Xiaolin Mama Reviews

OxiClean Gets the Stink Out and Saves Dish Towels

 This is a compensated review by BlogHer and OxiClean.

I've been using Tide for as long as I can remember doing laundry, which feels like forever.  I admit, I don't put a lot of thought into it. I do my best to separate whites from colors. I occasionally wash clothes in varying temps, but for some reason our water never seems to get that hot, so I stick with warm.  I am not that anal about our white being that white, cuz well 'er, I'm just not. I rarely iron. Bigger fish to fry. 

So when the fine ladies of BlogHer and OxiClean asked me test out their new products, OxiClean Max Force Power Paks and the Max Force Gel Stick, I thought, hey this may be the right opportunity to up my laundry game.

This weekend after 3 basketball games, 1 soccer try-out, dance class and a sleep over, I was left with some stanky laundry! The kind that has grape juice all over a basketball jersey, grass stains on socks and this smell that is hard to describe. <Part of the joy of having a boy!>  I wondered if OxiClean was up to the task.   It was easy enough, use your regular detergent and simply add one of the power paks - No mess, no fuss, piece o'cake.  The results?  Everything came out clean, like I expected but better. The whites were whiter - hmmm?  I guess we've been missing something all these years.  I used the gel on the extra gross grass stained soccer socks and they cleaned  'em like a champ.  There IS something to this stuff! Best of all, the laundry smelled clean and fresh. It got the sweat stank out and didn't smell like it was just perfumed over. Not sure if it is due to the OxiClean or my good old Tide, but something was different.

 I then gave the OxiClean Max Force Power Paks a different kind of challenge.  Could the Power Paks actually make my 15 year old wedding gift towels look better?  They were subject to being washed every week and taking a beating by my kids, their friends and 15 years worth of wear.  I generally wash them together, so them being all the same color kinda keeps them all looking the same sage green. I threw in some kitchen towels too. The green towels looked great, less shabby.  <Darn, been wanting to get new ones.> Best of all the white dish towel, looked sparkly clean! Wow, what a difference.

Overall, it was hard to tell a huge difference in the dark color loads. But it clearly shined when it came to lighter colors and whites. I would definitely buy these for white dish towels and grape juice stained basketball jerseys alone! Wish this would work on my kids -I'd pay a million dollars to get them to shine as much as this dish towel does!

Believe me?  Leave a comment here and you get a chance to try it out too and win a Visa gift card for $100!  Please leave a valid email address - or I can't find you and let you know you won.  Also if you choose to tweet my contest (max once a day) then you get a extra chances to win. Contest ends 3/31/10.  Yup, that'll buy you new towels or a whole lotta detergent:) Enter - you'll be glad you did!  

Check out other sponsored OxiClean reviews and enter their contests too! You have 7 other chances to win $100 and there is a grand prize $300 sweepstakes located on the round-up page.   So GO THERE! Cuz who doesn't need another $100?! Plus the other reviews are pretty snappy.

You can also visit the official BlogHer Review/Give Away Round up page here for rules.

New Year Contest Winners

Thanks to everyone for entering my giveaways this past month.  It was such fun to read all the comments on which outfit to buy and your hot drinks menu offerings this holiday season!  I got a ton of great ideas many of which inspired new recipes that required visiting my neighborhood liquor store for items other than slurpies!

The winner of the Tassimo Giveaway is: Karen of Life After Fiftyish , who "looks at these every time I am at a Bed, Bath and Beyond, and have dreamed of only one forever. "  Me too Karen - hope you love it as much as I do!  Thanks to Bosch for sponsoring this awesome giveaway and saving me from my Starbucks addiction. 

The winner of the $200 LOFT gift certificate is:

Janet of Slice of Pink

She agreed with most that Look #3 - the fushia/pink petal dress was a keeper. I wholeheartedly agree and that little dress is hanging in my closet right now!  Thanks so much to LOFT for hosting a fun day and sponsoring this giveaway.

Eyes Lips Face takes over Girls Night In!

 

This weekend I played hostess to a #MUAH party (Makeup at Home Party) with e.l.f makeup.  It was super fun to experiment with new looks and introduce a line of makeup I really like.  We had 18 gals, 4 tweens and 1 six year old rolling up their sleeves for a fun time. Whether they were new to makeup or have been using it for decades everyone found something new to like.

Here are some of the comments you woulda overheard if you were at my house:

• Oooh glitter eyeliner.  Who doesn't need a little of that in your life?
• These lip glosses make the perfect stocking stuffer.
• Lip plumper - hmmm? Do they have a "de-plumper" for other parts of my body?
• I like the name of this gloss, "trophy wife".  That's me!
  
