Olivia's 2-in-1 playset and plush from Spin Master!

Madelyn loves doll houses, and is at the age when make believe toys are some of her favorite activities. I was excited to review the new Olivia 2-in-1 transforming play set from Spin Master. This is a very unique play house, and I thought it was a very creative toy. It is one that my son likes to play with, too, and doesn't consider it to be too "girlie."
Olivia's transforming 2-in-1 play set is just what the name implies, you get two adventures in one play set. With just the slide of a latch, you can open up Olivia's home.
Included in Olivia's home is a table, two chairs, two plates, ...
a bed, a desk, a couch, a mini table, lamp and more. Also, there is a sheet full of stickers that kids can accessories and add to the pieces or walls of their home to make it customized to their liking.
Madelyn has so much fun with her Olivia set. Unfortunately, she has had so much fun with it, I can't show you the adorable Olivia figurine that is included in this play set. Olivia has a dress that she wears, and it is removable. Olivia is about 2-3 inches tall, and her arms and legs are able to pose. She also has a stand that is included in this set for standing her upright in her home.

Then, if you shut Olivia's home, and turn it toward the back side, you click open the other latch. Opening it up, you will see a whole new scene...
A pirate ship is a fun adventure for Olivia to walk around on. Included in the pirate ship is a pirate hat for Olivia to wear and an eye scope to see what is out on the waters.
Raise the "O" flag high into the sky from the mast. Olivia can be up high to search what is coming, and her little parrot friend can sit next to her to keep her company.
If Olivia heads for shore, she can take a swim in the waters, or sun herself on the shore under the tree. The Pirate side is what my son likes to play with. He loves pirate-y things. :) The 2-in-1 Transforming Play set includes an Olivia figure and base, 23 accessories and one sticker sheet. The play set is available from Toys "R" Us, Target and Kmart.
I also got an Olivia Plush doll to review. This plush is adorable, and she is all dressed up like a cow. She can perform on her stage and be a new animal in her cow outfit. There are other Olivia plush dolls, and they are all dressed differently: Artist, Opera Singer, Cow and Outfits. I think the cow Olivia is really cute, and she even has bows in her hair.

The Plush Olivia is 8 inches tall and she is available at Toys "R"Us, Target and Kmart.

My daughter loves the 2-in-1 transforming play set and the plush Olivia doll. I hope that Olivia will show up somewhere in our house. I saw that there are other figures I can purchase to go with the play set, as well.

This review was provided from Team Mom and Spin Master. They have provided me with an Olivia 2-in-1 Play set and Olivia Plush doll to review and information to share with my readers. I was given the product for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review.

Madeline for Madelyn (Review and Giveaway!)

I used to watch Madeline when I was younger...little French girl with the bright red hair. She is adorable! Well, this year marks the story of Madeline's 70th Anniversary! In celebration of the big celebration, Kids Preferred is celebrating this grand event with plush dolls (Madeline dolls and her dog~ Genevieve). I got a Talking Madeline doll to review....for my Madelyn to enjoy! Madelyn loves this little doll! She could not wait to get the doll out and play with her! I would have loved to wait, and give this to her for a Christmas gift...but I wanted to share with all of you what an adorable and lovable doll she is! (This would make a great Christmas gift!)

Soft Talking Madeline, is 17" tall. In Ludwig Bemelmans classic tale, Madeline is the shortest little girl in Miss Clavel's class. She mostly wears blue and yellow outfits, and this 70th Anniversary Soft Talking Madeline doll is adorned in the yellow outfit and yellow hat with a black ribbon. With a squeeze of either Madeline's left hand, or her right hand, you will hear her say a few phrases.

This soft plush Madeline doll speaks both French and English. The phrase is English on one hand, and French on the other. I think it is a great toy for my Madelyn. She loves to have tea parties with her!

I think this doll is made with great quality! I love that the hat does not come off, and that the dress is secure. So often clothes for dolls get lost. There are no buttons, or pieces that can fall off this great doll, either. I find that a great safety feature. There are books (hardcover and softcover) about Madeline. You should check out the original Madeline book. We got this book, and it is great! There is also another book called: Cats of Rome that looks great!

You can find this Soft Talking Plush Madeline doll at Toys "R" Us for $24.99.

Kids Preferred is a leading plush manufacturer, founded in 1983 by Louis Premselaar. "The Company is known for bringing superior quality, uniquely designed products to the marketplace under its own brand and through private label programs such as Scholastic Education, Build-A-Bear Workshop, and Toys "R" Us, Animal Alley, just to name a few."

