My son’s motto is “Have Nerf. Be ready.”

In the spring my son began his birthday talk. My children like to talk about their birthday from the moment the last birthday ends. Oh and you know how much I lurve hearing about birthday plans for an entire year. Not.

My son was fixated on a Nerf birthday. Was there such a concept? How would I go about a Nerf party? I consulted my offline network of friends. I have a large-ish network in western Howard County. One friend suggested checking out Airmania.

Hmmm. I had heard of Airmania. But, did they have the Nerf Dart Tag? An internet search, phone call with a quick date check and we were set!

Nerf gun dart wars while jumping on inflatables is awesome for the under 10 set. The above photo shows my son waiting to ambush someone at Airmania. My teen, tween, and their tween cousins had fun, too.

The kids bounced for 80 minutes with 40 minutes in the party room. I chose a weekday party due to our crazy weekend schedule. For the weekend parties, you share the facility with another birthday/party group, which breaks down to 40 minutes on one side of the bounce area with another 40 minutes on the other area.

Airmania is huge — 8-10 bouncy houses/structures plus basketball nets and hockey table. I loved that our birthday party group had the entire place to ourselves!

There was zero cleanup for me as the Airmania assistant supervised the kids while playing and sorted out the cake and juice part. The assistant orchestrated the present opening, too. We left with one tired, but happy boy!

I have one Nerf Dart Tag Capture the Flag Set for one lucky Musings from Me reader! Have your own Nerf Dart Tag battle at home or in your backyard. One comment = one entry. Leave a comment for a chance to win a Nerf Dart Tag Capture the Flag Set.

Required Entry — Leave a comment

Nerf! Nerf is our go-to toy. During the great snowfall of ‘10 we were trapped in the house for days. Days of parents getting in each other’s way. Kids wanting to monopolize a screen. There was testiness. Pent up energy. A need to let off steam.

Enter Nerf Dart Tag Fury Fire.

Simply put this game is awesome. My son wore one vest while my teen wore the other vest. Both wore protective eyewear. With Nerf guns loaded with Nerf bullets they were ready to play. Upstairs. Downstairs. The playroom. Bathrooms. No where was off limits for these two.

Nerf Dart Tag Fury Fire Set features:

I wasn’t sure I would be able to go. I did not have the cash to buy a ticket in February. Within days I deeply regretted my decision when BlogHer was sold out. But, really I did not have the money so buying a ticket would have been foolish.

How could it be that a conference would sell out so many months in advance? Well, it did.

The more I heard about BlogHer the more I realized that I needed to be there. I still did not have the money for a ticket, but needed to go out on a limb. I looked at my options. An EXPO pass looked as though it was the best option. Except that I considered it too late. The Expo passes sold out.

In desperation I grabbed helplessly at a Cocktail Parties pass. I needed to have a BlogHer reservation number to RSVP for the parties and the Cocktail Pass provided me with a number. Phew…at least I had something.

To my surprise, two weeks after grabbing the Cocktail Parties pass I got off the BlogHer waitlist. I was thrilled to buy the pass.

I still don’t have the money to pay for it, but by golly I have the pass. Which is where you might come in. If you are a brand looking for a blogger to sponsor to BlogHer, I am the blogger you need.

Here’s why…

I will represent your brand at BlogHer in the following ways:

• If you decide to sponsor me, I will spread the word about your brand.
• I will review your product/service/brand on my blog. I will host a giveaway for your product. I will promote the review and giveaway post through my social media presence and to my offline community.
• In the month prior to BlogHer (July), month of BlogHer (August), and month after BlogHer (September), I will write two posts per month about your brand and your brand’s sponsorship of me on my blog.
• I will run an ad on my blog for your brand for 1 month.
• I will wear your clothing or a t-shirt with your company’s logo for one day during the conference or during my everyday life. I am a t-shirt wearer.
• Due to the change in sponsorship policy, I will not be able to hand out coupons, swag, or any other promotional items, but I will be able to place your brand’s logo on the back of my business card.
• At conferences, I typically meet, talk to, and hand my card to between 100 and 150 people. I will talk up your brand to the women I meet at BlogHer, as well as to people in my everyday life.

Here’s What I Need from a Sponsor

You can sponsor me for all or part of a conference. Here are my expenses:

BlogHer 10 – August 5-7, 2010

Conference Ticket — $310

Travel by Train (round trip) – $260

Ground Transportation — $50

Hotel Accommodations — $600

Total:     $1,220

I am looking forward to attending BlogHer ‘10. It would be an honor to represent your brand at either or both of these conferences. I am ready to be your SpokesMom. If this proposal is interesting to you, I would be happy to discuss it further. If you are interested please contact me at JillAnneBerry @ msn.com

I knew the Toy Fair would be big, but never guessed just how big it would be. It was located on 3 floors of the Javits Center. I walked through about 80% of the exhibits. My choice of walking shoes was a good one. My decision to carry my laptop and a bag of books/work papers for the train rides was a bad one as I was dragging — literally — as the day came to a close. Plus, Amtrak has no wifi. Doh!

