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I recently was given the opportunity to try out the newest creation from the Zhu Zhu Pet family, Kung Zhu Pets. If you have wondered what all the fuss is about, let me tell you how these adorable little armed pets can transform a room into an incredible fun activity for the whole family to enjoy.
First I would like to thank the Zhu Zhu Pet family and MomSelect for this opportunity to host a party that was so much fun for everyone, the parents AND the kids! Each child was able to select their very own Kung Zhu pet and then select its armor. The fun was only beginning as each child squealed with joy while opening their new Kung Zhu pet. It is amazing how quickly children pick up exactly what their pet is capable of and the fun watching them share with each other what their pet can do.
After everyone had their pet and armor and had time to play, we then opened an array of battle arenas and gear for the big battle area. Nothing about this battle was too mean for little children and it wasn’t too tame for the older children. The dads willingly helped to engineer the set up quickly and the moms helped the kids figure out how to get their pet armed for battle. Once set up we had a huge table full of battle equipment that kept everyone entertained for hours. Everyone was amused and entertained by these little pet warriors. The dads enjoyed getting to help build the battle area, the moms enjoyed watching the kids play AND get to see the cute Kung Zhu pets roll around in their battle vehicles! The kids were really involved in the battles in the Open Battle Arena as well as in the other chambers of the Battle Area.
I was impressed with how EVERYONE enjoyed these pets. Girls and boys, moms and dads and kids from the ages of 5 all the way up to 12. All those who attended were so thankful for being introduced to the newest members of the Kung Zhu pet world and I know that your children will love them too!
 My son is a a typical “man”. Until very recently, he couldn’t do his business without being stark naked, reading a book, with his comfy padded toilet seat, leaned back with his feet firmly planted on his most favorite step stool! Not much has changed, I must admit. These days, he’s more likely to be fully dressed (albeit, pants around his ankles!) and his favorite step stool has been usurped by the Little Looster. The rest remains unchanged. Yes, he is still a man after all.
Anyway, when we were first handed the Little Looster, I was surprised at the sturdiness of the thing. It’s quite an object to behold, let me tell you. It’s a big “U” shaped step stool, but once you get it situated around your toilet it’s unobtrusive and it stays put which is great if you have a small bathroom like the one we’ve been using it in. I like that everyone else is able to use the toilet and it can stay where it is without getting in the way. The shape of it seems to be able to fit around any size/shape toilet and it surrounds the entire edge of the pedestal, which my son loves, because when he sort of lounges around, his feet touch the surface wherever he happens to be and he can relax enough to get the job done and get off in a flash. God knows, before, he took his sweet time. This is definitely one of the huge selling points of the Little Looster; your potty training sweethearts will feel comfort in the knowledge that they won’t fall in because there is firm surface ALL AROUND the bowl not just in front like a traditional step stool. He climbs up on to the toilet, sits down, reads his book, relaxes into it, gets off and is a happy happy camper! He loves it and happily gave up his old step stool for this one. We’re hooked! Thanks Little Looster!
I had the extreme pleasure of attending last night’s opening performance of Funundrum here at the U.S. Airways Arena here in Phoenix, Arizona. WOW! How do they do it? I didn’t think it possible to have another show as wonderfully entertaining as last year’s Zing Zang Zoom, but they found a way.
My son still talks about Zing Zang Zoom so when we heard about Funundrum he was beside himself. The sheer beauty that is in everything this circus does is breath taking. Add to that incredible death defying feats the performers show the audience and it is non-stop fun and excitement for the whole family. I watched as many families with grandparents down to newborns were in attendance and everyone was entranced by the color, the music and the amazing acts.
It starts with the pre-show with an all access pass to the floor of the show where you can walk around and choose what you would like to participate in. The costume area is fun because you can choose which outfit you might like to try on and be sure to bring your camera so you can get a picture in the outfit! You’ll also want to get your picture made with a real life clown as they walk around greeting everyone! Be sure  to get your very own clown nose and get a tattoo! You can enter to win a drawing from one of the elephants and watch stilt walkers move around the crowd. It is an awesome experience that you don’t want to miss!