Thanks to Kids Preferred, they are sponsoring a giveaway to my readers! You have a chance to win a soft talking Madeline doll~in celebrating 70 years of Madeline~

This giveaway is open to residents of the USA (bloggers/non-bloggers), and will end on November 12th, 2009. TO ENTER: Tell me if you have ever watched Madeline, or if your daughter watches the show. Also, go to Kids Preferred, and find another product that you like. With your entry, PLEASE VERIFY which prize you would like to win.

You can come back once each day throughout the contest and enter again by just leaving a friendly comment relevant to the contest, but you MUST do the first entry. **For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter this contest, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

This review was sponsored by Kids Preferred. They have supplied me with a free book to keep for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review. They have offered to sponsor a giveaway for a prize for my readers.

Heigh- HO!! I'm thinking...it's time for a give-away~(Snow White DVD/Blu-Ray combo gift pack w/plush)

I love Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs! I think Dopey is the cutest dwarf, and Grumpy is a hoot. Snow White is a pure classic from Disney, and now Disney has just released a two-disc Snow White Diamond Edition combo pack (DVD and Blu-ray discs) October 6th! I have a DVD player, but it is nearing the end of it's days. I am thinking that a Blu-ray disc player would be a great upgrade! The Blu-ray discs and players offer so much:
Up to 6x better quality than DVD
7.1 Surround Sound
Immersive activity with games and special features
Kid proof-more scratch resistant
Plays both Blu-ray and DVD discs
Blu-ray also plays on Sony Playstation 3 players
I think it was great that Disney is offering the Diamond Edition combo pack because it meets many people's needs and home entertainment options. I am a member of One2One Network, and I was selected to participate in a review opportunity to review this new Diamond Edition Combo pack. I was thrilled, to say the least. My kids and I enjoyed watching the classic movie remastered. The Diamond Edition Snow White Blu-ray Combo pack features:
Picture & Sound
First time ever in high definition 7.1 sound
Disney view – expanded viewing experience
All-new Music Video
Disney Family Play
What Do You See? - Decipher the scrambled image
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall – Which princess are you most like?
Jewel Jumble – test your matching skills
Backstage Disney
Snow White Returns – Newly discovered storyboards. Was Walt planning a sequel?
Hyperion Studios – Explore Walt’s original studio
The One That Started It All – See how Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs forever changed the world of movies
Classic Bonus Features
Dopey’s Wild Mine Ride Game
“Heigh-Ho” Karaoke Sing-along
Disney through the decades
I know that this Snow White Diamond Edition Combo pack will be loved by many (especially in my home) and will be a hit with so many out there! My kids had a great time seeing the movie, playing the games, hearing the commentaries/back ground history, and singing along with the dwarfs. I am sure your family will love this new remastered diamond edition of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs!
Guess what? YOU, my special readers, have the opportunity to enter to win this great DVD/Blu-ray combo pack from Disney!! Yes, you can win this 2-disc set, AND...you will also receive the Seven Dwarf plush set (retail value $79.99). Thank you Disney, and One2One Network for this great prize giveaway! (This would be a great prize to win for a Christmas gift)~
To enter to win a copy of this Diamond Edition/Combo Pack & plush set from Disney...
This giveaway is open to residents of the USA (bloggers/non-bloggers), and will end on October 30th, 2009. Leave a comment about a favorite Disney movie of yours, or your children. You can comment about Snow White, too~You can come back once each day throughout the contest and enter again by just leaving a friendly comment relevant to the contest.**For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter this contest, DIGG this, Fave this and/or add to del.licio.us. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

This review was sponsored by Disney and One2One Network. They have supplied me with a DVD/Blu-ray movie to review and keep for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review. I am able to host a giveaway for a Snow White movie and plush set for my readers as a part of this review.

MN Zoo (June 2009)

We were able to go to the MN zoo in June~ I know, late posting, huh? Anyway, I just wanted to share the photos from our day. We were very sad that Nathaniel couldn't join us, but he was with his dad at the time. We had a great time at the zoo, and we even visited a "farm."
Here is a picture of (most) of our family. Terry, me, Caleb, Madelyn and Cole.

Terry, Caleb and Madelyn are enjoying the monkey showing off!

Yes, there is a tight rope walker up there...and it is a monkey!

Pink Flamingos. You only see those at the Zoo in Minnesota,

Caleb playing "Peek-A-Boo." He had a great time playing in the rocks.

Madelyn was a bit excited about the whole Zoo day. She had a blast!

I love the monkeys! I think they are so entertaining!

Caleb and Madelyn got a close-up view with the bear. Caleb was very unsure of it when I first walked up with them to get a better view.

Then the bear looked right at Caleb. I am thinking he thought it was better that the bear was on the other side of the glass!

Terry and I~ so happy and in love! WOW~ we have been married 5 years this month!

I love the wild cat kingdom! Here is a Cheetah enjoying the laziness of the day.

I had to zoom the lens to capture this picture of the Tiger so far away. He is beautiful!