• Oops, that wasn't blush.
• I am in love with these brushes.
• Okay I would buy a ton of this stuff if I knew how to apply any of it - help!

The girls had a fun time -but what is not to love about champagne, fondue, cupcakes and makeup. Thanks to e.l.f., She Speaks and Allure Magazine.  A good time was had by all!

These were some of the party favorites:

 Fun nail polish for only $1.00 per bottle!

 

Shimmering Facial that you could use anywhere for that extra sparkle! Available for $1.00 a piece for this special stuff that smells sugary orange. 

I love Minerals Makeup. It is that quick get up and look fabulous powder.  The fancy brushes make it even more fun.  The foundation and blush is $5.00.  

Disclosure: E.L.F and She Speaks provided me with the make up to host the MUAH (Make Up At Home Party).  I provided the gals and the booze.

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Shopping at the LOFT for Holiday Looks and Giveaway

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Loft.

I have been a fan of the  Loft store for quite some time.  But as the recession hit, extra money to go shopping disappeared. So when the ladies at BlogHer and the Loft asked me to take part in a review, I jumped at the chance to check out the newest styles and update my wardrobe.

It got even better as I was paired up with the fabulous, Haley, a professional stylist who helped me pick out clothes that maximized my assets to look "hot"!  I also got to meet one of the Loft's Sales Associates, who knew everything about the store and what was in stock. She knew it all and even loaned me her "spare pair of heels" to make sure my looks were perfect. 

We were tasked with creating three looks within the store.  As I remembered, the store was airy, bumping with hip beats and the associates were eager to help.  I appreciated that the sales ladies were all different sizes and ages. It put me immediately at ease since I consider myself a "big" girl and wasn't quite sure if I'd find clothes that fit.  In so many stores, sizes 12 and up are limited, making shopping even more challenging.  When I gotta battle five ladies for the one size 14 dress, it is NO fun.

For 45 minutes I got the inside skinny on The Loft and all it had to offer. I  asked Haley a ton of questions and had a ball.  A few tips I picked up: 

1.) Doesn't matter what size you are - jewelry always fits! This season you can layer necklaces and thick, bold metal bracelets are in.

2.) Pairing chunky sweaters with skinny jeans or slimmer cut pants are key.

3.) Tshirts with a lil' sparkle can inexpensively dress up any outfit day or night.

4.) When choosing evening attire - try big color or great details.  Don't go overboard with both as they can be distracting. You'll look more like a "don't than a do"

Tassimo Suprema Hot Beverage Machine by Bosch

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Tassimo.

I am a coffee lover!  Like many, my morning cuppa joe is part of my daily ritual. The sad thing is that I am such a loser that I just can't make it myself.  Too much water or too little coffee - you the get my drift, right?  

So my husband and I have gone on in our 12 year marriage happily with coffee making squarely in his domain (along with cleaning the gutters) until the Tassimo arrived at our door compliments of BlogHer and Bosch.

This little beauty does it all.   Makes coffee, cappuccino, hot chocolate and tea in a fool proof way.  You basically insert a T-disk into the machine and the Tassimo reads the bar code, which tells it what temperature and how much water to put in to make the perfect cappuccinos.   Lemme tell you as someone who loves her morning cap - this little machine does a great job.

What do I love about the Tassimo:

• Makes a great variety of hot beverages - lattes, cappuccinos, regular cups of coffee, tea and hot chocolate!
• Anyone can make coffee, caps or whatever you want whenever you want it.  Takes thinking outta making coffee which is good because I tend to be useless without caffeine.  It was so easy to use, my kids could make the hot chocolate by themselves.
• Easy clean up:  We had an espresso machine at our house, but I hated having to clean all the parts with every use.   The Tassimo eliminates the need for that pesky frothing attachment.
• Filtered water feature
• Flavor is good - the hot chocolate was excellent and so is the regular cup of coffee.
• Fits all sizes of cups from travel mugs to tea cups.  Perfect for when I need to take my latte on the road.
• Party worthy!  I had 20 guests at a party this past weekend and the Tassimo churned out drinks like a champ.  It was nice to offer an array of hot drinks without any waste - coffee, latte, tea or cap everyone could have their choice,
• Compact size fit nicely on already full counter.

Five For Fighting's latest is a "Slice" of awesome!

I have been a fan of Five For Fighting for quite a while. Their songs are they type that I love to put on after a long day, grab a glass of wine and cook to.  Their music mellows me out, gives me a fresh perspective and reminds me that things can only be better.  I liked FFF with the release of Superman, but grew to love John Ondrasik and the band in 2004 when I heard the epic song  100 years .

