So, when I received a box of the cereal to sample through MyBlogSpark, I immediately “dug in”. Just opening the box let loose the sweet, caramel scent. And I swear, as long as a box is in my house, my house smells sweet, just like the cereal. I offered some of the Dulce de Leche cereal to my youngest, who likes “circle cereal”, and he loved it. So I poured him a bowl. And then I poured him a second bowl. Then he was full. But he had more that night.

And ever  since Rice Krispies came up with “Rice Krispy Treats”, lots of other cereals came up with versions of snacks and meals you can make with their cereals. From smooshing cereal for a casserole topping, to mixing them with nuts and choco chips for a fun snack mix. The great thing about all these flavors of Cheerios, and especially the new Dulce de Leche cereal, you can really make something tasty with one of their many flavors. Below is a fun snack mix you can make for yourself (work-time snack) or child (school-day snack), as well as a yummy parfait that has lots of healthy ingredients.

Dulce de Leche Cheerios Snack Mix: Combine pretzels, nuts, cheese crackers, M&Ms or mini chocolate chips with Dulce de Leche Cheerios for a sweet and salty munching mix with a crunch. Perfect for a mid-day work snack or your child’s school snack.  I am making this for both my kids next week.

Dulce de Leche Cheerios Parfait: Jazz up your yogurt by layering Dulce de Leche Cheerios with fresh fruit, like bananas, strawberries and bananas. See my picture to the right!

Other Dulce de Leche Cheerios Recipes:

• Dulce de Leche Popcorn Balls- Gooey popcorn balls that melt in your mouth as you bite into the caramel flavors
• 

  Chowing on Dulce de Leche Cheerios the MINUTE it arrived.

  Dulce de Leche No Bake Snack Bars- Hearty bars with bits of fruit and nut for on-the-go snacking

• Dulce de Leche Apple Bread- A hint of caramel paired with refreshing apple flavors that is perfect for any time of day
• Dulce de Leche No Bake Cheesecake- Make your own crust for this rich cheese cake using Dulce de Leche Cheerios

Want to try the new Cheerios? Visit here for savings: download a printable coupon for $1.00 off the purchase of ONE BOX of Dulce de Leche Cheerios® cereal today

And even though it has a new, sweet taste – the new Dulce de Leche Cheerios still have the same goodness you’ve come to know and love about Cheerios. The new Dulce de Leche flavor provides 39 percent of the recommended daily amount of whole grain.

One reader will win a Dulce de Leche Prize Pack:

• Box of Dulce de Leche Cheerios
• Orange polka dot cereal bowl
• Cereal spoon
• Dulce de leche scented candle

FIRST: MANDATORY ENTRY:

Why would you try Dulce de Leche Cereal? The Health Benefits, Taste or just to complement one of the recipes above?

SECOND: EXTRA ENTRIES:

To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED/MANDATORY entry. But for extra entries, you can do the following – leave a comment for each:

Follow @themombuzz

• Share this contest on your Facebook page – Link it to @theMomBuzz – Here is the text:

Win a Dulce de Leche Cheerios Prize Pack @theMomBuzz . Give-away ends 3.08.12 http://themombuzz.com/?p=20780

• Tweet the contest – can be done daily:

Win a Dulce de Leche Cheerios Prize Pack from #theMomBuzz . Give-away ends 3.08.12 http://themombuzz.com/?p=20780

• Stumble any review or post on theMomBuzz.com (Please don’t Stumble Give-aways). Let me know what you Stumbled!
• Add the Mom Buzz to your blogroll (Feed: http://themombuzz.com/feed/)
• Enter the Build-a-Bear Contest – leave me a comment below letting me know you entered
• Enter the 5Star Contest - leave me a comment below letting me know you entered

Contest ends 3/08/12. This is open to the USA. Please refer to complete contest rules. The entries listed above are the ONLY entries for this contest. Winners will be notified by e-mail (if supplied in the entry or on profile page), as well as on the Winner’s Wall.

