Have a Very SweetPea Christmas

Remember this review? We tried the SweetPea3 out about a year ago and have been in love with it ever since. Buttercup might still prefer to throw tantrums when I don't give her Mama's Zune, but why make myself a nervous wreck when I can hand her a toddler-proof mp3 player and breathe easy?

I am so in love with the concept that I recently purchased one for my girlfriend's daughter for her first birthday. Mom and Dad report that they will eventually let their little girl play with it since Dad is having too much fun testing it out.

If you saw the original review or are falling in love with the SweetPea3 now, listen up because I've got a chance for one lucky reader to win a SwetPea3 of their own, in their choice of color, just in time for Christmas! Mr. Dan Lemay, the creator of the SweetPea3, has recently posted a video on YouTube.

Check the video out and if you think that your mom, sister, best friend, or neighbor might be interested in learning about the SweetPea3, forward them the link. You receive one contest entry for every single time you forward this link on to someone else.

All I ask is that you 1) CC me on every single email you send at (berriesweet dot info at gmail dot com) in order for the entry to count and be sure that the email contains your online ID so I can connect the dots. Rest assured I will delete every single one upon completion of the contest and that this is just a way for me to make sure that the contest entries are fair and legitimate, and 2) Leave comments on this blog post! Leave one for every round of emails you send out. Leave one telling me why you adore the SweetPea3 you already own or why you think your niecve or nephew would go crazy if you won the contest!

The contest is open to anyone 18 years and older and is limited to those living in the United States and Canada. You've got one week to email the world and the sky's the limit on this contest because if you email 500 friends, you've got 500 entries. Contest ends at midnight, Eastern Standard Time, on Dec. 14. Winner will be selected at random.

So get ready, get set, and win that SweetPea3!

(Almost) goodbye

It's time for a sad announcement for me. I've been so busy trying to get my writing off the ground and concentrating on my writing-centric blogs that i've been neglecting to post here or to even attempt to find new and exciting items to review.
I have a few left to take care of contest and review-wise...so I'm going to take care of that and then call it a day.
Maybe I'll start this up again in a new format...I've got some ideas. But for now, this is (almost) goodbye on this blog.
It's been a great run!

The Jimmies rocked my House

I get requests to review kiddie music All. The. Time. But because the blog is called Berrie Sweet Picks and not Berrie Sucky Picks, I call my therapist after having endured the mind-numbing stuff I wouldn't force on my own child, let alone yours, and then wait patiently for something that doesn't suck to show up in my mail box.

And instead of having to try to figure out a nice way to tell a PR person and/or musician that I, um, didn't think their music was a "good fit" for my audience, I am instead trying to figure out how many times I can call The Jimmies "like, you know, totally cool" without sounding like a valley girl because they are just that good.

Here's the deal: We got to check out The Jimmies' brand-spankin' new DVD Trying Funny Stuff and their kickin' CD Make Your Own Someday. First off, the titles are catchy and fun. Second, I squealed a little too loudly when Buttercup asked for her new "Muskik Cho" to play again. Third, The Husband thinks they are "cool." And fourth, I get a lot of stuff for free and would more than gladly pay my own bucks to stock up Buttercup's musical collection with all things "Jimmies."

The group, fronted by mastermind and uber-cool Ashley Albert, is getting rave reviews from blogging parents who are as picky as I am and wining awards left and right. The collection features real songs that parents and kids will find themselves singing together, a 45-minute DVD that I may have liked more than Buttercup (and she liked it a LOT), a bonus live CD, and a "Film 101" behind-the-scenes documentary on how the videos were made.

And of course, there are always the lessons. It's kiddie stuff, so it's a given that they'd be part of the package. But it takes a genius to incorporate them in such a fun way that they kids don't realize they are actually learning. With the musical cherry on top of the proverbial sundae, The Jimmies are in the process of being immortalized in my Zune playlist and Buttercup's iTunes "Play Time" list. I can't do much about the DVD, since Buttercup thought it was so much fun she actually ran off with it and shoved it into her toy box so her toys and "Jimmies" could get to know each other.

And that my friends, is the highest compliment any two-year-old can bestow.

Rock out with Lullabies for Baby!

Buttercup and I share a love of music and it's a bond I cherish. My little girl was humming "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star" at 10 months, is begging Santa for a piano at two-years-old, and loves to try playing her daddy's old guitar.

