Vacuums are one of those appliances you use several times a week – well, at least you probably try to, right? With so much use, they can easily break down. I know that in the eight years we’ve been married, my husband and I have gone through four vacuums. I’m not sure if this is the same for the average person or if we just have really, really bad luck with vacuums, but that’s the reality of it for us – four vacuums in eight years.

When we were recently offered the opportunity to review and giveaway a new Eureka AirSpeed ABS vacuum cleaner, I accepted knowing that many of you could probably use a new vacuum. Since we aren’t in need of a new vacuum at this time, I offered the review unit to my brother and his family to test it out. Here’s what they had to say about it:

• The weight is convenient since it allows for more flexibility to move around.
• It has more power than others and vacuums one area with just one sweep.
• The attachments work better than other vacuums since you can disable the main bottom portion and redirect all the suction power to the attachment.
• It is very easy to change the bag.
• They appreciated the fact that the instructions come in both English and Spanish.

A couple of more details about the Eureka AirSpeed ABS, as provided to me, include:

• The Eureka AirSpeed ABS combines AirSpeed Technology with features of a bagged vacuum.
• AirSpeed Technology uses two wide tubes with limited bends and turns, allowing more air to pass through the vacuum.
• The direct air path from floor to dust cup decreases the distance for dirt to travel, which increases the amount of airflow for powerful suction.
• Unlike other models in the AirSpeed line – all of which are bagless – AirSpeed ABS uses replaceable, disposable bags to capture dust and debris and completely contain dirt and allergens.
• The Eureka AirSpeed ABS retails for $129.88 and can be found exclusively at Walmart. (Note: I’m a Walmart Moms member, however this is not a Walmart-sponsored post.)

Overall, my brother and his family found the Eureka AirSpeed vacuum to be efficient and do its job. Now, one of you can test it out for yourselves, as we’re giving one of these vacuums away!

ModernMami™.com Reader Giveaway

We want you to get a new vacuum, so we’re giving away a Eureka AirSpeed ABS vacuum cleaner, as pictured above!

How to Enter

Required entry: If you’d like to enter this contest for a Eureka AirSpeed ABS vacuum, simply leave a comment below sharing how often you typically replace your vacuum cleaner.

Extra entries (optional):
Each of the following will count as 1 extra entry. You’ll need to leave a separate comment for each entry.

1. Follow @modernmami on Twitter.
2. Tweet the following: Enter to win a Eureka AirSpeed vacuum cleaner from @modernmami! http://bit.ly/npXjuJ #giveaway #contest
3. Receive post updates by subscribing to our RSS feed. You can do so either via email or through a RSS reader. Leave a comment saying you did so or are already a subscriber.
4. Subscribe on friendfeed and leave a comment with your friendfeed ID.
5. Write a blog post on your own blog sharing the details of this contest. Be sure to include a link back to this post. Leave a comment with your post link.

All entries must be in by Friday, October 14, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. You must be 18 or older and a U.S. resident. No purchase necessary. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. (Please be sure to provide a valid email address with your entry.) Winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

Vacuum Photo Provided and Used with Permission

Disclosure: We received a Eureka AirSpeed vacuum in order to facilitate this review. No compensation received.

As you know, I try my best to raise my children in a bilingual environment. I speak Spanish to them as much as possible, as do my parents, we sing songs in Spanish, read Spanish or bilingual books, and sometimes, we also watch cartoons in Spanish. My husband is very supportive in this effort and will point out new Spanish shows to us when he finds out about them and tries his best to repeat the Spanish spoken. It was actually him, who first introduced our daughter to El Perro y El Gato.

If I remember correctly, we were staying at a hotel and as he was browsing the channels, he stumbled upon HBO Latino, which was showing cartoons that morning. As I walk out of the shower, my baby girl screams out to me, “Mami, look! Perro y Gato! In Spanish!” She loves to point out when music, shows, books, etc., use Spanish. We watched the rest of the show wishing that we were HBO subscribers at home, since we had just found a new, funny, cute, bilingual show. Check out this behind-the-scenes look to hear from the show’s creators, animators, and even the voices of El Perro y El Gato.

El Perro y El Gato premiered a new episode titled, “Sigue Soñando / Keep On Dreaming,” on Thursday, September 15, the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month. We were sent a sneak peek DVD of the new episode, which of course, was enjoyed by all. The main characters of El Perro y El Gato are an overexcited orange dog (El Perro) and his laid-back, always hungry friend, a purple cat (El Gato). To keep our celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month going, today we have a 4-DVD set of El Perro y El Gato to give away to you!

ModernMami™.com Reader Giveaway

We want you to enjoy El Perro y El Gato with your children, so we’re giving away a 4-DVD set of the show, as pictured above!

How to Enter

Required entry: If you’d like to enter this contest for a 4-DVD set of El Perro y El Gato, simply leave a comment below sharing why watching bilingual shows is important to you and your family.

Extra entries (optional):
Each of the following will count as 1 extra entry. You’ll need to leave a separate comment for each entry.

1. Follow @modernmami on Twitter.
2. Tweet the following: Encourage #bilingual learning at home. Enter to win El Perro y El Gato DVDs from @modernmami! http://bit.ly/mPSylQ #giveaway #contest
3. Receive post updates by subscribing to our RSS feed. You can do so either via email or through a RSS reader. Leave a comment saying you did so or are already a subscriber.
4. Subscribe on friendfeed and leave a comment with your friendfeed ID.
5. Write a blog post on your own blog sharing the details of this contest. Be sure to include a link back to this post. Leave a comment with your post link.

