The past two weeks have been a whirlwind! Starting with our weekend away in Lancaster, PA for the Day Out With Thomas event and other fun local attractions (a whole series of posts about that bunch of awesome coming this week) and continuing through the SheStreams conference last weekend, I’ve been an on-the-go gal. Finally this weekend I’m finally getting a few minutes to digest all of the excitement and settle back into routine.

On Friday afternoon, A came home a little early from work and we set off on our adventure. It’s only about a 2 ½ to 3 hour drive to the Lancaster area for us, so unlike our Disney road trips, there was no need for an early start. The boys could barely contain their excitement, as they knew we were headed off to visit an old and dear friend – Thomas the Tank Engine.

We checked into the hotel for the evening (more coming about that later) and grabbed a bite to eat. I was bribed into taking the kids for a short swim in the indoor pool/water playground and then brought them back for bed. We needed to get some rest before our big day!

They were up with the sun, as usual, and we headed toward Strasburg, ready for an exciting Day Out with Thomas.  Our first stop was the Choo-Choo Barn, which was a perfect warm up for our upcoming train rides. It was too cool for just a paragraph, so it’s getting its own post tomorrow.

After spending some time marveling over the awesome model train layouts and popping into the Thomas store there, it was time to head up the road for our turn to ride the True Blue Engine! While the boys have seen and ridden Thomas once before, the excitement level when they first laid eyes on him this trip was the same. “There he is! It’s the REAL Thomas!”

He's a really useful engine!

We arrived on site around 11:30, but weren’t scheduled for our turn on the train until 1:45. We picked up our tickets and decided to venture across the street to the Train Museum as our first stop. If you attend a Day Out with Thomas event in Strasburg, DO NOT skip this museum. While it is not part of the event itself and is an additional cost, it is well worth the expense if you’ve got train lovers in your family.

After checking out all the engines, coaches and train cars on display at the museum, we strolled back outside to spend some time enjoying the Day Out with Thomas extras. The hand cars are probably our #1 favorite thing to do, beyond riding the train itself. The best thing about the cars if you ask the boys? Bumping each other. Go figure.

Catch me if you can, big bro!

Once they had their turn there, it was almost time for the train! We walked around for a couple more minutes while we waited for the line to open up for our session, deciding what we were hitting next and then got in line for Thomas, just in time for the sky to open up and pour on us.

A little rain couldn’t dampen our spirits though! We still climbed aboard with a spring in our step and settled in to a coach that the boys decided was “Clarabel”. If you attend a Day Out with Thomas event, be sure to take advantage of the photographers who wander through the train snapping family pictures. While the prints are a little pricey($20 for 2 4×6 prints with novelty cardboard display frames), if you’re like me, pictures that include everyone are few and far between.

Excuse my drowned rat look...like I said, the sky opened up on us right before we boarded.

Once we finished our Thomas ride, we had about an hour left to take advantage of the other events that were offered on site as part of our tickets. We took a spin on the mini steam engine (so cool!!), got Thomas tattoos, spent a little time playing on the train and Mega Blocks tables that were set up under the big tent, and of course, did a little souvenir shopping. There were other train rides, plus photo opps with Thomas and Sir Topham Hatt, however we choose to skip these due to lines and the time crunch.

D's getting inked!

Coolest little mini steam engine!

We finished our day with a second train ride on the regular Strasburg Railroad steam train (not included in our Thomas ticket), which was the perfect way to relax for a few minutes before heading back to the hotel to change for dinner.

Told you someone needed a little downtime before we went back to change...

The Day Out with Thomas events are definitely a crowd-pleaser for families whose children love Thomas or any kind of train. There is plenty to do that is included in the ticket price, plus lots of other extras at-cost. My only complaint was that the free offerings closed at around 3:30. I wish we’d had more time to squeeze in a little more! I hadn’t realized that when I decided to do other things first. I am so happy that we had another chance to spend a day with Thomas. Once again, we made memories that our boys will treasure forever.

Interested in attending a Day Out with Thomas Event yourself? Visit the Day Out with Thomas website to see dates through the end of the year (it will return to Strasburg in November) and keep checking back for information about next year’s tour!

