As a mother, I have always looked to my fellow moms when it comes to getting the best advice for raising my children. From sleep issues, to toilet training, illness and more, my mom friends have always been my best source for help.
There are times, however, that us moms are facing an issue that our friends do not have experience with. Or, we may just want a quick and easy solution, or are too embarrassed to ask a certain question.
Imagine being able to hang out with your most fun and wisest mom friends to talk about whatever is on your mind, without having to leave your home or even change out of your pajamas! That's what Mamapedia does for us mothers and it's a wonderful resource.
Mamapedia brings millions of women together online so we can help each other tackle those difficult parenting questions or even just give recommendations on our favorite pediatricians, playgroups, and kid-friendly restaurants.
Stop on by Mamapedia today and take advantage of the collective wisdom of mothers everywhere!
Summer is coming! My favorite time of year. In celebration of the season, Lands’ End has launched “The Island” where one can enjoy a virtual, tropical getaway.
Amidst the backdrop of a private island paradise, you can shop for Lands’ End swimsuit styles, enter an exciting sweepstakes and more.
To celebrate the launch of The Island, Lands’ End is providing a promo code for free shipping (ends Monday, May 25). Simply enter the promo code and pin number below at Lands' End checkout and you will receive free shipping off your entire order.
Promo Code = ISLAND
PIN = 5262
While visiting The Island, you can scroll through the multiple Lands’ End swimwear collections (including Swimwear That Slims, high-performance Aquaterra Separates, Beach Living Separates and Resort collections) in a fun and highly-interactive format . Also, all your finds can be easily shared with friends and family through built-in share tools for Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Digg and email.
After you're done drooling over the virtual island as I did, you can enter a sweepstakes offering a trip for four to Barbados. Visitors can enter daily for a chance to win at “The Island” (ends midnight (CST) on May 31, 2009). The prize package also includes a Lands’ End Swimwear package for four, round-trip airfare and transportation, and meals.
To enter, simply leave a comment on this post telling me which book from this bundle you look forward to reading the most. Be sure that there is an email address for you that I can find, or your entry will have to be disqualified. By entering, you automatically agree to all the rules and disclaimers listed here.
You can receive additional entries by doing one or all of the following (one entry for each step):
~Twitter with a link to this post. Then leave a separate comment here with your Twitter link.
~Blog about this contest with a link to this post. Then leave a separate comment here with the link to your post.
~Follow this blog. Simply click on "Follow this blog" found near the top of the sidebar to the right (under "The Blonde"). Then, leave a separate comment letting me know you are following.
~Post the button below on your blog and then leave a separate comment here letting me know it's posted and where. Here's the code for the button:
~Add So a Blonde Walks Into a Review to your Technorati Favorites (just click the button below and follow the simple steps). Then, leave a separate comment here letting me know you've added this blog to your favorites:
Deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, May 31, 2009. Winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Good luck!
Thanks to all who entered and to Weber Shadwick for sponsoring this fabulous giveaway. Stay tuned for more fun contests to come! If you haven't already done so, be sure to enter the Mother's Day book bundle giveaway here.
If you live in the Washington DC area, there was only one place to be Saturday night: at the 9:30 Club catching Chester French's phenomenal performance. CF, along with Hollywood Holt opened for the very bada$$ Lady Sovereign. While they were all amazing, I'm going to focus on Chester French because I heart them times infinity. :)
After watching CF's performance on Jimmy Fallon, I knew that the energy from them would be off the wall. And I was right.
My friend/assistant Heather and I were in the front row (I was actually able to rest my purse and beer on the stage, ha!) and got to soak up all of that energy as it poured off of DA and Max and flowed over the crowd.
As you know from my previous interview, these two are talented beyond words. DA's voice was smooth and sexy (like buttah!) and that boy can work a tambourine! Max was right in front of me and I got a close-up view of his tight guitar playing while he simultaneously played the keyboard:
Still blows me away! And both of their moves just make you want to get on the stage and dance with them (as three lucky girls got to do. *jealous*)
What I love most about CF, though, is how in-touch they are with their fans. They mingled with the crowd after their perfomance, took tons of pictures with everyone, and were really just so down-to-earth.