All entries must be in by Friday, October 14, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. You must be 18 or older and a U.S. resident. No purchase necessary. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. (Please be sure to provide a valid email address with your entry.) Winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

El Perro y El Gato Photos and Video Provided and Used with Permission

Custom Hispanic Heritage Banner by Justin Edwards
and © ModernMami.com

Baby girl started Kindergarten last month and something that’s new to our daily lives is the fact that I now pack a lunch for her each day. Prior to that, when she attended preschool, lunch was provided for her and was included in the cost of care. Since she started Kindergarten at a public school, we’ve decided to pack a lunch for her as much as possible in order to a) avoid the cost of buying a school lunch and b) control and know what she eats.

Her lunches consist of a main entree, a snack, and a drink. Up until now, the snack has primarily been apple sauce, carrots with ranch sauce, or goldfish crackers. After trying Dan-o-nino cups, I now have a new snack to add to her choices for school lunch. She already enjoys yogurt, so this will be an easy addition. The good thing is they come in flavors she loves like strawberry, strawberry banana, and raspberry, to name a few. Plus, I can freeze them to give her some variety!

Something I’ve always liked about feeding her yogurt is that I know she’s getting some protein and extra calcium. According to Dan-o-nino’s site, their cups have twice the calcium as other kids’ yogurts. Additionally, the product information I received states they have no artificial colors or high fructose corn syrup, which I know is important to many parents.

ModernMami™.com Reader Giveaway

We want to help with your next grocery shopping trip and give you the chance to try out these Dan-o-nino cups as well, so we’re giving away a $50 Visa gift card!

How to Enter

Required entry: If you’d like to enter this contest for a $50 Visa gift card, simply leave a comment below sharing one of your tips for packing a healthy school lunch.

Extra entries (optional):

Each of the following will count as 1 extra entry. You’ll need to leave a separate comment for each entry.

1. Follow @modernmami on Twitter.
2. Tweet the following: Share a healthy school lunch tip & enter to win a $50 Visa gift card from @modernmami! http://bit.ly/nMNFs2 #giveaway #contest
3. Receive post updates by subscribing to our RSS feed. You can do so either via email or through a RSS reader. Leave a comment saying you did so or are already a subscriber.
4. Subscribe on friendfeed and leave a comment with your friendfeed ID.
5. Like ModernMami™.com on Facebook.
6. Write a blog post on your own blog sharing the details of this contest. Be sure to include a link back to this post. Leave a comment with your post link.

All entries must be in by Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. You must be 18 or older and a U.S. resident. No purchase necessary. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. (Please be sure to provide a valid email address with your entry.) Winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by BabyCenter in conjunction with the BabyCenter Blog Network. All prizes and compensation are provided by BabyCenter and Dan-o-nino.

Last month I shared information with you about my role in the Check-in for Checkups campaign and the goal of the program. As a reminder, the Check-in for Checkups program was designed to help the Children’s Health Fund provide health checkups to children in need. The idea is that for every healthy habit shared on checkinforcheckups.com, Clorox donates $.10 to the Children’s Health Fund, up to $100,000.

Personally, I think this is a great program and love that it benefits children. I know there are plenty of struggling families out there, so providing health checkups is extremely important, especially for the children of such families.

Health Checkups for Latinos

Though I know families of all ethnicities are affected by the economy and assisted by the Children’s Health Fund, I was curious to know how the Latino community in particular has benefited from the Children’s Health Fund. Here is some information I was provided regarding their work within the Latino community.

• In 2010, overall, 43.6% of the Children’s Health Fund’s national network patients were Hispanic.
• The highest incidence of Hispanic patients were in the following regions:
  • Southern Arizona — 90% Hispanic
  • Los Angeles — 84%  Hispanic
  • Austin, TX — 78% Hispanic
  • South Florida/South Bronx, NY — 68% Hispanic

I was also informed that the Children’s Health Fund provides some of their Health Education materials in Spanish. While the page itself is not in Spanish, the linked titles and materials are.

Small Steps Towards Healthy Habits

Since my participation in the Check-in for Checkups program began, I’ve noticed that I’m more conscious of when my family and I accomplish a healthy habit, even if it’s small. The fact that I can share my healthy habits and benefit the Children’s Health Fund (either with a tweet or via checkinforcheckups.com) definitely helps me recognize when we do something healthy. I commend my daughter when she chooses water over juice. I point out if we walk a significant distance. I feel proud if I eat more vegetables in a day. These small steps count and will help our family build long-term healthy habits; and that’s something to be happy about.

ModernMami™.com Reader Giveaway

The Check-in for Checkups campaign has also partnered with Bethenny Frankel, and we’ve got an autographed copy of Bethenny Frankel’s book, A Place of Yes, for one of you! See details below.

How to Enter

Required entry: If you’d like to enter this contest, simply leave a comment below sharing one of your healthy habits. *While you’re at it, why not head over to checkinforcheckups.com and share it there as well?! (Not required to enter giveaway, but doing so will give the Children’s Health Fund $.10!)

Extra entries (optional):
Each of the following will count as 1 extra entry. You’ll need to leave a separate comment for each entry.

