Guidecraft Rainbow Blocks Review {w/link to Giveaway}

 

Rainbow Blocks are AWESOME! 

I have always wanted these, so when I found out we were getting the 30 Piece Rainbow Block Set to review I was ecstatic!  They are even better than I imagined!  Quality wooden blocks are a must-have in my mind and these are not only wonderful wooden blocks, but they have the addition of the rainbow windows which provide for even more imaginative play.

 

I knew this little guy would LOVE them, and I was right.  He was a bit confused at first-thinking there was a specific something he was supposed to do with them.  Once he let loose he played for hours.  My favorite was his rocket ship…

 

Ladybug surprised me with how much she enjoyed them and actually built {stacked} with themThe cars in the blocks = awesome…totally her thing.

 

Pac Man has had a good time with these blocks too, he has always loved blocks of any sort-he has that type of mind and enjoys creative free play.  One night he set up a store with “glasses” for sale.    This is the pair I chose…nice huh? ;-)

Mom’s thoughts…

Initially I was skeptical due to the expense, and I originally wondered if 30 pieces would be enough to have fun with.  I am happy to say that these blocks are worth the $$ and that 30 is enough.  We would love to add to the set, by possibly getting some of the other neat sets they have {sand, shimmering water, crystal beads, etc.} but these as a stand alone set of wooden rainbow blocks is wonderful.

BUY IT!

Guidecraft offers awesome wooden blocks, you can see their rainbow blocks here, as well as many other different types of wooden blocks they carry! You can purchase the rainbow blocks we reviewed here on the Guidecraft site, or here on Amazon. 

WIN IT!

Erica from Confessions of a Homeschool is hosting the giveaway this month!  Head on over to enter to win a set of your own Rainbow Blocks!

This product was given to me for review purposes, and I do not have to return the product to the vendor. I was not paid for this post. All opinions expressed in this post are mine.

Guidecraft Doll Cradle Review

When I found out we were going to be reviewing doll furniture, I must admit, I wasn’t too excited. Oh how WRONG I was to think Ladybug was too young {she is 18 months old} for doll furniture. I chose the doll cradle in natural, and knew she would love it someday, just had no idea it would be the day I put it together! PacMan snapped some pictures of me while I was putting it together {didn’t he do a good job?}It was very simple to put together and I was amazed with how sturdy it was as I examined all of the pieces. Krash saw me working with tools so of course he had to come help me ;-)

The minute it was done they all came over to investigate. Ladybug was IMMEDIATELY drawn to it.

She then went to find her Mickey and Minnie dolls and rocked them for a long time. She even positioned them just-so and covered them with the included bedding.

Then, she insisted on getting in. I was nervous at first ;-) but let her try it out. Talk about sturdy-you’d think this was made for her to sit in {but it is not}. She sat and rocked herself for a really long time. Then she went night-night…

On another day she rocked our pumpkins… She has played with the doll cradle so much, like I said-I had no clue she would like it so much! We are so grateful to Guidecraft for allowing us to review this awesome doll cradle.

Other Guidecraft Moms got to review doll furniture too. Curious to see what they thought? See reviews for…

• Table & Chairs {Jolanthe}, Table & Chairs {Cindy}
• Bunk Beds {Carissa}, Bunk Beds {Erica}
• Doll Buggy {Xenia}
• Doll Cradle {Jodi}
• Doll Bed {Jenn}

BUY IT!

Guidecraft offers beautiful doll furniture! You can purchase the doll cradle we reviewed here on the Guidecraft site, or here on Amazon. This would be a GREAT Christmas gift, for a special little girl in your life!

This product was given to me for review purposes, and I do not have to return the product to the vendor. I was not paid for this post. All opinions expressed in this post are mine.

Ahh Prods Bean Bag ~ Review & Giveaway {$50 gift certificate}

Congratulations Comment #138...Shannon, you Won!!!!