I saw as many vendors as I could. I left with 3 bags full of brochures and samples. Some products I passed by without a backward glance. Some products I stopped because I wanted to know more.

I spent quite some time chatting to a mom who created a line of dolls for girls who love sports. I chatted to Jodi Norgaard, the founder of Go! Go! Sports Girls dolls, about girls, sports, blogging, and social media. She very kindly gave me Suzi the Swimming Go! Go! Sports Girl. Once I arrived home from #ToyFair, my tween daughter took possession of the doll — she is a swimmer. The Go! Go! Sports Girls swimmer doll has a cute pair of flip Flops and adorable goggles. Best of all, Suzi the Swimmer is wearing a one-piece swim suit!

Go! Go! Sports Girls are a line of dolls for girls who love sports. The dolls are girl-shaped — no Bratz or Barbie silhouettes on these dolls. The dolls remind me of a girl doll I had that looked like me. I never see dolls for tween girls that look anything like tween girls, do you?

Go! Go! Sports Girls are available for golf, tennis, gymnastics, swimming, and many other sports. My girls love volleyball and swimming, so I knew Go! Go! Sports Girls would have two new fans! The dolls are available from the following online retailers: amazon, Sears, Target, Kohl’s, and Sports Unlimited. The dolls are appropriate for ages 3-12. I can tell you that teen girls also love these dolls, too!

Giveaway for Musings from Me readers! I am giving away one Go! Go! Sports Girl of your choice. Once I choose a winner, I will ask the winner to pick a doll. One comment = One entry. Enter now!

• For one entry, go to the Go! Go! Sports Girls website and tell me something interesting you learned.
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I was given a Go! Go! Sports Girls doll as part of my review. The views expressed in the article are my own. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. The giveaway ends June 9, 2010, at 11:59 p.m.

In my early married days my husband was the cook while I was the chief bottle washer. When his work, coaching, and graduate school schedule got too hectic once we had children I took on the cooking responsibilities. I was a WAHM managing editorial projects while caring for 2 little children. I made meals that were kid friendly. As you can imagine we ate, fruit, vegetables, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, cereal, waffles, ready-made dinners from Costco, and other easy-to-prepare foods.

My cooking skills improved greatly once I stopped working from home. Overnight I had time to cook. Now, I still wasn’t a very good or enthusiastic cook,  but I had the time to stop buying all the processed foods and start cooking from recipes. Our diet improved considerably.

Since I have cooking issues I try: (1) stick with recipes that I can cook and the family will eat (the eating part is not a given when I am cooking!) and (2) used tried and true ingredients. Uncle Ben’s is a brand we love. My kids love Chinese and Mexican food dishes that feature rice.

Now my husband is still picky when it comes to anything whole grain. My son, could care less. When I found that Uncle Ben’s had created a new Whole Grain White Rice that looks and tastes like white rice, I knew that it would be a winner with my family.

Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain White Rice has the look, taste and texture of white rice, but is packed with whole grains (almost a full day’s worth in one serving). Uncle Ben’s new Whole Grain White Rice provides a healthy alternative to plain sides like pasta or potatoes. The rice comes in a variety of flavors from traditional Long Grain to Chicken, Broccoli Cheddar, Taco Style and Sweet Tomato, so you can mix-up meals and still know that you’re getting whole grains on the table. Plus, with a quick 10-minute prep time, Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain White Rice provides a great solution for the nights when jam-packed schedules leave you scrambling for a quick, healthy option.

Uncle Ben’s has partnered with Missy Chase Lapine, author of The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids’ Favorite Meals. As moms we struggle to find a balance between what kids want to eat and what we want them to eat. I struggle to get kids to eat enough fruits, veggies and whole grains. Lapine’s tips and recipes can help sneak nutrition-rich foods into children’s favorite dishes.

Want to try a box of Uncle Ben’s Whole grain White Rice? Here’s a coupon.

Want to find where Uncle Ben’s rice is sold? Here’s a link.

Do you live close to me? Do your kids attend the same schools as mine? Are we members of the same pool, sports teams, etc.? This giveaway is for you!

I have a box of Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain White Rice and an Uncle Ben’s apron for FOUR lucky readers who live close to me. I’ll leave the prizes on my front porch or deliver them to the pool or end-of-year events.

To enter this giveaway, leave a comment at the end of this post.