1. Follow @modernmami on Twitter.
2. Tweet the following: Enter to win signed copy of @Bethenny Frankel book from @modernmami & learn abt #checkinforcheckups! http://bit.ly/pla97Q #giveaway #contest
3. Tweet your healthy habit using the #checkinforcheckups hashtag.
4. Receive post updates by subscribing to our RSS feed. You can do so either via email or through a RSS reader. Leave a comment saying you did so or are already a subscriber.
5. Subscribe on friendfeed and leave a comment with your friendfeed ID.
6. Like ModernMami™.com on Facebook.
7. Write a blog post on your own blog sharing the details of this contest. Be sure to include a link back to this post. Leave a comment with your post link.

All entries must be in by Friday, September 16, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. You must be 18 or older and a U.S. resident. No purchase necessary. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. (Please be sure to provide a valid email address with your entry.) Winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen. See rules and promotions standards set forth by Clorox for more information: http://www.clorox.com/legal/promotions/

Disclosure: I am currently working on a compensated campaign with The Clorox Company for the Check-in for Checkups program that benefits the Children’s Health Fund.

This is a sponsored post.

***Be sure to scroll down for the awesome giveaway!***

I was recently approached by The Motherhood for an opportunity to get together with a few local bloggers as part of the “Fabulous Summer of Flavor” challenge and cook a meal together using Lawry’s products. Unfortunately, as is the life of busy moms and bloggers, we were unable to find a date that worked for all of us. So, we did the next best thing and had ourselves a virtual potluck. That’s the beauty of social media and blogging; we can get together without actually getting together!

Our challenge was to collectively create a meal that fit the theme of “On the Go” and included the following Lawry’s products: Seasoned Salt, Balsamic Herb Marinade, and Seasoned Salt Marinade. Our Orlando team came up with an appetizer, main entree, and side dish that take about 40 minutes to prepare; not bad for a healthy, easy, and fast meal! Plus, the entree requires only THREE ingredients! After you check out these super simple recipes, be sure to scroll down for the chance to win some Lawry’s products, so that you too can create this quick and easy dinner!

Appetizer: Crostini with white bean spread, arugula and prosciutto

by Leigh of ThemeParkMom.com and me! (ModernMami™.com)
(Makes 20-30 appetizers, depending on size of your baguette)
Prep time: 10 minutes or less

INGREDIENTS
1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 can cannelini beans (or other white bean, such as Great Northern)
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Baby arugula (about 1/2 cup)
Thinly-sliced prosciutto (about 1/4 pound)

1. Toast your bread slices on both sides. This can be done in an oven, or the Florida summer method, which doesn’t require heating up the oven: Heat a dry skillet over medium high heat. Add bread slices and toast for about 30 seconds per side. Watch closely so they don’t burn.
2.  Make the white bean spread. Drain the liquid from the can of beans. Add to a food processor and puree. Add olive oil, Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and pepper and process until well blended.
3. Assemble the crostini. Spread about 2 tsp. of the bean spread on each baguette. Top with 3-4 pieces of baby arugula and a small slice of the prosciutto.

Main Entree: Balsamic Pineapple Salmon

by Amanda of The Mamma Mia Blog and Angie of A Whole Lot of Nothing
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus marinade time
Cook time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS
(4) 4 oz. salmon fillets
Lawry’s Balsamic Herb Marinade
2 cups pineapple chunks

1. Marinade salmon fillet with Lawry’s Balsamic Herb Marinade (no less than 30 minutes)
2. Place salmon in baking dish
3. Cover salmon with pineapples
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour or until salmon flakes
5. Remove from oven
6. Drizzle with Lawry’s Balsamic Herb Marinade

Side Dish: Sauteed Asparagus

by Jen of The Suburban Mom and Jessica of The Unemployed Mom
Prep & cook time: 7 minutes

INGREDIENTS
Olive Oil
Lemon
Asparagus
Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
Grated Parmesan Cheese

1. Heat olive oil in saute pan (after cleaning asparagus).
2. Place asparagus in pan and then squeeze lemon juice on top.
3. Top with lemon zest and a few dashes of Lawry’s Seasoned Salt.
4. Turn the asparagus while cooking until desired tenderness.
5. Remove from pan then sprinkle fresh parmesan cheese, lemon zest and Lawry’s Seasoned Salt on top prior to serving.

ModernMami™.com Reader Giveaway

Enter for your chance to win a package of the following Lawry’s products: 16 oz Seasoned Salt, Balsamic Herb Marinade, Seasoned Salt Marinade.

How to Enter

Required entry: If you’d like to enter this contest, simply leave a comment below telling us how Lawry’s products can help you create an on-the-go meal.

Extra entries (optional):

Each of the following will count as 1 extra entry. You’ll need to leave a separate comment for each entry.

1. Follow @modernmami on twitter.
2. Tweet the following: Enter to win #lawrys products for your on-the-go meal from @modernmami! http://bit.ly/lawrysdinner #foodie #giveaway #contest #recipes
3. Receive post updates by subscribing to our RSS feed. You can do so either via email or through a RSS reader. Leave a comment saying you did so or are already a subscriber.
4. Subscribe on friendfeed and leave a comment with your friendfeed ID.
5. Like ModernMami™.com on Facebook.
6. Write a blog post on your own blog sharing the details of this contest. Be sure to include a link back to this post. Leave a comment with your post link.

