Predicting Blogging and Tech Trends for 2011

Earlier this week I wrote about the many successful collaborations between bloggers and brands for Mom Blog Magazine and got to look in my crystal ball to predict some of the top parenting trends for 2011 for Parenting.com.

Here are some other blogging and tech trends that I envision for the coming year:

• Hyperlocal blogging. With the sudden announcement about the end of Silicon Valley Moms Blog sites around the country, former contributors to the local sites have stepped up and started their own blogs.  Former contributors to the New Jersey and Chicago sites quickly mobilized to establish their own hyperlocal sites where they continue to write about parenting issues and regional news affecting families.  AOL has also launched Patch sites that serve as localized news sites hiring bloggers like Kim from I'm Not the Nanny and TeachMama Amy as freelance columnists.  Where do you go to learn about local news in your community?

• Smaller conferences. BlogHer will always be the mother of all blogging conferences but this year new conferences such as EVO and the single day Bloggy Boot Camps were huge hits thanks to smaller number of attendees that promoted meaningful interactions between bloggers and the brands that were in attendance.  Blogalicious founders built off of their success of their first conference in Atlanta and provided attendees with time for pampering and relaxation at the Ritz in South Beach.  This year Type A Mom, held in Asheville, North Carolina, featured a Dad Track and founder Kelby Carr rebranded the conference as Type A Parent for this coming year's June conference.  Success of the aforementioned smaller conferences has allowed others to take the leap in 2011 and it's exciting to hear about new conferences popping up all over the place!  I manage Blogalicious' collaborative MyBlogalicious site but am not required to promote their conference on my site.

• Corporations and nonprofits collaborating to get the word out about online safety issues. Rather than reinventing the wheel and trying to compete for parent's attention about ways to keep families safe online, the partnerships between corporations, nonprofits, government, and education is refreshing.  The Family Online Safety Institute's two day conference in Washington, D.C. was eye opening as members had real discussions about their concerns and problem solved realistic solutions.  One of my favorite resources is Connect Safely's A Parent's Guide to Facebook.  If you haven't already taken a look at the free resource, do so now!

• Anytime internet access at 4G speeds. I'm like a fish out of water without an internet connection and like my connection fast and reliable.  Thanks to Clear.com and T-Mobile Dell Mini 4G, I have the luxury between choosing between a wifi connection or operating off of the 4G network where available.  When 4G isn't available, I'm still pretty content with 3G access.  Clear.com device personally purchased.  T-Mobile Dell Mini 4G on loan from T-Mobile.

• Continued development of educational iPad apps for use in the classroom and on the go. Despite budget cuts in school systems around the country, districts are choosing to go digital with the investment of iPads for classroom use.  Whether used to supplement learning at home or to enhance curriculum in the classroom, more robust apps are being developed to engage student learners.  iPads in schools bring up a host of other issues- positive and negative.  But I'll save for discussion at a later date.

What technology trends will be hot in 2011?  Which blogging conferences are you planning to attend this year?  What blogging trends do you see emerging or continuing?

Thanks for reading Tech Savvy Mama this year!  I look forward to seeing you often throughout 2011!

Workout Wednesday: Wishing My Workouts Exceeded Screen Time Limits on Our Family Timer

I’ve discovered that the best way to ensure that I get my daily YourShape: Fitness Evolved workouts in is to do them in the mornings otherwise, I run the risk of my Kinect time being cut off with the limits I’ve set on the built in Family Timer on our Xbox!

The built in Family Timer feature helps regulate screen time for the entire family by keeping track of total playtime on the console.  It counts the time that I spend working out with my YourShape trainer, minutes the kids are taking care of their cubs on Kinectimals or practicing their bowling skills on Kinect Sports, my husband’s Tony Hawk Shred time, and even guest play during play dates to ensure that we are maintaining a healthy balance of screen time versus other activities.