I am the lover of the hip-hop and all things soul, but FFF's mature lyrics get to me. John's voice and songs are sweet, yet complicated.  They are emotion laden, even haunting. His songs convey stories and give you snapshots or "slices" of where FFF has been. In many cases, where most of us have been - in love, looking for answers and wondering why things things are they way they are.  FFF are a welcome departure from the bubble gum singers that I have to listen to with my 6YO daughter in the car.  They are more contemporary than my husband's classic rock favorites and face it Fergie, Common and Adele don't always hit the spot. 

The new album "Slice" is simply awesome.  It is exactly what I would expect from John and the crew and is sure to please both new and long time fans.  Their first single, "Chances", is sweet and reminded me of how much I have missed FFF.   "Story of Your Life" was written for his wife and the kind of song that as a busy mom causes me to pause and reflect.  

There is nothing I appreciate more than an artist who leverages his talent to benefit others.  In Feb 2007 John launched a charity driven website – whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com that raises money for various charities when users view video clips provided by visitors to the site. They have given over $300,000 so far. 

John created & produced “For the Troops”, a CD compilation of superstar recordings that is available for free to every active service person in US Armed Forces.  Moreover, "Note to the Unknown Soldier" from "Slice" is beautifully done and gives words to my exact feelings.

What other random things do I love about FFF?  John is a UCLA Alum!  Woot! He is a hockey fan and sometimes writes for Sports Illustrated. Nice. The band has traveled the world performing for our troops abroad. 

You can be a FFF fan on Facebook here or follow John on Twitter too! You can also check them out live: Nov 10th in San Francisco, CA  at Swedish American Hall  or  Nov 11th in Los Angeles, Largo at the Coronet.

Ready to take a listen yourself?  You can win an autographed CD right here!  Just leave a comment with either the name of your favorite song or what intrigues you about checking them out. I will select the winner by Thursday, November 12th.  

Full Disclosure: The ladies at One to One network gave me a free download of FFF's album and is providing the give away album.  This review is uncompensated. 

Zhu Zhu Pets - A Girl Scout's dream

You know Zhu Zhu Pets are "the" hot toy of the holiday season when the soccer moms talk about their multiple trips to Toys R Us and Target for the chance to buy one in October! I had NO idea and am now in BIG trouble!

Thanks to the ladies at Mom Select, I was sent a set of Zhu Zhu pets to host a party at home.  Rather than the typical gathering, I decided to take the little hamsters to my daughter's Brownie troop.  The troop leaders and I created a lesson plan where the girls focused on the concept of responsibility. For a six year olds this was a big concept to work on.  They talked about about making their beds, setting the table and cleaning after their pets.   The girls were thrilled to hear that after successfully completing a  pre-chosen chore for two weeks they would each be rewarded with a a Zhu Zhu pet.   Individually, they created chore (responsibility) charts for parents to check off daily. Some included picking up dog poop, washing cars and being nice to their younger siblings - I am looking forward to seeing their progress.

I was wary of the pets when they arrived.  Sure, they were cute and cuddly; but as a mom, I thought my six year old would be bored after 10 minutes.  Boy, was I wrong.  The girls were just giddy with excitement.   My 10 year old son took on the challenge of assembling the track, while the girls impatiently offered help.  We split the group of 18 girls into groups to do a round robin of games with their hamsters - the favorite being "races".   The girls laughed and cheered on their pets lovingly named, "Squeaky", "Bob" and "Chunk" to the finish line.   They made so much noise that kids from the nearby homework club all popped out to see what the fuss was about.  I was surprised that the older kids third through fifth graders were equally enamored.

And the winners are...

Thanks everyone for entering my recent giveaways.  It is super fun to be able to share some of the fun gifts I get from bloggin' with friends and readers.

The winner of the Disneyland Giveaway is... Gail of @microblogginmom.  You can find her on twitter ALOT!  Looking forward to get to know her and her whole family better.

Here's a lil video of our last mom blog trip to Disneyland! Thanks you Disney

The winner of the Family Party 30 Great Outdoor Fun game for the wii is Robyn from Who's the Boss Blog.

I've got a few more giveaways coming up so don't forget to enter!

Oroweat Wheat Bread-making a better BLT for the 9YO set

This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Orowheat

Through BlogHer the folks at Oroweat were kind enough to send me a power sized party box of scrumptious bread - 8 loaves to be exact.  Thank goodness because sandwiches are BIG at our house - Tuna, PB&J or roast beef, doesn't matter.  Seems at our house put whatever you have between two slices of good bread and my kids will eat it.  (except for vegetables, that is...)  Regardless, the kids and I chatted about our favorite sandwiches and the convo went like this: 

Me: What are you favorite sandwiches?
6YO daughter:  PB&J - but without the Jelly
9YO son:  Well, then that is just a PB sandwich.
6YO:  Whatever... (rolls eyes and continues to talk to mom) I also like turkey.

