Want prime time summer fun? Try Prime Time toys!

Coming from Michigan, it's a whole new world here with Arizona summers. "Cool" is 90 degrees! So when I was asked to take a look at the new Prime Time Toys Water Toys, I had to say yes.

Prime Time offers four new styles for different age groups: The original Max Liquidator, the Critter Blaster, the Monster Blaster, and the Blaster Board, as well as a variety of other styles. After looking over the recommended age ranges, I decided to try out the Critter Blaster for some friends with older kids. J and G were more than happy to cool off in the name of a good product review, and their mom Jill reports that the Critter Blasters are a perfect way to burn off some energy and beat the heat!

I'm hoping Prime Time still has this one available (or even a newer version!) when Buttercup hits the recommended age of four years and up. And as a mom who wants to teach her child to respect the difference between real and pretend weapons, I'm extremely pleased that the company got creative with their product naming and avoided the word "gun" in their titles.

The Critter Blasters are nicely priced at $5.99 a piece, and come in fun designs like a dolphin or a hermit crab. I'm thinking I may order a few of these as birthday gifts for the summer parties Buttercup already has on her social calendar.

My only complaint is that in order to view the company's online catalog, you need to sign up for a password and wait 24 to 48 hours in order to get going. But a quick look on Amazon and you've got every imaginable way to help a good old-fashioned water fight get going right at your fingertips.

Wanna make a splash? Check out Prime Time Toys!

Waking up is Hard to Do: Neil Sedaka CD review

When I was little, I only knew two kinds of music: the regional Mexican music my family constantly played every time we got together and, of course, the "oldies" music station my dad loved to play when driving us to and from our family gatherings.


I grew up with an equal mix of Ranchero, Mariachi, and Mexican pop balanced with plenty of Beach Boys, Tina Turner, Beatles, Elvis Presley, Diana Ross and The Supremes, and of course, Neil Sedaka.


So I was very excited to receive a copy of Neil Sedaka's first ever children's album, Waking Up is Hard to Do. (Razor & Tie Entertainment.)


Sedaka has a long and distinguished career behind him, now stretching into its sixth decade, and this incredible children's CD, set for a January 6 release, is a wistful tribute to the hit songs that made my mother fall in love with him.


Waking Up is Hard to Do, which includes a coloring book, is a collection of classic Sedaka songs that have been smartly reinvented as children's songs. His inspiration was, of course, his granddaughters. And even cuter is the back-vocals on songs like "Happy Birthday Number Three," "Waking Up is Hard to Do," and "Where the Toys Are," provided by five-year-old twin grandchildren Charlotte and Amanda.


I love this CD. It's cute, it's fun, it's upbeat, and I love that while Buttercup gets to discover a new musical favorite, I get to sing along in my head to the lyrics I grew up with. This one is most definitely going on my iPod for us both to enjoy!


Waking Up is Hard to Do will be available at Amazon for $8.99 (and you can listen to the tracks, too!)

Tickatoo: I see you!

I love online boutique shopping, and have come to find some of the coolest little web-based businesses with stuff for mom and baby that I wouldn't be able to find at big box stores.

One cute little place tp check out online is Tickatoo.

1) The name is downright cute!

2) Tickatoo is bound to carry something you'd love to get for yourself, a new baby, a homeschooled-child, a breastfeeding mom...and the list goes on!

Well, hang on to your Santa hats, everyone, because Tickatoo is offering one lucky reader a $25 gift certificate goof towards the purchase of any item on the site! It is, however, important to note that this contest is open internationally, and some items cannot be shipped. So here's my public service announcement telling whoever wins to check with Molly over at Tickatoo on what you'd like to use your prize for. ;)

To enter, visit Tickatoo and leave me a berrie (read: comment) telling me which product you would use your gift certificate for if you won (and yes, you are allowed to change your mind later.)

Entries will be accepted until midnight, EST, December 16 and the winner will have four business days from the announcement date to contact me with their information or an alternate will be selected. US entries only, please.

Additional extra entries are also available if you:

* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Berrie Sweet Picks button and place it on your blog page. I'll check!
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* Tweet the contest leave a comment with your username telling me what you said to your "tweeple"!
Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

See Buttercup fall in love with Kai

I love shoes. And I have a major addiction to baby shoes.

Seriously, Buttercup has had more shoes in her short life than I probably have purchase in the last 10 years! And while I was totally devoted to a certain brand who shall remain nameless until a short while ago, I am now a total convert to the See Kai Run line of shoes for little feet.

These shoes really are the cutest, most modern, most flexible, and highest quality I have come by in my 18 months of devoted research. And it certainly helps that I love the story of Mom Creates Hip Namesake to Meet Needs Even Hipper Son. Just two years after getting the company up and running, See Kai Run was a hit in children's boutiques across the country and continues to win over parents and tots alike when they try them for themselves.

