As a Tropicana Juicy Insider, I'm having a great time spreading the word about where your orange juice can save you some cash.  Every time you buy a carton of Tropicana orange juice, you can type that code under the cap into your account at Tropicana.com and use those points to redeem for offers to save % off items or admissions, or buy one get one free, deals like that!

The containers are all specially marked so it's easy to know if the package your buying has a code on it.  Create an account on the Tropicana website and then use the different kinds of search methods to find what you want to save money on.

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I have always had a liking for Sock Monkeys.  They are just the cutest things.

In yesterday's post I told you abou tthe Disney Pillowcase Art kits from Janlynn.  They also have super fun Peejay Sock Monkey kits to make your very own stuffed pet.

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What child is not familiar with the popular Disney characters? Especially the younger ones, who adore having their special space decked out with their favorite movie pals.

When Amber was 5 she went through a Buzz Lightyear phase, and she wanted everything in her room to show that Buzz was "the" best thing in inner and outer space!

Which brings us back to the Disney characters and where your child lays their head.  Janlynn has wonderfully fun (and practical) Pillowcase Art kits featuring your kids' favorite Disney movies and characters.  Hannah Montana, Disney Princesses and Cars are just a few of the options available.

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What do you get when you combine the play value of toys like Frisbee, yo-yos and hacky sacks?You get Myachi.

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 4. Eating Lofthouse cookies.  These are so yummy, and really I can't help but eat almost a whole package by myself.  Since that's the case I only get them at Christmas so that they are a real treat!  

5.  Playing Games.  While we tend to play more video games than board games as a family.  The holiday season tends to bring us back to our roots, and we like to gather around the table and play board and card games more at this time of the year.  There is something about gathering around the table with a Monopoly board (ah yea, of course our family plays the Star Wars version!) or Uno Cards, some hot chocolate and popcorn that makes memories!

What are your favorite family holiday activities?
Watch Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure Dec. 6 on NickelodeonFavorite Holiday Activities with Kids

Grab your lightsaber (okay, just your pencil) and get ready to draw!

 

In a book not so far away, you will master the art of drawing all of your favorite Star Wars The Clone Wars characters.

Klutz's Draw Star Wars The Clone Wars is what you definitely want to get if you've ever wanted to draw your favorite characters from the show.
The book is amazing in the way that it allows you to draw the characters and practice to get them just right.

There are pages where you can try tracing, like this

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Once again University Games has come up with a fast paced game that makes social interaction for teens and adults alike fun.  Trivia and entertainment are paired to together in Sort It Out!, a unique way to look at people, places and things and put them in their place!

Move your piece around the game board, as you try and sort in order from greatest to least how much Julia Roberts was paid for starring in certain movies.  Or perhaps you know from left to right who appeared on the cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover. 

Entertainment not your thing?  Then sort the five lakes from smallest to largest or developmental stages of a child from earliest to latest.

This fun game has another twist to it.  The closer you get to the end, the more you want to be right, because if your sorting is wrong it could be your victory on the line, certain squares on the game board require you to move backwards if you are incorrect!

Questions of various genres will ensure a niche for everyone's quirky knowledge, and while some will have you stumped and simply guessing, you will quickly sort others and be gleeful while your opponents scratch their heads thoroughly stumped.

The rules by which you move around the board take a bit to catch on to, and we found ourselves checking the game instructions more than a few times throughout our game play, but after a couple of rounds, we had it figured out, and were eager for our chance to win.

Sort It Out! by University Games can be purchased at AreYouGame.com for $29.98.  Check out the whole line of University Games at their website.  There is sure to be something for everyone on your Holiday Gift List!

I was sent a complimentary Sort It Out! game from University Games to play with my family, and formulate my own opinion to write this review post.

Amber is one of those people who doesn't like to admit they're getting older, and want to keep being...well....a kid.