The Family Timer is one feature of XBox 360’s Family Settings that is activated by turning on your Xbox for the first time,  by going to Family Settings under the My Xbox channel on the dashboard at any time, or after downloading the latest Xbox LIVE update.  Turning Console Safety "on" allows you to set time limits, control games based on ESRB ratings, control access to movies and television shows according to MPAA and TV Parental Guidelines.

Another great resource is Microsoft's Get Game Smart program that's designed to help families enjoy video games and media in a safe, balanced, and healthy way by providing information on parental controls, tips, and the latest information on Xbox Family Settings.  There's an entire section on the Kinect on the Get Game Smart site too and this video is quite helpful to families who got Xbox with Kinect systems over the holidays. 

While we engage in game play with our kids, it's good to know that parental controls exist.  I know that Family Settings aren't perfect and that savvy tweens and teens can crack passwords to change the settings.  But as a parent of a 4 1/2 and 7 year old who are venturing into the world of gaming, just knowing that Family Settings can help filter out content that we might not want our kids to be exposed to just yet provides peace of mind.  I also like that no one can argue with the Xbox when screen time limits have been reached and the console shuts off!  

I only wish I could say I was getting kicked off the Kinect for too much time with my trainer!

My trainer really doesn't like it when I stop to take
photos mid-workout!

Weekly summary: 

• Pounds lost/gained this week: 0 
• Total pounds lost over 8 weeks: 3

Ubisoft provided me with a copy of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved and is sponsoring this series of reviews, though the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Ubisoft, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity. Xbox 360 and Kinect were provided for review by Microsoft.  

A Better World: Facebook Game Designed for Virtual Good Deeds

Welcome to A Better World!

I don't play Facebook games mainly because I view them as another online time suck and method of harvesting personal information from my account but was curious when contacted to review A Better World, a new game that's designed around doing good things.  Game play earns Positive Points which advance players to then next level and promises new features and special items.

I started by customizing my avatar and was able to see which of my Facebook friends are already playing the game.  I spent some time exploring the virtual world that consists of my home, the village, the town, and the countryside and checking out some of the games.  Being connected to Facebook friends through the game allows me to leave them surprise gifts from my house. 

My rockin' heels were cut off!

I'm not sure if in-real-life friends like Michele would want my wall paper or if Kim would really want my couch but giving away virtual items are viewed as a way of doing good things for others so I was happy to donate furnishings to my friends.  I sort of hoped I could gift Shannan with a pet squirrel as an inside joke but since pets aren't part of the game, I gave her a window out of which she can hopefully see the virtual squirrels.

Besides gifting objects to fellow A Better World friends, there are also games to play in order to earn Do-Good Gold and Positive Points.  I quickly became obsessed with Three Cycle, a recycling game where the objective is to line up 3 or more like items (cans, plastic cups, water bottles, glass bottles, etc.) in order to make them disappear into the recycling bin and push the trash to the bottom.  

Three Cycle: It took me forever to move that
banana peel to the bottom of the screen!

The game gets tricky because often times the trash gets stuck in the corner and there aren't like objects that you can line up horizontally or vertically in order to push it to the bottom.  Although, one might argue that banana peels and apple cores aren't really trash....There should be a section for compostables!  After 15 minutes of playing the Three Cycle I completed the challenge of getting rid of ten pieces of trash and earned 125 Do-Good Gold and 20 Positive Points.

I recycled my way to victory!

Michele mentioned Thumping Thoughts in her review about A Better World so I thought I'd give it a try.  Much less time consuming than Three Cycle, Thumping Thoughts is like Whack-a-Mole where you pound creatures representing negativity with the virtual mallet to earn gold and points.

Clearly I could improve my time!

While I like the positivity of A Better World, I don't know how often I'll be playing because most of my time online is spent blogging, reading blogs, researching tech gadgets, reading gadget reviews, Tweeting, and Skyping but at least I'm no longer a Facebook game novice!

To learn more or play, visit the A Better World Facebook page.

