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!

THE PROBLEM:

People are actually petitioning for brands to stop distinguishing between boy and girl toys. They believe that the toys cause stereotyping and that will reinforce “female” and “male” rolls.

MY TAKE:

Once you get past the Duplo age of big blocks, most of the LEGO sets are full of gray, tan, white and black bricks that build scenes from Star Wars, Ninjas, Harry Potter, Action Heroes, Super Heroes and more. And while girls may enjoy some of these themes – like Harry Potter – for the most part they appeal to boys.

I always say how wonderful LEGOs are, as they help my boys with fine motor skills, imagination and creation, spatial skills, following directions, logic, and prep them for math. And when birthdays and holidays roll around, my nephew and my boys get boxes of LEGOs to play with and create. But you know what my niece and goddaughter get? Zoobles, dolls, clothes, Barbies. So they are given the toys that help with nurturing and pretend play, without the skills of building, spatial reasoning, logic and more.

By the time a girl is 5, just past the DUPLO age, some already WON’T play with regular LEGOs because they are seen as a boy toy. They would have no interest in opening the LEGO packages we have normally seen on shelves. The LEGO Friends line has a little more pink with people with more features which will appeal to more girls than the ones who currently play with LEGOs, allowing more girls to gain the skills that are building blocks for math and logic.

I see LEGO Friends as a positive addition to the LEGO line and WOULD purchase it for my goddaughter who doesn’t play with normal LEGOs. My niece, though, does enjoy the Harry Potter sets.

LAST SAY:

The thing is, boys and girls ARE different. They do play different. There is some crossover, as well. My boys will play with my niece’s toys and my niece will play with her brothers toys. But in the end, the majority of boys will turn anything into a gun, sword or light saber. And the majority of girls enjoy pretend play with dolls and doll houses. But if you can give them a way to enhance their skills in a format they enjoy, it’s win-win. You are not forced to buy a girl a toy in a pink box, buy them what they like. But if it takes a pink box to get them to enjoy building, then thank you to LEGO for filling in that void.

READ MORE FROM MOTHERS WITH OPINIONS:

• LEGO FRIENDS – ARE YOU OFFENDED? – Thrifty & Chic Mom

READ UP on the GENDER CONTROVERSY:

• Gender Controversy Stacks Up Against LEGO Friends

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!

Do you worry about your daughters safety in high school or their college campus? Or maybe your wife (or you) work late at night or run an early morning jog through dark streets. We all know danger is out there when you least expect it. But with 5Star, if they fee they are in danger they simply press the device’s button and they will be in touch with highly-trained Certified Response Agents who can:

• Identify them and their location,
• Conference in family or friends,
• Dispatch 9-1-1 emergency service,
• Access a nurse;
• And provide any additional assistance, as needed.

You can also use the device to contact 9-1-1 directly if needed.

Already the 5Star Responder is getting a lot of praise online, receiving a 5 out of 5 rating. The 5Star Responder is a small, stylish, mobile communication device that’s available in silver and black.  Users can conveniently attach the GPS enabled Responder to a keychain, purse, or backpack. The 5Star Urgent Response service is also now available as a downloadable smartphone app for iPhone on iTunes.

Learn more from John Walsh:

5 Star is available for purchase now at www.greatcall.com or by calling GreatCall directly at 800-650-3946. The responder is $49.99. There is a one-time activation charge of $35. The monthly service is $15.

One reader will win a 5Star responder with 1 month of free service. (Prize given in the form of a gift certificate that can be redeemed) – $65 Value

FIRST: MANDATORY ENTRY:

Just chat to me about why you would like to win the 5Star Personal Security Sensor.

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:

• Connect with Great Call on Facebook
• Watch the Video from John Walsh above – tell me something you learned and liked from his video.
• Add theMomBuzz to your Twitter
• Share this contest on your Facebook page – Link it to @theMomBuzz – Here is the text:

Win a 5Star Personal Security Sensor @theMomBuzz from @GreatCall – Give-away ends 2.29.12 http://themombuzz.com/?p=20567

• Tweet the following – can be done daily:

#win a 5Star Personal Security Sensor from  at #themombuzz from @GreatCallInc – Visit http://themombuzz.com/?p=20567

• Stumble any review or post on theMomBuzz.com (Please don’t Stumble Give-aways). Let me know what you Stumbled!
• Leave a comment on any post here at theMomBuzz – let me know where you left a comment
• Enter any other contest at the Mom Buzz - let me know where you entered.
• Add the Mom Buzz to your blogroll (Feed: http://themombuzz.com/feed/)

Contest ends 2/29/12. 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 will receive a Job Interview Success Kit for sharing the buzz.