Pictures do not do justice to the costumes and the colors and this year, Funundrum has incorporated screens which have pictures and even mini movies. It is hard to describe as I am not sure of the technology but it adds to the whole performance. It lends to there never being a dull moment. To say there is something for everyone is an understatement. If you haven’t been to the circus in ages, you really don’t want to miss Funundrum. Celebrating what would be P.T. Barnum’s 200th birthday, Funundrum goes old school for a bit with the sideshow acts that we think of with circuses of the past only updated for the here and now as only Feld Entertainment can.
I could go and on about each act or performance but I will try to hit what my family thought was the highlights: The music gets it all started and the shimmering outfits with what looks like diamonds on them catching the light and shining all around the stadium. The colors are brilliant and bright and add so much to the beauty of it all. The animals are always fun to see and if you haven’t read my last year’s post on how the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus take great pride in how well they treat the animals, please click HERE to read all about the programs they have in place.
There was the glow in the dark Globe of Steel which featured the Torres family with SEVEN  motorcycles all going around the Globe of Steel. Something you really don’t get to see anywhere else and my son particularly enjoyed it. A fantastic motorcycle on a tightrope that goes right over your head! Then, we all got to see the newest addition to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Baby Barrack, a new baby elephant born January 19, 2009.
There was so much more and I could write all day about it but honestly, you have to see it and experience it to believe it! This is great family entertainment and believe me, you will make memories with your children that will last a lifetime!
There is a great offer right now for tickets to The Greatest Show On Earth! Buy 4 tickets for only $44 when you use code MOM online or over the phone. Leave a comment below to let us know what you thought of the show!
I recently had the opportunity to try out some really cool accessories for the Wii console. Accessories really make the games if you ask me. For instance, I had purchased a sport pack when I first got the Wii. I rationalized the purchase of the Wii by thinking I would use it as exercise so getting the tennis racket, baseball and golf club accessories would make it more real. What I didn’t realize is that these hard plastic small accessories didn’t deliver the realism I was looking for.
The Nerf Sports Pack for Wii provides a much better experience as the attachments are larger and provide a much more realistic feel. The Nerf material provides a sense of safety and allows my child to use these  without worrying that if he gets hit or hits something in the house that it will seriously damage anything, including the Nerf attachments. Also, I particularly like the tennis racket attachment as it is much better in the game playing. The other smaller harder plastic racket wouldn’t face the proper way therefore making my serves and returns off. The Nerf tennis racket attachment is bigger giving a more realistic feel and it faces properly so as that when I go to place a serve, I am hitting it the way I would on the court. It also has a detachable “string” netting which I found to be nice when my son inevitably sliced into same furniture. The string part just popped off and was easily popped back on where it stayed snuggly. At only $19.99, the Nerf Sports Pack is a great buy and only a couple of dollars more than the plastic smaller version that I had tried before.
Nerf also makes a really cool steering wheel to use with all your driving game adventures. You have a choice of colors and the  feel of gripping the Nerf material just doesn’t compare. I think every child and adult just loves the feel of Nerf material and the comfort of white knuckling a Nerf steering wheel adds to the experience. I feel like I had a better grip allowing me to better play the game. Everyone in our house has loved playing with the Nerf wheel. It is only $10 and you can have your child choose their favorite color!