I wrote  this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Uncle Ben’s and received samples to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Our first Nerf was an NFL football. We tried to find a Redskins football, but had no luck. Our search began when the Redskins were doing well. Now…I suspect a Redskins Nerf football might be hard to find. Or, is a Redskins football even manufactured by Nerf? Eeek. I’d better not ask my die-hard Redskins loving husband! We had to settle for a Nerf NFL football. All three children played with that football. It has weathered many a storm, but is shredding and peeling and in need of replacing.

As the fabric of the football continued to disintegrate, I got the call asking if I wanted to review a new Nerf football. I did not have to be asked twice if I wanted to review the Nerf Weather Blitz Football. I was intrigued by the idea of a Weather Blitz football. Anyone with kids will know that it is the goal to keep all toys in pristine condition, but the reality is that toys will be left outside in all-weather conditions. We have had balls that have met the fate worse than death — death by lawnmower. Balls that have been left outside to disintegrate due to water and sun damage. Could a Nerf football survive the wilds of our backyard?

The Nerf N Sports Weather Blitz Pro All Conditions Football was put through its paces. We played with it after a rain storm turned parts of our yard in to a mud puddle. The Nerf football was left outside numerous times. I almost rolled over the football with my minivan…I noticed the football before driving over it. Note: Not even a Nerf football can withstand the power of the Mom’s Taxi!

The Nerf N Sports Weather Blitz Pro All Conditions Football plays in all weathers. Wind. Cold. Rain. Wet. You name it we played in it. The football has a special technology that gives this ball a water-resistant surface for extreme performance, grip, and durability even in the toughest rain or sleet.

My son was a fan of the Nerf N Sports Weather Blitz from the moment he opened the package up. My husband? Well, he would have preferred any other team on the football than the Dallas Cowboys! Oh well!

Want to try a Nerf N Sport Weather Pro Blitz All Conditions Football? Yes! Leave a comment. One comment – one entry. Enter now!

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I was given a Nerf Football as part of my review. The views expressed in the article are my own. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. The giveaway ends June 7, 2010, at 11:59 p.m.

I have a confession to make… I don’t choose winners as efficiently as I could. Oh, I choose winners for all giveaways, it’s just that there is some timelag. I post the giveaway. Tweet the giveaway. Post another giveaway. Post another giveaway. You get the idea. More than once a giveaway has ended before I have chosen the winner.

In last couple of weeks I picked, notified, and had prizes sent to the winners of the following giveaways: Casio Men’s Watch, Casio Women’s Watch, Old Navy Coupons, Pillsbury Sweet Rewards pack, Yoplait Yoplus Yogurt price pack, Protect-a-Bed Mattress Pad, Roger Day Why Does Gray Matter? CD, Arithmaroo app, McCormick & Schmicks gift certificate,

Thank you to everyone who entered a giveaway or two! More to come!

A snooze would not be a good idea. Why? If I snooze…

• my teen will stay up late watching Glee, Secret Life of the American Teenager, and Make It or Break It.
• my tween will stay up and watch the Disney Channel with a detour to playing with my itouch followed by a short play on her DS with a dash of Yoursphere thrown in for good measure.
• my kid will stand over me and demand I look at his Lego creations. Sleeping through his monologue will be impossible. My ability to sleep through any and all noises will be sorely tested, but in the end I will be jolted out of my sleep. I will wake up groggy and disoriented to find that all three children are WIDE AWAKE.

So, my friends I will tear myself away from the computer, drag my son out of the bathroom, push my tween in to the shower, and wrangle my teen to clean up her room. With that I bid you adieu!

Bedtime was O.K. All are asleep now. The tween AND teen both made a valiant and entirely unsuccessful plea to be allowed to stay up and watch American Idol. Nice try kids, but g’night!

BTW, don’t forget to use Code YSMC-0051 to sign up for Yoursphere.com. Yoursphere is free. By using the code YSMC-0051 you will help me win a gift card. Squee!!

Giveaways galore!!

• BABW $25 Gift Card ends 5/31 at 11:59 p.m.
• Suave Body Wash ends 5/28 at 11:59 p.m.
• Avatar DVD Giveaway ends 5/27 at 11:59 p.m.
• and a giveaway ending tonight…Sweet and Salty Treat pack

So my tastes are simple and straightforward. I don’t wear makeup. I don’t blow dry my hair. I don’t need hand cream. I require few beauty products. Two I need and can’t live without…a reliable sunscreen and a good body wash.

I recently tried out a Suave® Body Care product that was right up my alley….New Suave Naturals Mango Mandarin Refreshing Body Wash. I love starting each day with a moment of refreshing bliss.

Suave is encouraging women everywhere to take time out of their busy day to catch a moment of bliss with NEW Suave Naturals® Mango Mandarin Refreshing Body Wash. Infused with mango and mandarin extracts, along with skin conditioning Vitamin E, this body wash revitalizes the senses and energizes with lively citrus and fruity fragrance bliss. It makes Bath & Body Works®* smell way overpriced!