Klutz sent her the second volume in their Encyclopedia of Immaturity series, to see what she thought of it. She enjoyed reading and snickering at many of the articles, and she is planning on sharing it with her best friend the next time she comes over to hang out. I'm pretty sure they'll find many activities to keep themselves amused within the covers of this book.

She already has a couple of the entries down pat like the

and fortunately for me she is an only child so has no use for the
In any case this series isn't just for kids, well it is and its not; it's suitable for anyone whose maturity stopped developing around the age of 12. So that may include your brother, neighbor, father-in-law or boss, I'm pretty sure you know someone who would appreciate this series!

Check out this neat How To Slip On A Banana Tutorial.

So if you know someone who is a lot less mature than they look (or hey, it might be you!), you can pick up the Encyclopedia of Immaturity Volumes 1 and 2 at Klutz.com for $19.95 each.

To enter leave a comment telling me the funniest practical joke you've ever participated in or that was played on you.

For extra entries (the above must be done first) you can:
 
1. Visit Klutz.com and let me know another book that interests you.
2. Sign up to be a Klutz Insider
3.  Become a fan of Three Different Directions on Facebook

This giveaway will end on November 9, 2009 at 11:59 pm cst and open to U.S. Residents ages 18+. The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be e-mailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the e-mail or an alternate winner will be chosen. By entering this giveaway you are stating that you have read my **About Reviews and Privacy/Rules declaration and agree to them.

I received a complimentary copy of The Encyclopedia of Immaturity Volume 2 from Klutz prior to writing this post.

What a perfect item for your tween's next sleepover!  Girly-girls will want to check out Magnificent Manicure Kit by Elmer's.    This isn't just any old manicure kit though, this will have them learning while they're getting there hands and feet all made up!

As a matter of fact Scientific Explorer partnered with UC Berkeley's Great Exploration in Math and Science (GEMS) program to create fun educational science kits like the Magnificent Manicure Kit.
This cosmetic chemistry set comes with supplies to make a Crystal Mud Bath, Lotion, Bath Salts to soak with, toe separators,  nail buffer and pumice stone.

It all comes with instructions on not only how to get a posh manicure, but why our nails need them and the science behind the neat products that we use to keep us healthy and glam. 

Girls will have fun using the dye and fragrance to create their own lotion, and finding out what a crystal mud bath and diapers have in common!

While Amber isn't a girly-girl we set aside an afternoon and took some time to use the kit.  The science of it (no surprise there) enthralled her more than the beauty part, but she mixed the lotion up, and has a nice gift for her grandma! 

As I said previously this would make a really fun activity for a sleepover, but would also make a good holiday gift for a young girl who likes nail polishes and lotions.  It's great when an activity isn't just fun but educational too!

B.Y.O.N.P. (Bring your own nail polish, because it's not included).  Suggested Price $19.99, ages 8+.

Thanks to Team Mom and Elmer's for the complimentary kit to do this product review.

One of the things I am most thankful for all year round is that the Lord has provided my husband with good health and a job that provides us with a salary, where buying groceries is never a struggle.

During this time of the year when the holiday's are approaching and food and festivities seem to be in sheer abundance for some of us, I am acutely aware that this is not the case for everyone. Much of what I see in the places that I partake food at gets wasted; and at the same time many families go to bed hungry at night.

Macy's is taking up the cause to help feed 10 million people suffering from hunger.  The number seems large, but if we all do our part the effect will be profound. 

COME TOGETHER invites the public to rally around the cause by hosting special dinners in their homes and asking their guests to pledge a donation to Feeding America. In return, Macy's will match these donations dollar-for-dollar until the total goal of 10 million meals is reached.

Perhaps that isn't an option for you and your family though.  Macy's has other ways for you to get involved also.

Rather than Host an event, stop by a Macy's in your city, you can Give at the checkout.  As little as a $1.00 donation will provide dinner for 7 people.

If you're a Shopper, this Saturday, October 17th, Macy's will host a "Shop for a Cause" day.  For $5.00 you can purchase an in store ticket for special savings on purchases.  A portion of that ticket price will benefit Feeding America.