I am receiving a gift card from Likeable Media as thanks for testing and writing about the game.

Resolve to Use SWAGG in 2011 to Be Rid of Costanza Wallet (w. $50 SWAGGgift giveaway)

If you were one of the 60% of Americans who got a gift card yesterday, make it your New Years’ resolution to resolve to manage gift, loyalty and membership cards on your mobile device in 2011.

SWAGG’s new free app prevents the George Costanza wallet problem of overabundant plastic cards by allowing you to load gift cards, loyalty points, etc into your iPhone or Android device and shop from your phone.  Simply open the app when you’re ready to shop, send a gift, or check balances.  Use it at checkout or online for fast and easy shopping.

SWAGG has partnered with the non-profit organization Stand Up to Cancer to donate up to $125,000 for every app downloaded between now and December 31, 2011 so if you haven't already downloaded it, now's the time!

Throughout December I’ve been giving $50 SWAGG gifts.  Last week's winner was @JusticeCW!  Congrats! 

This is my last $50 SWAGGgift giveaway! 

To enter, just download the free SWAGG app from the iTunes App Store or from the Android Market and leave a comment to let me know you’ve done so!  Be sure to include your email or Twitter handle.

For extra entries complete the above and any of the following.  Separate comments must be left for each additional entry:

• Tweet this daily and leave the link in your comment: No more Costanza wallet in '11 w/ @SWAGGMobile!  I entered 2 win @TechSavvyMama's $50 SWAGG #giveaway: www.TechSavvyMama.com #SWAGGalicious 

• Update your Facebook status to read: “I resolve to rid myself of my Costanza wallet in 2011 w/ SWAGG Mobile and entered to win TechSavvyMama.com’s last $50 SWAGG giveaway” and leave a comment

• Become a fan of the Tech Savvy Mama Facebook page and leave a comment.

• Follow me on Networked Blogs.

• Like SWAGG on Facebook and leave a comment below.

• Follow SWAGG on Twitter and tell me in your comment.

SWAGG was featured on Fox Business News before Christmas.  Check out the video for additional info about SWAGG:

This post and giveaway are sponsored by SWAGG and Blogalicious’ The b-Link.  I’ve been working with SWAGG and The b-Link as a SWAGG Ambassador throughout the month of December.  The opinions I’ve expressed here are my own and represent my honest viewpoint.  I promote Blog With Integrity. Images courtesy of SWAGG.

New iPhone or iPad? Fill it with Oceanhouse Media apps! (w. giveaway)

Congratulations to Linda who has been emailed download codes for the 5 Oceanhouse Media iPhone and iPad apps!

If you unwrapped a new iPhone or iPad, chances are you've had a chance to load it up with some new apps like Angry Birds but be sure not to over look fun and educational apps for kids.

Oceanhouse Media makes a variety of apps for parents and kids but we are loving their digital books.  The wide variety of titles available from Oceanhouse ensures that there's something for every young reader and the apps provide the option for children to read to themselves, have the story read to them, or auto play which supports reading at any level.  

Captain Computer is an emergent reader who beginning to recognize words that commonly appear in text.  He enjoys having Oceanhouse's books by Mercer Mayer, Dr. Seuss, and ones featuring The Berenstain Bears read to him.  In this mode, words are highlighted as they are read which is key to helping kids learn one to one correspondence of text to the spoken word and also assists them in learning to recognize words quickly (aka sight words).

Independent reader Little Miss Techie will often alternate between the Read to Me and Read to Themselves mode.  One of her Oceanhouse favorites is Tacky the Penguin, a book she read in school about a non-traditional penguin whose avant garde style makes threatening hunters believe that the animals they covet aren't really penguins at all.  Even though she's an independent reader, she likes the vivid visuals, animated characters, and the falling snow makes the app version of Tacky the Penguin ($2.99) a treat to read.  Tacky fans will also enjoy Tacky's Christmas ($1.99).

