Dad of Divas' Reviews

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Welch's Fruit Snacks lunchbox contest!

HOW DO YOU BUILD A HAPPY, SMART LUNCH FOR YOUR CHILDREN?

Enter the Welch’s^® Fruit Snacks “Lunchbox Notes” Contest and Win Big!

Choosing the right snacks to put into our children’s lunchboxes is important, so the inclusion of products like Welch’s® Fruit Snacks—the delicious snacks made with real fruit—is a smart choice that also makes kids happy.

Another way parents can make their children’s lunch experience happy and special is by sending notes inside their kids’ lunchbox. Now the makers of Welch’s® Fruit Snacks are asking parents and caregivers to share their own lunchbox notes for a chance to win prizes!

Tell us! Do you include inspirational, funny or heart-warming notes in your child’s lunchbox? Maybe you write a note right on the outside of his or her lunch bag. If so, enter the Welch’s® Fruit Snacks “Lunchbox Notes” contest and you could win big! Entering is easy. Go to www.welchsfruitsnacks.com and click on the “Lunchbox Notes” banner. Follow instructions and submit a photo of a recent lunchbox packed with a note and your child’s favorite variety of Welch’s® Fruit Snacks. Submissions can also be sent via regular mail to BHGPR, c/o Welch’s® Fruit Snacks, 546 Valley Rd., Upper Montclair, NJ, 07043. Entries must be postmarked no later than December 31, 2010. Entries will be judged based on creativity and inspiration of the message. Be sure to read the official contest rules!

Who says there is no such thing as a free lunch? One Grand Prize winner will receive free lunches for a year for their child (valued at $1,000 cash). The Free Lunch Grand Prize will be awarded in the form of a check for $1,000 USD and a one year-supply of Welch’s® Fruit Snacks consisting of 52 boxes (ARV $200). Ten runners - up will each receive a gift certificate to a fun, family restaurant of their choice (ARV $200 each) and a one-month supply of Welch’s Fruit Snacks (ARV $12.00).

“Welch’s® Fruit Snacks are the consummate lunchbox snack,” said Josh Shapiro, Vice President of Marketing, Promotion In Motion Companies, Inc. , manufacturer and marketer of Welch’s Fruit Snacks “Not only are they a delicious, on-the-go treat, but all nine varieties, contain Vitamins A, C and E, have no preservatives, and are fat free and Gluten free. All this amounts to a delicious snack that kids love and parents feel good about putting in their kids’ lunchboxes.”

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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Shopping for your Facebook friends

If you are looking for a fun stocking stuffer for a Secret Santa gift or for some other Facebook friend you should consider a Facebook Credits gift card. I had no idea that this was even available, but in looking into them I was impressed at the fact that these credits can be used in so many of the most popular games that people play on over 200 social games and applications on Facebook such as FarmVille, FrontierVille, Happy Aquarium, HelloCity, Bejeweled Blitz, and MONOPOLY.

I also didn't know that you can find these giftcards at places such as BestBuy, Safeway, Target, WalMart, Radio Shack, and Gamestop. You can get cards in denominations between $5 to $50.

What an awesome gift for the facebook fan!

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Walmart Helps Families Bake Holiday Gifts from the Heart for Under $5

Walmart announced today that it is offering every day low prices and select savings on many of the food ingredients necessary to create personalized homemade baked gifts for less than $5. The retailer is helping families stretch their holiday budgets, as many shoppers plan to give tokens of appreciation to extended family, friends and co-workers this holiday season.1

A recent survey of a panel of Walmart Moms2 shows that six out of ten moms are considering or planning to give a homemade gift this holiday season, including homemade baked treats. Creative customers can find almost everything they need, from ingredients to bake ware, to make the perfect homemade present by shopping at Walmart’s in-store Baking Centers, in most stores nationwide.

“We know our customers are looking for thoughtful gift solutions that fit into their holiday budgets,” said James Beck, senior director, marketing, Walmart U.S. “We have created a variety of tools and ideas for great homemade baked gifts this holiday season, for less. This will enable customers to make tasty treats for extended family and friends, while also spending quality time with their families baking over the holiday season.”