Disclosure: We received free tickets to the Day Out with Thomas event in Strasburg, PA in exchange for this post. All opinions are our own.

As much as I am in denial that K is starting Kindergarten in a few weeks, to be followed by D next fall, I have been working as much as I can to get them prepared for school. They’re both home with me all day, so we rely on workbooks, computer games and educational TV shows to help them learn the early skills they’ll need to find success in school.

Recently I was given the opportunity to check out the new Team Umizoomi Preschool  Math Kits, featuring one of our Nickelodeon favorites – Team Umizoomi. The boys both love playing along with the show, so I was thrilled to hear that they were offering preschool curriculum, as well. The kit we received teaches sorting, classification and reasoning. All very important skills in math!

The Preschool Math Kits include a great full-color workbook and activity book with fun activities like spotting differences, figuring out order, choosing the right shape, coloring and much more. K is really enjoying doing the all of activities to help get ready for the start of the school year.

One of my favorite features of the kits are the Math Mission cards. Each card gives you a fun activity that you can do around the house. These are great for those “Mom, I’m boooored” moments when the kids are antsy and you’re short on ideas. Each has a fun learning component involved that can turn a few minutes of play into a helpful math lesson.

In addition to the activities within the workbooks and Mission cards, there’s a little math-related storytelling going on, as well. The boys got into the story and activities within the Playground Heroes DVD and storybook that were included in the kit. They were a perfect way to tie learning and fun together.

Each of the Team Umizoomi Preschool Math Kits include:

• A Team Umizoomi DVD
• A full color workbook
• A Team Umizoomi storybook
• 48 page activity book
• 24 Math Mission cards
• Team Umizoomi pencils and eraser

We will definitely be on the lookout for the other two kits that are available and hope to see even more learning fun in the future.

You can find the same Sorting, Classification and Reasoning math kit that we received or purchase one of their other two titles at the  Umizoomi shop and at ToysRUs. Or one of my lucky readers will have the opportunity to win a kit of their own!

Mandatory entry: Comment on this post and tell me what the biggest math challenge is for your kids, that you would like help with teaching.

Additional entries (main entry must be completed for additional entries to count)

• Tweet about the giveaway (no more than 2x per day)
• Subscribe to my feed
• Friend me on Google Friend Connect

Giveaway open to US residents only. Entries will close at 11:59 PM on August 22 and winner will be selected by Random.org and notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize or an alternate winner will be selected.

*product provided for review, opinions provided by me*

Giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Jennifer R, comment #52. You have been emailed and have 48 hours to claim your prize!

Organization is something of a dirty word around my house. I get one area cleaned up, and by the time I get through the next one, the first is a disaster zone again. I’ve never been one to claim to be domestic, by any means and I came by it honestly. I grew up in a house where the house being clean was not the #1 priority, so it’s never been mine either.

One of my biggest organizational challenges in my own home is simply the amount of storage space we have. There can’t be a place for everything when you have more stuff than you have places. The toys are overflowing the bins in the kids’ room, the closets are stuffed full. There are even boxes of junk that we “might need” sitting in the bathroom corner. It’s a bit of a nightmare. I need to weed out and store smarter!

I was recently sent a copy of Pretty Neat by Alicia Rockmore and Sarah Welch, the creators of Buttoned Up, for review. This book is packed full of organizational tips that might just be the ticket to getting my organizational life on track. While I haven’t yet had a chance to put the tips into practice, I’m excited to dive into reorganizing my life soon.

One of the main focuses of the book is letting go of perfection. I’m something of a messy perfectionist, myself. The chapter about Eliminating Excuses, the authors address one of my own biggest issues, reminding us that it’s okay if things aren’t done perfectly. I tend to put off tasks until I have the time to do them thoroughly, rather than working on them gradually when time allows.

The book includes plenty of tips to make getting your home life, work life and even your inbox under control easier. Even with these great ideas that are shared, I love that this book isn’t a step-by-step, one-size-fits-all instruction manual. It gets you thinking about what’s important for you and what will work for you, to keep your home happy and stress free.