This is solely the opinion of the Mom Buzz. Other people may have different experiences with the product. And don’t forget to enter my other hot contests so you can win and try buzzworthy products! The Mom Buzz was not compensated for this buzz. The new Dulce de Leche Cheerios information, product, and prize pack have been provided free of charge by Cheerios and General Mills, through MyBlogSpark.

One Fun Pack plus Friend includes:

• A miniaturize, pre-stuffed plush toy
• A Teeny Shirt
• Heart
• Fabric Stickers, for decorating the Teeny Shirt
• 3 Trading Cards
• Online Code to Bearville.com
• Pamphlet that includes the Collector’s Guide, Activities and Fun Facts

This mini BABW Furry Friend is approximately 3.5″ tall, depending on it’s ears and legs. It is pre-stuffed, but it has a pocket in the back to put it’s heart. Children can wish upon the heart before tucking it in the Furry Friend. They also can customize the shirt of their Furry Friend with a nice selection of Fabric Stickers.

A BABW Fun Pack plus Furry Friend retails for $5.99 from popular retailers, like Target, Walmart, and Toys R Us. Other stores will carry them, as well. Keep an eye out towards the trading card department of the stores. There are 12 Furry Friends to choose from and 36 cards to collect. Cards are included in the Fun Pack plus Furry Friend, as well as in Trading Card Fun Packs.

Trading Card Fun Packs ($1.99 ea.) include:

• 3 Collectible Cards
• Temporary Tattoos
• Scratch-Offs
• Fun Activities

This mom thinks that they are fun as a small reward for doing well at school or home, will make a great filler in an Easter Basket, a sweet Valentine’s Gift, and would be a fun activity for birthday parties!

One reader will win a Build-a-Bear Workshop Fun Pack plus Furry Friend and extra Trading Packs

FIRST: MANDATORY ENTRY:

Who would you like to win a Build-a-Bear Workshop Fun Pack plus Furry Friend for?

SECOND: EXTRA ENTRIES:

To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED/MANDATORY entry. But for extra entries, you can do the following – leave a comment for each:

Follow @themombuzz

• Share this contest on your Facebook page – Link it to @theMomBuzz – Here is the text:

Win a Build-a-Bear Fun Pack Plus Furry Friend @theMomBuzz . Give-away ends 3.07.12 http://themombuzz.com/?p=20748

• Tweet the contest – can be done daily:

Win a Build-a-Bear Fun Pack Plus Furry Friend from #theMomBuzz . Give-away ends 3.07.12 http://themombuzz.com/?p=20748

• Stumble any review or post on theMomBuzz.com (Please don’t Stumble Give-aways). Let me know what you Stumbled!
• Have you spotted these Build-a-Bear Workshop Fun Packs plus Furry Friends at any stores? Take a picture of it and send it to theMomBuzz via Twitter, share on our Facebook Page or Blog it for 10 extra entries each method! Just be sure to tag and/or share your link w/theMomBuzz and leave the comments below for each extra entry.
• Add the Mom Buzz to your blogroll (Feed: http://themombuzz.com/feed/)

Contest ends 3/07/12. This is open to the USA. Please refer to complete contest rules. The entries listed above are the ONLY entries for this contest. Winners will be notified by e-mail (if supplied in the entry or on profile page), as well as on the Winner’s Wall.

This is solely the opinion of the Mom Buzz. Other people may have different experiences with the product. And don’t forget to enter my other hot contests so you can win and try buzzworthy products! The Mom Buzz was not compensated for this buzz. The Mom Buzz did receive a sample for review.

But recently I was introduced to Kidz Gear Wired Headphones, which offers “grown-up” performance for kids, with features parents can approve of. Most important was the volume limit technology, which sets the max volume at 80 – 90 db. Anything louder can cause hearing loss. The headphones are designed for smaller heads. Plus it has padded ear covers for a comfortable fit.

