Coming Soon: VTech InnoTab The Learning App and Prize Pack Giveaway

Before I had my son I liked V-Tech. They always have cool toys that teach. As a kid we had a Speak and Say that we thought was awesome. Well now technology for kids toys have improved leaps and bounds! My son has many V-Tech toys and his favorite is the Cooking toy is Auntie Sam bought him for his bday. He cooks up mini meals and tries to get me to eat them.

The newest cool toy Inno Tab The Learning App by V-Tech is one that will be on our Christmas list. The InnoTab The Learning App Tablet is coming soon and can be pre-ordered to make sure you have it for your child for the holidays. I know my son is always wanting to push buttons and play with techy stuff. A tab like this would allow him to play and have fun without me worrying he will erase or break something on mine. This is for ages a bit older than him but I know he would still love to have one. I thought of my nephew when I read about the product.


About InnoTab:
The InnoTab is a cutting-edge, multi-function tablet for children 4-9. Packed with fun, the InnoTab offers interactive and animated e-books, learning games, creative activities and more ­ all in one compact, durable tablet. Pull it out of the box ­ and its ready to go for hours of play.

The InnoTab features:
-A brilliant color touch screen LCD
-A sleek, kid-tough and compact design to take on the go
-Animated e-books, learning games, music player, video player and so much more
-A cartridge library that features kids favorite characters
-A tilt-sensor for game control
- 100 downloadable titles (by the end of the year)

While adult tablets costs $600, the InnoTab is $79.99 ­ a smart purchase for kids.






INNOTAB FEATURES and DETAILS
1.    E.Reader
2.    Motion Games:
       -They touch and tilt the Tab to make the games play.       My son would love this.
3.    Art Studio
4.    Coloring:
       -Virtual Coloring book, I think this would be great.
5.    Organizer
      -Allows your child to make a calendar schedule to know what activities are coming.
6.    Music:
      -MP3 player so your kids can dance. My boy needs this!
7.    Videos (sold separately)
8.    Photos (sold separately)
9.    Downloads

Product Details
·5" color touch screen and tilt-sensor for educational gameplay
· E-books, educational games, creative activities, learning apps, and
more available on cartridge or as downloads from VTech Learning Lodge
Navigator website
· 4 different media players: E-Book reader, MP3 music player, photo
viewer and video player
· 64MB onboard memory and SD card slot for memory expansion
· Learning toy connects to PC/Mac with included USB cable
· 4AA Batteries Required



Pre-order InnoTab at your favorite Retailer

Toys R Us
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11888558
Walmart
http://www.walmart.com/ip/VTech-InnoTab-Learning-App-Tablet/16672573
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004VJNRKG
Kmart
http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_004W003460800000P

GIVEAWAY:

Win a VTech shirt (S,M,or L in children's sizes), a VTech branded 500MB Flash Drive, a box of 8 Crayola Crayons, and a $10 Gift Card to Toys R Us. (1 winner)

Crayons and Flash Drive

Front of shirt the back says InnoTech

To Enter This Giveaway: 

What feature on the V-Tech InnoTab are you most excited about?

 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

-Like V-Tech on Facebook +2

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +3

-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1

-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1

-Share this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +2 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Add our button to your blog and leave a link of where it is located +5 (right hand side) 

 

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts August 18, 2011 and ends on September 1, 2011 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others.

My Bright Colorful Dishwasher

For the first 7 years of my marriage we lived in a duplex that had no dishwasher. Daily I would by hand wash all the dishes we used for the day. It annoyed me to no end! It got to the point where I did not have anything but white plates and bowls, silver ware and stainless steel cook ware. It was fine for me, keep it simple.

The house we live in now we moved in when I was 5 months pregnant and thankfully has a dishwasher. But the house before it did not. I was pregnant, in the Cali summer in a house with only a window air conditioner. I hated it! I was so mad at dishes I said I would never do another dish again. After we moved of course it was so easy to load my plain and simple stuff into the machine and forget about it.

Tonight as I loaded the dishwasher, that I super thankful for, I had a moment that brought me to happy tears. I still have my plain dishes and sliver ware but among all of it was my sons dishes. The bright, colorful, tiny dishes and cups were too sweet for words. His dishes are just like him whimsical, cheerful and full of happiness. I felt lucky in that moment to be his Mama. My son has done to my life what his dishes do to my dishwasher, brighten and fill things up with a colorful joy.

