Logitech Washable Keyboard

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This review needs no hype, no lengthy discussion, no list of features or benefits.  Just 3 words:  Washable Computer Keyboard.

Eeeeee!!!!!

It's what every parent wants: to get rid of all the crumbs and gunk that kids deposit on their keyboards Okay, maybe a few of those crumbs were caused by the parents themselves.  And I guess those coffee stains didn't come from the kids.  But whatever! Now we can wash them off!



Introducing the Logitech Washable Keyboard. You can dunk it in water (up to 11 inches) and clean it.  What else do you need to say?

Okay, here are a couple of things:
* It has drainage holes to speed up drying time (they recommend wiping it dry, then waiting 8 hrs)
* The keys are marked with laser printing and UV coating so they won't fade with each wash


Oh, and two more things:
* The keyboard comes with a little brush that snaps onto the bottom, so you can whisk off crumbs and dust.
* The USB port has a little cap to protect the wiring when you're washing the keyboard.


Neat, huh?

Logitech's image gallery shows a very pretty photo of the keyboard being immersed in a sink:


Of course, I had to test the keyboard in my own (i.e. REAL) kitchen.  I asked 3Po to give the keyboard a quick wash and scrub:


8 hours later, I plugged it into my laptop and it's good to go.

Enough said!




Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Big Book of Cupcakes

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Cupcake Wars on The Food Network is one of my favorite tv shows. I love the way the contestants always seem to come up with original, delicious cupcake flavors at the drop of the hat. It's amazing how much you can dress up such a small, ordinary little cake!

Some time ago I was sent a copy of the Big Book of Cupcakes, presented by Southern Living, featuring recipes by Jan Moon, the owner of Dreamcakes Bakery. The book has all kinds of baking hints, decorating tips, equipment and ingredient listings -- and of course, tons of cupcake recipes with step-by-step directions that will have any baker, from novice to expert, baking cupcakes in no time.



That's certainly what happened with The Pea!  She took this book and ran away with it -- and now, her chocolate cupcakes are legendary among her dad's poker buddies.

Here's what I love best about the book:

* The photos
I don't think I've ever seen such tempting-looking photos of cupcakes. Just looking at them makes me want to buy them or make them and stuff them in my mouth. It's food porn, indeed!

* The original recipes
Aside from traditional favorites like red velvet, chocolate and carrot cake, this book has some amazingly original flavor combinations like Maple Bacon cupcakes and Caramel Sea Salt Mocha cupcakes. When I open this book, I feel like I'm stepping into Cupcake Wars!

* The inspiration I get
Each recipe contains a tip on how bakers can modify the decorating instructions to suit whatever occasion they're baking for; for example, how to decorate their bestselling Over the Moon cupcake for a bridal shower. I love all the different ideas, because even if I don't follow the decorating instructions to the letter, the tips and photos serve as a jumping point for my own cupcake decorating ideas.

* The taste
I haven't tried all these recipes yet, and I'm not sure I'll ever get to trying all of them. But we quickly found and tried some that are already family favorites, like their White Cake (the secret is a hint of almond extract!), Vanilla Bean Frosting, Chocolate Cake (the fluffiest, moistest cake EVER)  and Strawberry Cake.

Here are some photos of the cupcakes we've created with the help of this book:

The Chocolate High Cupcake is always popular at our home: Chocolate Cupcakes filled with Chocolate Ganache and frosted with Chocolate Frosting, topped with a Malteser (malted milk ball).  Can you tell my family loves chocolate?



We frosted chocolate cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache, and added a variety of toppings (chocolate sprinkles, chopped nuts, cocoa powder, crushed Oreos).   Don't they look sophisticated?



When I suggested trying to make these Fresh Apple 'N Cheddar Cupcakes, the kids were a bit doubtful at first -- they had never had cheddar cheese with apple pie before -- but I reminded them that we have never had a bad cupcake from this book.  That was all  it took, and after tasting the cupcakes, all their doubts were gone.



We were invited to a fall potluck, so I made Apple Cupcakes, filled them with Vanilla Bean Frosting, and piped on Old-Fashioned Caramel Frosting in a lattic pattern to make it look like mini apple pies.  They were a hit!



Whether you're an expert or beginner baker, whether you love to bake cupcakes, eat them or just look at them, Southern Living's Big Book of Cupcakes makes a wonderful addition to your cookbook collection!

Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the book or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Lice Shield Back to School giveaway

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Has your school had its first lice check yet?  Any dreaded pink slips in your kid's backpack with the words LICE on them?  Any parent whose kids has had lice knows that an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure!  Fortunately, Lice Shield is giving away 5 sets of Lice Shield Shampoo & Conditioner, and Lice Shield Conditioning Spray.  It keeps your child's hair clean gently, and repels lice with natural essential oils like citronella, rosemary and lemongrass.   Here's how to enter:

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and share a tip for preventing or getting rid of hair lice.

Extra Entries

For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.). 

1)  Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on your Pinterest board (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the Lice Shield giveaway!

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on October 10, 2012; I will draw 5 winners at random on October 11 and post their names after they confirm acceptance. Continental US and Canada residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. 



Are you worried about lice in your neighborhood?  Check out Lice Shield's Lice Watch app on Facebook!  They have a 




Disclosure:  I received a product sample and other promotional goodies from Lice Shield as a thank-you for posting this information. The views and opinions expressed here are my own. 


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His-and-hers Halloween costumes

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October is almost here, and you know what that means:  us grownups have an excuse to dress up in costume, all month long!  I'm not just talking about Halloween night, I'm talking about all those Halloween parties.  And if you are taking a date with you to your party, it's a lot of fun if you have coordinating costumes.  I'm not into the gag-type costumes like ketchup and mustard, or tacky tourists, I prefer adult costumes with a hint of naughtiness.  Here are some of the matching costumes for women and men at EdenFantasys:

Both of you can dress up as police offers -- but who will be the good cop and who will be the bad cop?  And who is in charge of the handcuffs?



Male policeman costume:


Here's a female fire fighter costume. What can I say, it's hot hot hot... :)


And here's the matching male firefighter costume:


Another fun holiday to celebrate in October is Oktoberfest. What's not to love -- sausages, beer, music, and late night partying with family and friends!  Some friends of mine recently attended an Oktoberfest gathering, and they had to search long and hard on Ebay for their costumes.  Had they told me, I could have pointed them to this adorable beer garden girl costume:


And here's the matching lederhosen for guys!



Save on your EdenFantasys Purchase!EU15: save 15% on any orderEU20: save 20% on orders of $50 or moreEU25: save 25% on orders of $100 or moreEU30: save 30% on orders of $150 or more

Disclosure: EdenFantasys is providing me with a gift card as a thank-you for writing this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Yo Gabba Gabba Live!: There's a Party in My City DVD Review & Giveaway

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*To view the Rafflecopter form and enter giveaway, please click on actual blog post link.*
Hailee & I are both fans of Yo Gabba Gabba, last year we attended There's a Party in My City Live. It was a blast. NCircle Entertainment send us the DVD Yo Gabba Gabba Live!: There's a Party in My City. It was great to watch and remember the fun time we had at the live show. I love singing along to. Yo Gabba Gabba has some weird characters but teaches kids great things. I'm always catching myself singing even when the show isn't on.

Join D.J. Lance Rock, Brobee, Toodee, Foofa, Plex, Muno and all of our favorite Yo Gabba Gabba! friends for their first-ever live concert! It is a non-stop musical extravaganza.  Get up on your feet to sing and dance along over ten Gabba favorites, including: “There’s a Party in My Tummy,” “Name Game” and “Get The Sillies Out.” 

This full-length concert is packed with special guests including beatboxing legend Biz Markie performing Biz’s Beat of the Day, the incomparable Leslie Hall & DO IT teaching a Dancey Dance, and Super Music Friends Show guest The Aquabats performing everyone’s favorite, “Pool Party.”  Yo Gabba Gabba! Live!: There’s a Party in My City! will get the whole family dancing and singing no matter what city you’re in! 

•   Studio:  NCircle Entertainment•   Run Time:  110 minutes with bonus content•   SRP: $9.99
•   Available at a retailer near you including Walmart, Kmart, Target, Toys R Us or www.NCircleEntertainment.com 

Along with the DVD we were also sent a copy of It's Okay to Try Again! Hailee loves to read this book! It teaches kids a great lesson! I love that the book is a board book, although Hailee knows better and treats books with respect the book will last so much longer!

Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers who sometimes get a little bit frustrated when things don't go their way, this book teaches them that it's okay to try, try, try again. Based on one of the top-rated and most-popular Gabba songs "It's Okay, Try Again."

a Rafflecopter giveaway
















The items featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

American Girl Magazine

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The latest issue of American Girl magazine is out, and it's full of lots of crafts, advice and activities to keep girls busy throughout the fall.  We received a copy of the September/October issue (available for sale as a single issue at the American Girl online store, or via subscription), and it looks like a lot of fun!  Here are some highlights:

The Classroom Confidential guide helps girls tackle back-to-school challenges like making friends or forgetting locker combinations, and start the school year confident and happy.