Macy's is giving one of my reader's the chance to win a $20.00 Macy's gift card for helping the hungry and spreading the word about COME TOGETHER.

To enter this giveaway, leave a comment letting me know what you could give up to donate at least $1.00 to feed 7 people dinner.

For instance, I can give up buying a package of cookies for my family which would free up $3.00 which will feed 21 people dinner!

For extra entries (these are little different this time folks, it's all about COME TOGETHER and feeding families, and not about my blog) you can:

1. Tweet about Come Together *2 entries - let people know they can feed 7 people dinner for $1.00 (leave the link to your tweet)
2. Share on another networking site *2 entries for each site you share it on - Facebook, Digg, Stumble whatever you're a part of, again let your friends and social communities know how they can partner with Macy's to help feed the hungry. (leave a link to where you shared)
3. Blog about it - *5 entries - share the way people can help partner with Macy's by Hosting, Giving or Shopping (leave the link to your blog post)

This giveaway will end on November 1, 2009 at 11:59 pm cst and is open to U.S. Residents ages 18+. The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be e-mailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the e-mail or an alternate winner will be chosen. By entering this giveaway you are stating that you have read my **About Reviews and my Privacy/Rules statements and agree to them.

I received no compensation from Macy's to share about their COME TOGETHER campaign.

I love fall! It is always fun to see harvest decorations up, walk across the fallen leaves and prepare for the holidays. This is the month where the pumpkins reign supreme!  I bought myself some Pumpkin Spice creamer for my coffee, am looking forward to the first of many pumpkin desserts and am enjoying the beautiful orange hue that they bring to everything.

And now I am introducing a special giveaway from You Can Make This to roll out the fall season. Its a GREAT ONE! And if you're fortunate enough to win, you'll receive your prize in time to get started and finish creating for your celebrations.

The prize is $50 worth of downloads and just some of the great items it includes are:

One person will walk away with all those downloads to create fun family items!  

To enter the giveaway leave a comment letting me know what your favorite part of fall is.

For extra entries you can (please leave a new comment for each additional entry):

1. Follow Me on twitterand tweet this giveaway (this can be done daily!) Simply Tweet "You Can Make This Fall Giveaway ♥♥♥ @threedifferent  $50 worth of downloads to create fun projects for your family http://bit.ly/3Tvx8"
2. Visit You Can Make This and comment with another product you would like to make.
3. Become a fan of Three Different Directions on Facebook
4. Subscribe to my feed via reader or email
5. Sign up for You Can Make This Newsletter
5. Follow my blog publicly
6. Add my button to your blog
7. Post about this giveaway on your blog and link back to it

This giveaway will end on October 15, 2009 at 11:59 pm cst and is opento anyone worldwide ages 13+. The winner will be chosen by random.org andwill be e-mailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to thee-mail or an alternate winner will be chosen. By entering this giveawayyou are stating that you have read my **About Reviews and my Privacy/Rules statements and agree to them.

I received a complimentary Fancy Filled Tutu Pattern for the hosting and promoting of this giveaway.

I was very excited to have the chance to review the Learning Curve Lamaze Space Symphony Motion Gym, and add it to the infant side of our church nursery, which is where our newborns to walkers are cared for.

I was a bit worried at first when I saw the packaging that I would need to
"hire" my geeky tech savvy Hubby to help me put it together, but really it was quite simple to assemble.

We only had an older plastic toy where objects hang down to stimulate the babies, so this was a great product to introduce and see what reaction we received from them.

From the Learning Curve Website:

The Lamaze Space Symphony Motion Gym is loaded with features for baby to explore. Motorized arches sway back and forth to bring the hanging toys to life. Modes include motion with music, or with white noise. Gym has a soft mat with bright space graphics and pattern arms.