QUICK GIVEAWAY: Oceanhouse wants to say happy holidays to new iPhone and iPad readers by providing a great collection of their apps including titles for the holidays, Dr. Seuss classics, games, camera apps, and titles that are perfect for moms and dads looking to make- and keep- this year's new years' resolutions.  Titles include:

• The Berenstain Bears' Christmas Tree ($1.99)
• Rudolph Camera ($0.99)
• Dr. Seuss Camera- The Grinch Edition ($0.99)
• 101 Ways to Transform Your Life - Audiobook by Dr. Wayne Dyer ($5.95)
• Playground Pump the Workout- Squeeze in a workout on the play equipment while the kids run circles around you ($2.99)

ENTER TO WIN: Browse the Oceanhouse Media site and tell me an app that you would download for you or child and leave the title in your comment.  Include your email address so I can email you when you win!  While you are on the site, download the free lite titles!

This giveaway has a quick 24 hour turnaround time and the winner will be emailed download codes to the above titles on Monday morning!

Here's a video about the Playground Pump the Workout app:

Oceanhouse Media provided me with download codes to review the above apps at no cost.  All opinions are my own and no compensation was received for this post.  Images and videos courtesy of Oceanhouse Media.  

Dealing with Post-holiday Thank You Notes

Another holiday season has come and gone and after dealing with the excitement of opening the presents and cleaning up the wrapping paper carnage, it’s time to sit down and get to the business of thank you notes.  

Thank you notes?  

Indeed!  Expressing gratitude for gifts is a post-holiday tradition that I’m happy to see our kids embrace (after beating them into submission- hah!) but something that can be a struggle for parents to get their children to complete all in the name of proper etiquette.

Last year around the holidays I wrote a post on The LeapFrog Community about what seemed like the extinction of thank you notes. 


This year I'm offering suggestions on how to tap into the creativity of artistic kids, motivate reluctant writers, and reassure parents about typewritten thank yous on my post called Making Thank you Notes Manageable for Kids and Parents Alike.  

And tech savvy kids and parents alike will love the new iGiftThanks app ($1.99) that was released just days ago by fellow moms Ciaran Blumenfeld and Ana Roca Castro!  

The ease of thank you notes in a novel iPhone app?!?  Yes, please!   

There really is an app for everything and this one eliminates any excuse for not writing thank you notes in a timely manner!

I am compensated for my weekly column on The LeapFrog Community but am not required to promote my posts on my own site.  I personally purchased iGiftThanks.

Giving Back to My Community with Donations of Zhu Zhu Pets, Leapfrog Toys, and Books from Scholastic and Sandra Magsamen

While we live in DC Metro suburb that often appears on lists proclaiming us to be among the "most wealthy" and "most highly educated" in the nation, our county has pockets of poverty where families struggle to put food on the table, send their kids to school in ill-fitting shoes, lack supplies to complete homework, or can't afford to buy warm coats for the winter months.  

It's hard to imagine families with so little but in the schools, you see students come to school and try to learn on empty stomachs, wearing shoes that are two sizes too small, while making up excuses about having forgotten their coat at home.  As a teacher, it's heartbreaking to know this goes on and that there are kids who will wake up tomorrow in a house where Christmas is just like any other day of the year.

I know we aren't the only community where this happens but feel fortunate that for the past three years, I've been able to help local families through a holiday giving program run by staff at my former school.  For 11 years my colleagues have upheld a tradition of forgoing the holiday gift exchange for each other and giving donations to benefit families in lieu of gifts.  

Over the past 11 years, more than $12,000 has been donated to help at least 30 community families which included students form our school.  This year the tradition of donating continued with staff members contributing cash, checks, and gift cards to local grocery stores, Target, Kohl's, and Sear's stores.  In previous years there have been generous toy donation by various companies but this year, companies who donated toys in the past had to back out for financial reasons.