Kidz Gear Wired Headphones are specifically designed to work with the Apple devices, such as the iPod, iPhone and iPad. Both my boys use refurbished iPhones to watch videos, play music and play games. Sometimes between them and my husband, there is a lot of competing sounds. But with headphones designed to work with their Apple devices, they can easily move through tracks with the built-in remote. And there is also an inline mic, which is great for Don’t Let the Pigeon Run this App, which records my children’s voices as part of the game. If they are using your phone, the mic would allow them to talk on the phone while wearing the headphones or issue commands to Siri.

Kidz Gear Apple Wired Headphones for Kids are available now for $29.95. You can find them at:

• Apple: Volume Limit Headphones – $29.95
• Amazon: Kidz Gear Wired Headphones For Kids – $29.95
  
• GearForKidz.com

Don’t Forget the Accessories!

• Kidz Gear Headphone Volume Limit Splitter – let’s two headphones be used with one device. And right now if you buy two headphones from KidzGear, you get the splitter for free! The Headphone Splitter retails for $5.99.

• Keep your child’s  headphone safe in a nylon, drawstring bag with a soft, lined inner. Each bag retails for $5.99.

This is solely the opinion of the Mom Buzz. Other people may have different experiences with the product. And don’t forget to enter my other hot contests so you can win and try buzzworthy products! The Mom Buzz received samples and thought they were so buzzworthy she shared the item with you!

ABOUT DONORSCHOOSE.ORG:

DonorsChoose.org is an online charity that connects you to schools in need. They help fund school projects in support of education and literacy. You can narrow your search by a school, state, city, etc. You can also read about their projects and needs – like a new carpet, books, pencil sharpeners, smartboards – and I even saw a request for the beloved Tag Readers! You can choose to give any amount and it tells you how much more they need and what time span they are working on to accept donations. It is really easy to donate.

And regarding that LeapFrog Tag request, there was a note that LeapFrog will fund 50% of this project if someone provides the remainder. That’s because LeapFrog has partnered with DonorsChoose.org to help teachers who want Tag Readers and books for their classroom.

MY CHOICE:

So, the Mom Buzz was given the opportunity to donate $25 to a school in need through Donor’s Choose. It was a hard choice! I would have loved to donate to my son’s school, of course, but the school wasn’t on the list. So I was looking far and wide, trying to choose between PE games, science equipment, butterfly kits and more. But I finally settled on donating to the Jumping Into Learning classroom project requested by Mrs. Garcia on Sep 27, 2011. She only has 22 more days to collect for her cause. What she wants is a Leapfrog Learning Center to assist her students in learning alphabet letters and sounds, numbers, and problem solving activities while building fine motor skills. What can I say, LeapFrog is paving the way for others to help thousands more children to learn to read with Tag™, the #1 selling reading system!

I can definitely approve of her project, since my son had a LeapFrog Tag center in his pre-K and it was successful. Plus, we have Leap Frog products at home where I can actually see my boys learning as they play. So, I made my donation and hope she gets the rest she needs to make this a successful project!

GIVE-AWAY!

Since 2009, LeapFrog has donated more than $1.5 million in Tag Reading Systems and books to the classrooms of more than 20,000 students. And not only did they give the Mom Buzz the opportunity to give $25 to a school project in need, they also have some for one lucky reader:

• The Opportunity to Donate $25 to another school in need via DonorsChoose.org
• A Tag system with 6 books!

Why not help LeapFrog bring $100,000 total in Tag Readers and books to classrooms in need? LeapFrog has already donated $50,000 and will match donations dollar for dollar up to $50,000!

• WIN $25 to donate to a school project in need through DonorsChoose.org
• Win a Tag reader and 6 books
  

HOW TO ENTER:

To enter this contest, you can any or all of the following. Leave a separate comment(s) for each action:

• Check out DonorsChoose.org and tell me what school project you would donate to – leave their link in your comment!
• Add theMomBuzz to your Twitter and Tweet the contest. Leave your Tweet Link. (1 tweet per DAY is allowed.)