Cole! He is such a happy baby! He had a great day looking at the animals. He did so good, too!

Caleb had fun surprising Cole and making him giggle. It was so precious.

I love our new stroller! It is great having a stroller to fit all three kiddos on it. Plus, Caleb and Madelyn can get off and on so easily.

Terry and I love watching the Prairie Dogs. They are so comical, and entertaining~ not to mention adorable! :)

Giraffes are such an amazing animal! I am fascinated by them all the time. There are some Zebras in this photo, too.

Ostrich strutting by...

Here are some camels all hanging out together.

Here is the "farm" at the MN Zoo. We had a great time walking around in here. It made Terry and I feel like we should be living on a farm. Caleb and Madelyn so much loved and enjoyed the animals. Maybe we will just have to move to a large lot of land someday...get some animals, and work around the farm idea. :)

Baby goats are so cute! The kids sure enjoyed these "kids."

Madelyn was hugging any animal that got close enough for her to hold onto. It was so cute!

Caleb was trying to hug this little goat, too.

More hugging...

So much love. Madelyn is our BIG-Time animal lover. Anytime she sees an animal, she comments on how cute it is, and just hugs it (animal-willing).

It was a great day at the MN Zoo. We highly recommend going to visit a Zoo. Our kids enjoy looking at all the animals, and learning about them. We hope to get to the Zoo a few more times before the snow starts falling, too.

Life's Building Blocks (Plus a BIG giveaway)

Building character in our children is so important! Kids need to have good guidance and knowledge to learn the importance of kindness, perseverance, fairness, courage, honesty and self-control. Kids are bombarded with negative pressures and influences daily, and parents (myself included) are thankful to know of possible ways to help our children.
I am happy to introduce to you a great product line to help get kids excited about and learn character values in a fun way~ Life's Building Blocks.
"Life's Building Blocks, Inc., is a privately held company that designs, creates, markets and sells an extensive line of unique products and programs dedicated to helping parents develop morals and character in children in a fun and interactive environment. The smartly packaged products include books, board games, toys and DVD's that are distributed through proven direct marketing techniques that build upon historical data while taking advantage of the current trends in the market place. Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Vikash Sanyal, and his wife Juli, started the company in the summer of 2003 after he spent over 15 years in the golf industry during which he had a major role in launching and managing two successful putter companies. At Life's Building Blocks, Inc., he has assembled an impressive team of experts in the fields of moral and character development as well as individuals who helped create some of the most successful toys and books in the history of the toy industry."
Zaki the Chameleon is an adorable plush that is about 2 feet tall and he tells 6 fables written into short stories and rhymes starring the Spruce Street Six. Zaki includes a cartridge slot that allows the consumer to get new stories, thereby keeping Zaki fresh and extending the product’s life cycle. Zaki (story telling) Chameleon has a colorful, spiky back. The colors change from red, to yellow, to green to help kids understand when it is good to stop, slow down, or go for it! Zaki sings a song to help kids know the difference about what to do in different situations. My kids adore Zaki and really enjoy listening to his stories. It is fun to hear Caleb (my 3 1/2 year old) talk about and ask questions about the stories Zaki shares. (Retail value $30)
Life's Building Blocks offers great chapter books and activity books for older kids (ages 6-11) that engage the readers of the moral dilemmas of the Spruce Street Six kids. The books encourage the readers to think about how the kids make their choices. Each book in the series covers a different virtue and character trait. The activity books are filled with lessons that surround the virtue of the month and give parents and kids opportunities to talk. But to the kids they are just fun puzzles, stories, word searches, and coded messages. I think that the chapter books and the activity books are great for kids to read and work in, too. (Retail value $5.99/each book)I like that Life's Building Blocks offers products for ages 3-11. The company offers great guides for adults to use with their kids to cover the virtues and guides for discussions on the chapter books. The site also has lesson plans that parents and teachers can use. I think this is a great program for homeschoolers to use with their curriculum as well!
Life's Building Blocks has given me a code to share with my readers for a special discount of 20% off a minimum of $15 order! Just use sassy20 and you can use that code until 1/31.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO WIN?? Life's Building Blocks has offered to sponsor a giveaway for a plush Zaki the Chameleon, all 6 chapter books, and all 6 activity books!! What a great gift to give your children, or other children you may know! This contest is open to all readers living in the Continental United States. To get your first entry, go to Life's Building Blocks, and comment about something you liked about their company or products. If you do not do the first required entry, you will be disqualified. You may come back each day and enter (again) after you do the first rule, just tweet about this giveaway and leave the url in your comment. Click here to see how you can earn extra credits to win, and click here to see guidelines and the official rules. Contest will end on January 12, 2009 at 11:59PM CST. GOOD LUCK!