The highlight for me was when Max and DA remembered who I was when I said I was "Blonde Blogger." DA even remembered my real name, saying, "Oh, Dawn!" and gave me a huge hug. And just so you know...because you really must know this....DA also called me "sexy." ;)
The only downside of the night is that the pics of me with DA came out so bad. I'll be brave enough to share this one with you:
But the most important picture (Heather and I with DA on CF's tourbus) came out so bad that my husband couldn't stop laughing. It was that bad. *sigh* Of all the pictures, that one was the one that I really needed to turn out good. Oh well...here it is cropped:
Heather is a journalism student so I was thrilled to bring her along with me to interview CF (her first interview ever!). Before you watch the videos, know that my way-too-loud laughter at DA's shout-out to you all was due to the fact that I thought he was making a joke about my blog title...you'll see what I mean when you watch. I thought he was referring to himself as the other blonde of "So Two Blondes Walk Into a Blog" because even though he's a (very hot) redhead, there is some blonde there!
And this is just more proof of how sweet he is...when we realized he wasn't joking, he felt so bad that he put his head into his hands and made the most adorable, "I'm so sorry" face. Then he let me shoot a quick correction. But seriously? He could've called my blog "Five Brunettes Walk Into a Phonebook" and I could not adore him any less. :)
The intereview is also in two parts because a couple of fans walked by and wanted a picture with DA. So I paused while he took the photo. See what I mean? EVERY fan is important to them and treated like a friend.
Finally, I have tried three different hosts for these videos and all of them darken them so much that you cannot see DA's face. Which sucks for you because he has a really cute face. :)
Here is the on-the-street, tourbus-side interview with DA, with a transcript below. DA starts by offering Heather tips for interviewing, then, in the spirit of CF's brand new album "Love the Future," talks about future plans, as well as Mick Jagger and pelvic thrusts. ;)
Part One:
Part Two:
Blog Title Correction:
HEATHER: You once tweeted that, when the Lady Gaga show got cancelled in DC, that two of your best shows [that] you’ve ever done were in DC and Richmond. So what is it about DC that made it so memorable for you?
DA WALLACH: DC is just the, the most exuberant city I feel like. For whatever reason, I don’t know if it’s us or if it’s DC, when we came to DC we just played an acoustic show before in a sneaker shop and there were...I was shocked at the number of people who came out because we do it in a lot of different cities, and I was just amazed at the number of people we had supporting us in DC just organically, maybe off the internet or whatever.
But I love DC, I would probably live here if I didn’t live in Wisconsin and you know, I spent summers here a couple of times in high school because I have family out here and it’s just a great place to come.
H: So when will you be headlining your own tour?
DA: I don’t know when we’re going to headline our own tour, it’s a little bit of a mysterious prospect because we’ve never headlined, so we don’t know how many people would come out to see us in a given city. But I think we can safely say we’ll try it in the fall at some point.
H: So you’re really awesome performers.
BLONDEBLOGGER: We’ve noticed you’ve acted really well in all of your interviews, any plans to do SNL, any improv, any kind of acting?
H: Because we would love to see you do that.
DA: Man, we would definitely do SNL in a second. Yeah, we would do SNL in a heartbeat. I mean, we don’t act but we like messing around and having fun and when people put cameras in your faces it’s usually the best option. So, we’re friends, so, so I’m giving you the real genuine side.
H: Who have you seen, that you’ve taken influence from when you perform? Like, what was your first show?
DA: Well, I’ll tell you a show I saw that stays in my mind and remains inspirational, and that is my mom took me, in like sixth or seventh grade, to see The Rolling Stones in Madison, Wisconsin and even at 60 years old, Mick Jagger is running back and forth across the stadium, and dancing his ass of and, you know, not that it competes with The Rolling Stones of the 60’s or 70’s, but I certainly feel like I can’t let a 60 year old man out-energize me every night. I’m not there yet, but I’m aspiring to his level of you know, energy.