My Favorite Minted Classroom Valentine

Back in November I was buzzing Minted for their holiday card selection, which was unique and customizable. They made ordering cards simple and fun, done in just a few clicks. And now they are at it again with their Valentine’s Selection!

Minted actually has classroom Valentine’s Day cards that can be personalized with embellishments, different papers, names and photos. I was in LOVE with the idea of adding my son’s photo to his classroom Valentine’s Day cards, but I also wanted to use the same card for my youngest son – so I decided to forgo that uber-cool option. You can also further personalize cards by changing text and taking advantage of multiple color options.

Minted has a great selection of Valentine’s Day cards, and you can search by gender (boy, girl or neutral). And you can also choose whether it features a photo on the front, although you can choose to add a photo on the backs of most of the cards for an additional fee.

You Amaze Me

I chose You Amaze Me. If you figure a normal class size is 25 (more or less), then I could have gotten 25 of these cards for $21. I am using these cards for both my boys, so I ordered 45 for $27. I was provided with a code to review these cards. There were two color options. One was Tangerine, which was bold Tangerine (Orange) and Strawberry (Pinkish) Stripes. I chose Bright Teal, which is Teal and Lime striped. I could type in my son’s name from the FROM line on top, but chose to leave it blank since I am using extras for my youngest.

What I like about this card is that the recipient can actually do a maze too, so it’s a little activity. I will probably attach a lollipop to it, though.

Other options could be to leave it as a flat card or have it as a folded card. I chose a flat card. I also chose their signature paper, which is thick, slightly textured and really wonderful. But you can also choose Pearlescent Paper or Premium 100% Recycled Paper.

Just remember, these cards are “Classroom Valentine’s”, so they are smaller than traditional Minted cards. These measure 2.5″ x 3.5″. Super small, super cute.

Check out the complete selection of  classroom Valentine’s Day cards at Minted.com.

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 provided with a gift code to facilitate this review.

10% DISCOUNT CODE for Look Who’s Growing Growth Chart: Buzzing10

A few months ago one of my good friends asked if I knew of a place she could get a personalized growth chart. I sent her to Etsy at the time, because I didn’t know of any online stores specializing in growth charts. Well, now I am happy I can share with her and you Look Who’s Growing, providing growth charts that you can personalize with over 20 designs, your children’s names, various color options and even pictures.

I had the opportunity to review a growth chart for my boys, and I have to say I was impressed at the quality and attention-to-detail. It is printed on a vinyl material, which to me has a nice, fresh scent when I first opened my box. It smelled new. It was nicely rolled, so no creases in the vinyl. On the top of my growth chart it has two grommets for easy hanging, plus it eliminates the need of puncturing the vinyl to hang it on the wall. On the bottom of the growth chart it has a dowel hidden inside the chart, to ensure it hangs straight for accurate measuring.

There were 23 style choices when I ordered. I loved Liquid Fire for a boy and the purple Origin for a girl. But in the end, it was the Giraffe who got my attention. I chose that one to design and received the 12″ width. On the site you can choose 12″ or 6″ width, the 12″ width is an additional $25.  Included with the Chart Price is personalization of your child’s name, their date of birth annd your choice of font (Block or Script). You can also add a photo for an additional $20. I think I normally wouldn’t have added the photo, but for the review I wanted to see how it looked.

I uploaded a favorite photo of my boys. LookWhosGrowing.ca took the time to photoshop the photo so that it would fit perfectly on the growth chart. The only other company I’ve worked with that took the time to do the same was PicturesonGold.com, so I commend Looks Who’s Growing for their attention-to-detail.

A Growth Chart from Look Who’s Growing costs $34.99. It provides over 6 feet of “growth”. You hang it at the 2 feet above the ground.

Pricing of a Growth Chart: includes a 6″ width and Name and Birth Date Personalization.

• Growth Chart: $34.99
• 12″ Width: +$25
• Photo: +$20
• Normal Shipping: $18
• Tax – 13%: $10.39

Don’t forget where you saw these cool growth charts! Follow Looks Who’s Growing on Twitter and Facebook to stay up-to-date on their latest news.

One reader will win a 12″ Growth Chart with Personalization (Name, Date, Photo) ($108 Value)

FIRST: MANDATORY ENTRY:

Visit Look Who’s Growing and tell me your favorite growth chart option by leaving a comment below.