Sweet Treats for Under $53

Walmart offers recipe ideas from old fashioned gingerbread to butter toffee bars. These recipes, baking tips and more can be found at the retailer’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/walmart, and Walmart.com.

· Sugar Cookies – recipe makes 36 cookies – 3 separate gifts

· Fantasy Fudge – recipes makes 80 pieces – 3 separate gifts

· Old Fashioned Gingerbread – recipe makes 12 pieces – 3 separate gifts

· Snickerdoodles – recipe makes 60 pieces – 2 separate gifts

· Butter Toffee Bars – recipe makes 48 bars – 4 separate gifts

· Jolly Snowmen Faces – recipe makes 24 cookies – 2 separate gifts

· Chocolate Holiday Bears – recipe makes 16 cookies – 2 separate gifts

Families getting their bake on can also check out “Walmart My Holiday,” a special holiday iPhone app designed to help customers find the best gifts at the best values. In the coming weeks, “Walmart My Holiday” will also feature holiday baking tips and recipes.

Quality Ingredients for Holiday Baking4

Ensuring customers have all the top ingredients to bake their favorite holiday treats, Walmart’s Baking Centers offer cookie mixes, chocolates, spices and more, including:

· 12 oz. Nestle® Toll House® Morsels

· 17.5 oz. Betty Crocker® Cookie Mix

· 10.5 oz. Jet-Puffed MINI Marshmallows

· Keebler® Ready Crust® Graham Pie Shell

· 14 oz. Reddi-wip Original Whipped Cream

· 48 oz. Crisco Vegetable Oil

· 16 oz. Fisher Pecan Halves

· 9.7 oz. Splenda Granular Sweetener

· 2.37 oz. McCormick Ground Cinnamon

· 1 oz. McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract

· 1.1 oz. Ground Ginger

· 7 oz. Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Crème

Baking Tools for Less5

In addition to all the ingredients needed for sweet and sugary gifts, Walmart’s Baking Centers offer baking tools such as mixers, cupcake makers and seasonal bake ware while supplies last.

·         Mainstays™ Nonstick Bake ware – $3.87
·         Ceramic Bake ware Gift Set – $9
·         Wilton® Seasonal Bake ware – $9
·         Baby Cakes™ Cupcake Maker – $24
·         Oster® 12-Speed Stand Mixer – $79

1 National Retail Federation, Economy Still Impacting Shoppers, but Glimmers of Hope Appear in First NRF Holiday Survey, October 2010.

2 According to Walmart Customer Insights, November 2010.

3 Prices based on recipes found on Walmart.com if ingredients are purchased at Walmart.

4 Prices and availability may vary in Alaska, Hawaii, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

5 Walmart also always matches the price of any local competitor’s printed ad for an identical product right at the cash register. Prices and availability may vary in Alaska, Hawaii, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), or “Walmart,” serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 8,400 retail units under 55 different banners in 15 countries. With fiscal year 2010 sales of $405 billion, Walmart employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. A leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity, Walmart ranked first among retailers in Fortune Magazine’s 2010 Most Admired Companies survey. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting www.walmartstores.com and on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/Walmartnews. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com and www.samsclub.com.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice - On DVD & BD 11/30/10!

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment and Jerry Bruckheimer Films will release The Sorcerer’s Apprentice on DVD and Blu-ray! Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) recruits an average college student to be his protégé (Jay Baruche). Balthazar gives him a crash course in magic as they prepare for a battle against dark forces in modern-day Manhattan. The Blu-ray includes some great features such as “Magic in the City”, “The Science of Sorcery”, deleted scenes and more! Get ready for magic as The Sorcerer’s Apprentice comes to DVD and Blu-ray on November 30th.

About the Film:
A fun, modern-day adventure follows Dave (JAY BARUCHEL), just an average college student, or so it
appears, until the sorcerer Balthazar Blake (NICOLAS CAGE) recruits him as his reluctant protégé and
gives him a crash course in the art and science of magic. As he prepares for a battle against the forces
of darkness in modern-day Manhattan, Dave finds it is going to take all of the courage he can muster to
survive his training, save the city and get the girl as he becomes THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE.

