Girls 16-24, Become the Next Pop Sensation!!

Alloy Entertainment, a division of Alloy Media + Marketing, and Jive Records have joined forces in a search for the next teen sensation. The contest from the hit makers behind The Vampire Diaries and Jordin Sparks provides contestants with the opportunity to win a lead role in Alloy’s newest web series, Talent, and receive a recording contract with Jive Records, whose roster includes Usher, Britney Spears, P!nk and others.

Girls between the ages of 16 and 24 can upload their singing audition on www.thetalentshow.com now through September 28 for a chance to be considered for Talent: The Casting Call, a reality web series that will ultimately determine which talented singer will appear in the Alloy Entertainment original web series, Talent, airing in early 2011.

Throughout the contest, fans everywhere can rate the auditions to ensure their favorite contestants are top ranked. Each week, one standout performer will be featured in the coveted “Spotlight of the Week” position.

On October 6th, 20 semi-finalists will be announced who will vie for six exclusive spots to participate in Talent: The Casting Call. The six finalists will use their music and acting craft to stay alive throughout the reality series to become Alloy Entertainment and Jive Records’ top Talent. The winner will head to Hollywood for a lead role in Talent the scripted web series and receive a recording contract with Jive Records.


YOUR CHANCE AT STARDOM IN THREE EASY STEPS:
1) Choose a song from the song list. Record and upload one song or multiple songs on the list provided. Only one video upload per song will be accepted.
2) Submit your audition video!
3) Vote! Get your friends and family to vote for you by sharing your audition video on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter.

Please refer to the Official Rules for complete details.

Winner, Winner, Winner!

Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten?...
Bakersdozen

$25 to TJ Maxx/Marshalls...
kylie8cake

Good Humor Ice Cream...
SalanderServant (2)
shellycox 
Kimberly 
Benita
codi 
EyeBeeLeaveEweHoney
Diane52
mamawj
Tia

Congratulations! Please check your emails to claim your prize!

A Great Meal at Squeeze In Restaurant in Truckee, CA

I love to do is go out for breakfast.  I've never been a good home chef and let's face it, my sign in my kitchen that reads, "My Favorite Recipe: Eat Out!" rings true.  I searched around for a fabulous spot and came across Squeeze In in downtown Truckee, CA!

My favorite channel to watch, ironically, is the Food Network and when I realized that the restaurant (sister location in Reno)had been featured on a "Throwdown with Bobby Flay" episode, the deal was sealed, I had to visit!

Known for the Best Omelets on the Planet, you know automatically when you reach your destination that the place is great when you see tons of people milling about outside waiting their turn to be seated.  It was a gorgeous day in Truckee, and I had been warned that on a Sunday morning, the wait would be a little bit.  Luckily the Squeeze is located in a row of fabulous shopping spots and my family and friends and I took a nice stroll downtown while we waited.

The restaurant isn't called the Squeeze for nothing, when you walk in the restaurant, you literally squeeze your way around to get to your table, another reason why the wait is a little longer, they only have so much room in their narrow location.  But, again, the atmosphere was booming and the wait was going to be worth it, I know it!

The decor was fabulous, my kids loved it, bicycles hanging from the ceiling, and the walls were full of fun and unique graffiti by means of people actually signing the walls (permanent markers are given to you as you're seated)!  We actually even found that the tables were signed and we spotted a person from our home town by her signature! 
The kids got to signing the walls and my friend and I ordered drinks.  Mimosa for her and Hibiscus for me (champagne and cranberry juice).  We got a nice serving as well and they were delicious!  Since it was closer to lunch when we were there, but some of us were hungry for breakfast, we ordered a little of both.  Hubby and I ordered salad and sandwiches, oldest ordered a burger and my two younger kids had bacon and eggs and pancakes (comes with a drink and plenty of food!). 

I get a little hesitant when I see a burger and fries for $10 for my almost-12-year old, but she promised she'd eat it all and did and the burger was large! It was juicy and cooked well and my daughter said, "this is a good burger!"  


My husband ordered the grilled ham and cheese and was pleasantly surprised when the sandwich came and the ham was actually grilled, not just the outside of the sandwich!  The salad (an option vs soup, fries, cottage cheese, sliced tomatoes) was large, and not just an afterthought.  Full of flavor and "just right" by my husband.

Now I have a local deli that serves a cranberry turkey sandwich and when I saw "The Day After" meal as something similar, I knew it was for me!  Not only did it come packed with cranberry sauce and turkey, it was loaded with the very best part, cream cheese!!  It was a triple decker of goodness, they don't skimp on the meat or flavor! Suprisingly the bread held up and didn't fall apart on me and I was a happy camper!