Me: Well, there is nothing better than a BLT on wheat bread in my book.
9YO:  Um, a bacon and ham sandwich on white bread is WAY better.
Me: Ugh, white bread...like Wonder Bread?
9YO:  Yeah, it brings out the flavor of the Bacon.  I know it isn't as good for you as the wheat kind. yuk!
Me: (Rolling my eyes on the inside, but giving the "mom knows best" look)  Hmmm...  I don't know about that.

9YO:  I also like Peanut Butter and Banana sandwiches.
6YO: Me too! I also love Meatloaf Sandwiches with ketchup and chips.
Me: Yum! That sounds good.
9YO: But only if it toasted and on good bread... that is key!

Inspired to teach my 9 year old that wheat bread can be as good as, if not better than white bread, I made BLTs for lunch.  I am partial to wheat bread with nuts, but the kids don't like it -so if a smoother texture gets 'em to eat wheat bread then so be it.   I used extra bacon, Virginia Ham, a touch of mayo, lettuce and the Oroweat Dutch Country 100% Wheat bread with the "smooth texture"  that came in my gift box.   The bread was super fresh, so smelled fabulous.   I asked him what he thought of it. "Not bad.  So glad that this bread didn't have the weird nuts you usually buy ...but the bacon was the best part."   No complaints about the bread? - that's a win in my book! (I know the sandwich is not the bastion of health.  I pick my battles.)

The box also included: potato bread and wheat with extra fiber.  We've never had potato bread.  It was an immediate hit with the under 9 set in the house. It made a pretty good french toast!  While the Extra Fiber loaf was a hit with the over 29 set:) The bread was soft and complimented the BLT well!

So thanks to my pals at Oroweat, you too can try out the new bread.  You can win an Oroweat prize pack featuring a selection of breads.  To enter, leave me a comment below and tell me  about your favorite sandwich - or you may leave a link to your post on your own blog in the comments below.  The contest will begin at 10/26/2009 and will end 11/26/2009.  Make sure that the e-mail address you leave is correct.

Rules:
    •    No duplicate comments.
    •    You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
    •    You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
    •    This giveaway is open to US-residents, aged 18 and over
    •    Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.
    •    You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
    •    Please see the official rules here

You also have eight chances to win the Oroweat prize pack featuring a selection of breads and you can also enter to win a $500 grocery gift card at the roundup page on BlogHer.com.

Scooby Doo First Frights - Video game for the whole family!

Just in time for Halloween, the kids and I got a copy of Scooby-Doo! First Frights, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment's hottest new mystery to test out. Scooby Doo is big at our house so when the package arrived, the kids tore into the game and started playing before I knew it.

Consistent with the cartoons and movies, the game features Scooby and the gang solving mysteries. I played the game with my 9YO son and 6YO daughter. We play a lot of video games at our house, and this one was easy to maneuver. Even I, the resident "lame player" could figure out what to do easily. Together, we flew through two levels easily. It was fun to see the gang as high school students and Scooby as "hungry and brave" as ever! The kids especially were impressed with Scooby, who wielded sausage links as his weapon of choice to battle monsters, witches and the phantom.

According to my 9YO, "It is a lot like Lego Star Wars, where you have to unlock levels. You get Scooby Snacks for points and battle monsters." So if you or your children like playing Lego Star Wars, then this game should be right up their alley. Fred has super strength and Velma can operate all special machinery and devices. Each character can also wear disguises that can give them special powers to explore the various settings, such as the Phantom Cruise Ship or Haunted High School.

Overall, the game was fun and easy enough for the entire family to play. Maybe it is because we are avid players of Lego Star Wars, but the controls were easy to use and the story sequence logical. There is a strange laugh track embedded in the game, but we eventually learned to ignore it. We agreed that the best part of the game is unmasking the bad guy at the end of each level, where each time the bad guy blames Scooby and those meddling kids. This time around some of those kids are mine.

Developed by Warner Bros./Torus games Pty Ltd, Scooby Doo First Frights is rated “E10+” for Everyone, and now available for a suggested retail price of $19.99. It is available for the Wii, DS and PS2.

GIVEAWAY:  I am giving away a copy of Scooby-Doo! First Frights to one lucky reader. Simply leave a comment telling me who you favorite Scooby character is and why. You must leave a valid email.  Winner will be picked using random.org on  November 1, 2009.  You can have an extra chance at winning by tweeting this contest.

FULL DISCLOSURE: This is an uncompensated review. Warner Bros. sent a copy of this video game for me to review and has kindly offered to provide a giveaway prize.  Thanks Warner Brothers!