BB: Your energy was amazing tonight.
DA: Thank you very much.
H: Yeah, I noticed the thrusts [like] you did on E!
DA: A lot of pelvic thrusts. We do a lot of pelvic thrusts.
H: It’s your signature.
DA: It is my signature. I just like people to know that that whole section is just working, you know what I mean? Just trying to clear the rumors up, you know? It’s all functional.
***********************************
Functional indeed! Mick Jagger doesn't have a thing on DA!
I'd like to thank 42West for making this review/interview possible, and thanks again to Heather for her assistance. Of course, thanks also goes to DA for the interview and the hugs. :)
Be sure to check out Chester French's website as well as their Twitteraccounts. You can also choose from a number of fun packages CF is offering along with their "Love the Future" album here (I so want that safari trip!), and get a free download of CF's "Jaques Jams" mixtape here.
With Mother's Day coming up this weekend, the wonderful people at Hachette Book Group are helping all of us to celebrate with an exciting book giveaway! And because mothers deserve more than just a day to honor them, this giveaway will run until the end of the month. The best news? There will be FIVE winners in total.
To enter, simply leave a comment on this post letting me know why you'd love to win. Be sure that there is an email address for you that I can find, or your entry will have to be disqualified. By entering, you automatically agree to all the rules and disclaimers listed here.
You can receive additional entries by doing one or all of the following (one entry for each step):
~Twitter with a link to this post. Then leave a separate comment here with your Twitter link.
~Blog about this contest with a link to this post. Then leave a separate comment here with the link to your post.
~Follow this blog. Simply click on "Follow this blog" found near the top of the sidebar to the right (under "The Blonde"). Then, leave a separate comment letting me know you are following.
~Post the button below on your blog and then leave a separate comment here letting me know it's posted and where. Here's the code for the button:
~Add So a Blonde Walks Into a Review to your Technorati Favorites (just click the button below and follow the simple steps). Then, leave a separate comment here letting me know you've added this blog to your favorites:
Deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, May 31, 2009. Winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Good luck!
With warm weather approaching, what better way to refresh than with a Carl's Jr. Orange Cream Shake? These shakes remind me of my favorite orange creamsicles popsicles as a kid.
To help celebrate this tasty treat, Weber Shandwick and Carl's Jr. are giving away an "Orange You a Diva?" gift crate valued at $150 to one lucky reader of So a Blonde Walks Into a Review.
The gift crate includes:
Carl’s Jr Orange Cream Shake Coupons
Citrus Bath & Body Works Lotion (8 oz), Shower Gel (10 oz)
Citrus Fragrance Bulb
DVD of the First Season of “The O.C.” TV Show
Polaroid POGO Camera (sponsor has notified me that there is a change in camera...the gift crate will instead include a Flip Video Ultra F260 Orange 60-Minute Digital Camcorder)
To enter, simply leave a comment on this post letting me know why you'd love to win. Be sure that there is an email address for you that I can find, or your entry will have to be disqualified. By entering, you automatically agree to all the rules and disclaimers listed here.
You can receive additional entries by doing one or all of the following (one entry for each step):
~Twitter with a link to this post. Then leave a separate comment here with your Twitter link.
~Blog about this contest with a link to this post. Then leave a separate comment here with the link to your post.
~Follow this blog. Simply click on "Follow this blog" found near the top of the sidebar to the right (under "The Blonde"). Then, leave a separate comment letting me know you are following.
~Post the button below on your blog and then leave a separate comment here letting me know it's posted and where. Here's the code for the button:
~~Add So a Blonde Walks Into a Review to your Technorati Favorites (just click the button below and follow the simple steps). Then, leave a separate comment here letting me know you've added this blog to your favorites:
Deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Tuesday, May 12, 2009. Winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Good luck!