All entries must be in by Monday, August 22, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. You must be 18 or older and have a valid U.S. address to enter. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. (Please be sure to provide a valid email address with your entry.) Winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: I was compensated for participating in this challenge and working with Lawry’s and The Motherhood.

Photo credits: Amanda Keefer, Leigh Caldwell, and Jessica Kirby

***Be sure to scroll down for the awesome giveaway!***

Living in Orlando, people often think that we frequently visit the many theme parks we have in the area. This is not necessarily true, though. As I’m sure is the case for many of you, life often gets in the way of having fun on a regular basis. There is work to be done, household and family responsibilities, and everyday errands to attend to. Sometimes, you need an escape from it all, even if it’s in the same city you live in.

That’s why it was a treat for our family to be a part of the Universal Orlando Resort blogger tour held a couple of weeks ago. During this trip, we were able to take a mini-vacation right here in our own city, though honestly, we nearly forgot we were still in Orlando. It was nice to visit the Universal theme parks again; it had been nearly five years since we had visited Universal Orlando. We also had an opportunity to play tourists and stay at one of the on-site hotels, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, instead of driving back and forth from our home. This definitely helped us feel like we were on vacation and provided us with the chance to experience the theme parks at another level.

During our visit, we visited both Universal Studios and Universal’s Islands of Adventure, both of which have changed quite a bit since the last time we had been there. Both parks have fun rides for the younger kids, such as my baby girl. She’s a tall five year old, but even still, isn’t quite to the 48 inch height requirement that many of the bigger rides require. However, there is plenty at both parks that will please your preschooler. Here’s some of what our family enjoyed.

7 Ways Preschoolers Will Have Fun at Universal Orlando Resort

1. Woody Woodpecker’s Kid Zone

This area is located at Universal Studios and is made for the little ones. Within this space, you can find a variety of fun for toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary-aged kids.

• Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster: If you have a thrill seeker like my girl, your child will be disappointed to find out she can’t ride Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. Luckily, there are mini roller coasters, such as this one, for the kids to enjoy.
• Curious George Goes to Town: Perfect for the very-hot summer days we have here in Orlando, this play area allows the kids to run, get wet, and splash around in a Curious George themed water playground. On our last day at Universal Orlando, we dressed baby girl in her bathing suit and let her have fun for a couple of hours with Curious George before coming home.
• A Day in the Park with Barney: My girl is a bit past her Barney days, but this show and Barney-themed plaza is perfect for toddlers and babies.
• Fievel’s Playland: A huge playground where all kids can have fun, your child will enjoy crawling, climbing, and running through Fievel’s world. There’s also a fun water tube slide that my daughter says, “zips you down with twists and turns!”

2. Meeting Super Heroes at Marvel Super Hero Island

Though your kids may not be familiar with all of the super heroes that reside at Marvel Super Hero Island, they will definitely have fun seeing them parade down the street and getting to know them as they pose for pictures and get their autographs. At Universal’s Islands of Adventure, baby girl was able to meet comic book characters Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine, Storm, and Rogue. I think the only one we missed was Cyclops, one other X-Men available to meet and greet. We also met some villains, Dr. Doom and Green Goblin, who weren’t actually so evil, but provided some comic relief. The Green Goblin wasn’t too fond of baby boy’s Spider-Man hat and called it “the ugliest hat I’ve ever seen!”

*Bonus: Be sure to also check out The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride while at Marvel Super Hero Island! It was by far one of my girl’s favorites.

3. Seuss Landing

Located at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Seuss Landing brings the fun of Dr. Seuss to life. It is really one of the most fun areas of the park with lots of rides for the kids that you’ll also love.

• The Cat in the Hat: Based on the famous book by Dr. Seuss, this ride spins around and guides you through the story.
• Caro-Seuss-el: As baby girl describes it, “there’s lots of wacky animals to ride” on this Dr. Seuss themed carousel! We enjoyed the fact that baby boy could ride along with us as there are stationary bench-like seating available for those that can’t or don’t want to ride on an animal.
• One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish: Our tour guide told us to pay attention to the song played on this ride, otherwise we may get soaked by the fish. Little did we know, that it doesn’t matter if you do or don’t follow the instructions, you’ll still get wet!
• The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!: A view from the top as a train takes you over Seuss Landing.
• If I Ran The Zoo: Perfect for toddlers, this is a small play area that also has a splash section for the kids to have fun with water.

*Bonus: Combine lunch with a fun show and character meet and greets by dining at Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous at Seuss Landing. This was a treat for my girl as we were able to experience character dining without the need for reservations.

4. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Baby girl did not yet know who Harry Potter was, but once we found out we were taking a trip to Universal Orlando, we introduced her to the character by watching the first two movies in the series. This definitely helped her understand some of what she saw in this section of Universal’s Islands of Adventure. But, even if your kids aren’t familiar with the books or movies, they will enjoy the fun window displays as you walk through the streets of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the Flight of the Hippogriff ride, and Butterbeer (we all preferred the frozen version). Check out some of our photos of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to get a glimpse of the beautiful buildings and fun.