I say she's destined for Broadway. But for now, I'm content to sing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" as many times as she requests. Okay, okay, so even a big music lover like myself can get a bit tired of the kiddie songs that come standard with Toddler Territory, so getting the chance to listen to some Aerosmith with Buttercup tonight was a huge treat for both of us. It was awesome; she fell asleep and I couldn't stop smiling.

And no, I did not deafen my daughter to sleep with rock legends blaring on the iPod. It was really a much more soothing experience thanks to Rockabye Baby! The company, which specializes in lullabye renditions of music parents actually want to listen to like AC/DC, Green Day, Queen, The Beatles, and Coldplay, was gracious enough to send me a review copy of the newest addition to their library, which includes liner notes by Steve Tyler!

It's.Just.Awesome. And I'll tell ya, listening to "Dude (Looks Like a Lady), and "Walk This Way," in a genius rendition soothing enough to almost lull me to sleep but so good I could hear the lyrics in my head was just the coolest musical experience I've had since becoming a mother.

My husband loves it, too, and we're already planning on adding to our collection. I see Metallica in Buttercup's future. (And I'm going to admit here and now that I'm adding the Aerosmith collection to my own mp3 player for those crazy moments when Mama needs some soothing of her own.)

So who wants to call dibs on cool music for your kid that you can't wait to tell your own friends about?

To enter, simply visit the site and leave a comment telling me which CD you'd love to get if you are selected the winner. Please note that the winner also has the option to choose the new green Digital Download Card option instead of a traditional CD. Make sure to include your email or Twitter ID so I can contact you if you are selected as winner. Entries will be accepted until midnight, EST, on Nov. 3, 2009 and winners have four days to respond or an alternate will be selected.This contest is limited to US residents only, and to those 18 years and older.

Additional extra entries are also available if you:

* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Tweet about this contest and leave me a comment with the tweet.

* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!

Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address or Twitter ID to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address or Twitter ID to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

Sweet Sunday

One of my favorite books when I was a kid was a sing-along version of "Turkey in the Straw," complete with the cassette tape that allowed me to belt out the tunes as I flipped the pages. I was off-key, probably hurting the dogs ears, and happy as happy can be. Because right in front of me, I had my two favorite things in the whole world: Music and words.

Times have changed, but the power of music and the magic of a storybook are still enough to delight any child. Take our recent experience with Sunday in Kyoto, the new children's storybook-music CD from the award-winning publisher, The Secret Mountain. It's set for release tomorrow, Oct. 27, and Buttercup were given the opportunity to take a sneak peek, and oh what a peek it was.

Sunday in Kyoto features illustrations by Stephanie Jorisch, who has created sets for Le Cirque de Soleil, and songs by Gilles Vigneault, a central Canadian music figure. Vineault also wrote the 14 pages of text for the story, capturing his love of nature, culture, and travel, while telling the story of a Cajun musician enjoying a Sunday afternoon jam session in Kyoto with friends from far away places.

Sounds great to parents, but what's this all mean to kid? And to an American, at that, one who has never heard of these famous artists? Buttercup will tell you...it's magic. The combination of all creative talent fused into this one musical story-telling event is enough to whisk my two-year-old to a magical place where T.V., toys, and afternoon tantrums don't exist.

And I have to smile each time she tugs on my shirt and looks up with an expectant smile on her face. "Music story, mama. Please?"

Sunday in Kyoto will be released tomorrow. You can get more information by clicking here.

Stuff those stockings with Prima Princessa!

I love it when I'm right. Last year, right about this time, I had the pleasure of reviewing a brand new DVD produced by two moms called Prima Princessa presents Swan Lake. It's a sweet little production designed to introduce little girls to the world of ballet with a fairy princess ballerina named Prima Princessa as the star of the show.

What's not to like? So I was pretty excited when Prima Princessa present The Nutcracker arrived in my mail box. Ijust knew that this was going to turn into a successful series!

As in the original DVD, Prima Princessa transports a group of pre-school girls to see a professional baller performance. And what's better than The Nutcracker for the upcoming Christmas season?

Prima Princessa narrates the story (which makes it a lot more interesting for me, too, and now I actually can say I understand the story behind the performance!) and seems to know exactly when to break to allow her young charges time to practice the ballet moves they've learned. That little intermission gives Buttercup time to play, pretend, and laugh along with the girls on TV.

Prima Princessa presents The Nutcracker is definitely going to be played a lot as the holidays draw closer, and each time Buttercup gets more and more excited when the opening credits start up. Why not order now and stow it away for a sweet little Christmas stocking stuffer for your own little princess?