I also highly recommend for your Wii experience the Energizer Power & Play Induction Charging System. That is a lot of words for “ a really cool Wii remote charger”. Here is what I really like about it. I like keeping the silicon sleeves on our remotes. There are many reasons for this, like my son’s grubby hands or the fact that when I work up a sweat playing I feel like I can keep a better handle on the remote. The fact it protects the remotes from the wear and tear of a rough little boy and sometimes rough playing adults. So I don’t really enjoy having to take the silicon sleeves off to replace batteries or to charge them if I were to have rechargeable batteries. The great feature with this induction charging system is that you don’t take the sleeves off. You place the remotes on this nice cradle that holds 2 remotes and you don’t have to attach anything. You also don’t have take off attachments, lanyards or the Wii motion plus. Just finish playing and you lay them on the cradle and then in about an hour or so they seem to be fully charged. We used them for just over an hour and they played wonderfully. The batteries are Nimh rechargeables so once you get them in, you don’t need to replace again, only recharge by lying them on the cradle. Very simple and it looks great. At just $49.99, this will add convenience and ease as well as allow your children to be able to easily place the remotes back for charging without you having to help them.
To get your hands on these great accessories you will want to check out the Performance Designed Products at www.PDP.com. You will find these great items and more for all your gaming needs and at very affordable prices. Performance Designed Products has been providing great quality video game accessories for more than a decade.
 There’s no doubt that the anti-aging marketplace is abundant with product choices. In the U.S. alone, this market is projected to grow 74% by 2014. With so many choices and in this economy, it’s important for consumers to get the most for their money. Unfortunately, a majority of anti-aging products offer only basic formulas that focus solely on the symptoms of aging — on reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, some at extraordinarily high prices. Only a few offer formulations that go beyond the basics and only ONE offers the most innovative, internal + external approach to anti-aging with proven results at an affordable price …
We gave four Mom’s Zone reviewers the opportunity to try a new skincare line, created by “Apriori Beauty“, called Celloxylin. We had some great feedback from the ladies and we would like to share what they told us with our Mom’s Zone readers.
 Celloxylin is a five step daily skincare routine which is used in conjunction with a nutritional juice supplement which treats your skin from the inside out. It consists of a Crème Cleanse, then an Activating Tonic, followed by a Firming Complex and Eye + Lip Eraser. Finally, for your morning routine, you use the Day Defense Plus, and for nighttime, Night Repair. Then a couple of times a week you can add the Celloxylin scrub. Their Lifeoxylin nutritional juice supplement can be added to the routine also. The products can be ordered individually or in a prepackaged Set on Autoship for a 20% discount.
Our reviewers in general liked the products and were overall very pleased with the results. Each step of the routine was described by our reviewers in detail below.
 Crème Cleanse
“The crème cleanse was gentle and left my skin feeling clean and hydrated. It removed my make up, including eye make up”.
“…LOVED it. The sample suggested using a quarter-size amount. Personally, I used about half the amount and was very satisfied with the results. The foaming felt “luxurious”. I don’t want to go back to my current cleanser after using it. Pleasant scent.”
Activating Tonic
“Light and refreshing. It left my skin feeling clean and fresh.”
“This tonic was like most others I have tried – nothing more, nothing less. Opposite of the cleanse, I did not feel the amount in the sample was adequate as I didn’t get enough coverage for one use.”
Firming Complex
“Light and gave my skin a lift without feeling tight.”
“I liked the feel and results of this. It was like an extra boost to my skin before moisturizing. Light and silky. Subtle pleasant scent.”
“If I had to choose my favorite product from the Turn Back Time capsule, it would the Firming Complex. This product smells great and goes on without feeling greasy or dried out. Amazing!”
“It felt like a cool, light gel and seemed to seal in moisture and tighten the skin as it dried. “
Eye + Lip Eraser
“Moisturizing for my eyes and lips and did reduce fine lines around my eyes leaving them looking refreshed”.
“I liked this moisturizer but it seemed a little heavy for day use, for my liking. I broke out just a bit under my lips and was a little sensitive in the eye area on the first day. I have been stressed so it might be coincidental as I did not encounter the same results on other days and when I do stress out it is in the same general area”.
 Day Defense Plus
“A good moisturizer, light like I prefer, but nothing extraordinary”.
“The day and night crèmes were both moisturizing and left my skin feeling clean and moisturized with no after film or build-up.”