To say we LOVE our Ahh Prods bean bag chair would be a total understatement. If you spent a day in our home, you’d see how much this bean bag is loved, by ALL of us. I had been researching bean bags in preparation for our new schoolroom and found several online, but was honestly a bit skeptical without ever being able to sit in them. I knew the ones I could find at my local retailer weren’t what I wanted-I just wasn’t sure which route to go. I was drawn to the Ahh Prods Bean Bags site {which I found through a Google search} and ended up contacting them to see if they would be interested in a review…thankfully they were! My amazing bean bag arrived soon after that and the love affair began. I knew we would like it, I had no idea how much we would love it.

From the moment the box was opened, everyone was just in awe. It is SUPER soft {we chose the cuddle fabric in navy blue-which is the same fabric my mom uses to sew baby blankets out of!}. This fabric is not only soft, but also extremely durable-I know this from the blankets!

Our little Ladybug, who is almost 1 1/2 thinks the bean bag is her bed ;-). She loves for us to dig her a little hole and let her lay in it while she watches her favorite show!

She also thinks it is a super fun toy…

Our boys rotate days using the bean bag for independent reading time,

and often will end up in it together…getting along well just so they can share it. If they fight-I get it!

The bean bag has been used for a chair in other various locations, this was one of my favorites!

Ahh Prods bean bags all come with an outer cover which is WASHABLE, along with an inner cover that protects the beads from moisture. This is a VERY important feature, as I am sure any of you with kids will understand! You can see detailed product info here.

We have had our bean bag for about 2 months now and it is actually more comfortable for all of us now that it has been worn in a bit!

I highly recommend this bean bag, and I don’t say that lightly as I know it is more expensive than the type of bean bags you can find elsewhere. The quality far surpasses any bean bag I have personally seen and the fact that it can be washed, refilled if necessary, and even recovered ~ lets me know that this bean bag will be around for a long time. Unlike our $30 bean bag that our cat peed on and ruined. Of course there was no liner so the nastiness soaked through to the beans and damaged it permanently. We don’t have to worry about this one since we can wash the cover and the inner liner will protect the beads from moisture!

An AhhProds Bean Bag would make an excellent Christmas gift for your family and would be something every member would enjoy. They carry different sizes, we have the 37”. My husband really wants the giant, although he does fit in the 37”. You can see excellent photo comparisons of the different sizes they carry to get an even better idea. We are thrilled that we will be getting at least one more bean bag we just haven’t chosen our fabric yet!

They even offer free fabric swatches if you are trying to match something or just decide between different fabrics. The customer service has been amazing! Shipping was awesome too, when my order was placed, it arrived in just a few days!!! The BIG box became a play fort for the boys too…added bonus!!!

AhhProds.com is donating a $50 Gift Certificate to one winner!

BUY IT…
Can’t wait to see if you’ll win? You can use this special discount code until October 31, 2010 to receive $10 off of a regular-priced bean bag chair: 1111off10

WIN IT…
www.AhhProds.com is offering a $50 gift certificate to one winner!

Mandatory Entry…
Visit www.AhhProds.com and tell me your favorite item and the page name where you found it after you browse around their site a bit. Leave the name of the item and URL (page name) in your 1st comment!

Ex: I like the Fun Paisley Fleece Bean Bag Chair: http://www.ahhprods.com/inc/sdetail/28113

After you do that, you can gain some extra entries by any of the following, remember to leave an extra comment for each item so they will count as entries...

1. If you follow @beanbagchairs on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway, give yourself an extra entry. Feel free to copy and Tweet this: Do you want an awesome bean bag chair? Head over to @1plus1plus1 who is hosting a giveaway for @beanbagchairs here: http://bit.ly/9BwydZ
2. If you follow @1plus1plus1 on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway, give yourself an extra entry. Feel free to copy and Tweet this: Do you want an awesome bean bag chair? Head over to @1plus1plus1 who is hosting a giveaway for @beanbagchairs here: http://bit.ly/9BwydZ
3. If you Like 1+1+1=1 on Facebook, give yourself an extra entry.
4. If you Like AHH! Bean Bag Chairs on Facebook, give yourself an extra entry.
5. If you subscribe to /follow 1+1+1=1, give yourself an extra entry.

This Giveaway is open for anyone!

I will select a winner using Random.org, so be sure you leave a separate comment for each entry, I will also be moderating comments to check that your entries are valid-please be honest!