Would you like to experience a moment of bliss at the beginning or end of your busy day? I have a another bottle of NEW Suave Naturals® Mango Mandarin Refreshing Body Wash to give away to one of my lucky readers. One comment = one entry. Enter now.

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*Compared to Bath & Body Works Mango Mandarin Shower Gel. Bath & Body Works is a registered trademark of Bath & Body Works Brand Management, Inc.

I was given two bottles of Suave Naturals Mango Refreshing Body Wash as part of my review. The views expressed in the article are my own. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. The giveaway ends May 28, 2010, at 11:59 p.m.

I have a little problem with movies. What is my problem? If I watch a movie at home I invariably fall asleep before the movie ends. Way before the movie ends. My kids refer to it a “we watched the movie while Mommy snoozed” family movie night. So, what happened when I watched Avatar?

Which time? The first time was a snore fest for me. The teen and her dad loved it. The second time around I was determined to accomplish two things. (1) stay awake and (2) convince my tween to watch the movie with us.

How did I do? Task #1 — I stayed awake…for the whole movie. Task #2 — My tween agreed to watch the movie. I was shocked. Shocked to the core. My tween is very cautious about movies. She watches two kinds of movies…Disney movies with characters from the Disney Channel, not cartoons, and movies with animals. Avatar doesn’t fit in either category. She thought about it for many days. The verdict…she lasted the entire movie without leaving the room or hiding under a blanket. Now don’t worry, I never force any of the kids to watch a movie that they are not comfortable watching.

Avatar Review for Tweens

My tween had heard very little about Avatar. She knew about tall blue people, but very little else. We chatted about the concept of a group of people who are invaded by a more powerful group of people. She nodded. We proceeded to watch the film.

I’m not a techie by any means. I am fascinated by how Avatar was filmed. I’m guessing CGI, green screen, and motion capture. Is there a behind the scenes “Making of Avatar”? If not, there should be!

The movie starts slowly with a setting the scene. Jake is a young Army (or perhaps Marine?) guy who was injured. He must change places with his recently murdered brother. Jake is a good guy, but not educated like his brother. Jake’s twin brother was a highly trained researcher. The team have created N’Avi Avatars using some sort of technology where Jake lies in a chamber and can control the avatar by his mind. (I wish I knew the technology and lingo to better explain it, but alas I do not.)

Jake must deal with criticism and snide comments from his new boss on the research project. Tweens will sympathize with Jake. Jake has something that the team need. He is a DNA match to his brother who is willing to “be” his brother. I commented that Jake was a good sport. My tween agreed.

The action intensified once Jake entered area on Pandora in the guise of one of the indigenous people. My tween asked a few questions about how Jake could be in the pod AND in the body of one of the tall blue people. Once I explained it to her, she “got” it. The technology behind the transfer of Jake to the tall blue person is fascinating and intriguing.

As the animals arrived on screen I was cautiously looked over at my tween. She was hanging in there. The creatures were large and loud, but she handled their appearance with aplomb. She was intrigued by the way the blue people used their braid to tame any animal with a mane. I reminded my family that usually a horse rider would use her heels or a crop or a tug on the reins to tell the horse what to do. The indigenous people have a connection to their animals.

After many months — the passage of time is shown by Jake’s hairstyle — Jake needs to go through a rite of passage required of all young people who want to become full fledged members of the Pandora society. Jake’s haircut evolves from a Marine jarhead — at one point he tells his new tribe that he is from the Tribe Jarhead — to a regular haircut. Jake as one of the N’Avi has a Marine like haircut.

The fight sequences were intense, but well choreographed. We all hissed when the plain clothes guy in charge of the “unobtanium” dig reveals that he will do anything to obtain the mineral including destroying the tree in the middle of Pandora. Once the research team realize what is happening to their plans, Jake along with the rest of the team is rushed away to the secret hideaway so that their mission is not compromised. The research team was caught in the middle of a battle between the mineral hungry group and the Marine colonel in need to dominating the Pandoran people.

I won’t give the plot away as I know a few people have not seen the movie. And No I didn’t fall asleep while watching it. I am proud to say that I stayed awake during family movie night!

Want to learn the Navi language? Friend Avatar on Facebook? Follow on Twitter? Oh and for a real movie review go here to read a review of Avatar by my friend Sandie.

Speaking of not seeing the movie? Have you seen it? No? Would you like a copy? I have an extra copy — I was given a copy for my review, but received a copy as a gift from my in laws — so I have an extra copy to giveaway. Do you want it?

If you would like to win a copy of Avatar, leave me a comment. One comment = one entry. Enter now.

• What movie works for all of your family on family movie night?
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I received a copy of Avatar for my review. The views expressed in this article are my own. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. The giveaway ends May 27, 2010, at 11:59 p.m.