please. (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and CP Toys on Facebook.

5. Place my blog button on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on July 22nd. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.