Friday night, Dane Cook rocked the house hard with his ISolated INcident Global Thermo Comedy Tour at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, MD. I had the privilege of reviewing the show from amazing seats thanks to the wonderful people at 1st Mariner.
I have been a fan of Dane for a long time now and I am clearly not alone, as thousands of people filled the huge arena. Think Britney Spears' crowd level. It was that big.
Here's something you need to know about Dane and this particular tour. This is his first time touring since losing both of his parents. His mother passed away first from cancer and shortly thereafter, his father became ill with cancer as well and died within nine months of his mother.
So it would be hard for anyone to pick themselves up after such a loss, much less find laughter once again. But Dane performed with energy and zest in honor of his parents, who were his biggest fans, and even included them in his routine. He called the show his "therapy."
One of the best parts of the show in fact, was about how Dane's parents got to see the good part of his fame (such as the packed arenas) but not the bad. Which would include the haters that come along once you're a celebrity. Dane had me both laughing and cheering him on as he recounted stories on that issue (I won't give away any of the jokes).
And what he revealed, to me at least, was that he has a HUGE heart. This is a guy who can crack jokes about the most crude things in one breath, and then turn around and make you laugh about very profound, deep moments from his life. That not only takes talent. That takes guts. And the crowd loved him for it.
More proof of the big heart that lies beneath the animated, boyish exterior: directly in front of me were a group of Marines who yelled out "Oo-rah!" Dane heard them and knew right away they were Marines.
He stopped his act to acknowledge them, thanked them for their service to our country and promised he'd be back in Iraq to perform for the troops as he'd done before...despite having a dog take a chunk out of his arm the last time he was there, lol ("But then I thought, maybe there's a bomb in my arm!" Dane said. "Good dog!")
The jokes Dane tells for ISolated INcident lean heavily toward the sexual. There were less of the type of jokes I love best from him (car alarms and parking garage squeals, the friend nobody likes, don't get on the flight, pickles, etc.), but I was still laughing until I cried. I did hear others commenting on the same thing, though as we left the show so I wasn't the only one who noticed.
One thing that I found funny....the girl next to me visibly tensed up every time he cracked a crude, sexual joke and all I could think was, "What are you even doing here? Don't you know what Dane Cook is all about?!"
Seriously, if you're that easily offended you do not want to go to a Dane Cook show. Everyone else around me was in hysterics, though. I think the girl might have been brought to the show as a date by the guy she was with. Man did he read her wrong if that's the case!
If you're a Dane Cook fan, you know that nothing is too offensive and nothing is off limits for him - politics, racism, and even the death of his own parents were all part of his act. Which just proves that humor is what makes Dane tick and if you have an open mind and a good sense of humor, you will totally get him.
And if you get him, and you have the opportunity to see his show, you're going to have the time of your life:
As someone who suffers from insomnia as well as allergies, finding the perfect pillow is extremely important...one that is both comfortable and protects against allergens.
I have tried many expensive pillows in my life, but have never been completely satisfied. Thanks to Fleischman-Hillard, I was given the opportunity to try out a customized Select Comfort pillow and I can honestly say that I have finally found the perfect pillow.
The key, in my opinion, is the fact that the pillow is customized to my liking. I selected my pillow options by phone, but the usual method is via online or in-store.
I really recommend you go through the in-store process since an expert can guide you to the right fit for you based on your personal preferences. The experts I spoke to by phone were so friendly and asked me all the right questions to help me make the right choices.
You have three different steps to finding your perfect pillow: outer comfort, inner support and pillow protector. And within each of those steps, there are lots of choices.
I told the experts that I sleep mostly on my side, prefer a semi-firm pillow (I do not like memory foam pillows...those are too firm), and that I suffer from allergies. They talked me through each step with all of this in mind and we were able to create a pillow customized to my liking.
For the first step, I selected the Silver Outer Core which is a shapeable, naturally antimicrobial, high-quality down alternative with 5% silver fiber. The fact that it's shapeable means it won't be too firm, and the antimicrobial properties help protect against allergens.