Its the simple little realizations like this one that make me cry knowing I am his Mama.

Old Navy Jeans Review for CrowdTap Style Council

As a member of the Old Navy Style Council on Crowd Tap I get to hear about all the greatest trends in Old Navy fashion. I LOVE Old Navy, seriously its one of my favorite clothing stores. When I go there often times I am wearing something I already purchased there. I might be a dork for doing so but a lot of my clothing is from there. They always have some sort of sale going and the kids clothes are adorable. I could make a huge list of all the stuff we have from there, but I won't bore you!

Recently I had the chance to review the Old Navy Jeans. I was surprised by the selection of styles this year. I tried on over 5 styles before I found the ones that are so comfy they don't feel like you are wearing them. I selected the Sweet Heart Boot-Cut Classic Rise Stretch Jeans for my review.

I liked that they were a comfy fit but had flare at the bottom to balance out my body type. Being that I am a sweet heart I thought the name of the jeans were perfect. I tried on some Diva style jeans and funny enough they weren't for me and neither is my personality. I even got a comment from my hubby about how nice they looked on me, hes an honest man if I looked silly in them he would let me know lol. Jeans can be hit or miss for me sometimes they fit great in the legs but saggy on the rear end part. Other times too tight from top to bottom. I hate the jeans that are snug on my ankles, makes me look funny! This style Sweet Heart Boot-Cut is perfect for me.

They stayed true to size after I washed them and no fading of the color, thankfully I read the washing instructions now. I have ruined many clothing items by not reading the label.

Nice fit no saggy rear look!

I had an addition coupon to share with another fellow Old Navy shopper. I had fun picking who I wanted to share with in the store. I am a good listener so while I was gathering my jeans to try on I over heard a mom and her daughter discussing how the daughter needed good jeans for college. I know how expensive college is so I thought she would be perfect to share the coupon with. They were stunned and excited that I was willing to share a free pair of jeans with them. She ended up being able to get the two different styles she liked for school. Hopefully she will get her degree and be a genius all thanks to having an awesome pair of jeans! Maybe not but I will think that!

I like the boot cut since it looks nicer with the shoes I have.

At Old Navy stores jeans for the whole family are on Sale. Yippy! You can look online for the many styles they carry in the Jeans Look Book.



* I was not paid for this post. As a CrowdTap member on the Old Navy Style Council I was given a coupon for a free pair of jeans and one to share. If you would like to be a Crowd Tap member you can sign up here.

First Trip to the Ocean

He had to bring his football. He looks mad in this pic from the cold wind.

We decided to take a road trip to San Francisco to let our son see the ocean. We did not plan it we just woke that morning and thought the summer is almost over and our sweet boy has not put his toes in the ocean water! We gather all the diaper bag supplies, packed our cooler and picnic basket and off we were.

If anyone would have said on a Summer Day in August on the beach in California I would be wearing pants, a sweatshirt and beanies I would have so no way! Well that is what happened. I had the sunny beach picnic plan in my head but the classic San Francisco fog had other plans.

Chasing Sea Gulls

Thankfully I have a mini bag in the car for such things! Pants, hats and sweatshirts were in there, except no pants for my hubby the man was shivering in shorts! The wind howled with fierceness, there were no swimmers or wave jumpers but lots of people huddled on blankets and going for a walk.

We made the best of our day, we still had our picnic, sand in our sandwiches was no fun but we still smiled ear to ear being able to share the moment of our son seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

He did not have the waves tickle his toes like I thought he would but there is time for that the next trip. He did have a blast chasing birds and them chasing him when he had food in his hands. He even got to pet the sweetest rescue dog a Chihuahua that he tried to pick up. The owner was nice enough to let him pet the dog, but only after we asked nicely. As a dog owner myself I appreciate it when someone asks first. Not only for politeness but for safety.

He Loves Dogs!