I hate spending full price on anything clothing-wise for Buttercup, and many of her clothes are hand-me-downs or bargain-basement specials. But I won't skimp on her shoes. It's too important to me to ensure her little feet are given the flexibility essential right now, and See Kai Run shoes are honestly so easy to flex I can bend the shoe in half with one hand without any effort at all! the soles, which are made from an extremely flexible rubber, are perfect for outdoor use allowing for little feet to flex in all the right places, and Buttercup loves the easy on velcro-straps.

For our review, Buttercup and I got to try the beaut-ee-us Elaine Mary Janes ($40), which are absolutely adorable with their mismatched line of silver stars on each shoe. These are perfect for the holidays, and go with everything.

I've had them since October, and so far have used them for family pictures in early November and then again on Thanksgiving. Buttercup will wear them again for Christmas, and then all bets are off and she can use them anytime her little heart desires.

We also got to take a look at the new Smaller line of soft-soled booties made specifically for babies 0-18 months. The Mazi style ($32)arrived on our doorstep and was a perfect choice for my nine-month old nephew, and will fit him for quite a while. My sister loves that her little man has a kickin' pair of shoes with a major dash of style and I love that little Aiden's feet are just as flexible as if he wasn't wearing a thing!

And perhaps my favorite feature of all the See Kai Run shoes is the butter-soft leather used in their design. It looks classy, expensive even, and yet they are priced no higher than many of their competitors who use lesser materials.

Bottom line? I heart See Kai Run. And I know you will, too.

Thanks to my new fave shoe company, I've got a great contest for two winners to win ONE PAIR each of either the regular See Kai Run line and the Smaller line. And it['s winners choice on style and size! To enter, visit See Kai Run and leave me a berrie (read: comment) telling me what style and size you would prefer if selected a winner. And remember, this is a two-in-one contest for one winner each for the two styles I just reviewed! Entries will be accepted until midnight, EST, on December 8 and will ONLY be considered if they include a valid email address. Winner has 4 days to contact me after the announcement has been made, and please-U.S. entries only.

Additional extra entries are also available if you:
* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about contest and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest at berriesweet.info (at) gmail (dot) com and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Berrie Sweet Picks button and place it on your blog page. I'll check!
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
* Tweet the contest and leave a comment with your username telling me what you said to your "tweeple"!
Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

(Oh, and PLEASE forgive the awkward positioning of the photos above. Blogger would not cooperare with me today and I was running out of patience. :-)

"I Love Chanukah!" CD review

Buttercup and I recently had the opportunity to listen to a brand new CD from New Jersey-based Doni Zsloff (aka Mama Doni). Her holiday release "I Love Chanukah" includes the songs "Latke Man," "The Funky Gold Menorah," "La Vida Driedel," and "You say Hanukah, I say Chanukah."

Doni Zasloff Thomas is a talented and hip mother of two young children, who didn't get involved in children's music until her kids' school asked her to take a position as a music teacher. Wanting to share her love of Jewish culture in a fun and cool way with the children she was now teaching, Doni started writing and recording her own music.

The result was her first musical release entitled "I Love Herring (and other fish shticks for kids)"

It's a great combination of hip Jewish sensibility and a variety of musical styles that her audiences love. Although her music will especially appreciated by those with an understanding of Jewish and Yiddish culture, its universal appeal will get kids and adults of all backgrounds bopping to the music!

You can check out her website here, but be warned that the kids better be awake (or the volume better be muted on your laptop) because the music starts right up as soon as the page is loaded.
That's really my only complaint, as I know plenty of us moms who like to shop online when the kids are sleeping aren't fans of sites that just throw the music out there without giving us any warning. Luckily, I was checking out the Mama Doni site when Buttercup was wide awake, and my little music lover danced and danced, a smile on her face the whole time.

I wanna be an (ALL)Star!

With tons of nieces, nephews, and younger cousins in the family, I am sure to get a mile-long Christmas list this year and am on the look-out for original gift ideas for the 10 and under crowd.

One great idea is the new line of mom-invented AllStar Buddies plush animals and their kid-friendly, mom-approved online home in the town of "Varsity Heights."

Chip the Golf buddy, Blitz the Football Buddy, Deuce the Tennis Buddy, Sriker the Soccer Buddy, Ace the Baseball Buddy, Swish the Basketball Buddy, and Deke the Hockey Buddy are all ready to meet your kids in the Locker Room, where they can log in with their private code (on the ticket that comes with your Buddy) for fitness-related fun!

Varsity Heights is a great online hangout for kids, where they can come together on equal playing ground for fun, competition, and socialization, all while learning valuable lessons about team work and healthy lifestyles. And if that isn't enough to convince you that this is truly a great gift-idea for kids, why not try the site and games out for yourself? You can play for free after signing up!