Despite the wait, and the tight-quarters, the service was top-notch and the food was excellent for the price.  My family and our friends that joined us all left with full stomachs!  If you are in Reno you can find another location of Squeeze In with a 3rd coming soon!  Locals and travelers to North Tahoe and Reno can join the EggHead Breakfast Club to gain points on every visit towards gift cards as well as a newsletter with bonus info and deals at all Squeeze In Restaurants!  Our friends that joined us live in the Reno area, so we'll definitely be back when we're in the area and we'll know to get there early!

We were guests of the Squeeze In and were compensated for our meal for our family of 5.  The opinions were our tried-and-true experience and were not influenced by any source.

Get a Math Makeover with the TI-Nspire with Touchpad Graphing Calculator *Giveaway*

Today, more teens are taking higher-level math courses – the percentage of 17-year-olds taking pre-calculus or calculus has tripled during the last 30 years, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress 2008 report card. Because of this, Texas Instruments’ (TI) newest graphing calculator – the TI-Nspire with Touchpad, which hit shelves earlier this summer – has become a crucial back-to-school tool for students who are taking math, from algebra through calculus.

TI-Nspire Graphing Calculator Features
* Like a computer in your hand. The versatile graphing calculator has many computer-like features, including a large, high-resolution screen, drop down menus and a built-in cursor which helps students explore problem solving strategies in real-time.
* Save and review work. Thanks to electronic document capabilities and built-in 20 MB of storage, students can create, save and edit their work similar to the word processing and file storage of a computer.
* 2 calculators, plus computer software, in one. Interchangeable keypads allow students to use the calculator in TI-Nspire, TI-84 Plus and TI-83 Plus modes, and included computer software brings the TI-Nspire experience to a PC or Mac.

TI-Nspire Freebies and Accessories
* FREE access to AP*, SAT* and ACT prep questions from The Princeton Review, including AP calculus, biology, chemistry, economics and all-new 2009 physics questions
* FREE minutes of online homework help from Tutor.com for entering your graphing calculator id at http://www.tutor.com/ti/
* GraphiTI stickers for students to design and customize their calculator are available online for purchase
* FREE downloadable games and applications

Our take: (from "The Dad") I’m an engineer I’ve had math classes up the ying yang and I used the same $25 Radio Shack calculator from 7th grade through college. So when my 7th grade daughter (taking Algebra 1 this year) said they needed a calculator for school I thought $25 would cover it right? Wrong! The math textbook actually recommends a graphing calculator and I wasn’t able to find any under $80 and my experience with these types of calculators is minimal because as an engineer I can’t get them to do what I want them to do.

So we come across the TI-nspire calculator. This calculator promises to satisfy all of her calculating needs for the decade. Not only does it add and subtract, it can do algebra, calculus, probability, statistics, linear algebra and finance.  I started playing around with it and discovered the menus and screen navigation very logical and easy to follow. I was impressed with the avec Touchpad as a convenient way to navigate the screen. TI-nspire software allows you to work in unison with your personal computer to save print and store documents, it looks promising. And, I wasn't surprised when after an hour of working with it, my daughter had the whole thing figured out! The interchangable keypad is amazing, this piece of technology is going to be great for my daughter's future in math, and I may have to borrow it for myself often!

Learn more at http://education.ti.com/educationportal/sites/US/productDetail/us_nspire.html.



My Giveaway:  I have “Math Makeover” kit ($200 value) to giveaway to one lucky reader of The Mom Reviews which includes:

• A new TI-Nspire with Touchpad – this also includes the new computer software so students can bring their graphing calculator experience to a PC or Mac.
• 60 free minutes at Tutor.com.
• Several other fun items, including T-shirts, water bottles and more!
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To Enter:
MAIN ENTRY:  Tell me about what math course your student is in, or who will benefit from this prize and why!! This is your first and required entry before you can submit bonus entries!

----Contest ends 9/15 you must include your email address or your entries will not be counted. Open to US residents only! Winners will be contacted and have 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen.
I was sent similar product facilitate this post/review, the opinions are our tried-and-true experience and was not influenced by any source!

Link-up, Enter, and WIN! *Wednesday Giveaway Linky*

Every Wednesday, check back to The Mom Reviews  for contests, freebies, and giveaways all over the blogosphere! Leave as many giveaways as you'd like. Each week the Linky will clear, so if your contest is still going on, please re-link it the following Wednesday. Visit the links and enter to win fantastic prizes! If you host a giveaway linky each week, let me know and I'll add you to  my HUGE  Linky List!



My current giveaways are always listed on my sidebar, my giveaways this week are...
If you are leaving your contest details, please include the site name, giveaway item and the end date. After you list Tweet this out:

Giveaway Linky is up Wednesdays at The Mom Reviews http://www.themomreviews.com List and Enter for great prizes! @themomreviews

Paul Frank for Back to School *Giveaway*

My oldest daughter's friend came over once and had a cute monkey on her shirt, gosh it was probably about a year ago now that I think of it.  Since then I see swarms of kids, students, and even adults donning this infamous monkey on backpacks, tees, and even iPhones.