My son gathered sticks, shells, rocks and at one point seaweed to his hearts content. He wanted to literally run into the ocean. He made me nervous with how boldly he tried to run to the water and waves. He was determined to see what it was. Thankfully I am swift as a hawk and he did not get too close and did get mad at me for doing so. But he had a great time. He ran so fast in the sand its as if he was a born beach bunny! He gets that from my side of the family. We are Pacific Ocean lovers!

After we all had red noses, wind whipped hair and sand covered feet we headed to the car to go see the sites in San Francisco. My son fell asleep in the car and stayed asleep for about 30 minutes in his stroller before we woke him up to enjoy the sights around him. We had a wonderful day and I always say every time we leave, even though its cheesy, I have left my heart in San Francisco!

Exhausted from running on the beach

Everwood: The Complete Fourth Season on DVD Review

I love it when a great show that is no longer on the air comes to DVD.  Its fun to be able to re-watch the shows and often see a few episodes you may have missed with the convenience of being able to pause the show. Being a Mom now I love the pause button on the DVD player!

You can own it on DVD August 2nd, so its out now! The show has a great cast of actors that you grow to love. This show is a small town family drama With the whole season on DVD you get over 15 hours of Everwood shows. 

Season 4 Everwood Summary: 

The final season of the series set in a welcoming town in the Rockies is all about finding oneself?and finding each other. Here, in the 5-Disc, 22-Episode Season Four, the unforgettable people of Everwood test the ties that bind them together in joy and tears, friendship and love. Drawn by his feelings for Amy, Ephram returns home and mentors a troubled piano prodigy. When Nina chooses Jake over him, Andy struggles to remain friends with the woman he loves. Bright and Hannah make their unlikely romance work. The Abbotts open their arms to a new child. Intriguing characters arrive and beloved characters depart. Say goodbye to the place and the people that won your heart ? and discover how everything turned out!

If you have never heard of the show it is about a dad Dr. Andrew Brown (Treat Williams), a widower who leaves his successful job as a top Manhattan neurosurgeon to live in a small Colorado town, bringing his 9-year-old daughter Delia Brown (Vivien Cardone) and 15-year-old son Ephram Brown (Gregory Smith) with him. He chooses the town of Everwood, because his late wife had told him of her emotional attachment to it. 

Its one of those shows that grows on you and you feel for the characters. Its a tear jerker at times and has its moments of laughter, kinda like life! 

You can buy the 4th Season and final season of Everwood on DVD from WBShop, Target and Walmart. If you are a new Everwood fan you can start from the beginning with Season One on DVD also available at the WBShop.

*I was not paid or compensated for this post. The opinions in this post are 100% mine and may vary from other opinions. I was provided for free a copy of Marley and Me The Puppy Years on DVD  for my review.

Bob the Builder Super Scrambler on DVD August 16th Review and Giveaway

Bob the Builder has once again proven to be a cool character! He always teaches a good lesson while building things as a team. I enjoy the emphasis on team work and following directions. These are values I want my son to have. Life is so much easier if you listen and work together.

Bob the Builder Super Scrambler will be available on DVD August 16th.

One of my favorite episodes is:
"Scratch and the Dream Home"
This episode is one anyone who wants a dream home can relate to. Its about them building a house and things get over the top when they do not follow the building plans and do things such as make a hole in the roof so they can see the stars. Its a cute one!

DVD Summary:

It’s super-sized fun in four exciting adventures!  Scrambler wants to be a Super-Smasher hero while he builds Farmer Pickles’ milk shed. He works alongside the whole Can-Do crew to get the job done!  Wendy, Travis and Muck show the team there’s more to strength than lifting heavy blocks and that following instructions is always important. Bob and his crew finish the job with the super power of tools and teamwork!

Episodes:

• “Travis’ New Garage”
• “Scratch and the Dream Home”
• “Super Scrambler”
• “Roley and the Fox”

Bob the Builder is always a great character to watch and I enjoy showing them to my son.  If you have not had your little ones watched Bob yet its worth a try!

GIVEAWAY

 

Win a copy of Bob the Builder Super Scrambler on DVD

To Enter This Giveaway: 

Have you and your kids watched Bob the Builder before? If you have who is your favorite character?