5. Learning About New Characters and Films (Well, new to them, old to us.)

There are plenty of iconic characters at both parks of Universal Orlando Resort. But, the younger crowd may have a hard time relating to some of the ones that provide you and I with flashbacks from our childhood. Luckily, as you walk through the parks, you’ll have the perfect chance to introduce new movies and characters to your children, such as:

• E.T.: Though she’s never seen this movie, baby girl truly enjoyed the E.T. Adventure ride at Universal Studios and thought it was cool this was a part of my husband and I’s childhood. Of course, she now wants to see the movie to learn more about the “cute little alien” called E.T.
• Woody and Winnie Woodpecker: My girl enjoys getting autographs from and taking pictures with various characters. So, even though she’d never heard of Woody Woodpecker before, she thought it was awesome to meet him and his girlfriend, Winnie. The good thing is that this creates an interest and opens up a conversation, allowing her father and I to tell her all about who the character is and even showing her video clips we find online. You can find Woody and Winnie at Universal Studios, particularly in Woody Woodpecker’s Kid Zone.
• Toon Lagoon characters: There is an entire area at Universal’s Islands of Adventure dedicated to cartoon characters from the past, including Popeye, Bluto, and Olive. In Toon Lagoon, your kids will enjoy playing at Me Ship, The Olive and those that are tall enough can have fun on Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges or Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls.

6. Meeting Characters They Already Know

Of course, there are plenty of characters to meet at Universal Orlando Resort that your preschooler probably already knows and loves. Some of the characters baby girl got to meet included:

• Dora and Diego
• Spongebob
• Scooby and Shaggy
• Curious George
• Madagascar crew

7. Blue Man Group Show

The Blue Man Group show has been at Universal Orlando Resort for a few years, but this was our first time seeing it. I’m so glad we got a chance to do so too! It was definitely a highlight of our trip. All of us enjoyed the show and though we (and some of the other parents) weren’t sure if our little ones would like it or could handle sitting in on the show, our girl laughed the entire time! I checked in with some of the other bloggers that took their kids, and they also had a good time – from the three-year-olds to the older kids.

Special thanks to the Universal Orlando Resort team, Loews Hotels, and organizers of the trip. My family and I had a wonderful time and enjoyed meeting and hanging out with the other bloggers and their families.

Now, it’s your turn to have some fun at Universal Orlando Resort! Two (2) of you will win a package of four (4) two-day, two-park tickets. See more information and enter to win below.

Universal Orlando Resort Giveaway

Enter for your chance to win four (4) two-day, two-park tickets to Universal Orlando Resort. Each package of 4 tickets is valued at $539.96. Tickets are to be used by June 11, 2012, or winner will forfeit prize. Giveaway is for park tickets only and does not include travel, lodging, or other expenses. See full official rules here. [pdf]

How to Enter

Required entry: If you’d like to enter this contest, simply leave a comment below telling us which Marvel Super Hero your child (or you!) would love to meet.

Extra entries (optional):

Each of the following will count as 1 extra entry. You’ll need to leave a separate comment for each entry.

1. Follow @modernmami on twitter.
2. Tweet the following: Enter to win (4) 2-day 2-park passes to Universal #Orlando Resort from @modernmami! http://bit.ly/uorgiveaway #UORfamily #giveaway #contest
3. Receive post updates by subscribing to our RSS feed. You can do so either via email or through a RSS reader. Leave a comment saying you did so or are already a subscriber.
4. Subscribe on friendfeed and leave a comment with your friendfeed ID.
5. Like ModernMami™.com on Facebook.
6. Write a blog post on your own blog sharing the details of this contest. Be sure to include a link back to this post. Leave a comment with your post link.

All entries must be in by Friday, June 10, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. You must be 18 or older and have a valid U.S. address to enter. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. (Please be sure to provide a valid email address with your entry.) Winner will have 24 hours to respond and claim prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen. See full official rules here. [pdf]

Disclosure: My family and I were invited to Universal Orlando Resort as part of a blogger/media press tour. All expenses paid. No compensation received.

Photo credits: ModernMami.com, Kristen Doyle, Universal Orlando Resort

Last weekend our family had a chance to watch an advanced screening of the new movie RIO, which comes out in theaters today. I was excited to attend the screening for a couple of reasons: we had already seen various trailers and were wanting to watch it and we had not been to the movies since baby boy was born. We were hesitant to bring him along, but had no choice in the matter due to the fact that he won’t accept a bottle. Thankfully, baby boy did an amazing job! He actually watched part of the movie, nursed mid-way through, and then fell asleep towards the end.

I’m sure you’ve seen the trailers and have heard of the movie, but here’s a bit of background information from the official movie synopsis to help you learn what the movie RIO is about:

Blu is a domesticated Macaw who never learned to fly, living a comfortable life with his owner and best friend Linda in the small town of Moose Lake, Minnesota.  Blu and Linda think he’s the last of his kind, but when they learn about another Macaw who lives in Rio de Janeiro, they head to the faraway and exotic land to find Jewel, Blu’s female counterpart.  Not long after they arrive, Blu and Jewel are kidnapped by a group of bungling animal smugglers.

The opening sequence alone makes the movie worth watching in my opinion. Right away, my kids (baby boy included) and I were captivated by the vibrant colors and rhythms. Baby girl started dancing in her seat right away. As we say, ¡la música está en su sangre! Music lives in her blood and the fantastic drum beats of Samba moved her. You can actually take a sneak peek and see the opening sequence for yourself in this video of the first two minutes of RIO. For other RIO video clips and trailers, visit the RIO YouTube channel.

RIO had us laughing the whole time. In fact, the entire theater was full of laughter – both kids and adults. Complementing the laughs, were great music and amazing colors. It’s no surprise to me that the music was so great, since RIO includes original music by Sergio Mendes & will.i.am, both of whom I’m a fan. The movie also has the voice talent of Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, will.i.am, Jamie Foxx and Carlos Ponce, amongst others. The voices are a perfect fit for each character too.

We are still replaying some of the funniest scenes in our house. Probably the favorite scene for all of us was when Pedro, the bird voiced by will.i.am, sings “…Take her, take her to the floor. Show her, show her how you roll. Drop it, drop it, drop it low. Drop it low…” Our family truly enjoyed the movie RIO and I can’t wait for it to come out on DVD so we can watch it again!

Do you plan on watching RIO this weekend with your family? If they enjoy it as much as my family did, your kids may come home asking for more. As with most movies, there is a full line of RIO products available, including Angry Birds RIO, which my daughter promptly requested I download. You can also download this printable RIO kids activity sheet for your children to enjoy! And, finally, be sure to enter this giveaway for more RIO movie fun!

Giveaway

Enter for your chance to win a prize pack consisting of a RIO coloring book and crayons, plus a $25 Fandango gift card.

How to Enter

Required entry: If you’d like to enter this contest, simply leave a comment below telling us what you think you’ll like about RIO, based on the previews and information I provided.

Extra entries (optional):

Each of the following will count as 1 extra entry. You’ll need to leave a separate comment for each entry.

1. Follow @modernmami on twitter.
2. Tweet the following: Enter to win a RIO movie prize pack from @modernmami including Fandango gc! http://bit.ly/riomovieprize #giveaway #contest #movies #RioMovie
3. Receive post updates by subscribing to our RSS feed. You can do so either via email or through a RSS reader. Leave a comment saying you did so or are already a subscriber.
4. Subscribe on friendfeed and leave a comment with your friendfeed ID.
5. Like ModernMami™.com on Facebook.
6. Write a blog post on your own blog sharing the details of this contest. Be sure to include a link back to this post. Leave a comment with your post link.

All entries must be in by Monday, April 25, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. You must have a valid U.S. address to enter. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. (Please be sure to provide a valid email address with your entry.) Winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: I attended a complimentary advance screening of the movie RIO and received information in order to facilitate this review/giveaway. No compensation received. As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own. Affiliate links used.

Photos and other assets provided.

A few months ago, we took our baby girl to see the movie Tangled. I was still pregnant at the time, and it’s the last movie we’ve seen at a movie theater and will remain so for a few more months since baby boy is too young to go. Our girl was excited to see the movie as she’d been seeing the commercials for a while, and like most girls her age, she LOVES princesses. Naturally, she wanted to see Disney’s latest princess movie; their 50th animated film I later found out!

We all really enjoyed the movie and laughed thoroughly, as there are many funny moments in the movie. Even my husband laughed, particularly at Maximus’ antics with Flynn Rider. Rapunzel’s strong will and energy was also contagious and appreciated by my daughter, who is also strong and energetic.

I actually asked my daughter, “Why do you like the movie Tangled?” Her answer: “It’s funny and even though Flynn Rider is a thief, he finds someone that loves him [Rapunzel] and they get married.” The girl has recently become obsessed with all things love and marriage.

Incidentally, the movie’s executive producer, John Lasseter, incorporated a special moment from his own marriage into the movie. Here’s how he explains it:

One of my favorite sequences in the movie is the one we developed with the floating lanterns. Personally, these sequences are very special to me. Why? Well, let me tell you a little story… My wife and I headed to Bora Bora, Tahiti, for our 20th wedding anniversary. The Head Of Food Service at the resort we were staying at was an Italian guy, but he married an Indonesian woman and he had lived in Indonesia for years. He said to us, “I have something special for you.” And on our 20th anniversary, he brought out a lantern. He had us sign a little note to each other, which we taped to the top of the lantern, and then he lit it. It was dusk, we were on the beach and it was very romantic. The guy then said, “Kiss and let it go.” So we let it go and that beautiful lantern floated up into the Tahitian sky and drifted off into the distance.

It was beautiful. We had dinner on the beach that night and we watched the lantern float away for about two hours until it was a tiny, little speck in the sky. It looked like a star up there. It was one of the most magical things that has ever happened to me, so when we started talking about doing something special for Tangled, I mentioned this story to the team. We got on the internet and we discovered that there are festivals in Southeast Asia where thousands of these lanterns light up the sky. We’d never seen anything quite like it, so it became an inspiration for the movie.

If you wish, you can read more from John Lasseter, in this Q&A interview I was provided. [PDF] (Note: These are not questions I personally asked him.)

Also, check out this slide show featuring the concept sketches and drawings for Mother Gothel:

Tangled is due to be released on DVD/Blu-Ray on March 29. And, you have a chance at sharing the story of Rapunzel with your family by entering to win your own copy of Tangled below!

Giveaway

Enter for your chance to win a TANGLED DVD/Blu-Ray Combo pack.

How to Enter

Required entry: If you’d like to enter this contest, simply leave a comment below telling us what you liked best about this movie (if you’ve seen it) or what you think you’ll like based on the previews! You can view a trailer and find out more info about the movie here.

Extra entries (optional):

Each of the following will count as 1 extra entry. You’ll need to leave a separate comment for each entry.