This year I took a leave of absence from teaching but vowed to use my connections with toy companies and public relations agencies to benefit local families.  Working with the school, I learned that there were 146 children (74 girls and 72 boys) that were in need of toys for the holidays.  That's a lot of kids but I was up for the challenge of using my connections to obtain a gift for each and every child who ranged in age from infant to 15.

I was fortunate to be contacted by MomSelect to be 1 of 100 bloggers to participate in their Random Acts of Zhu holiday giving program.  Cepia LLC, the makers of the popular Zhu Zhu pets, selected 100 bloggers to give away a total of 10,400 Zhu Zhus all over the country as way to spread holiday joy to the charity of our choice.  

Zhu Zhus ready for gifting

Our awesome delivery guy carried the 13 boxes up our steps that housed the 104 Zhu Zhu pets for 105 four to twelve year olds and we were so excited when they arrived!


I know you are thinking that I was one short.  I was but I had hosted a Zhu Zhu pet party for MomSelect earlier in the year and happened to have an extra!  I filled the back of the car with boxes of Zhu Zhus and visited the school for my first delivery!

The Zhu Zhu tower contained Zhus for 105 four to twelve year olds!

105 toys down, 41 to go!

Next I reached out to my friends at LeapFrog about donating 10 items for the 3 year olds on my list.  Making fabulous educational toys for kids of all ages, I thought the 3 year olds on my list would benefit from products promoting early literacy.  I worked with LeapFrog last year for large donation that benefitted children at a local women's shelter and a generous donation of toys for families at our school.

Once again, they did not disappoint and sent boxes containing My Own Leaptops, Fridge Phonics, and the Fridge Words Magnetic Word Builder.

Unpacking goodies from LeapFrog!

LeapFrog items are going to ten 3 year olds

31 more items needed for 1-2 year olds and the 13-15 year old set.

While at Type A Mom, I had the opportunity to meet Dina from Big Honcho Media in person.  We'd corresponded about the Spaceheadz book tour via email prior to the conference but when we met, we immediately clicked!  I mentioned my holiday giving campaign and while it was only September and I had no idea what the school's needs would be, she said she'd love to help.

Fast forward to the present and without hesitation, Dina hooked me up with a giant box of books from Scholastic's Little Scholastic line (which are household favorites!) and introduced me to Sandra Magsamen's Snuggle Me Stories and Peek-A-Boo books, all perfect for the youngest children on the list!

Unpacking the donation from Big Honcho Media's clients

Little Scholastic books...We love you!

Items for 11 more children! Hooray!

The twenty 13-15 year olds remained but unfortunately I wasn't able to secure a donation of the remaining 20 items for the teens on the list.  This was disappointing because it meant that I fell short of my personal goal by not having things to give to 20 kids.  

The school has assured me that the teens will receive gifts and each of the families will have a brighter holiday thanks to the gift cards that will be purchased with my colleague's donations and the items from the companies that I worked with.

Huge thanks to the following companies for their help and incredibly generous donations:

• Cepia LLC for the Zhu Zhu Pets

• MomSelect  for selecting me to participate in Random Acts of Zhu

• LeapFrog for the fantastic toys that promote early literacy

• Big Honcho Media for jumping in to participate with no hesitation

• Scholastic for all of the Little Scholastic titles

• Sandra Magsamen for her great selection of board and fabric books

I plan to do the same thing again next year and if you're a blogger, I encourage you to join me in using your connections to give back to your local community.  

If you are a company or PR firm and would be interested in helping throughout the year or during the holidays, I welcome you to contact me about a new venture I'll be starting with Kim Orlando of Traveling Mom in 2011.

The name of the school benefitting from the donations has been left out to preserve the anonymity of the students and their families.  No compensation was received for this post.  I am a paid contributor to The LeapFrog Community but LeapFrog's participation in this campaign is separate from my work and I am not obligated to write about this in my weekly column.  Watermarked images are property of Leticia- TechSavvyMama.com.