 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

-Like Bob the Builder on Facebook +1

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +3

-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1

-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1

-Share this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +2 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Add our button to your blog and leave a link of where it is located +5 (right hand side) 

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts August 15, 2011 and ends on August 27, 2011 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provide the item in this review for free by the company or PR firm representing them. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others.

Allergies anyone?

My allergies are going WILD! Normally pregnancy cured this for me, no really it did. At least while I was pregnant with my boys they were long gone. Oh NO not this time around! They are worse than ever and I just want to curl up in a ball and sleep the rest of my pregnancy off, that or at least the allergy season. Oh dear. I bet it is because this time we are having a girl and she just wants to torture me. Already....

Pink? Purple? Lace? Bows? OH MY!

After the news of a Baby Girl I have been on the hunt for all things "girlie" and it is hard. To be honest having two boys I have never really let myself "go there" in the girl department of any store. I always felt there was no need to torture myself, I may never have a little girl so why even look?

Seriously, I never really looked how weird is that? Now that I have a reason (Thank you GOD) it is so overwhelming to me. There are a million things to look at and see that I am having a hard time committing to anything. I know it is not a "real" problem and once I get a grip on things it will get easier but in the mean time my head is swirling with pink and purple everything!! And I am loving every second of it ;)

Facebook Freebies Really Do Arrive

My Coupons Mailed to me

One way I try to be Frugal is to get freebies and coupons for free stuff. It is a temporary fix but often times it really helps.

I know many people wonder if signing up for a Facebook Freebie is worth the time. You have to like them and sign up then wait to see if it arrives. I was skeptical about them so I did not share here since I do not want to send anyone on a wild goose chase for a coupon, but now I know Facebook Freebies really do arrive in your mail box! I do not sign up for ones that I would not want the product but I do sometimes send them to family that might.

So Yes facebook Freebies do really come in the mail! If we find any good ones we will share the links.

Products I redeemed for FREE!

Madison at Main Rug Review and Giveaway

When we first moved into our current house I was 5 months pregnant and we did not do much decorating. I was more concerned about getting baby stuff than house stuff. As time has gone by I realized our house is dull and undecorated. I tried to think of where to start to make our house feel like a home. My first thought was to start from the ground up. I started to look for a small rug for the kitchen to make it feel more comfy and uplifting. I do a lot of work at the kitchen table so I knew it had to be a bright and colorful rug. I spent a few days browsing the internet for the right rug. Many I found were drab and not very bright. Another concern of mine was being able to wash the rug. Having a son and a dog means there is always a new mess somewhere in the house. Having a rug in the kitchen that leads to outside where the dog is makes for cleaner kitchen floors. And clean kitchen floors makes this Mama happy!

I found a great site Madison at Main that carries many, and I mean many rugs. The selection is vast and each is like a mini piece of art. I found a few that I loved and many were out of stock which to me means everyone else loved it too! Then as I was looking more at the rugs I found the most cheerful rug. I knew it was the one I need for my kitchen.

Giant Sunflowers Rug

Giant Sunflowers is the name of the rug I reviewed. It is bright, cheerful and best of all Washable! Its wonderful how a rug can change the feel of a room. I love sunflowers and have grown them many times. They have a way of bringing in the sunshine and making me feel happy. The rug is thick and soft. I was surprised at how soft it was yet durable. My son loves laying on the rug and petting the flowers. The last week I have found him a few times with his pillow pet hanging out on the rug. Its really cute!

Madison at Main has many rug sizes to select from to fit your rug needs. They have some really great Welcome Rugs and Fall themed rugs. I found a few that I want for other rooms in our home too.

GIVEAWAY

Win a Accent Rug from the Jellybean or Home Fires Accent Rug collection. Winners Choice.

 To Enter This Giveaway:
 
What Rug from the Jellybean or Home Fires Accent Rug would you love to have?

 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if not in GFC profile*

 

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

-Like Madison at Main on Facebook. +1
-Follow Madison at Main on Twitter  +1 
-Follow the Maison at Main Blog +1
 

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +3

-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1

-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1

-Share this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +2 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Add our button to your blog and leave a link of where it is located +5 (right hand side) 

 

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts August 14, 2011 and ends on August 27, 2011 at midnight PST.  Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provide the item in this review for free by the company or PR firm representing them. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others