“The Day Defense Plus was also a nice product, as it felt light and clean. “
So as you can see our mommies loved the products and think these products offer a lot of value for very reasonable prices. If you would be interested in trying a sample of the products our mommy reviewers tried, please go to this site http://useloveshareapriori.com/request-a-sample/. For more information on how to receive Apriori products or to find out how you can become an Apriori representative and earn money just by showing off your glowing skin, contact Candy Dye at aprioricandy@gmail.com or check out her website at www.aprioribeauty.com/FIC/candace.
 Mom’s Zone is please to post a review by one of our Mom Reviewers on the newest innovative product the Lil’ Diner.
First off, I would like to say that it was a pleasure to be able to try out this product. Instructions were easy to follow. Having pictures to show you the step by step setup along with the details was very helpful. The Lil’ Diner product was able to suction to every smooth surface with a secure hold. I was able to use almost all of my dishes with the Lil’ diner. The only dishes that do not work with this product are the divided dishes because the product would not stick to it.
My child was unable to pick up the dish and toss it onto the floor so the Lil’ Diner worked the way it was designed to. There was no more messy food on the floor! It is a little hard to break the seal when trying to remove dish from suction cup, but using a utensil, like a butter knife makes it easier.
I have no complaints about this product. It was designed well and works great. My only suggestion would be to offer different designs and colors.
Family Fun Event for all ages.
We all really enjoyed the Disney On Ice show. We took the whole family ages 2 ½ to 65 years old. This is a wonderful show, even for grandparents! I would definitely recommend bringing a jacket to the show since the ice tends to cool the arena down a few degrees. There are all kinds of toys/snacks to buy for souvenirs ranging from crowns and claws, to light up toys, so be prepared to fork out some extra money or lay down the rules ahead of time. Another option would be to head over to the dollar store and get some glow in the dark sticks for a buck! We got there a little early hoping for some pictures with characters early, but this show didn’t have any pre-show events. The sign says only sealed bottle water is allowed, but I also brought in some apples and grapes and they didn’t say anything about them. Also if you have little ones who are afraid of the dark you might want to pack a flashlight for them to hold onto. It didn’t seem too scary, but there are times when it got a little dark.
The show itself was wonderful. All seats seemed to be good for viewing (except for the upper, upper deck…. that seemed a little too high). The “Disney” aspect was there with wonderful costumes (not sure how those skaters can do all those tricks with the big costumes, but they did!). There are lots of different characters with Mickey and Minnie Mouse being the main stage setters. I personally thought the Disney Princess act was a little small, but that might have been because my daughter only wanted to see the princesses. It was nice having the multi-gender movies represented. Finding Nemo, Toy Story, Pinocchio , Lion King, Incredibles and Mulan were just some of the story lines that I can remember. My favorite part of the whole production was “It’s A Small World”!! I would give the Disney Show On Ice a thumbs up and recommend this for the whole family.
 “Child’s birthday party” — just the phrase can cause panic for a busy mom like me. A few weeks ago, I was stressing out about what to do for my son’s 4th birthday. It was only two weeks away and I had not planned anything yet. My son loves the big inflatables and slides so I started researching the cost of having his party at one of those great bounce and play places. We had gone to a few different indoor bounce and play places and he always had so much fun. Well, I quickly realized that we would have to spend quite a bit of money to have one of those places host his party. Just like everyone in this economy, we are trying to cut costs as much as possible. But, I didn’t want to short-change my youngest son.
 Well, luckily, a friend of mine told me about an East Valley Slide and Bounce company that offered the perfect solution. Slide and Bounce Around, Inc (www.SlideandBounce.com) will actually brings the bouncy or slide to you, sets it up, then comes back 4 hours later and takes it down! AND, their rates are incredibly reasonable! They have party packages starting at just $159!! That package includes your choice of a bouncy, a concession machine, and a game!! Other packages include dry and wet inflatable slides, tables and chairs, and other games.