Google Voice Brings You Free Personalized Calls From Santa

This holiday season, Google Voice is providing free calls from Santa on SendACallFromSanta.com that can be customized with the person's name, gender, toy request, and favorite food.  They are the perfect holiday call for the kids who eagerly anticipate the arrival of the man in the red suit, will make the eyes of the non-believers open wide in disbelief, and can make adults smile thanks to the numerous options in the drop down menus.  

I customized calls for Little Miss Techie and Captain Computer earlier this week, arranging each call for when the other wasn't home to make it most special.  It took me just a few minutes to set up the call thanks to the fun questions with numerous pull down menus and the expressions on their faces were priceless when they answered the phone.  

Both children were greeted by name by Santa who said he had been talking to their grandmother (also choose from cat, classmate, dog, friend, co-worker, mother, father, etc).  He said that he knew they had been good and were amazed when Santa stated exactly what they wanted (doll for Little Miss Techie and toys for Captain Computer) for Christmas.  

Santa told the kids the next stop would be there house in the Big City (options include the hood, the middle of nowhere, cyberspace, your state and more!) and  suggested that they leave out some of their favorite foods for him (Chicken Tikka Masala, cookies and milk, chicken and waffles, cake, baba ganoush, etc.)

The numerous choices makes receiving a call from SendACallFromSanta.com fun for adults and kids alike and I love that you can hear an example of the call before you click for it to call the specified number. 

Just a couple of tips:

• When entering the phone numbers, you will enter the phone number that Santa will call and a number that the call will come from. The number the call comes from will appear in the caller ID field of your phone. Little Miss Techie picked up the phone having recognized my cell number on the caller ID but later wondered how Santa was calling from my cell number when it was sitting in my purse.  Certainly a testament to Santa's magical powers!

• The phone call will be sent to the specified number immediately.  You can't queue up the system to call at a certain time so be sure the person will be home and knows to pick up.  For adults, have it call their cell.  For kids, direct them to answer the phone and make up some excuse about being busy.  Then quickly run to where they are after they pick up the phone to see the look on their face.  Priceless!  :)

Thanks Google Voice for this fun holiday service and to Shannan for the tip!  It sure put a smile on our faces and has allowed my kids to keep believing for just a little while longer!

And you better believe that we'll be tracking Santa on the NORAD Tracks Santa site come Christmas Eve where we can use Google Earth to see where Santa has traveled en route to our house!

Have a very merry Christmas and thanks for reading Tech Savvy Mama this holiday season!

No compensation was received for this post.  Images courtesy of Google Voice and SendACallFromSanta.com.

Last Minute Gifts for Work at Home Professionals- My Suggestions on FoxBusiness.com

Earlier this week FoxBusiness.com asked me about the items I have at home to make my life as a work-at-home professional easier.  If you are looking for last minute gift ideas or even want to see what your home office might be missing, here are my picks that Make Work Easier and ‘Sweeter’ in 2011.

Take a look and let me know what you would add to the list!

Workout Wednesday: Ubisoft's YourShape Fitness for Kinect Helps Curb Holiday Weight Gain

Luckily gingerbread house candy doesn't tempt me.

But homemade cookies do....

And I was quite tempted I was to order one of these
while writing up my Mrs. Prindable's gift guide last night!

Thankfully staying faithful to my YourShape Fitness Trainer
means my total weight gain for the week is 0!
I didn't lose anything either but hey,
 I'll take staying the same!
Maybe one day I'll look super fit like her!

Do you let yourself indulge over the holidays or do you have healthy eating tips or workout secrets to maintain your weight during the holiday season?

Weekly summary: 

• Pounds lost/gained this week: 0 
• Total pounds lost over 7 weeks: 3

Ubisoft provided me with a copy of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved and is sponsoring this series of reviews, though the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Ubisoft, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity. Xbox 360 andKinect were provided for review by Microsoft.

Mrs. Prindable’s Gourmet Jumbo Caramel Apples- A Delectable Treat to Send in Time for Christmas Delivery

Still looking for that perfect gift with the hours before Christmas dwindling down?  