*WIN IT*

I have been given the opportunity to give away a copy of Pretty Neat to one of my readers! That winner will also be entered in a giveaway for a $200 gift card to help with their organizational goals and a selection of Buttoned Up products ($50 value), being drawn from winners across this blog tour.

To Enter: Tell me the biggest organizational challenge in your home. What’s the one area or flaw that keeps you from being your best?

For extra entries (main entry must be completed first)

• Tweet about the giveaway (no more than 2x per day)
• Subscribe to my feed
• Friend me on Google Friend Connect

Giveaway will end at 11:59 PM on 3/21. Winner will be drawn by Random.org and will have 48 hours to claim their prize or a replacement winner will be drawn. US Entries only, please.

*Product provided for this review, opinions are my own*

Here’s the post where I admit my addiction to coffee. Shocking, right? I sorta kinda have to start my day with coffee (or some other form of caffeine) or I am seriously not a fun person to be around. Besides the addiction, I find nothing more enjoyable than relaxing with a latte…or cappuccino…or some other delicious coffee-based concoction. It’s my vice, what can I say.

Besides my dependency issues, I have another issue with coffee – waste. I cannot stand the thought of wasting perfectly good coffee, even if it’s gone cold in the pot. Only once it’s gone cold in the pot, it’s hardly perfectly good coffee anymore, is it?

Every morning, A gets up and makes a pot of coffee. He drinks one cup and leaves for work. I get up an hour or two later and can’t bring myself to toss the coffee out. I nuke it and go on with the day. Yep, every weekday I get stuck with secondhand coffee. It’s sad. I know.

When the opportunity arose to review a Tassimo T20 Brewbot, thanks to the Holiday Extravaganza, I couldn’t turn it down. I’ve been lusting after a single-serve coffeemaker for ages, but just couldn’t bring myself to take the plunge.

The Tassimo T20 is very easy to use. Fill it with water, pop in your T DISC of choice and push the start button. Within a minute or so, you’ve got a fresh, hot cup of coffee, all ready to go. You know what this means? No more reheated coffee for me! We can each make our own fresh cup in the mornings! And without pouring a drop down the drain!

The coolest thing about it is that you don’t need to adjust the water amount for each cup. The T DISCs are barcoded and the machine reads each bar code and knows just how much water to use to make the perfect beverage. Want yours a little stronger? You can adjust the strength manually by holding down the start button when the indicator light comes on.

One of the things that worried me the most about a single-serve coffee maker is the cost of the discs. I’ve seen other brands whose products are very pricey, but Tassimo carries a wide range of coffee brands, giving options for most any budget. The Maxwell House Café’ Collection T DISCs start at $5.99 for 16 servings. While that’s a bit more expensive than a standard can of ground coffee, it’s still quite reasonable. Higher end brands are available, as well, including specialty drinks from Starbucks, Gevalia and more.

The first thing I tried when I opened up my Brewbot was the Starbucks Cappuccino Primo. Making the cappuccino was a two step process, with one  T DISC for the steamed cream and a second for the espresso, but it took almost no time at all. The result? A very tasty beverage, comparable to what you would get in a coffee house. Good stuff!

Not a coffee drinker? There are T DISCs available for a number of different teas, as well as hot chocolate. I plan on picking up some hot chocolate soon, to enjoy with the kids over the holidays.

Want one? You can find the Tassimo T20 Brewbot, as well as the full line of T DISCs at the Brewbot website. The T20 retails for $129.99.

Want to win one? Tassimo has generously provided a T20 Brewbot for me to give away to a reader!

To enter to win: Visit the Brewbot website and come back and tell me what type of T-disc you would like to try.

For extra entries, you may tweet about the giveaway and leave a separate comment for each entry. (No more than 2 tweets per day, please)

US entries only, please. Giveaway will end on 12/22 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be drawn by Random.org and contacted by email. Winner will have 24 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be drawn.

As a member of the Holiday Extravaganza Digital Campaign, this post has been sponsored by Playmobil. I have received a sample of the product and the company is sending one to my winner.