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

Follow @lookwhosgrowing

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

Win a Personalized Growth Chart @theMomBuzz from @LookWhoseGrowing . Give-away ends 2.25.12 http://themombuzz.com/?p=20537

• Tweet the contest – can be done daily – just push the tweet button below:

Tweet to @lookwhosgrowing

• Stumble any review or post on theMomBuzz.com (Please don’t Stumble Give-aways). Let me know what you Stumbled!
• Follow Look Who’s Growing on Facebook
• Visit theMomBuzz on Facebook! How old and how tall are your kids?
• Add the Mom Buzz to your blogroll (Feed: http://themombuzz.com/feed/)

Contest ends 2/25/12. 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.

1. Put Away the Smart Phones: Smart Phones increase the distraction thanks to using them to make calls, text and check all your social networks every time you are at a red light. And we know plenty of people try to do those same things when driving! My mom won’t even answer the phone when she drives. She just checks her messages when she reaches her destination, which is just minutes away. If the compulsion is too great, you can also put your phone in your purse (what I do) or even put it in the trunk of your car.

2. Don’t Turn Around When Driving: I know it sounds simple enough, but moms are so used to seeing to their children’s requests. From picking up a fallen pacifier, trying to soothe a fussy baby, getting snacks out, or when your child asks you to “look at this”. But taking your eyes off the road for just a second can cause an accident if the cars around you suddenly brake, come into your lane or a pedestrian crosses, thinking your eyes are on the road – not the child in the backseat.

3. Buckle Up: It was such a no-brainer, I almost didn’t think of it until I saw Esurance’s Driving Tips for Parent’s. But, they are totally correct! Even if you are driving a short distance within your neighborhood, buckle up yourself AND your children. Remember what they say, most accidents happen when you are almost at home. It’s amazing how many children I see improperly buckled, seated or babies in their parent’s laps in the front seat as the car is moving!

4. Leave the House 5- 10 Minutes Early: Or at least try to. If you think you need to leave the house at 2:30, leave at 2:20. Because without a doubt a child will want to run in for one last thing, someone will have to pee, or you’ll forget the cell phone and have to rush in yourself. So by the time you actually leave, 5 – 10 minutes have flown by. If you take into account those last minute extras, you won’t be rushing on the road. And if by some miracle everyone did get in the car the first time, you can enjoy a nice leisurely drive to your destination.

5. Follow the laws of the road: Obey the speed limit, follow the traffic lights, stop completely at a stop sign, and don’t try to race a slowing or stopping school bus. All of these laws are in place for your safety and the safety of those around you. The result is you can teach your children good driving habits and you can avoid paying a nasty traffic ticket yourself!

Those are my five top driving tips for moms, although all drivers can benefit from them. The difference is that moms easily place their children’s safety first, so when in doubt remember if you don’t want your children to be harmed, just keep your eye on the road, your foot light on the pedal and pay attention to your surroundings (not your phone) when driving.

Get more safety tips from Esurance on their blog (blog.esurance.com), Twitter ( @esurance ) or Facebook. You can like them right below!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Esurance blogging program for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Well, starting today (January 26, 2012) Publix will help you save even more! Publix is inviting you to take advantage of great savings on some of our favorite brands during their “Best Meals Happen at Home” event, ending February 1st. In-store coupons for the event will be valid through February 15th. The purpose of the event is to help families have a delicious meal, without having to stress about what to prepare or spending hours in the kitchen. And you can also visit their website – BestMealsatHome – for fabulous recipes that can be completed in 30 minutes or less. You can also follow BestMealsatHome on Facebook.

Here is just an example of the recipes you can find at BeatMealsatHome.com – reprinted with permission:

Crunchy Chicken Nuggets:

Prep time: 15 Min
Cook time: 25 Min
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Cheerios^® cereal
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Directions:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Spray with cooking spray or lightly grease 13×9-inch pan.
• Finely crush cereal. Stir together cereal, salt and pepper; set aside. In medium bowl, stir together milk, honey and mustard until blended. Dip chicken into milk mixture; coat with cereal mixture. Place chicken in pan; drizzle with melted butter.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is golden and chicken is no longer pink in center.

One reader will win: a $25 Gift Card to Publix

FIRST: MANDATORY ENTRY: (You can answer both for additional entries.)

• What deal will your take advantage of from BestMealsatHome?

Or

• What recipe will you try from BestMealsatHome?

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:

• Add theMomBuzz to your Twitter and Tweet the contest. Leave your Tweet Link. (1 tweet per DAY is allowed)
• Follow BestMealsatHome on Facebook.
• Leave a comment on any other post/contest on theMomBuzz
• Add the Mom Buzz to your blogroll (Feed: http://themombuzz.com/feed/)

Contest ends 2/20/11. 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 Publix gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.