Dec

20

Pre K Scholars Kindergarten Readiness Kit DVD - Review & Giveaway

Filed Under Favorite Finds, Giveaways | 1 Comment 

I've been looking for more learning activities at home since my little guy won"t be going to preschool until next fall, so I was curious when I got an opportunity to review a copy of the Pre K Scholars Kindergarten Readiness Kit DVD.

The program was developed by a mom of four who was also a former kindergarten teacher. The DVD is for computer use only, and my little guy was engaged from the first time we sat down at the computer. The program centers on the residents of "Scholarville" that are multicultural characters with different occupations related to a different letter of the alphabet.

The organization of the 22-week lesson plan is a bit different than other programs because they start with letters/sounds that are easier for the pre kindergarten crowd. Instead of starting with the letter A, the program starts with the letter P.

Each lesson includes a guessing game, animated flash cards, and printables that make it easy to incorporate into different times of the day. There is also a poster available of Scholarville. My little guy loved to point out the character that he had learned in the lesson on the "map" of Scholarville.

I would definitely recommend the Pre K Scholars Kindergarten Readiness program as an alternative to preschool or even as a supplement to preschool if you feel like your child might need extra work or is curious to learn more. In a homeschool environment, this product would be fantastic. It"s organized in lesson plans already making it easy to work your way through the education.

To make this even easier for parents, Pre K Scholars has just released an iPad app (there is also an app available for iPhones). My son is already using the iPad to learn his letters and sounds, so he really enjoyed playing more "games" that had the characters that he had been meeting during our Pre K Scholars lessons.

The good news is that Pre K Scholars Kindergarten Readiness Kit starts at only $39.95. Until December 25th, you can save 25% off of all products making this a great deal! The Pre K Scholars iPad app is only $3.99, but for an introductory period it"s only 99 cents, so hop over and grab it!

Here"s a chance for you to win your own copy of the Pre K Scholars Kindergarden Readiness Kit. Enter the giveaway up to four times below before midnight on December 31, 2011. A winner will be selected at random and will be notified via email.

Disclosure: I was provided a review copy of the Pre K Scholars Kindergarten Readiness Kit DVD and the iPad app.

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Dec

16

Win Tickets to The Christmas Spectacular Starring The Rockettes in Boston

Filed Under Boston, Giveaways | 11 Comments 

Bostonians! If you are looking for a new holiday tradition for your family, look no further because The Rockettes are in town to knock your socks off.

I had the opportunity to preview The Christmas Spectacular starring the World Famous Rockettes that is currently playing at the Citi Perfoming Arts Center in Boston's theatre district. It was amazing. It's truly a show for all ages from the little ones to their great grandmas. The songs are catchy and festive, and the Rockettes are, as expected, mesmerizing.

The sets also delivered more than I expected. Using a multimedia projection, the audience is literally taken on a delightful holiday themed trip through Manhattan. If you weren't in the holiday mood when you arrive, you will for sure be more than festive when you leave.

There's still time to see the Rockettes before they leave. In fact, keep reading for a chance to meet the Rockettes.

kimworld readers can take advantage of a lovely discount on the non-peak performances that are on the schedule which means you could snag a ticket for under $20! What a great early present or stocking stuffer!

Here are the deets on how to take advantage of the 25% Discount for certain non-peak shows that are remaining.

How to Buy Tickets at 25% off*:
1. Log onto: www.citicenter.org/radiocity

2. Select one of the following non=-peak performances for your 25% off discount:

12/20/2011 at 2 pm, 7:30 pm
12/21/2011 at 2 pm, 7:30 pm
12/22/2011 at 5 pm, 8 pm

 12/23/2011 at 2 pm

12/26/2011 at 5 pm
12/27/2011 at 5 pm
12/28/2011 at 5 pm

3. Enter Promo Code: ROXMOM11
*Offer is not valid for Gold Circle - $130 seats, for which there are no discounts. There is a 8 ticket limit on this event. Non-Peak seat pricing ranges from $25 to $89.

I'm also giving a four pack of tickets away to one lucky reader for the 5 p.m. performance on December 28 at the Citi Performing Arts Center - Wang Theatre. PLUS a special meet & greet with The Rockettes before the show. See below for details on how to get up to three chances to win. Drawing will close on Tuesday, December 20th, and the winner will be notified via email.

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Dec

13

Win Tickets to Disney On Ice Presents: Treasure Trove in Boston

Filed Under Boston, Giveaways | 7 Comments 

Get ready, Boston! Disney on Ice Presents: Treasure Trove is arriving in Boston just in time for some vacation week fun. You can buy tickets to Disney on Ice Presents: Treasure Trove at Ticketmaster for shows that run from December 26, 2011 to December 29, 2011.

Here is what the show promises:

Discover endless riches when Disney On Ice presents Treasure Trove comes to your hometown! Disney On Ice sets the gold standard with its newest skating spectacular. Get tangled up in Disney's 50th animated feature with Rapunzel and Flynn and enter the worlds of your other favorite Disney princesses -Tiana, Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Mulan and of course, the one who started it all, Snow White. Ahoy, Mateys! Set sail with Peter Pan, the always sassy Tinker Bell and the cantankerous Captain Hook and his pirate pals on an adventure beyond Never Land! Trek the wilds of Africa with Simba, Nala, Pumbaa and Timon as they discover the true meaning of the 'Circle of Life.' Tick-Tock! Tick-Tock!
Don't be late to a very important date with Alice and the Mad Hatter as they march with the Queen of Hearts' Army Of Cards. Be sure to see this show full of memories guaranteed to last a lifetime.

And here is a quick preview:

Thanks to the nice people at Disney on Ice, I have a four pack of tickets to give away for the 7 PM show on Monday, December 26th. Enter the giveaway below by sharing your favorite Disney character. Enter now through next Sunday, December 18. Winner will be emailed and have 24 hours to confirm receipt of the winner status. If there's no contact, a new winner will be selected.

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Dec

12

Girls Night In - A Twist on the Traditional Cookie Swap

Filed Under Favorite Finds, Food | Leave a Comment 

Thanks to Duncan Hines for sponsoring my writing. There's no limit to the baking possibilities, so grab your favorite Duncan Hines mix and Comstock or Wilderness fruit fillings and Bake On! www.duncanhines.com.

So, I've always loved the idea of a cookie swap. The thought of selecting an awesome recipe and having a party to share it sounds pretty cool. Except that it's a lot of work during a time of the year when time is pretty hard to find.

Enter my idea for a fun girls night in with recipe sharing and yummy treats but without the time commitment of making a zillion dozen cookies. It's all about the "Cake Mix Creations." What's that you ask?

Here's how it works. All your friends pick a recipe to make that involves a boxed cake mix. When they rsvp, they also send you a copy of the recipe that they will be bringing. On the girls night out, everyone gets to sample the different cake mix creations, and you have a ready made party favor -- a list of all the recipes. Easy, peasy AND delicious.

Some simple alternatives to the regular cake involve adding flavor to cakes. Canned pumpkin and applesauce make for great alternative flavors to the boxed cake mix. You can also add fresh fruit like bananas and berries.


You might think that the different options for cake mix creations is limited to different flavors of cake. Oh no, never fear. There are so many awesome recipes out there. There are cakes, cookies, cupcakes, truffles, pancakes, and even dinner rolls! And don't forget the cake pops. The different cake pops that you can make (both in flavor in design) are endless. Take a look at my pinterest collection of cake mix creations to see a few samples.

What's your favorite creation to make with a boxed cake mix?

Remember to check out Duncan Hines' website www.duncanhines.com to find some great recipes for your holiday get-together! I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective.

Nov

24

Macy’s Boston “Light Up the Night” Tree Lighting

Filed Under Boston, Events | Leave a Comment 

Now that the pumpkin pie is out of the way, the Holiday countdown can wholeheartedly begin! If you are in the Boston area tomorrow, head to Downtown Crossing for Macy's Light Up the Night at 5 p.m. for their tree lighting event.

Macy's Light Up the Night Tree Lighting Event

You'll be in good company. Joey McIntyre, Jasmine V and Tedy Bruschi will be special guests to help kick off the tree lighting. After performances by Joey McIntyre and Jasmine V, Santa will flip the switch on the tree and debut the "Yes, Virginia" window scenes.

At 6 p.m., you can venture inside Macy's for opportunities to meet the special guests. Plus the first 250 people to purchase a LaCoste fragrance will get an autograph from Joey McIntyre plus a copy of his new Christmas album, "Come Home for Christmas."

Make A Wish Letters to Santa Program at Macy'sWhile you are at Macy's, don't forget to drop off your letter to Santa. Macy's "Believe" campaign is back for a fourth year (over 4 million letters collected in the first three years). Until December 24, Macy's will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation for each letter to Santa that is dropped off at Macy's "Believe Stations." Great fun to benefit a great organization!

Special kudos to Macy's who is partnering with local blogger Mommy Niri to donate gifts for Room to Grow, a fantastic non-profit that supports babies born into poverty through the first three years.

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