A few weeks ago, I was invited by some of my favorite Philly bloggers to join them in a fabulous fundraiser for Toys for Tots. Unfortunately, due to timing and logistics, I wasn’t able to join them at the Holiday Extravaganza on December 9^th, but instead I, along with several other fabulous bloggers, was given the opportunity to share a virtual version of the celebration with all of you!

On Thursday evening , Chester County Moms Holiday Extravaganza event collected more than 1300 toys for their local Toys for Tots program. That’s 450 children who will have gifts on Christmas day! Today we’re taking the campaign to a national level by sharing with you a bit about Toys for Tots.

The Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots in 1948 and expanded it into a nationwide campaign and Marines have conducted successful nationwide campaigns at Christmas each year since 1948.

I’m sure you’ve seen the Toys for Tots collection bins placed in local area stores or heard about events to raise money and gifts for this organization. Dropping off toys at a donation center isn’t the only way to support this fantastic cause, you can also donate online, as well. Visit http://toysfortots.org/donate/default.asp to see the many ways that you can donate or to find local toy drop offs for your area.

As a part of the Virtual Holiday Extravaganza event, I am able to give away some fantastic prizes from several great sponsors to my readers. Let the fun begin!

THREE lucky winners will walk away with one of the following prizes.

Playmobil Firestation – retail value $74.99

AboutOne membership – One year’s subscription to their online family management system. Want to try it out? Check out the site for a 15 day free trial.

Backyard Safari Outfitters prize pack – Cargo Vest, Field Binos, Mega View Periscope, Bug Vacuum, Adventurer Kit Approximate Retail Value is $91.95

To enter to win, leave me a comment telling me a little something about your own experiences or thoughts about Toys for Tots.

Want some extra entries? Tweet about the giveaway and come back and leave me a another comment! (no more than 2 per day)

Giveaway will end on 12/17 at 11:59 PM EST. Winners will be selected by Random.org and notified by email. Winners have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be selected.

*Please note – we cannot guarantee holiday delivery of prizes for this giveaway.

As a member of the Holiday Extravaganza Digital Campaign, this post has been sponsored by Playmobil. I have received samples of all of the products and the companies are sending them to our winners, with the exception of Playmobil which I will be shipping upon address confirmation.

Anyone who has spent even five minutes at a conference with me this year knows I have battery issues. Between tweeting and obsessively checking email and taking pics, my battery drains within a few short hours. When I met the people from iGo at the Type-A Mom conference back in September, I was seriously impressed with their products and knew I just had to have one. When they contacted me later to review the Charge Anywhere, I just couldn’t say no!

Little did I know that the Charge Anywhere was going to become a very hot commodity around our house. My hubby and I both use it regularly, taking it along with us on any outing that could last more than a few hours. There have been occasional heated discussions over who gets to use it, in fact. While the charger is equipped to charge two devices at once, we have not tried to charge both phones off the battery simultaneously. I can imagine that it would work, but wouldn’t give a full charge to both batteries. The ability to charge two things is very convenient, however, when you only have one outlet, but two devices to charge.

The iGo Charge Anywhere has the capability to charge thousands of devices, thanks to interchangeable tips. Tips are available for everything from Blackberry and iPhone products to MP3 players and handheld video games. I’m looking forward to being able to charge the Nintendo DS for the kids when we’re on roadtrips in the future. That should save a ton of whining and tears!

One of my favorite features of the Charge Anywhere is its size. It’s small and lightweight. I can toss it in my purse or tote bag and it takes up very little space. The plug prongs fold down, so there’s no chance of them getting in the way while stored.

The bottom line? I love the Charge Anywhere. It’s taken a bit of frustration out of my life and made things a little easier for me. If you’re a plugged-in, on-the-go family, I think you’ll love it, too!

Want one? You can purchase the iGo Charge Anywhere at the iGo.com website, along with any tips that you might need to fit your devices. The Charge Anywhere retails for $39.99 and tips vary in price by device. Use code iGoblogger for 20% off your order!

Want to win one? I’m giving away an iGo Charge Anywhere plus one device tip to one lucky reader!

To enter: Leave a comment and tell me why you need to be able to Charge Anywhere.