The inner core is what really gives my pillow its balance. Although I do not like memory foam pillows, I selected the Classic Memory Foam for this part (the inner core is placed inside of the outer core). By combining the shapeable nature of the Silver Outer Core and the firmness of the Classic Memory Foam, my pillow is now the perfect firmness for me. It contours to my head and neck but it also bounces back. I have honestly never had a pillow this comfortable before!
I selected the In Balance Pillow Protector for the final step. I had mentioned that I prefer a cool pillow when I go to sleep and this particular protector provides temperature balancing to minimize temperature swings and makes for a cooler pillow. It's also hypoallergenic so it is free of dust and allergens.
While this pillow is the most comfortable one I've ever owned, it's also done wonders for my allergies and that is my favorite aspect of it.
I used to take Benadryl around-the-clock for my allergies. Shortly after I received the pillow and began using it, I noticed that I wasn't needing my Benadryl as much. I didn't put two and two together right away, but one day, I realized that my allergies had improved right after I changed to the Select Comfort pillow.
So in addition to its comfort, it's actually improved my health. It truly is the PERFECT pillow! I will never go back to using any other brand than Select Comfort from now on.
Click here to learn more and to select YOUR most perfect pillow from Select Comfort.
And it also starts with you! Having a safe place for our children to play is so important and those spaces are harder and harder to find these days.
KaBOOM!, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding and creating play spaces within walking distance for every child, has started a nationwide campaign to help communities across America find and build those spaces. This campaign is so crucial for children who live in neighborhoods that lack playspaces, or are forced to use rundown or unsafe playgrounds.
KaBOOM! believes that play has a purpose and unstructured play in particular helps make children happier, fitter, smarter, more socially adept and creative. So how can you help make this a reality for kids everywhere?
KaBOOM!! needs YOU to help them map online 100,000 playspaces in 100 days. Here's what counts as a playspace: a playground, field, a skate park, roller hockey rink, lake, dog park, community center, basketball court or ice rink - any place where kids can engage in unstructured play for free or a nominal fee. A playspace listing on KaBOOM! consists of an address or cross street and a description, one photo and one rating.
KaBOOM! has made creating this playspace listing easy: either a quick fill-in on their website or even easier - a twitpic from your cellphone.
For every play space entered into the KaBOOM! database on behalf of the Mom Central team, $1 will be donated to Jumpstart, a non-profit that brings at-risk preschool children and caring adults together to improve literacy. So you're efforts will help in more ways than one!
In addition, having these playspaces marked with photos and ratings will be helpful to us parents if we are traveling to see relatives, vacation, etc. You can go online and find cool places to take your kids to play- near Grandma's, the hotel, or off the highway to break up a long drive. So really, everyone benefits from this wonderful campaign!
Getting your kids to drink their milk and eat the proper foods can be a challenge. In fact, my kids do not like milk, so ensuring that they have enough Vitamin D and calcium is that much harder for me.
9 out of 10 girls, and 3 out of 4 boys, don't get enough calcium, and a recent study indicates that there has been a decline in Vitamin D levels among Americans, both children and adults, over the past 10 years. Calcium is an integral part in the development of strong bones and teeth, while Vitamin D is needed to help the body absorb calcium, although very few foods are natural sources.
Now, Shedd's Spread Country Crock has made it easier for us moms to ensure that our children get these vital nutrients by sneaking calcium and Vitamin D into their spread. Isn't that so clever?!
Each serving of Shedd's Spread Country Crock with Calcium and Vitamin D provides 100 mg of calcium, (10% of the Daily Value) and 80 IU of vitamin D (20% of the Daily Value). And the taste is the same, so your kids won't even notice the difference.
Visit CountryCrock.com for a coupon, recipe ideas, nutrition information and tips for simple ways to get more calcium and vitamin D into your family's diet.
There's also a fun Shedd's Spread Country Crock® Calcium quiz. Take the quiz and you could win a $25 Visa® gift card and a family vacation for five to Yellowstone National Park. Good luck!