Never fear!  Place your order for any delicious gourmet treat from Mrs. Prindable’s Handmade Confections by Noon on Wednesday (12/22- yes, today!) in order for standard delivery by Christmas.

Haven’t heard of Mrs. Prindable’s?  Mrs. Prindable’s specialized in gourmet jumbo caramel apples.  Jumbo. Caramel. Apples. 

Imagine 1 giant apple 4.5" tall, weighing up to 1.5 pounds, covered in buttery caramel, and then drizzled with chocolate and other gourmet toppings that they serve up to 8-10 people!  What’s not to like?

When I was offered the opportunity to review a Mrs. Prindable’s Gourmet Jumbo Caramel Apple through MomImpact, I jumped at the opportunity after hearing rave reviews from friends last year.  Our apple arrived wrapped in bubble wrap, packed in a beautiful purple box, tied with gold ribbon, and packed in a cardboard box.  It arrived without a scratch, looking just as perfect as the ones on the website.

We received the Triple Chocolate Jumbo Caramel Apple (above- $22.95) that featured the biggest Granny Smith apple dipped in delicious caramel and then enrobed in three layers of chocolate ribbons. It was the perfect combination of sweet and tart and was enjoyed by the whole family as dessert for two nights! Unfortunately I was so impressed by it I completely forgot to take photos to document it’s size but it was as big as the website said it would be!

Mrs. Prindable’s Jumbo Caramel Apples are a delicious gift for anyone at any point during the year but here are my Mrs. Prindable's gift picks:

Staying with loved ones over the holidays?  Send a trifecta of jumbo apples (includes Triple Chocolate, Milk Chocolate Walnut Pecan, and Dark Chocolate Cashew for $65.95) to thank them for being fabulous hostesses.  Just be sure to arrange delivery during your visit to ensure that you get to partake in the tasting!

3 Pack of Jumbo Apples

That aunt who always sends you a fruitcake.  What do you get someone who sends fruitcake???  Sending her Plush Snowman Jumbo Caramel Apple ($28.95) would be a wonderful subtle introduction to a better holiday tradition!  Tastefully decorated and a much better use of fruit!

Plush Snowman

Treat your colleagues especially if the boss made you work on Christmas Eve.  Spread some holiday cheer to rid the air of bah humbug-ness as you and your co-workers enjoy a Milk Chocolate Toffee Walnut Granny Smith variety ($22.95).  Why nuts?  Because your boss is nuts to make you work on Christmas Eve!  Have fun without them!

Milk Chocolate Toffee Walnut

The relatives you didn’t really want to see.  Come on.  We all have them and usually they guilt-trip you into making up some lame excuse as to why you can’t visit.  Impress them with the Dark Chocolate Splendor Apple ($22.95) that comes dunked in dark chocolate, covered with nonpareil-coated dark chocolate drops and topped with dark chocolate shavings.  They’ll be so enthralled as they devour their dark chocolate delight that they’ll forget you didn’t make it.

Dark Chocolate Splendor

An apple for the teacher.  Send one to your child’s school to welcome their teacher back in January.  As a teacher, the Apple for the Teacher Jumbo Caramel Apple Gift ($28.95) is the only apple I'd ever want to appear on my desk if I return to teaching.  And it would take the sting out of the harsh reality of returning to school after winter break! 

Apple for the Teacher

The newlyweds.  Start off the marriage right with his and hers Bride & Groom Jumbo Caramel Apple Gift ($39.95) to celebrate their nuptials and to ensure wedded bliss and no fighting over a shared apple.  His comes dressed in a dark and white chocolate tuxedo and hers is dipped and drizzled with white chocolate with a veil, of course.

Bride & Groom 

I received a Mrs. Prindable’s Gourmet Jumbo Caramel Apple for review purposes through my involvement with MomImpact.  No compensation was received for this post.  All images courtesy of Mrs. Prindable’s.