Contest ENDS November 1, 2010. Winner will be announced here and on the AhhProds Bean Bags Blog, and emailed (your email MUST be in each comment/or enabled in blogger). Winner must reply to my email within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen.

The Jesus Book ~ Review

We have had this book, The Jesus Book by Stephen Elkins,  for some time now…and have been reading bits and pieces over time.  Here are our thoughts…

• The illustrations are awesome, I specifically like that Jesus has dark hair!
• It is not a book I would recommend sitting and reading straight through, but rather using it more as a reference tool to look up certain things about Jesus.  There are categories {Who, What, Where, When, Why, How} and short excerpts digging deeper into specifics about Jesus.
• The stories are well done and simple, yet explain a lot.  Pac Man {age 8} really enjoyed the book and read much of it on his own, then asking me questions later.  Krash {age 4} enjoyed it too, but he doesn’t have great comprehension skills so much of it was over his head.  He was drawn into the illustrations though.
• Overall I am glad we own this book, as it is unlike any other children’s Bible storybook we have.  It is one I am sure we will go back to over the years as we dig deeper and deeper into the life of our Savior!
• I would recommend this book, and I especially think of my blog readers who have emailed me telling me that they did not grow up in a Christian home yet want to teach their children about Jesus.  Many of you have expressed that you are learning right along with your children, I think this book would be great for you!

You can buy The Jesus Book here on Amazon.  See the book info page here on the Thomas Nelson Website.

Do you want to review books on your blog, here’s where I got this one…

Usborne Books ~ Giveaway ~ 2 Winners!

Congratulations #94-Julie and #16-Stephanie...YOU WON!!!

Usborne books are awesome. I drool over the tables at homeschool conferences, I thumb through the catalogs, and envy my friends who have tons of their books. When Stacie contacted me to see if I would be interested in hosting a review/giveaway I said YES, happily! When we got the review products in the mail it was pure joy! She generously sent us these awesome products {click on the images to see details}…

We loved everything so very much, but I must say the book, In the Castle has been read SO many times already. Seriously…a new VERY FAVORITE BOOK around here.

I love this shot of Ladybug asking me to help her get the puzzle out. She loves these books {we have 2 like this}. Krash still loves them too!

Pac Man enjoys his USA States and Capitals Learning Wrap. He said it is MUCH better than writing on a worksheet! We have been studying USA Geography a ton lately, so this was perfect for him!

Krash and I are looking forward to working through the 123 Sticker Book together during our preschool time! We are just so thankful for the wonderful items Stacie sent to us! I highly recommend each item!

BUY IT!

Can’t wait to see if you will win? You can purchase your own Usborne Books right here! Stacie is generously offering a FREE SHIPPING credit for orders over $50! The credit will come in the form of a refund check mailed to you. You must use this link to get the credit…it is an Usborne show set up just for my readers! If you have any questions about orders, please contact Stacie directly.

WIN IT!!

Stacie is generously donating TWO $25.00 gift certificates to her Usborne Books Site! That’s right…TWO of you will win!!!

Mandatory Entry…

Visit Usborne Books and tell me what your favorite item{s} is after you browse around the site a bit. Leave the name of the item{s} in your 1st comment!

After you do that, you can gain some extra entries by any of the following, remember to leave an extra comment for each item so they will count as entries...

1. If you Follow/Subscribe to 1+1+1=1 give yourself an extra entry.
2. If you Follow/Subscribe to Stacie’s blog The Amazing Mess {great for preschoolers} give yourself an extra entry!
3. If you Follow/Subscribe to Stacie’s Usborne Book Blog give yourself an extra entry!
4. If you follow @1plus1plus1 on Twitter AND tweet about the giveaway, give yourself an extra entry! Feel free to copy and tweet this: @1plus1plus1 is hosting a giveaway for Usborne Books here...http://bit.ly/auuG5w
5. If you follow Stacie on Twitter @1AmazingMess give yourself an extra entry!

This Giveaway is open for anyone!

I will select a winner using Random.org, so be sure you leave a separate comment for each entry, I will also be moderating comments to check that your entries are valid-please be honest!