1. Follow @modernmami on twitter.
2. Tweet the following: Enter to win a Tangled DVD/Bluray pack from @modernmami! http://bit.ly/tangleddvd #giveaway #contest #disney #movies
3. Receive post updates by subscribing to our RSS feed. You can do so either via email or through a RSS reader. Leave a comment saying you did so or are already a subscriber.
4. Subscribe on friendfeed and leave a comment with your friendfeed ID.
5. Like ModernMami™.com on Facebook.
6. Write a blog post on your own blog sharing the details of this contest. Be sure to include a link back to this post. Leave a comment with your post link.

All entries must be in by Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. You must have a valid U.S. address to enter. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. (Please be sure to provide a valid email address with your entry.) Winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen. DVD/Blu-ray combo provided may be a different version than pictured.

Disclosure: I received information and product in order to facilitate this review/giveaway. No compensation received. As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own.

Photos provided

When Melanie invited me to participate in this Rice Krispies challenge I got very excited and I immediately started to brainstorm what would I create?? The challenge was to create a Holiday Show-Stopper. Just the name sounds pretty ambitious!

I haven’t made Rice Krispies treats before this, so I was nervous just of the fact that I didn’t know how to make them! But I soon found out that they are so easy to make. That helped. The basic recipe lends itself for many variations and additions, that’s why these challenges are here; with creativity and Rice Krispies there are a million options!!

I think I took it as a design project (I’m a graphic designer), I got really excited with all my ideas and kept thinking of more but there was a point that I had to stop and decide. Once I decided, I wrote my list of supplies and went shopping. It’s been a long time since I do anything this crafty, so I was so happy to go and start it. Then, during the assembly, my favorite part was deciding which icing color each set of balls gets and which sprinkles. Also, matching the colors to each tree, arranging the decorations plus taking the pictures, I think I loved every step! This is something that took me out of my usual computer design work and made me use my creativity in a different way, I love it! Click on the Rice Krispies badge and it will take you to a page were there is a link to all the other posts with the challenge, it’s really fun to see them all!

In my mind there are so many variations of this, you can make 1 tree only, you can paint the trees and balls in other colors (Even if they aren’t Christmas colors, it will look Holiday because of the cones and arrangement plus kids would love some rainbow color sprinkles, for example!), you can make other shapes as ornaments (candy canes, bells, stars, etc), you can add sparkle to make it shiny, add flowers and so on… I could keep going and going here!

I did get my 4 year old, Adrian, to help me with it and we had lots of fun. He helped me get the mix together, make the balls, paint the trees and when he ate them he said: it’s like a lollipop!! But I have to confess there were many moments that I wanted the project all to myself and the designer instinct kicked in more than the mami instinct; I had to balance it!

Without further ado, here is the recipe so you can make this Show-Stopper too if you wish:

Holiday Rice Krispies Trees

Ingredients for the ball ornaments:

• 9 tbsp of butter
• 3 regular bags (10 oz) of marshmallows
• 18 cups of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies (About 2 boxes)
• Bag of 100 Lollipop sticks (cut in 3 pieces each)

Directions for the ornaments:

1. In a saucepan melt the 3 tbsp of butter over low heat.
2. Once its melted add 1 bag of marshmallows and stir until completely melted.
3. Remove from heat and add 6 cups of Rice Krispies, stir until its all mixed. Let it cool for a couple of minutes.
4. Butter a baking sheet and butter your hands, start making the balls and place them on the tray. Try to make them no bigger than 3/4″ and the smallest you can will be probably about 1/2″. The different sizes will work well on the the different cone sizes.
5. Attach a stick to each ball.
6. Repeat step 1 to 5 for 2 times more. So in total you will make 3 ornament batches. The mix has to be molded warm so that’s why you have to work in separate batches.

Ingredients for the decorations:

• 2 tubes of white decorating incing (4.25 oz each)
• 1 tube of red decorating incing (4.25 oz)
• 1 tube of green decorating incing (4.25 oz)
• Assorted Sprinkles and icing to decorate
• 3 Styrofoam cones in different sizes (The biggest one is about 13″ tall)

Directions for assembly and decorations:

1. With a brush, paint the cones with the icing (If it is too thick add a hint of water) in 3 different colors, one white, one red and one green. Let it dry.
2. Meanwhile place each icing color on a little container (Again, if it’s too thick add 1 or 2 tsp of water) and dip the balls 3/4 of the way in the icing.
3. Top each ball with your favorite holiday sprinkle combination. Let them dry. You can use a Styrofoam base to stick them to dry and maybe place them in the fridge or let them dry overnight.
4. After they are all very dry, stick them to each tree in an imaginary ribbon of balls from top to bottom until you fill all the tree. You will need about 55 balls for each tree!
5. Have fun arranging the trees in a circular base with real or imitation pine!

Thanks so much Melanie and ModernMami readers for having me here and now there is a great giveaway for you readers!

Reader Giveaway

One of you will win a $100 Visa Gift card!

How to Enter

Required entry: If you’d like to enter this contest, simply leave a comment below letting me know if you have made other Rice Krispies treats recipes and which one is your favorite.

The rules of this giveaway only allow 1 entry per person, so just by leaving a comment answering the question above you’ll be entered.

All entries must be in by Tuesday, December 21, 2010 at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. (Please be sure to provide a valid email address with your entry.) Winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

Abbreviated Rules: No Purchase Necessary. Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry. Subject to complete Official Rules. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: TheMotherhood.com

Disclosure: As a Rice Krispies Brand Ambassador for TheMotherhood.com, I was compensated for participating in this challenge.