I have two young cousins who had an absolute blast with Striker and Ace as they browsed Varsity Heights and all the town has to offer. It was amazing, but the new Buddies even pulled them away from the Wii without arguments!

I do have a contest for one lucky winner to win the AllStar Buddy of their choice, but I'm running things a little differently this time, so pay attention!

If you think this might be a great gift idea for a child in your family, you (or you and your child) must sign up for a free account at the AllStar Buddies site and test drive the action. Your entry consists of blogging about your experience on your own site, linking to this blog post and AllStar Buddies. You must also leave me comment with the direct URL for your entry to count. US entries only, please.

Non-bloggers can enter by leaving me a comment with their thoughts on their favorite parts of the All Star web site with a valid email address. I will choose one winner randomly from qualified entries, and 4 days maximum is allowed for the winner to contact me with their shipping address.

To give everyone time to sign up and have fun, I'm running this contest for two weeks, which means entries will be accepted until midnight, EST, on Nov. 28!

So what are you waiting for? Varsity Heights awaits you!

DonorsChoose.org Blogger Challenge Update

I said I'd repost this when I had something good to offer up for a prize incentive to donate to my DonorsChoose.org Blogger Challenge, and I'm so ready to go! SO, like, read up on the original post below...and anyone who sticks around to the end of the post gets a million dollars (no-I'm kidding. ) But you do get a chance to donate to a great cause and get entered to win an extremely sweet prize!

I'm always up for a challenge, so when I was asked to participate in the DonorsChoose.org Blogger Challenge, I jumped right in and then realized I should have asked how deep the water was.

DonorsChoose.Org got its start in a Bronx high school due to the ingenuity of teachers witnessing their students going without the very materials they needed to learn. Today, public school teachers post projects that range from a $100 classroom library to a $1,000 trip to the zoo. Bloggers like me choose projects we are interested in funding, and readers like you can then choose the ones that are closest to your heart to help with even a $5 donaton. Donors even get a sweet thank-you letter and picture of the classroom they contributed to.

For those of you who don't know (like me before this morning, so there is really no need to feel bad) last year's DonorsChoose.org Blogger Challenge raised $420,000 toward classroom projects benefitting 75,000 students in low-income communities. And the cool part is that the funds were all raised through the generosity of blog readers like you!

I had no idea that today I'd open my emails to find a request for little ol' me to participate in something so big and so very, very important. But there it was. And I'm honored and excited and ready to do my part to make a difference in the lives of public school children here in Michigan and across the state.

Now, for those of you who ate your Wheaties this morning, you'll notice that this is indeed a challenge. The goal of course, is to try to raise the most funds, with cool perks like press from Fortune magazine for the bloggers whose readers help the most public school students, a Technorati "generosity ranking," and even a special Blogger Challenge for Mommy blogs! It's all just great incentive to try and rally the most funds, which (and most importantly)will come to make a difference in a child's educational experience.

As for that deep water? Well, the DonorsChoose.org Blogger Challenge started today, Oct. 1...and that's when I got the invite to participate! I may be a bit behind the 8-ball here, but I'm more than ready to step up to the plate for the month-long Challenge!

Ready to help?? Great! Just check out my Challenge Page and choose which project you'd like to donate to!

And just for a little extra incentive, every reader who donates a minimum of $5 will be automatically entered into a random drawing I'll host at a later date for a surprise giveaway. I'll come back and edit this post when I have the details ironed out, and anyone who has already donated will be entered retroactively.

As always, extra entries will be available for those who:

* subscribe to my RSS feed and comment letting me know you did so.
* Blog about the Challenge and link to this post.
* Non-bloggers can email three of their friends about the contest and CC me on the email. Girl Scout's honor that I will never bother these sweet people. I promise!
* Grab my Challenge Widget and place it on your blog page. You can get that here. Easy, right?
* Follow me on Twitter! (nickname: berriesweetest)
Please note all entries MUST include a valid email address to be considered for the drawing! That means that well, all entries must include an email address to be considered valid. Simple enough, right? ;)

And that's it! So who's ready to give up one morning latte to help make a child smile?

So now for the prize: Anyone who donates a minimum of $5 to my Berrie Sweet Picks "Challenge Page">Blogger Challenge automatically gets entered to win a Star Wars set of Mimobots, including C3-PO, Darth Aidious, (1)Royal Guard, and Wicket, an approximate $160 value.

Here is my recent review, just in case you need me to reinforce the extreme awesomeness of this prize. So tell your husands, your friends, your college buddies, and pretty much everyone else you know since this would make a kickin' Christmas gift for the Star Wars fan in your life (and no one has to know it was free if you win! It can be our little secret, huh?). I'll pick one winner on October 31, and announce here on my blog and send the winner an email. The winner will have four days to respond, or an alternate will be selected. Good luck and let's all do some good in the process!

Update: This contest is open to international entries. As long you donate $5 or more, I am more than happy to accept your entry!!!