• Like Leapfrog on Facebook 
• Blog about the this give-away – leave the link to your post in a comment. (5 entries, leave 5 comments)
• Visit LeapFrog.com and tell me what you would add to your LeapFrog Learning Center at home?

Contest ends 2.14.12. This is open to the USA – no PO Boxes. Please refer to complete contest rules. The entries listed above are the ONLY entries for this contest. Winners will be notified by e-mail (if supplied in the entry or on profile page), as well as on the Winner’s Wall.

This is solely the opinion of the Mom Buzz. The Mom Buzz was not compensated for this buzz. A school of the Mom Buzz’s choosing was provided with a Tag School Kit. Other people may have different experiences with the product. And don’t forget to enter my other hot contests so you can win and try buzzworthy products!

Guests can purchase annual passes that include the attraction online at www.LEGOLAND.com and at AAA Auto Club South locations.  The Premium Pass includes unlimited admission to both LEGOLAND Florida and LEGOLAND Water Park, free parking and discounts within the park. The Premium Pass is $179 for adults and $149 for children 3-12 and seniors 60 and older.

One of my play-date friends was just buzzing about a new ice-show at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay that started yesterday, February 2nd. A cast of 20 will bring to life an all-new adventure filled with world-class skaters, more than 75 original costumes, amazing aerial performances, master puppetry and live animal stars, with shows daily in the Moroccan Palace.

Iceploration inspires audiences to “explore the world” on a 30-minute journey to the four corners of the earth. This multi-sensory story, told through theatrical skating and an all-new original score, is the collaboration of an award-winning creative team with Broadway credentials, including Tony Award-winning costume designer Gregg Barnes (The Drowsy Chaperone, Best Costume Design Tony winner 2007; Legally Blonde the Musical, Best Costume Design Tony nominee 2007).

The adventure unfolds as they arrive in the African Serengeti. Here, larger-than-life puppets and spectacular set design bring elephants and other awe-inspiring animals to life at a watering hole. Solo and chorus skating performances accompanied by acrobatics tell an anecdote of an agile cheetah stalking graceful gazelles and meerkats.

If you’re not already a fan, “like” Busch Gardens Tampa Bay at facebook.com or check out the park’s blog at BuschGardensTampaBlog.com to get insider updates on Iceploration and all of the park’s happenings.

This news was provided to theMomBuzz as a press release. She found it buzzworthy enough to share with her audience.

This year’s survey focused on men, women and modern families and their approach to cleaning and getting it all done.   Interestingly, Scrubbing Bubbles® found that when it comes to cleaning, women think they do it all:

• 58 percent of women say it’s their “job” to clean, and a quarter (25 percent) of all women feel as if they are the cleaning “leader” in their homes.
• Conversely, more than half of women confided that they want more overall help from their partner, but 38 percent don’t trust them to meet their standards of cleanliness.

Personally, I think my husband and I do equal amounts. Although it’s true, your spouse rarely does it the way you like. If anything, i prefer him to STEP AWAY from the laundry! It’s mine. And his way of loading the dishwasher is VERY different than mine. But he is EXCELLENT at cleaning the stove, when he wants to.

The survey also revealed that while men are helping around the house, they aren’t given credit when credit’s due:

• 45 percent of men surveyed say it’s their job to clean and contribute to the household accordingly.
• More surprisingly, nearly 75 percent of men claim to clean to make their partner happy – demonstrating they do care about helping out and are picking up the slack.

Isn’t that sweet!? So even if your husband doesn’t do a perfect-by-your-standards job at cleaning, a little thank you might be good encouragement to continue getting the help around the house you want.

To help partners sort it out, Scrubbing Bubbles® has partnered with John Gray, who is celebrating the 20^th anniversary of his, best-selling book,  “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus,” to engage in a healthy discussion to try to resolve the age-old household chore debate.