*This giveaway has closed. Congratulations to the winners!*

My husband has always been into video games. I have too. I can still remember saving up my own money when I was 8 or 9 and going to the store to buy my first Nintendo system – the first one out that came with the duck hunting game and gun. Remember that? It’s no surprise, then, that my husband and I enjoy playing video games together and that this too has become a favorite family activity with our daughter.

However, there’s not that many games available that both entertain and are easy enough for her almost-five-year-old self to play. We end up helping her a lot when she plays games, even those that are supposedly for her age level. Which is why I was excited when I learned of the Sesame Street video games while I was at the Blogalicious 2010 conference. You’ve got Sesame Street characters like Cookie Monster and Elmo, educational games, and even a remote cover (or special pen for the DS version) to help children with their game play.

Our family received Cookie’s Counting Carnival for the Wii system to try out. Right away, our daughter was excited to play the game and couldn’t wait to put the Cookie Monster cover on the remote! I have to admit, I was just as excited and the fact that she was so engaged with the character and idea of it, automatically made me engaged as well. She was able to play the game by herself without much help at all. The mini-games included were appropriate for her age and of course, Cookie Monster’s guidance made the experience fun for her. By the way, have you ever seen Cookie Monster on Sesame Street’s Twitter? You get hilarious tweets from Cookie himself, like this one!

Anyway, it’s really no surprise that she enjoyed the game and as parents, my husband and I were glad that she was reinforcing many skills from preschool through a fun game experience. As adults, though, that play a variety of video games, it was hard not to notice a few things about the game that we wish were improved upon:

• The synching of the voices to the mouth movement was off. See the video below for an example.
• The remote cover actually made it a little harder to play for her. I think it was because it didn’t exactly fit the Wii remote, so it kept sliding around as she played. That may just have been our remote and/or cover; I’m not sure if all are the same.
• The reaction time from pressing a button on the remote and the game recognizing your choice/move was also a bit off at times. This made for very slight frustration on her part as she knew she had the right answer and the game didn’t recognize it!

Sesame Street: Cookie’s Counting Carnival Video Game for the Wii from Melanie Edwards on Vimeo.

Like I said, those are minor details that she didn’t notice while playing the game, but that we did since we’re into video game playing. None of that made for a bad experience in playing the game and each was easily resolved by ignoring it, removing the cover, and using it as a life lesson of “Sometimes things aren’t fair.” Luckily, our baby girl is strong and adjusts quickly, so she was not phased.

All that being said, how about you give the games a try yourself and see how your kids like them? The Sesame Street folks have provided one each of Sesame Street: Elmo’s A-to-Zoo Adventure for the Nintendo DS and Sesame Street: Cookie’s Counting Carnival for the Nintendo DS. That means, that two ModernMami.com readers will win! Here are the descriptions for each game, as well as a video trailer with more information:

• In Sesame Street: Elmo’s A-to-Zoo Adventure, kids head to the Zoo with Elmo, Zoe and their animal friends, as they explore fun games including letter identification, rhyming, letter sounds and color and shape identification. Kids can also explore fun Zoo habitats including the Aquarium, Savanna, Jungle, Wetlands and the Arctic.
• In Sesame Street: Cookie’s Counting Carnival, kids join Cookie Monster and Big Bird at a fun-filled carnival, through gameplay steeped in math skills that include number identification, counting, shapes and pattern recognition. Kids journey through the game in the many areas of the carnival such as The Grandstand, Midway, Petting Zoo, Food Court and the Arcade.

In case you don’t win a game, or need one for the Wii or PC instead of the DS, you can also take advantage of the 10% coupon code they’ve provided. Simply go to sesamestreet.org/videogames and enter promo code MOMMY at checkout. Coupon details:

• End Date: December 20, 2010
• Type of Discount: 10% off any Sesame Street Video Game
• Promo Code: MOMMY

Reader Giveaway

Two (2) of you will win a Sesame Street video game for the Nintendo DS: One will win Elmo’s A-to-Zoo Adventure and the other Cookie’s Counting Carnival.

How to Enter

Required entry: If you’d like to enter this contest, simply leave a comment below telling us if your younger kids enjoy playing video games and if so, which are their favorites.

Extra entries (optional):

Each of the following will count as 1 extra entry. You’ll need to leave a separate comment for each entry.

1. Follow @modernmami on twitter.
2. Tweet the following: Win #sesamestreet #videogame at @modernmami for Nintendo DS! Ends 12/14 http://bit.ly/ssgame #giveaway #contest #sorteo #holidays #preschool
3. Receive post updates by subscribing to our RSS feed. You can do so either via email or through a RSS reader. Leave a comment saying you did so or are already a subscriber.
4. Subscribe on friendfeed and leave a comment with your friendfeed ID.
5. Like ModernMami.com on Facebook.
6. Write a blog post on your own blog sharing your favorite childhood video games or those your kids enjoy. Be sure to include details of this contest with a link back to this post. Leave a comment with your post link.

All entries must be in by Tuesday, December 14, 2010 at 11:59 pm EST. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be notified via email. (Please be sure to provide a valid email address with your entry.) Winner will have 24 hours to respond and claim prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: A video game copy was received for facilitating this review. No compensation received.

Photos and video game trailer provided by and used courtesy of Sesame Street.