And an FYI from one mom to another---make sure the volume is turned off on your computer speakers before checking out the product site. I'm a huge Prima Princessa fan, but am not crazy about sites that automatically start talking to me (and Prima Princessa has a lot to say!), especially since I do a lot of online shopping when the family is asleep. So if you wanna keep it a surprise, and I'm sure you do, just hit "mute" and make it a Merry Christmas!

Fun with Charlie

Buttercup might be all about princesses and butterflies right now, but the girly-girl in her can't seem to resist the universal call of dinosaurs that seems to attract all kids from the age of two on up.

And while she may be too young to question how she got here or where the dinosaurs went, she is not too young to enjoy learning as she grows and having fun with both every day.

Enter Charlie's Playhouse: A super-smart company with the aim to provide children and educators with fun learning tools to help teach children about evolution. Buttercup and I were treated to the Giant Timeline Floormat ($49) which she fell in love with as soon as she realized her "Dinos!" were a primary focus. This illustrated, walk-on play mat is one smart toy. Kids ages 4-10 can sit and read it like a book, stand it up like a fort, and spread it across the living room floor for an 18 foot lesson spanning 600 million years!

The Giant Timeline Floormat is printed on enviromentally-friendly and durable synthetic paper, can be cleaned with a damp cloth, and is printed in the USA. What's not to love?

AP moms need Honeychunks

If you've been following my blog for a while, you know I'm in love with Honeychunks, an online boutique owned and operated by an attachment parenting Michigan mama.

I found her site through an online search a little over a year ago and then learned that she lives right around the corner from me! Well, I've since moved across the country, but I still make a point to stop by Honeychunks when the need arises.

Buttercup is getting into her "mothering" stage. She's two now, and wants to mimic what she sees and emulate what she knows. And well, in our house, that's co-sleeping, cloth diapering, and Time Outs for misbehaving.

Enter Honeychunks. When my mother pointed out that trying to button a full-sized cloth diaper onto one of Buttercup's many dolls was pretty much pointless, I got online and immediately ordered a few of the doll-sized cloth diapers for Buttercup to indulge her AP tendencies. We couldn't be happier. They're handmade, cute, and priced perfectly.

And in case you're wondering, the photo in this post is of her teddy in Time Out for not behaving during his diaper change.

Tie-Dye kits and fun for the family!

I remember thinking Tie Dye was the coolest thing since sliced bread when I was a kid. Looks like some things never change.

My husband helped me this weekend with the creation of a few Tie Dye masterpieces for our Buttercup. And I have to admit that the process was fun and the results worth the effort!

Jacquard Products, the makers behind the popular and award-winning Tie Dye and Funky Groovy Tie Dye Kits, have created an easy and fun way for families to achieve stunning results together, inspiring tons of creativity!

My husband did the majority of the work since I'm allergic to the rubber gloves and dye, so I happily snapped pictures as he went to work soaking the T-shirts in soda ash, mixing and applying the dyes, and then setting them out to dry for 24 hours in our garage.

This afternoon all he had to do was rinse and wash them, and after air-drying for about 30 minutes in the desert sun, Buttercup had five new reasons to smile. Click here for a list of places you can buy these great kits from Jacquard Products.

Buttercup's a bit too young to appreciate the experience as a bonding one, but my husband and I will always be able to tell you that the shirt she is wearing was made in our kitchen sink our first fall in Arizona and that we couldn't stop smiling at how her face brightened when she got to wear her "rainbow" for the very first time. She calls it her new shirt. We call it a great memory.

One lucky readers gets to have a blast with their own kids with a Tie Dye Kit of their own!

To enter, simply visit the Jacquard site and name one other item you would be interested in learning more about. Make sure to include your email or Twitter ID so I can contact you if you are selected as winner. Entries will be accepted until midnight, EST, on Sept. 18, 2009 and winners have four days to respond or an alternate will be selected.This contest is limited to US residents only, and to those 18 years and older.

Additional extra entries are also available if you:

* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Tweet about this contest and leave me a comment with the tweet.

* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!

Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address or Twitter ID to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address or Twitter ID to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

Have fun Around the Table!

We're all busy. I know I am...Heaven knows it''s taken me forever and a day to get this post up with all of the daily challenges presented as a work at home mother. So how do we stay connected to our kids? When do we have time to learn what's going on in their lives?