I totally remember reading that book in college? The gist of it is that men and women are just different, see things different and react to situations differently. Which is what makes us such good teams in everyday life! I can’t wait to see how this “partnership” works out for Scrubbing Bubbles and John Gray and how it can help us have that clean house we want!

For more information on Scrubbing Bubbles^® visit www.scrubbingbubbles.com, www.Facebook.com/ScrubbingBubbles or follow them on Twitter at @ScrubbingBubble

This is solely the opinion of the Mom Buzz. The Mom Buzzis a Scrubbing Bubbles Influencer. People may have different experiences with the product. And don’t forget to enter my other hot contests so you can win and try buzzworthy products!

Retail Me Not is the largest online coupon website, with a huge database of online coupon codes, printable coupons, free shipping codes and special offers. RetailMeNot.com is a community-driven resource for savings, where users can vote on the reliability of coupons, so you have a better idea that the coupon is valid.

There are more than half a million online discounts at retailers that offer perfect Valentine’s gifts, such as Bath & Body Works (average discount 12%), Victoria’s Secret (average discount 19%), and Blue Nile (average discount 86%). RetailMeNot also makes it easy to search for deals at specific stores, simply type in the name of the store in the search bar and you get a list of relevant stores, along with the coupons and promotions available.

So this Valentine’s, don’t leave your significant other with stale conversation hearts and wilted flowers, thinking you couldn’t afford more. Enjoy 10- 15- 20% savings at popular retailers and spice up your Valentine’s Date!

This is solely the opinion of the Mom Buzz. Other people may have different experiences with the product. And don’t forget to enter my other hot contest so you can win and try buzzworthy products! The Mom Buzz was not compensated for this buzz. The Mom Buzz did receive a holiday gift guide with items and comparison prices.

Last year I discovered that you can mold hard boiled eggs into fun shapes using an egg mold and ice water. The process to shape the egg is quicker than boiling eggs and the result is cute and fun for children and adults. And it is a big hit in the bento community!

To get started you need an Egg Mold. You can purchase a variety of Egg Molds from Amazon. They usually come as a two-pack, but I have seen a Hello Kitty Egg Mold which sold by itself. Here are some cute designs to consider, prices start at $3.60 for a set.

• Hello Kitty Boil Egg Mold
• Rabbit and Bear Egg Mold
• Fish and Car Egg Mold
• Heart and Star Egg Mold

STEPS TO MOLD YOUR EGGS:

1. First, you boil your eggs like normal. Have trouble boiling eggs? Try Emeril’s Perfectly Boiled Eggs directions.
2. Next, get a bowl of ice water ready. You want enough cold water to submerge your egg molds and I add lots of chipped ice.
3. Once the eggs are done, remove them from the pot and start peeling the shell off. You want to do this when they are still warm. I have used either a towel to hold onto the hot egg as I use a spoon to remove the shell. I also will run the eggs under cold water as I remove the shell, which also helps remove any tiny pieces of shell that want to stick to your egg. Either method works fine.
4. After I remove a shell, I immediately place the deshelled egg into an egg mold. Try to place it in a way that would best fill the mold once you shut it. Shut and clasp the mold and insert it into the ice water.
5. You will have the egg mold with the egg in the ice water for three – five minutes. Three works fine. Five if you are feeling cautious the first time.
6. Open the egg mold, release the formed egg, salt and pepper if desire and eat!

TIPS: You can be working on multiple eggs at the same time. As soon as I put one in a mold, I deshell the next egg and put it in it’s egg mold and ice water bath. By then it’s time to release the previous egg and I can de-shell a new one. It’s a quick, continuous process. It’s best to have 2 egg molds to work with, though. Thankfully they are mostly sold in two-packs.

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial and tips! Any questions or thoughts, just ask below!

This is solely the opinion of the Mom Buzz. Other people may have different experiences with the product. And don’t forget to enter my other hot contests so you can win and try buzzworthy products! The Mom Buzz purchased the egg molds and thought they were so buzzworthy she shared the item with you!