For extra entries (main entry must be completed first):

• Follow @iGo on Twitter
• Become a Fan of iGo on Facebook
• Tweet about the giveaway (no more than 2x per day, please)
• Subscribe to my feed

Please leave a separate comment for additional entries.

US entries only, please. Giveaway will end on Friday December 17^th at 11:59pm. Winner will be drawn using Random.org and notified by email. If the winner does not respond to claim their prize within 24 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

Disclosure: Product provided for this review and giveaway. No other compensation was received.

Our Fill The Backpack campaign is coming to an end, but many of the goodies inside will be tons of fun throughout the year. As hubby spent a couple of years at the Art Institute after high school, anything in the realm of art supplies are always a big hit around here. The fun items from RoseArt that we were given to add to our backpacks were no exception.

RoseArt Glitter Magic Markers

No art project is complete without a touch of glitter, but we all know just how messy glitter and glue, or even premade glitter glue can be. RoseArt’s Glitter Magic markers take the mess out of glittery art projects by adding the sparkle right into the ink. The kids love them because of the sparkle of the glitter, I love them because they create less mess than plain glitter or glitter glue and they are washable. Easy cleanup, for the win!

RoseArt Color Blanks

Color Blanks by RoseArt are a really fun art project for an afternoon. The kit contains a blank, poseable figurine and everything you need to personalize him to make him your own. Color your new friend with permanent markers and then add stickers to give him personality with some facial features. While this project was a little advanced for K & D to do alone at under 5, with the help of their big brothers, they were really able to enjoy making their Color Blank Blockhead.

Board Dudes Double-sided Dry Erase Lapboard

As I mentioned yesterday, K has been working on learning to write. The DryErase Lapboard that we received from Board Dudes has been a huge help in this department. One side has guide lines printed on it, perfect for beginning writers to practice their letters, while the other side is blank so they can draw or write whatever they’d like. The board is the perfect size to take along anywhere and we have been taking ours along in the car, as a way to pass the time.

Mega Brands provided me with these great products to try out for myself, as well as to add to my Fill The Backpack giveaways.

We had loads of fabulous companies donate their products for our Fill The Backpack campaign. I will have to say that one of my favorites would be the products that we received from LeapFrog. I have reviewed products from the Leap Frog lines before and once again, they have produced happy kids and a happy mom at my house!

Leapster Explorer

My kids love handheld games. They have taken over our old platform handhelds, but many of those games are a bit advanced for them. The Leapster Explorer was an answer to their little prayers. It’s packed full of educational games that are more than just time-killers. They learn, earn virtual rewards and prizes that can be found online and have loads of fun, to boot.

The system is set up to work from downloads that are stored within the system or from cartridges that plug into the unit. The Leaplet download cards are very affordable, so that on a really boring rainy day or sick day, buying a new game as a special treat won’t break the bank. For some free fun, downloadable demos are also available.

I have been trying for months and months to get K to practice writing his letters and he flat out refused. Until he discovered the trick feature within the pet area of the Explorer. In order to get your virtual pet to do a trick, you have to properly trace a letter three times. Guess who is even writing letters on paper now!! Thanks, Leapfrog!

My personal favorite thing about the Explorer is the quality of the system. Obviously the people at Leapfrog know that preschool and school age children aren’t the most gentle with their toys. You don’t have to worry about a drop here or there, the Explorer is very well made. Also, the stylus that is used on the touch screen (a favorite feature of the kids) is attached to the handheld unit.

We also received Toy Story 3 and Penguins of Madagascar game cartridges and while both are getting plenty of playing time, I would have to say TS3 is the favorite. But if you could see my kids’ current wardrobe and bedroom theme, you’d understand why…

Leapfrog Tag Reader

The Tag Reader has been taken over by D. He’s always been my little reader anyway and this has just been a real treat for him. He received a Tag Junior last year and while that is still a big favorite, he was ready to move up to the older titles that are available with the Tag. Another perk of moving up to the “big kid” Tag reader? The fun little games in the back of each book.

Along with our Tag reader, we also received the Learn to Read short vowels pack. These fun little stories help to teach vowel sounds for early reading practice. While they aren’t based on popular characters, the stories are loads of fun and easy for pre-readers and early readers to digest. We also received a Tag United States map, which has been educational for even the teens.