The award-winning Around The Table Games company sent me a great new game concept to try out, and I happily passed it on to my friend Jill and her daughter Jordan, 6. Owner Beth Daniels can look forward to plenty of personal purchases from yours truly as Buttercup gets older. Her new line of games, which inspire and facilitate open-ended conversations with our kids, were actually inspired by her own.

Camp Talk, Buddy Talk, and Teen Talk encourage kids to engage in colorful conversations with new friends or learn things they never knew about old pals and family members. It's smartly designed, with a carabener clip to attach to a backpack or purse, and makes for great conversation starts on the first day of school or on the way to a field trip.

Jordan reports that her friends at school love Buddy Talk, and Jordan loves being able to have a built-in reason for making new ones. All she has to ask is ""Who wants to play a game?" With questions like "What's your favorite thing about summer break?"and "I you could have picked your own name, what would it be?" it works every time.

I'd also recommend Family Talk to try at home with your kids. Save it for a rainy day when the kids are moping about nothing to do or for that long car ride to visit the family. Sure beats 103 games of Eye-Spy in a row and you'll learn so much on the way!

And guess what? One lucky Berrie Sweet Picks reader (US shipping adress only and 18 and older) gets to choose their favorite Around The Table Game to try for themselves!

To enter, simply visit the site and let me know which game you would choose and why! Make sure to include your email or Twitter ID so I can contact you if you are selected as winner. Entries will be accepted until midnight, EST, on Sept. 14, 2009 and winners have four days to respond or an alternate will be selected.

Additional extra entries are also available if you:

* Blog about contest and link to this post.

* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!

Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address or Twitter ID to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address or Twitter ID to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

It's time to Potty!

You'll be seeing a lot of potty training related posts in the next litthe while since we are deep in the midst of Buttercup's PT University.

I've had a potty chair in the bathroom for almost a year now just so she could sit when she wanted and get used to it being there. I waited until she turned 2 to get busy after taking a minute to make sure she was showing signs of readiness.

One nifty little contraption is the Potty Watch from One Step Ahead. It's cheap (10 bucks!), cute (I got the pink one!), and makes it fun for kids with musical reminders for when it's time to try and potty. We set ours for every 30 minutes right now, and it's working a lot better than the battle of wills that ensues every time I asked if she wanted to try going potty. Just make sure to save the directions. I've had to refer to them a few times to refresh my memory on how to access the different modes available.

Time for a change

Don't freak! I'm not going anywhere...
Well, okay, so I am. But I plan on taking you with me.
I've decided to take the plunge and move the blog over to wordpress. I've got another blog over there and think things will run a little more smoothly once things are settled. So for now, I'm still posting here until I find someone to help make the transition a smooth one.

Need a time out from time outs? Try this!

You know I live me some boon inc., so it goes without saying I heart the Time out Pad from Keen Distribution.

I never imagined myself the Time Out type, but they work wonders for curbing Buttercup's bad behavior. All I do is pop her little butt on the Time Out Pad, set the timer, and walk away. The smart little pressure pad sets off an alarm if she gets up before she's supposed to, and rewards her with a happy little jingle when she waits out her whole Time Out.

I use the "one minute per child's age" rule, so Buttercup gets two minutes on the pad, and I get two minutes to have a shouting match in my head. When it's all over, we hug, she apologizes, and I'm ready to do the Mommy-thing again.

Get Earth-friendly with CVS

Green is good. Thankfully, more and more companies are realizing that.

CVS/Pharmacy recently launched an eco-friendly line of recycled and biodegradable products and were kind enough to send me some for review. Earth Essentials offers consumes a variety of options for green-friendly get-togethers like bowls and plates made from biodegradable sugar cane, napkins and bathroom tissue endorsed by Greenpeace, and garbage bags that erase the guilt.

All products are very affordable (99 cents to $8.99) and easy on the planet.

Beaded bliss with MJennings Designs

If you want to get a head start on Christmas shopping for the women in your life, I'd like to recommend Mjennings Designs. Forget the lines and the hassle of trying to buy what everyone else is getting. Instead, take a look at this talented designer's site and I'm sure you'll find something you like for a niece, sister, or maybe yourself!

Christenings, school spirit, Greek pride, and holidays are also covered. There's plenty to choose from, and if you don't see what you like, send an email and request a custom creation!

We were lucky enough to receive a beautiful necklace for my niece that she proudly wears to school and for special occasions. It's gorgeous, and so is every item I have been browsing on the Mjennings Designs site.

I can't post a picture, but I can supply this link to the current Child-size collection, perfect for the little girl in your life.