Avatar Extended Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray (w. 2 giveaways)

If you are a fan of James Cameron’s Avatar, the Blu-ray version is spectacular but the new Avatar Extended Collector’s Edition ($54.99) is a must have.  Fox Home Entertainment believes there are many advantages to owning Blu-ray over DVDs and is giving two readers the opportunity to win the new Avatar Extended Collector’s Edition.

Here are some of the pros that Fox says Blu-rays have over DVDs:

• Backwards compatible
• Sharper picture and more eye-popping and vivid colors
• Extra storage space means more room for additional content and features
• The advanced technology enhances the visuals of the film, but also the sound experience
• Blu-rays are more durable than DVDs and have a higher quality error correction system that prevents scratches and imperfections on the disc

GIVEAWAY: Enter to win 1 of 2 copies by leaving a comment about your favorite part you look forward to watching on the new Avatar Extended Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray.  Your comment must include your email address or Twitter handle.  Entries accepted until 5 pm on January 4, 2011.

Fox Home Entertainment provided a copy of Avatar Extended Collector’s Edition for review purposes and has kindly provided reader giveaways. Information in this post is from Fox Home Entertainment.  I was not compensated for this post but links are Amazon Affiliate links. Images courtesy of Fox Home Entertainment.  

Tassimo T20 BrewBot Brews at the Touch of a Button (w. giveaway)

Congratulations to Adalia  who won the Tassimo T20 on Christmas Day!


The Bosch Tassimo T20 BrewBot ($129.99) makes it easy to brew a variety of beverages at the touch of a button in the comfort of my home.  I received some of the TDiscs along with my brewer as part of the Virtual Holiday Extravaganza but upon seeing the Sunday Target ad, decided to take a trip to our local store to see what other varieties were available. I love how many T Discs are available and took the opportunity to stock up!

The T20 is a huge hit in our house.  It’s so easy to use that I tasked Captain Computer and Little Miss Techie with demonstrating how easy it is to make hot chocolate on a cold winter night.  They jumped at the chance and while I know they can operate the machine on their own, they aren’t allowed to do so unless under adult supervision because the water that comes out of the T20 is hot!

Take a look at how easy it is to make your favorite beverage and learn how to enter to win your own Tassimo T20 BrewBot!  The winner will be notified on Christmas Day!

Things I love about the T20:

• Smart.  The T20 scans the barcode on the top of each TDisc in order to know how much water to add to each type of beverage.

• Small footprint.  This machine takes up the same amount of room as my Cuisinart Grind and Brew Thermal but is shorter.  I’ve considered clearing a spot for it on my desk in my office!

• Fast.  It takes about a minute for my beverage of choice to brew!

• Choices.  40 varieties of beverages are available in TDisc form to ensure that there’s something for everyone or to meet every caffeine need!

• Cheap.  While a single TDisc costs more than the beans I buy from my favorite independent coffee shop, each cup brewed with a TDisc costs significantly less than the cost of a daily latte at said coffee shop.

GIVEAWAY: Watch the embedded video for the question you will need to answer in your comment.  Leave a comment with your email address or Twitter handle. I'll pull the winner some time on Christmas Day between present opening, brunch, and playing with the kids' toys!

For extra entries Tweet this daily and leave a link to your Tweet in your comment: @TechSavvyMama has a #Tassimo T20 as her final #giveaway for the Virtual Holiday Extravaganza!  Enter 2 win: http://bit.ly/e3DpGC  

For more chances to win from Virtual Holiday Extravaganza bloggers participating in the Tassimo T20 BrewBot review and giveaway campaign, visit the Holiday Extravaganza 2010 Facebook page.

As a member of the Holiday Extravaganza Digital Campaign, this post has been sponsored by Playmobil. Tassimo and Bosch sent me a T20 and TDiscs for review purposes and are kindly providing the giveaway. Images courtesy of Tassimo and Bosch.