The Fearless article inspires girls to try new and exciting things by featuring three brave girls who try karate, flying and soapbox derby racing.


The Monster Cake tutorial teaches girls how to make and decorate a fun monster cake for Halloween


The Haunted Hotel Party guide has everything girls need -- crafts, treats and game suggestions -- to help them through the ultimate Halloween bash.

American Girl Magazine is a wonderful resource for girls 8 and up.  The Pea treasures each and every one of her issues!  She has gotten inspiration for organizing her locker and decorating her room.  She has even tried making some of their healthy breakfasts by herself to get out of her daily cereal rut!  And she's not the only one who loves the magazine.....



McKenna and Marie-Grace love American Girl magazine too!  Whenever they can get their hands on an issue, they read it from cover to cover.



Even Coconut likes to read American Girl Magazine!  With all the fun crafts and recipes inside that girls can enjoy, Coconut wants to make sure he gets in on the action.


Want to make your own American Girl magazine for your American Girl dolls?  It's easy!  Just print out the printables and follow the directions below to make a 2.5"x3" magazine ......



1)  Click on each of the images below to view full-size, then right-click to save the image to your desktop. Print both images.





2) Cut each pair of pages on the dotted lines.  Make sure you cut around the tabs.

3) Arrange the pages with tabs A & A1 back-to-back, so that the printout shows on both sides.  Glue together.  Do the same for B & B1, C & C1, D & D1.

4) Stack the pages one on top of the other, with the tabs A, B, C & D facing up, with A at the bottom, B on top of A, C on top of B, and D on top of C.  The "American Girl" magazine cover should be at the top of the stack.

5) Fold the stack of pages in half along the solid line in the center.  Run your finger down the folded edge to help the pages lie flat.

6)  Open the folded stack.  Staple along the center line.  Cut the tabs off.  You're done!


Now your dolls can enjoy their own doll-sized copy of American Girl magazine as much as your girl enjoys hers!



Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the Sept/Oct 2012 issue of American Girl Magazine.. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.


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Back to School with Lice Shield

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A few years ago, my daughter contracted a case of head lice, and getting rid of the little buggers required craftiness and dedication worthy of a Sun Tzu military campaign. You know, the guy who wrote The Art of War.  Yes, it was a war -- combing through The Pea's thick hair and methodically pulling out each and every nit, one by one, boiling her sheets, sterilizing her stuffies -- when it comes to lice, you can't leave any prisoners!

Dealing with head lice was such a pain, it left me completely paranoid about future outbreaks, and a firm believer in the old adage, An Ounce of Prevention is worth a Ton of Cure.  So now, whenever I hear of a lice outbreak at school, I immediately remind The Pea that she must never share combs or hair ties with her friends, and instruct her to switch to a lice-repelling shampoo.  And wouldn't you believe it, this year, on the night before school started, one of her friend's moms called me to say that her daughter had lice!  Ugh.  I was gearing up for another nit-picky battle, but fortunately this time around The Pea didn't get it.  Phew!

 Back to school is stressful enough without having to worry about lice. That's why I think lice-repelling hair-care products like Lice Shield ought to be on every parent's Back to School shopping list, along with erasers and crayons and scissors!  Hey, it's just one more way to help prepare your child for a new year at school, right?



Are you worried about lice in your neighborhood?  Check out Lice Shield's Lice Watch app on Facebook!  They have a map that shows you where lice infestations are high around the country.  If you register with the app, you'll be entered in a weekly drawing to win a full-sized (10 oz) bottle of Lice Shield Shampoo & Conditioner in 1.  


Disclosure:  I received a product sample and other promotional goodies from Lice Shield as a thank-you for posting this information. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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American Express Back to School looks for Mom

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When the school year begins, it doesn't just affect kids -- it affects parents and the whole family dynamic.  Parents have to get up early, pack lunches, schedule parent-teacher conferences, do library duty, arrange carpools, avoid (or seek) the PTA.  But all that hassle does have a few benefits, at least for stay-at-home parents and work-at-home parents --  a couple of hours to themselves while the kids are at school.

For my third and final Back to School Membership Rewards post, I'm curating a look for moms whose kids have finally gone back into the classroom and given mommy a few hours of peace and quiet!  The best part is, there's no cash outlay if you're an American Express cardmember -- you can redeem all the items below from the Membership Rewards catalog.   Here's how Moms can celebrate Back to School with 50,000 Membership Rewards points:



SUIT UP: 5,000 POINTS
Why should kids get all the new outfits?  Mom needs to outfit herself in the latest yoga tops and pants, which as everyone knows, are the standard mom uniform for back-to-school morning drop-offs :)  Gap and Athleta always have great sales, so you can get a cute yoga outfit for as little as $50 (that's 5,000 points!).