Contest ENDS October 3, 2010. Winner will be announced here, and emailed (your email MUST be in each comment/or enabled in blogger). Winner must reply to my email within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen.

Guidecraft Moms...

If you follow me on Twitter, you may have already heard, but if not…you can now learn about the new Guidecraft Mom Bloggers team! You will recognize many of the moms, as they are almost all Totally Tots contributors! That’s right…Guidecraft has partnered with us in a big way! I am one of the Mom Bloggers and will be able to provide reviews and giveaways for you all year long-along with the rest of this team!

To kick things off, my good friend Jolanthe will be hosting a BIG Twitter party that you will most certainly want to take part in. Even if you are clueless about Twitter-I promise now is the time to learn! 2 people will win $500 gift cards to the Guidecraft store!!! AMAZING! On top of that, four other toys will be given away during the 1 hour party and even a set of Magneatos will be given to someone who simply RSVP’s to the Twitter party. You can learn all about it here {and even how to participate in the party}. Jolanthe does an awesome job explaining it all. I will be there, hope to “see you there.”

Seeds Family Worship ~ Giveaway!

Congratulations Wendi #359, YOU WON!!!!

Didn't win? You can purchase Seeds Family Worship CDs on their site here, using coupon code 1plus1plus1 for 20% off. You can also buy Seeds on Amazon and iTunes.

Thank you Seeds Family Worship for all you do to spread the GOOD NEWS!!!

If you have been a blog reader of mine for awhile, you certainly know that I LOVE Seeds Family Worship!!! We were sent the cd set for review awhile back and they quickly became a family favorite. Such a favorite, that it became the new featured music for the In My Heart feature on Totally Tots!

We have started using these songs and the printables from Totally Tots for our family Raising Rock Stars time. We still do Bible topic lessons, but mix the Seeds verses in also now! The kids LOVE it, and so do we. It is a simple way to teach God’s Word without having to create elaborate plans. Our favorite family night by far was when we focused on the song “Out of the Mud.” We made a slimy pit and everything, here’s Daddy pulling them out of the mud… see more here!

We use many of the different printables, and they have really helped with memorization and mostly APPLICATION. The mini verse cards are great for taking each portion of the verse separately and explaining its meaning.

I can’t say enough about the music itself, it is truly amazing! I listen to it by myself quite often, I enjoy it as much as the kids do. The music is awesome, I HIGHLY recommend it!!!!

BUY IT!

You can purchase Seeds Family Worship CDs on their site here, using coupon code 1plus1plus1 for 20% off. You can also buy Seeds on Amazon and iTunes.

WIN IT!!

Seeds Family Worship is generously donating a set of 5 CDs! That means 1 of you will win the entire 5 CD set!

Mandatory Entry…

Visit www.SeedsFamilyWorship.net and browse around a bit. Leave a comment telling me you’d love to win the CD set!

After you do that, you can gain some extra entries by any of the following, remember to leave an extra comment for each item so they will count as entries...

1. If you Follow/Subscribe to 1+1+1=1 give yourself an extra entry.
2. If you register for Seeds Family Worship’s newsletter, give yourself an extra entry. {see yellow arrow below}
3. If you follow @1plus1plus1 on Twitter AND tweet about the giveaway, give yourself an extra entry! Feel free to copy and tweet this: @1plus1plus1 is hosting a giveaway for @seedsworship CDs here...http://bit.ly/cgNspT
   
4. If you follow @seedsworship on Twitter, give yourself an extra entry!
5. If you LIKE 1+1+1=1 on Facebook, give yourself an extra entry!
6. If you LIKE Seeds Family Worship on Facebook, give yourself an extra entry!
7. If you Follow/Subscribe to Totally Tots, give yourself an extra entry!

This Giveaway is open for USA!

I will select a winner using Random.org, so be sure you leave a separate comment for each entry, I will also be moderating comments to check that your entries are valid-please be honest!

Contest ENDS September 21, 2010. Winner will be announced here, and emailed (your email MUST be in each comment/or enabled in blogger). Winner must reply to my email within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen.