Our sample of OXY Clinical arrived when the teen was doing the daily chore of “go get the mail.” She jogged back up the driveway shaking the box. Woe betide the PR person who sends me a delicate crystal vase…it will surely be broken after my children shake, rattle, and roll the box to determine its contents.

When the teen opened the box, I wondered whether she would be excited that we were doing an OXY Clinical review or offended. She’s a teen. You just never know.

She was excited. Who knew? She grabbed both boxes of OXY Clinical. Raced upstairs to store in the bathroom for use that night.

According to OXY Clinical, acne affects 85% of Americans at some point in their lives, which makes it the most prevalent skin disease in the country. Unlike prescription medications, OXY Clinical is an over-the-counter solution that provides fast and noticeable results.  The OXY Clinical acne treatment offers a powerful and affordable solution to stubborn acne without the need for a costly dermatologist appointment.

The new OXY Clinical’s focus on the “science behind skincare” has led to the creation of their new Clinical System which incorporates patented technologies with prescription-strength ingredients to ensure a quick and discrete solution to acne. OXY Clinical delivers a new level of treatment technology in a system that can be applied on a daily basis by the teen.

Each of the system’s three treatments contains an advanced delivery system technology. The three OXY Clinical systems are:

• OXY Clinical Clearing Treatment penetrates deep into pores killing the bacteria.
• Advanced Face Wash uses AcneShield technology to unclog the pores and fight flare-ups.
• The Hydrating Therapy delivers nutrients to replenish acne-prone skin while fighting blemishes and controlling oil.

OXY Clinical has been clinically shown to eliminate 99% of acne bacteria in 8 hours. It works fast. Teens want a quick solution to a breakouts.

My teen emerged from her room after I steadily knocked on her door for a few minutes. I asked her how she liked OXY Clinical. She nodded and quickly shut the door. And that my friends is life with a teen.

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

As a way to feed my family a healthy breakfast, I rely on several staples: bagels and cream cheese, pancakes, and waffles. Waffles are huge hit with everyone in the family. Waffles topped with fruit are a sure bet.

I serve fruit with breakfast, but sometimes one kid won’t eat the fruit or one kids wanted another kind of fruit. Frustrating, but cooking for kids is not easy. I wish I had 3 kids who ate everything on their plates. Alas, no.

We tried a new type of breakfast meal the other day.
Eggo came up with an ingenious and innovative breakfast item, Eggo Real Fruit Pizza. Combining fruit with warm toasted granola and berry flavored cream cheese, Eggo can help streamline your morning with this convenient, tasty breakfast offering.

Our verdict on the Eggo Real Fruit Pizza:

Mom — Loved the fruit on top of the pizza. The berries were actual berries not smushed, unidentifiable objects. Delish.

Dad — Loved the pizza. Is not and never will be a fan of granola. He would prefer the pizza minus the granola topping.

Kid — Loved the whole thing.

Tween — Nibbled around the edges. Ate a bit, but wasn’t in to it…if you know what I mean.

Teen — Didn’t try it.

So, the Musings from Me family would give the Eggo Real Fruit Pizza a thumbs up. We have some reservations about the granola. We loved the sweetness of the fruit, the crustiness of the pizza, and size.

The size worked for us. I heated two pizzas in the oven (pizzas can be microwaved) for an after breakfast snack. We each had about 2 pieces.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Eggo Real Fruit Pizza and received a sample of the product and a $20 Amazon gift certificate to facilitate my review.

Dinnertime is a precious commodity in our house. With kids heading to activities, Dad arriving home late from work, and Mom scrambling to check e-mail and write, dinner time can be rushed. Barilla launched a site called Share the Table to help families make the most of mealtime.

Share the Table encourages togetherness. In the hustle and bustle of family life…especially with a kid, a preteen, and a teen…family time can be fleeting. With summer in full swing we are eating more meals together…even lunch.

I love pasta. I tried to make pasta meals that the kids will eat. I like to  add a little something different each time I make a pasta dish. Some meals are a hit, and some well… I try!

One of the recipes I tried involved Barilla Piccolini or Mini Wheels pasta. Cute and tasty. Small bite-sized pieces of yummy goodness. I added tomatoes, too.

The Barilla share the table site is chockfull of recipes, tips for bringing the family to the table, and Barilla’s Pasta Friday Sweepstakes. By sharing your family’s meal experience you could win a Barilla meal.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Barilla and received products necessary to facilitate my candid review.

I posted recently about my worry that the plethora of tech gadgets available to kids stops kids from reading. Do you see your child staring at a screen and wonder “Why aren’t you reading?!” I know I do. DS, wii, PS3, Flip, itouch…you name it kids can get their hands on it. Is reading suffering?

When my children were little books were a huge part of our day. I was one of those moms who had to learn how to use the shape sorter bucket. I am not a “sit down on the floor and play for hours” type. I did log in many hours playing trucks, GeoTrax, Barbies, Polly Pockets, Thomas, and Bob the Builder, but I developed many strategies for extricating myself from the play. “Mommy, has to switch the wash to the dryer.” “Mommy needs to make a phone call.” “Mommy thinks she heard the mailman…I’ll be right back!”

When playing was involved I exited quickly stage left. Not so with reading. I recall many reading moments with my oldest. She was a cranky baby, but books always calmed her down. My funniest moment with her was the time I pushed her near a display of “Molly & the Big Comfy Couch” books at a bookstore in the mall…Molly was her fave show on PBS. While I thumbed through a book probably called “Dealing with Your Difficult Toddler” or “Encouraging a Child Who Eats Air to Eat Food…Any Food,” she roared with laughter. She was “reading” a book AND got the joke. She connected the pictures to a funny moment from the show. I had never realized that a child of 18 months could “read” a book.

Fast forward to the preschool years, elementary school, middle school, and soon-to-be high school years…reading is a huge part of my children’s lives. But, technology is present in their lives, too. 3 years ago we got a wii. 4 years ago my older two got Nintendo DS. 10 years ago we got a PS2, but the kids never used it. Add in TV and laptops and the kids have many screen options. But, where does reading fit in to the screen time?

It’s July and the summer is finally here. Our days are scheduled with swim practice, trips to the health club, summer workbook time with Dad, and other activities like movies, playing outside, etc. Reading time is important…but do I need to schedule it. Wouldn’t assigned reading time seem too much like school?

My oldest reads spurts. Some days she reads a huge amount. Other days not at all. But I don’t worry about her reading. My middle must have her bedtime reading. I often cannot get her to read at other times. She chafes at any required reading. I don’t want to push it. My youngest…now he is a puzzle. He reads well, but won’t read independently. He and his dad are ploughing through the first harry Potter. He loves it but will not pick up Harry Potter by himself. He treasures his Dad and Kid time. I do “make” him read, but don’t want to make reading a huge issue.

My son is a “can read a chapter book, but won’t” type of reader. Have you heard of I Can Read! — the number one beginning reading series in the country? I Can Read! It’s the open door to a child’s adventure with the most beloved characters in the history of children’s literature.

It a proven series for encouraging young readers from early reading together to advanced reading alone. The series debuted in 1957 with the introduction of a familiar favorite, Little Bear. It was one of the first ever easy-to-read books that children could read independently, and has been in print ever since. Now with more than 6 million I Can Read! books sold, including 200 titles, I Can Read! books is the best series to take children step by step into the wonderful world of reading on their own.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms blogging program to be eligible to get an “I Can Read!” book. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

What is the Jensen Project? I’m not sure. I know it has something to do with Family Movie Night. I can totally stand behind any force to get families together…eating dinner together, family game night, etc. The writeup sounds as though it is right up my alley.

Here’s what I know…

The Jensen Project is on July 16 at 8/7c. To follow the conversation plus follow tweets about the show use hashtag #jensenproject.

About the Film
The world is hanging by a string. Can this family pull it together?

After a 16-year absence, Claire and Matt Thompson are reintroduced to The Jensen Project — a secret community of geniuses conducting advanced underground research to solve the world’s most difficult problems. The former scientists, accompanied by their tech-minded teenage son Brody, are thrust into a frantic pursuit to keep a potentially dangerous technology from falling into the wrong hands. As the family races against the clock to stop the group’s rogue faction, they discover an important truth. In this high-pressure, high-tech world, sometimes the smartest thing we can do is lean on each other.

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

My thought was fireflies. We had not hunted for fireflies yet. So I had the warring thoughts of “early bedtime” jousting with “it’s summer…stop being so rigid.”

As we pulled up the driveway, I leaned back and said “How about hunting fireflies?” He was thrilled. The thoughts of the neat and tidy early bedtime were replaced by the hunt for bugs using new Backyard Safari Outfitters Bug Wrangler’s Extreme Suction Bug Vacuum.

Whew, that’s a mouthful, isn’t it? But, I was intrigued by how the Backyard Safari Bug Vacuum would work. How would it suck up the bugs without hurting the bugs? Would my son be gentle?

I listened as my son assured me that he would not hurt any bugs. He told me that he planned to suck up the bugs carefully and then gently release them. I must admit that in the past we have caught fireflies with our hands, trapped them in the bug catcher, and forgotten about them until the next firefly expedition. Poor little bugs.

This time we were a well-oiled machine. I chased after the fireflies with the bug net. My son found the fireflies more easily with his eagle eyes. He sucked up his fireflies with the Bug Wrangler’s Extreme Suction Bug Vacuum. I swatted at mine with the bug net. Between us we caught and released about 7 fireflies.

Once sucked up in to the Extreme Suction Bug Vacuum, the fireflies glowed brightly. My son swiveled the magnifier to see the fireflies more clearly. We released all of the fireflies by opening the vent on the Bug Vacuum.

Our successful night back to nature ended with a rabbit hopping through our yard!

The Description:

Backyard Safari™ Outfitters the Bug Wranglers Extreme Suction Bug Vacuum

There are THOUSANDS of crawling, flying, buzzing bugs in your backyard – catch them LIVE with your Bug Vac! Look at bugs UP-CLOSE with built-in magnifying Glass! CAPTURE CORE attaches to the Bug Habitat (sold separately) for easy transfer of your insects.

The Features:

• 2 CATCH & RELEASE CAPTURE CORES WITH BUILT IN MAGNIFYING GLASS
• PLUS: EXTRA NOSE CONE FOR THE REALLY BIG BUGS

Who Is It for:

Age 5 & Up

Price:

$19.99

Where can you buy the Backyard Safari™ Outfitters the Bug Wranglers Extreme Suction Bug Vacuum: Summit Toys. Amazon.com has another Backyard Safari Bug Vacuum model for $26.

I was given a selection of Backyard Safari toys for my children to play with. We also received a Backyard Safari Cargo Vest with umpteen pockets and a Backyard Outfitters Land & Water Mega View Periscope. The Periscope is a hit with all the kids…including the teen. She has taken to using it to see who is watching what on TV or who is downstairs in the hallway while she is upstairs. I love it when older kids find something fun in a new toy. And yes, my tween decided she needed to use the Cargo Vest as part of a costume for a play she is writing. Crazy kids + free time + summer = creative summer fun ideas

You all know that I am passionate about online safety and I promote Yoursphere to everyone I meet. Yoursphere is a site where my teen can exercise her creativity by writing and getting her peers to comment on her writing…my tween can create spheres about subjects that she is passionate about, like Converse sneakers and Silly Bandz…and my kid can play a game where zombies attack vegetables. Yes, I said vegetables! He was roaring with laughter as he told me how the zombie tried to stomp on the broccoli. Yoursphere has a little something for every kid!