SWEAT: 26,900 POINTS
After drop-off, Mom can finally go for a power walk on her own, without worrying about little feet tripping up on the sidewalk or slowing down to watch a caterpillar crawl across the driveway, or abandon the entire outing for a potty break.  And while you're getting that cardio workout, instead of whining and screaming, tune in to your favorite songs with this iPod nano and wrist holder.


STRETCH: 6,100 POINTS
Put that new yoga outfit to good use and spend a couple of minutes (and just 6,100) points finding inner peace, with a Gaiam yoga mat.


SPA: 12,000 POINTS
After all that exercise, it's time for a little pampering with a Spa Finder gift card (12,000 points).  Actually, even a morning in a dentist's chair can feel pampering, as long as it's kid-free, but it's so much nicer to be having a massage than a root canal, don't you think?


For more of my Back to School finds with American Express (and some really neat giveaways!), check out the following posts: 

My $250 American Express giftcard giveaway ends today!  Don't forget to stop by the giveaway post and enter to win!

My $50 American Express giftcard giveaway is still going strong!  It ends on Sept. 30, so make sure you stop by the giveaway post and enter to win!




Disclosure: This is a compensated post.  Thanks to American Express for providing the prize for this giveaway.  I curated the "Back to School" looks on this post, and on my Pinterest page, using options taken from the American Express Membership Rewards Catalog, but the choices were solely my own.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.  Click here for full disclosure.

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American Girl Place tees on sale!

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One of the most inexpensive items you can get at American Girl Place stores is a souvenir tshirt for your girl and doll.  It's a great way to remember that special visit, and get matching girl-and-doll items at the same time!  And now it's even cheaper, because souvenir items are on deep discount at the American Girl online store!



You really can't get any cheaper than $3 for an American Girl doll tee.  In fact, I don't think you can get ANY 18" doll tee for $3, anywhere!  They are so cheap, I simply had to get souvenir doll tees for The Pea.  First and foremost, I got Chicago (worn by McKenna in the photo, on the left) and LA (worn by Mia, on the right) tees because The Pea has been to those stores.  I also got her a New York tee (worn by Marie-Grace, center) to match the souvenir cap that I bought for The Pea a couple of years ago when I visited the American Girl NY store.



Unfortunately, by the time I got wind of the sale, they had already run out of large sizes of the girls shirts for Chicago and LA.  So I got her a New York tee instead, in red, to match the NY doll's tee.  She hasn't been to the NY store (yet!), but the shirt was jut $6, so who cares??

Hurry and grab an American Girl Place tee for your girl, plus a matching tee for her doll, before they sell out!



Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Daily Lemon: That's Silly

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Ah, babies. They're so cute, right!? I mean, who could resist a cute widdle face like this????

Sorry, wrong picture.
(shuffling through pictures)
Ah, yes. Here it is. 
        Nope, still wrong one. 
Maybe this is it!!!!

No?
Fine, I give up. Maybe they're not so cute.
Especially when they start playing with inflatable sex toys.

Or practicing their kung fu on you.

Or . . . you get the idea.

 (old person impression) Stupid kids.

Mockingjay

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I've mentioned before that I enjoy reading, particularly fiction. The part that I enjoy is escaping to another time and place far far away from the stress in my reality. Getting the gift of a Nook has even increased this love of reading for me. Now I can fall asleep reading and I don't have to figure out where I left off because my Nook just goes to sleep too. I also don't have to worry about a certain little someone that likes to pull my bookmark out of my book and bring it to me
with a very proud look on his face and say, "Mommy, I found this for you, it was lost in that book over there."

Anyway, my favorite series this summer has been the Hunger Games trilogy (well the first two anyway, the third comes out later this month). It is a series by Suzanne Collins that is published by Scholastic. I happened to notice that there was a Hunger Games Official page on Facebook, so I Liked it and have been following blogs and discussions. They are even doing a district tour around 13 blogs, all with fabulous prizes up for grabs. Just the other day I got an email that I had won a Mockingjay pin and a copy of Catching Fire. I think my odds are good because this is a series for "youth" and most of the sites require you to be over 18 to enter to win. Yeah me.

So, if you haven't read the Hunger Games yet then you need to. If you have read it then I'm curious, who is your favorite character?