 We ordered a big slide, a popcorn concession machine, a spin art game, and a bubble machine for a great deal! We set up the bubble machine right outside the the slide exit and the kids were thrilled to slide into a bunch of bubbles! The spin art game was a huge hit — the kids could make beautiful art in about a minute! And, my older son had so much fun manning the popcorn concession stand! Everyone had a great time — and, we were able to stay within our budget!
 If you are in the East Valley and are looking for a fun, unique, and inexpensive option for your child’s birthday, be sure to check out Slide and Bounce Around, Inc. at www.SlideandBounce.com or call them 480-507-5867.
Mention you heard about them from Mom’s Zone and they’ll even take $5 off your total!!
 Dress with matching purse I love the idea of Pockets of Dreams. You can purchase quality clothes and handbags while helping others in need. The items are hand made by African Seamstresses which allows me the opportunity get wonderful items for me and my child while having the chance to give and help others who are helping themselves. As an African American woman, I am honored to help women in the motherland who are trying to end the cycle of poverty. It is inspiring that they make clothes for children throughout Africa as well including children going to schools in Uganda.
The clothing is very well made. The fabrics and buttons are high quality but nice enough for everyday use by children. The dress my daughter has is beautiful and she LOVES the matching purse and the pocket on the dress. The stitching is very precise and the dress fits to a tee. My daughter is very tall for her age so I may get a bigger size next time but the dress is very nice and she loves it. The pricing is a little high but since it is to help these amazing seamstresses it is well worth it especially for handmade one of a kind dresses and bags.
Disney On Ice and Feld Entertainment have done it again. Disney On Ice: Worlds of Fantasy is a big hit and I had the opportunity to see it opening night so I can tell you all about it.
Anything Disney is great and add it to the ice and you have a great combination of entertainment. I have been to many Disney On Ice shows and I keep waiting for the day that I feel like I have seen them all. This show offered brilliant colors, mesmerizing costumes and such a wonderful display of professional ice skating.
 Tinkerbell and the other Fairies The Worlds of Fantasy fun is 4 different mini stories from Cars, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King and the recent Tinkerbell movie . The characters we know and the stories we love are brought to a whole new dimension that my trying to describe it will never do it justice. Here is my vain attempt.
The shows begins with Minnie and Mickey and a really cute but broken down car. The gang from CARS arrive to help riding around much like a dance number, only for …cars. They are all so shiny and so cool to look at you just want to get in and take a spin yourself! After a really fun number with Mater, Lightning McQueen and the rest of the gang we move on to the tale of The Little Mermaid.
 McQueen, Mater & Gang Ariel is just as beautiful on ice as in the animated movie. The colors that shone brightly and the way the waves of the ocean were represented on ice was all so beautiful. The musical number, “Kiss the Girl” was fun to hear again and the little crab is just as funny as I remembered in the movie.
We then transitioned into the Lion King. This is such a magnificent number and I just could not get over how they made the wildebeest stampede look so real and so magnificent to watch. I have to be honest here when I say that I can’t watch the whole Lion King movie myself for this very part where Simba’s father is killed in the stampede. I almost wanted to cry again but was saved by the toddler near me who cheered with glee when the Lion was brought down.
 Lion King An almost 15 minute intermission later brought out the fairies from Pixie Hollow. What a fun way to depict this story. Again, the stunning array of colors and costumes and the way nature was portrayed was very magical indeed and kept a five year old’s attention.
I highly recommend seeing Disney On Ice: Worlds of Fantasy. It is for all age groups and is great family entertainment. I suggest getting there early especially if you don’t already have your tickets. I got there at 6:30p, an hour before the show started, and it was minutes away from being sold out.
 The Little Mermaid Also, if you have a little princess or two at home, be sure to dress them up and get there for the Princess Pre-Show where they get to meet one of the Princesses. My seats happened to be WAY up at the very top (I kid you not) and yet it was still a beautiful show. That leads me to believe that there isn’t a bad seat to be had in the US Airways Center.
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