Bonus Features: Go behind the scenes and on location to learn all about the making of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Blu-Ray:

Magic In The City
The Science Of Sorcery
Making Magic Real
The Fashionable Drake Stone
The Grimhold: An Evil Work Of Art
The Encantus
Wolves & Puppies
The World’s Coolest Car
5 Deleted Scenes
Outtakes
And more!

DVD / iTunes:
o The Making Of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (DVD only)

Deleted Scene: Balthazar Recruits Dave

Genre: Comedy Adventure
Rating: PG
U.S. Release Date: November 30, 2010
Suggested Retail Price:
3-Disc Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) -- $44.99 U.S./$51.99 Canada
2-Disc Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD) -- $39.99 U.S./$44.99 Canada
1-Disc DVD -- $29.99 U.S/ $35.99 Canada

My Take on the DVDAs a Disney fan, this movie was fun. I always like fantasy and this movie merges fantasy and reality well. he movie was a bit predictable, but it was fun anyway. This movie was one that, though it was two hours in length, went by quite quickly. Much was because of the plot was fun and engaging. There were some great effects and I have to say that there were definite times when I wished that I too had some of the Socerer's powers... I mean how cool would it be to be able to be able to throw plasma balls from my hands!

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In Praise of Praise

The Right Words Can Motivate Your Child

by Ann K. Dolin, M.Ed.

Praise is a powerful tool, especially when it comes to homework. Research shows that by simply praising effort rather than intelligence, kids will develop greater motivation to keep trying, even when the going gets tough.

Dr. Carol Dweck conducted a landmark study on the effects of praise on 400 fifth graders. One at a time, the children were given a fairly easy, non-verbal IQ test. After randomly dividing the children, some were praised for their intelligence ("You must be smart at this") and the others were praised for their effort ("You must have worked really hard"). Remarkably, in a second round of testing, the children who had been praised for effort improved on their first score by about 30 percent. They did this by working diligently on each problem even as they became increasingly more difficult. They became very involved in solving each problem, trying every possible solution. But those who were told they were smart did worse. Their scores declined by 20 percent. These children did not keep trying when the problems became harder. Instead they gave up at the first sign of difficulty, not wanting to risk appearance of not being smart. Dweck stated, "Simply emphasizing effort gives a child a variable they can control. They come to see themselves as in control of their own success."

This affects homework because kids who feel in control are more likely to exert greater effort to get their work done well. They are more likely to persist in the face of difficulty.
Numerous other studies have found that specific praise is far superior to non-specific overtures. When words are too general, children discount their parents' good intentions altogether, not feeling that their words are sincere. Given that praise needs to be specific and focused on effort, here's how to make the transformation in your home:

One last thought about praise -- use it in a 2:1 ratio. For every suggestion for improvement, start with praise and end with praise. Let's say your son brings you his spelling assignment and there are clearly a few mistakes.

Consistently recognizing signs of good work, no matter how small they may be, is important. If you want your child to persevere and demonstrate good effort, you must acknowledge the good behavior when it occurs. By doing so, your child is much more likely to repeat it. In reality, however, you are going to need to correct your child from time to time. This is best done using the "P-N-P Sandwich" approach, or Positive-Negative-Positive. Begin with a positive statement, follow with constructive criticism, and end with another positive comment. Take a look at the following examples:

Keep in mind that your words will make a major impact on your child's behavior, but this strategy will only work if you stick with it. I've worked with some parents of students in my tutoring practice who say "I've tried to praise, but it doesn't really work." The reason they experienced an impasse was because they didn't stay the course. They tried it for a week, failed to see significant results, and then went back to their old ways. It truly does take 21 days to change a habit. If you stay with the strategies outlined here for 21 days, praise will begin to be part of the natural way you interact with your child and change will occur.

Ann K. Dolin, M.Ed., is the founder and president of Educational Connections, Inc., a comprehensive provider of educational services in Fairfax, VA and Bethesda, MD. In her new book, Homework Made Simple: Tips, Tools and Solutions for Stress-Free Homework, Dolin offers proven solutions to help the six key types of students who struggle with homework. Learn more at anndolin.com or ectutoring.com.