So about those two things…

1. The founder of Yoursphere — Mary Kay Hoal, mom of 5 and internet entrepreneur — auditioned for her own Oprah show. Yes, that’s right Mary Kay wants to strut her stuff on TV! Mary Kay’s idea for a show centers around finding ways for families to talk about online safety. As a mom, I know that my kids go the internet before they research a project, play a game, contact a friend, etc. I want to find ways to talk to my kids about staying safe on the internet. Mary Kay’s video focuses on conversations you could have with little kids, big kids, and the moms in your neighborhood about staying safe online. To vote for her to be chosen to have an Oprah TV show, go here.
2. If you want to learn more about Yoursphere, go here. Yoursphere is now FREE. That’s right…Free…no membership fees…no messages about “your account has expired”…just a FREE service for kids to play and parents to relax knowing their child is safe. I have a FREE code — YSMC-0051 — for you to use to get the FREE membership. You do not need the code to join, but if you use the code you will be entered in to a drawing for a $50 gift card. It’s a win-win…your child or children get a FREE service to play on and you get a chance at winning a gift card! Use Code YSMC-0051!

I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review.

• The doctor’s office…waiting for our name to be called.
• The car dealership…clockwatching until the repair was done.
• The supermarket…sitting not so patiently in the shopping cart.
• In the van…running errands that were endless.

With my girls in tow I did all of these outings without benefit of a cell phone, car DVD player, Nintendo DS, itouch, #VerizonPalmPrePlus, or smartphone. I know? I’ll let you have a minute to catch your breath. I can’t believe that my girls and I survived these trips. I guess we had to rely on the old standbys of playing I-Spy, reading books, and 20 Questions. Eeek indeed.

I won an itouch in late December. To say that the itouch was a hit in our home is an understatement. My younger two fight with each other over who can download the most apps. I commented that I had not downloaded any itunes. My teen told me that my tween has downloaded many, many itunes.

We have a road trip coming up on Friday. Dad and the girls are driving up to a volleyball tournament while the boy and I will follow on Saturday. The girls will have to make do with their ipods because there is no way I am heading on a trip out of town without my itouch. My little guy is a talker…a question asker. I’ll need something to distract him as we hang out at the hotel with our free wifi! In short and in conclusion, I need the itouch, STAT!

But, what to add to the itouch? I met a lovely person at Celebrate Mama in Bethesda. She invented an iphone/itouch app that is brilliant in its simplicity. Tales2Go won the PTPA seal of approval for excellence in family products (“Parent Tested, Parent Approved”).

Tales2Go is an app you can download to your iphone/itouch. Tales2Go streams great children’s book to your iphone. For itouch users, Tales2Go will work when near wifi.

Your child will have access to over 1,000 stories. I’m a book person and that is a lot of stories!

We tried out the Henry and Mudge stories. My son loved the books. I will pack headphones so that he can listen at the hotel when we are in PA. Tales2Go is a fantastic audio book for kids. I found it entertaining, too!

The app is super easy to download. Once downloaded I showed my son how to navigate to find books. He was all set. Truthfully, kids figure things out so easily, don’t they? My kids more than once have grabbed an electronic device and said “Here, let me show you how to do it!”

Tales2Go is available for a free 30-day trial! I can assure that you will want to upgrade to the yearly subscription once the free trial ends. The yearly subscription is $24.99 for unlimited access to over 1,000 books!  Right now, Tales2Go is available for Apple phones only, with more smartphones coming soon.

Check out the extensive library of audiobooks! Books include: Anansi’s Children, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, and many others.

Oh, and one more thing, you can listen to Tales2Go in a few different ways:

- Through the iPhone/iTouch speakers

- On a docking station

- With earphones

- Using mini portable speakers

• - Over your car speakers (via your car dock or with an AUX cord)

I was not compensated for this post. I happen to love the product!