My only complaint about the Tag is a small one. I wish there was a way to download audio for new books without computer access. I made the mistake of buying a new book while we were out one day, and since the Tag was in the car, it was only natural that D wanted to “read” it on the way home. He was none too thrilled with me when I tried to explain that he would have to wait.

Overall the products that Leapfrog provided for our review and for the backpack giveaway are flat-out amazing. I know that both the Explorer and the Tag will be in our regular toy rotation for a long time to come. Once again, Leapfrog has made me a believer.

Product provided for this review.

One of my favorite memories as a child was reading the comic strips in the Sunday paper with my grandfather, grandmother, dad or whoever else I could sucker into getting into a chair for some snuggling and giggling. Marmaduke was always a hit. Every week, that big, lumbering Great Dane would find himself in another little fiasco, exasperating his people to no idea, but always coming out as loveable as ever.

Recently, Fox Entertainment brought the Marmaduke comic strip to the big screen with a live action/animation feature film. With a cast including Owen Wilson, Emma Stone and George Lopez, viewers get to see the real personality of Marmaduke and his friends. I’m so excited that I get to share this childhood favorite with my kids, updated for the 21st century.

Throughout the film, Marmaduke gets into all kinds of shenanigans, as always. What I love most though, is that sweet, gentle Great Dane spirit that he possesses. He reminds me a bit of the St. Bernard that lived down the street when I was growing up. He was best friends with my itty bitty knee high mutt. To see them palling around was such a Mutt and Jeff scenario, it would leave you in stitches. One of my favorite memories was the Bernard (I’m old, I can’t remember his name now) backing himself into Barkley’s tiny little doghouse and Barkley wedging himself between the horse sized dog’s front paws. There they would sit for hours, just hanging out…or stuck, who knows! If that doesn’t sound like a Marmaduke moment, what does?

I’m excited to include the a copy of the Marmaduke movie on DVD, courtesy Fox Entertainment, in my backpack giveaway, along with all of these other amazing prizes:

Sample tastes from Arizona Kids, Bear Naked, Cal Naturale Svelte, …

… and more to come! This list will grow as more products are added by our sponsors

To Enter to win a backpack overflowing with these great prizes:

Leave me a comment telling me your favorite dog (or cat) story. Whether it’s about a childhood pet, the neighborhood menace or even a silly story told to you by a friend or co-worker, I want to hear it!

For extra entries, you may tweet about the giveaway and leave the link to your tweet in the comment section. Please, no more than twice per day.

Giveaway ends on Wednesday, September 22nd at 11:59 PM EST. US entries only please. Winner will be selected by Random.org and will be notified by email. If prize is not claimed within 48 hours of email, another winner will be selected. One backpack per winner, across the campaigns.

Fill the Backpack is sponsored by Ziploc and 20th Century Fox. Our sponsors have generously contibuted to this campaign through products, monetary compensation, and have made The Dream Classroom Contest possible (cash prizes to be awarded through classwish.org). Participating brands have contributed products to all 8 bloggers and to all 16 backpacks.

Today I get to share with you a bit about one of our amazing partners in the Fill The Backpack campaign. VolunteerSpot is a company dedicated to simplifying the volunteering process and making the experience more enjoyable and productive.

As a former Room Mom, I know just how difficult it can be to organize volunteers for class parties, projects and other events. Making sure that everyone knows what their tasks and responsibilities are and assuring that all jobs and needs are assigned can be such a struggle. Organizers often end up picking up a lot of the slack and volunteers can have a rough time keeping everything straight.

Volunteer Spot was created to meet the needs of both volunteers and organizers and is packed with tools that will help with any size volunteer project. Volunteers can sign up, choose from available tasks and communicate with coordinators when they have a change in availability.

Organizers can see at-a-glance their needs for a particular event, recruit volunteers with just a few mouse clicks and use automated reminders to let people know that the task they signed up to complete is due. Sorting through an endless email chain will be a thing of the past!

In addition to the great features that VolunteerSpot has for volunteers and organizers, they also have several great e-books that are packed with information to make your job as a coordinator or volunteer even more simple and fun.