I note that the "white noise" setting is actually more of a chime sound, you can see and somewhat hear (the sound isn't great sorry, there is some background noise with the children in the next room, you may have to turn your volume up), the Lamaze Space Symphony Motion Gym below.  It will give you a bit of an idea of how it works.  I first have it stationary, then in Mode 2 which is the "music", and then switch it to Mode 1 which is the white noise/chime setting.

The toy rocket was also reached for quite a bit, and I think the character faces were entertaining in general for the little eyes.

The children enjoyed using the Lamaze Space Symphony Motion Gym, even without the swaying motion.  We had one particular baby boy who is about 5 months old, spend quite a bit of time amusing himself with it.  When mom came to get him, she commented on what a great addition it was to the nursery.  Overall the workers said that the babies were engaged longer with this gym than they have been with previous toys.

The pros to this product (besides of course it's developmental value) are:

* The mat can be machine washed (air dry).  With infants this is a must, even more so in a place where multiple children may be using it.
* It has an auto shut off feature in both modes.  While it should be turned off for optimum battery conservation, it's nice that if you need to pick baby up for whatever reason and don't have an extra hand to turn it off, depending on what mode it's in it will shut off in 5 to 15 minutes.
* It's easy to take apart and put back together.  If you want to transport it to Grandma's place it is not a hassle.

Features I wish it had:

* A motion mode without music or the ability to change the volume.  In a busy nursery with many different activities, children napping, others being read to and so forth, it is a little overwhelming to have the music playing if you want the motion action on the gym.  Alternatively the ability to change the volume would be nice say if it were being used while a get together is going on or Mom and Dad are watching t.v., etc.

I would recommend this product if you are looking to make a purchase like this for your own baby or if you need to buy a gift for an infant for a shower or holiday.  The Lamaze Space Symphony Motion Gym is available at Learning Curve.com for $59.99.

On behalf of myself and the children in our church nursery, thank you Learning Curve for this fun, new addition to our facility.

Disney has been a celebratory part of so many special occasions in our life.

It started when we got married, we honeymooned there.

We took a Disney cruise for our 10th anniversary.

Amber's 8th birthday was celebrated at Disney World.

Next year we will celebrate our 16th anniversary with yet another Disney cruise!

And then of course there is are all the trips we took just to celebrate being us! (Yes, if I count correctly it places us at 10 trips in 15 years!)

Yesterday we had some folks in to celebrate a birthday in Disney fashion!  And while the party was for one of the "Moms"  the kids had an awesome time partaking in the festivities.  She got free admission to our party, just like she would have gotten free admission to Walt Disney World since it was her birthday!

Mom Select (Mickey Mom's Club) and Walt Disney World Resort, sent us some very fun party items to have a celebration.  Typical of Disney, anything can be a celebration.  An anniversary, graduation, special accomplishment, or a birthday like we celebrated.  Disney can put just the right "magic" to make the ordinary, well extraordinary!

 

We began our party with Amber being a cast member to welcome our guests.

 

We proceeded to eat some of the tasty snacks that I prepared and that we were sent in our What Will You Celebrate? Package.  The children were disappointed that the fortunes in the cookies did not tell them that they had won a free trip to the Walt Disney World Resort.  They did tell us to visit www.momselect.com/mickeymomsclub

 

Here we have our very own "Mousekedoer" chowing down so that he has plenty of energy to play the planned games and participate in the fun activities!

 

 

Balloon whacking, just because teenagers think that's fun....

 

And for those of us who think we're experts, we played some Disney Scene It to prove just how smart we thought we were.

And while celebrating a birthday in our home this way was certainly special, a trip to Walt Disney World Resort, well that would be the icing on the cake so to speak!  The magic there, really is what fairy tales are made of.
Sharing the highlights from all our Disney trips is so much fun and we always tell people that if the budget allows, they really should experience it.

We had some extra goodie bags leftover from our party, and since Mom Select and Disney shared with us, we would like to share with you!