New Social Media Monitoring Service for Parents of Teens & Tweens

TrueCare LLC, a provider of Internet monitoring services for parents, announces an innovative social media monitoring service that automatically tracks a child’s use of today’s most popular social networking sites including Facebook, MySpace and Twitter for inappropriate content. TrueCare monitors a child’s pages 24/7 and notifies parents with real-time alerts anytime questionable content is found, via an email containing the full content and context of the post, plus a link to the page if parents want to investigate further.

TrueCare monitors a child’s social media activity no matter where they access the Internet from; home, a friend’s house, school or even their cell phone. TrueCare features a range of user-focused security options including searching the child’s social media accounts for keywords that may indicate potentially dangerous posts from a customizable database of more than 500+ key terms, with categories including: Sex, Depression, Bullying, Suicide, Drugs, Alcohol and Racism.

“Online privacy and protection from the dangers associated with online social networking is a fairly new issue and only now are parents starting to understand it. With nearly 90% of children from the age of 10 and up communicating online via social networking sites, it’s difficult to keep up with who your child is interacting with on these sites,” remarks David Barker, Product Manager for TrueCare. “As parents we need to quickly understand that our children can be in danger from cyber bullies and online predators even within the comfort of their home.”

TrueCare is a subscription-based monitoring service and is available exclusively through the company’s website www.truecare.net. Cost for the service is $9.99 a month and features include:

Fully customizable reports to evaluate a child’s social networking activities
One-click access in locating registered sex offenders in the users area
Determining who a child’s online friends are with the Friends Network and Investigate Friend tools
Easy access to news articles & resources to educate parents and children on Internet safety, its risks and more
An online reference dictionary of hundreds of commonly used terms, slang and acronyms

“By utilizing TrueCare monitoring service, parents can know their children’s social media activities are under continuous scrutiny,” states Barker. “TrueCare gives parents the confidence of knowing they’re actively working to educate and protect their children against the online dangers of predators, cyber bullying and potentially harmful posts which could damage their reputation.”

About TrueCare

TrueCare developed this best-of-breed service, in conjunction with parents as a way to effectively monitor their child’s online social networking activity without invading their child’s privacy. TrueCare helps parents identify potential online dangers and keep an open dialog with their children about their online safety. For more information please contact TrueCare at 1-877-368-6390 or visit them online at www.truecare.net.

Pentel Makes it easy to Wrap and Sign Cards

Pentel Can Help Make Holiday Preparations Easier

Check out Three of Pentel's Hotest New Products for the Holidays—

Sparkling Gel Ink for the Holidays. These pens are perfect for cards or notes and will add a holiday sparkle! The set includes red, green, gold, and silver metallic gel pens. MSRP: $7.60/4pack; $1.90/each.

Wrap Your Packages In Style. Pentel's Tape'n Glue is double-sided tape that's perfect for wrapping gifts so the tape doesn't show. Easy for one-handed application so you can hold the paper with the other hand. A sliding cover protects the tape when not in use and the plastic applicator is made with 72% recycled material so it's eco-friendly! MSRP: $6.59

Our Eco-friendly consumers will love the Pentel Slicci pen made from 87% Recycled Plastic. This pack includes gold, silver, and copper metallic gel ink - perfect for creating designer flourishes and swirls. The ink flows smooth and will look great on holiday cards. MSRP: $8.97/3 pack; $2.99/ea.

My Take on the Products
With the fact that J-Mom makes our own Christmas Cards, she is always looking for great pens to deliver her message. In trying the above pens, I was impressed with the high quality of the pens. J-Mom tried the pens on our cards and she was very impressed with the quality and how easy they worked on the paper themselves.

I can honestly say that with how well these pens worked I know that J-Mom and I will be looking at Pentel pens in the future!

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Dad of Divas' Reviews

Pages

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Welch's Fruit Snacks lunchbox contest!

Shopping for your Facebook friends

Walmart Helps Families Bake Holiday Gifts from the Heart for Under $5

The Sorcerer's Apprentice - On DVD & BD 11/30/10!

In Praise of Praise

New Social Media Monitoring Service for Parents of Teens & Tweens

Pentel Makes it easy to Wrap and Sign Cards

Reviews & Contests