 

 

To enter just leave a comment letting me know what sort of occasion would you like to celebrate at Walt Disney World Resort?

 

For extra entries you can (please leave a new comment for each additional entry):

1. Follow Me on twitter and tweet this giveaway (this can be done daily!)
2. Subscribe to my feed via reader or email
3. Follow my blog publicly
4. Add my button to your blog
5. Post about this giveaway on your blog and link back to it

This giveaway will end on October 10, 2009 at 11:59 pm cst and is open to U.S. Residents ages 13+. The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be e-mailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the e-mail or an alternate winner will be chosen. By entering this giveaway you are stating that you have read my **About Reviews and my Privacy/Rules statements and agree to them.

 

You make sure you have blankets, candles, matches and flares, but every travel survival kit should also have Rand McNally's Boredom Breakers. Because when traveling with children, inevitably the "Are We There Yets" will spawn. The passable hours getting from Point A to Point B can be made enjoyable for the whole family with these traveling games.

Three of the Boredom Breakers we received to review were:

Story Starters - this CD features 72 minutes of different styles of audio entertainment, combining the best of radio style drama and audio to get families telling stories together.

Travel Card Games - don't require a flat surface and are perfect for any road trip. 3 decks of cards are included featuring: 30 Second Interview, I Saw It First and Tough Choice.

Car Game Countdown - try and beat the clock with 18 car games and activities. Old favorites like Padiddle and Alphabet Hot Potato are combined with new car games destined to become classics. Included is a car shaped digital timer with electronic sound, and ten laminated dual sided game cards on a clip ring.

We had a lot of fun reviewing these, and they definitely will be coming with us on our trip up to Canada in October.

We used the Story Starters first, which has so many activities on it. particularly we liked the "Finish the Story", it's amazing what the imagination will come up with when you tie a turtle to a skateboard....

Also fun is the "I Saw It First" from the Travel Card Games. Anything competitive in the car makes the miles (or kilometers) go by quicker! The rarer the item that you spot, the more points you get!

Two other Boredom Breakers are Car Karaoke and Magnet Message Makers.

Moms and Dads if you are planning on taking a Labor Day road trip or perhaps have plans to take the vehicle out over the October long weekend, pick up a least one of these Boredom Breakers, your wiggly kids transform into giggly and happy ones!

Turtle Photo Credit to Psyberartist and Skateboard Photo Credit to Hive.

About a month ago, I blogged about a new book series entitled The Fairy Godmother Academy. The first book in the series Birdie's Book will be available August 25th where ever books are sold.

In anticipation of the release of Birdie's Book, Random House is giving one of my readers the chance to win a Hello Dreamer Party Kit.

In this kit you will find;

• Birdie’s Book
• Iron-on Transfers
• Music CD
• Book Pages
• Book Cover
• Wisdom cards
• Stickers

Take a look of just some of that stuff....there is so much more that I didn't take a picture of!

Imagine the one-of-a-kind Fairy Godmother Academy t-shirt that young girl in your life could make with the iron-on transfers! And I have to say it is fun to dance to the Hello Dreamer dance mix on the CD!

If you visit http://FairyGodmotherAcademy.com/hellodreamer you can watch videos, download extra goodies like a map of Aventurine, puzzles and games and extra excerpts of Book 1: Birdie's Book.

To enter this giveaway leave a comment letting me know if you could have a wish granted from a Fairy Godmother what would it be?

For extra entries (leave a comment for each you are eligible for):

1. Follow me and Fairy Godmother Academy on twitter, and tweet about this giveaway (this can be done daily).
2. Become a fan of Fairy Godmother Academy on Facebook.
3. Follow me publicly.
4. Subscribe to my feed via e-mail or reader.
5. Add my button to your blog.

This giveaway is open to US Residents ages 13+ and will end on August 21, 2009 at 11:59 pm cst. Winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond with their shipping details or a new winner will be chosen.

I was provided a Hello Dreamer Party Kit by Random House to review prior to writing this post.