The trend is Paul Frank industries, is an American cartoonist, artist and fashion designer. Frank's creations adorn clothing, accessories, and many other products. Julius the Monkey is one of Frank's best-known characters, and has appeared in a wide variety of media, including movies like Superbad, Knocked Up, Austin Powers, American Pie and Charlie's Angels.

The patterns and colors make the products stand out and come on, that wide mouth is adorable!  

Paul Frank would love to help one lucky reader send their children back to school in style!

My Giveaway:  The Mom Reviews is offering a super cute back-to-school prize pack including one Paul Frank bag, an iphone skin, notebook, and folder. ( I don't have an iPhone but rather an iTouch, and the skin fits it perfectly!)
----------------------------------------------
To Enter:
MAIN ENTRY:  Visit the Paul Frank store and let me know an item you love!  This is your first and required entry before you can submit bonus entries!

----Contest ends 9/10 you must include your email address or your entries will not be counted. Open to US residents only! Winners will be contacted and have 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen.
I was sent similar product facilitate this post/review, the opinions are our tried-and-true experience and was not influenced by any source!

Get Your Fall Wardrobe at The Children's Place *Giveaway*

The new fall collection is out for Back To School from The Children’s Place. This fall, kids will hit the halls looking extra cool with the latest trends. The Children’s Place has tons of looks with an affordable price tag. It’s a one-stop-shop for head-to-toe dressing.

A.K. Lamonica, senior director of apparel at The Children's Place say that “this seasons focus for The Children's Place is Denim. Our collection is inspired from authentic styling and details, modern fits and trend right washes. Our boy's collection represents traditional Plaids and Rock n Roll inspired moods. Our girls' collection gives a nod to the whimsical fashions of the 80's music scene with Jeggings, hi-tops, Jean jackets and novelty accessories. This season, once again, we deliver big fashion at little prices.”

Grab a pen and study these rockin’ fall fashions:


Blazers are a really hot style for girls this fall. If girls have one staple this season, the boyfriend blazer at just $29.50 should be it! Dress it down with a graphic tee or pair it with the sequin top for a look that’s rocker-chic.

Plaid is rad this fall for both girls AND boys. Dress it up or dress it down and make it a staple in your little one’s wardrobe.

Rock-n-rev your boy’s wardrobe in time for school. Graphic rocker tees are sure to strike a chord this season. Add a motorcycle jacket over top and his style is sure to be a big hit in the hallways!

Boys love sports and The Children’s Place varsity items will show just that! Graphic and striped thermal tees are a home run price at just $12.50 each (or 2 for $20) and look great on and off the field!

In addition to these stylish looks, kids can accessorize their outfits with cool watches, backpacks and so much more!

I had the opportunity to shop with a $25 GC to The Children's place at our local outlet store and got the greatest deals on all their end of summer sales.  Items were marked down to $2.99 and $1.99 and it's fabulous for us here in CA where the weather just started heating up again.  I  bought two tanks, a pair of shorts, a pair of capris, a tee, a polo shirt, and a pair of soccer shorts for $23.97!  7 items for under $25 and for each of my 3 kids, incredible!


My Giveaway!  I have a $25 GC to The Children's Place to giveaway to one lucky reader of The Mom Reviews!
------------------------------
To Enter:
MAIN ENTRY:  What is your favorite store for clothes shopping?  This is your first and required entry before you can submit bonus entries!

----Contest ends 9/10 you must include your email address or your entries will not be counted. Open to US residents only! Winners will be contacted and have 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen.
I was sent a GC to facilitate this post/review, the opinions are our tried-and-true experience and was not influenced by any source!

Get Organized with Smead and Win on Facebook!

It is really very simple:

-You want to get organized
-Smead wants to help you succeed

All you need to do is like them on facebook and the simple, bite sized tips and tricks will be coming your way.
So here are 3 reasons to like Smead Organomics on facebook

1. It’s a Zen Thing:
Getting organized helps you lower stress and often saves time and money. Who doesn’t want that?

2. Take the !*#? Out of Organizing:
It’s easy to do and won’t take a lot of time. Why not try it?

3. Win Some Stuff:
Like Smead Organomics NOW and you could win an amazing basket of organizing products!

It's easy, head over to Facebook and "Like" Smead today,  http://www.facebook.com/ClubOrganomics?ref=ts

By posting this offer, I am entered to win a GC! I am also a fan of Smead products and love them!

I Need Your Vacation Ideas!!

Next year, my husband and I will be celebrating out 15th wedding anniversary.  We've never been away from our kids for more than 2 days at a time, and we really want to plan a week away.  I know they will be in fabulous hands with my parents, but more importantly ;) WHERE shall we go?

I've always wanted to take a Carnival Cruise.  I also would love to head back to Hawaii, my husband would just love see a live volcano, possibly the big island or Maui?!

I've heard people talk highly about adults-only vacations in Mexico or all-inclusive vacations.

I need help!  Let me know your ideas and suggestions!  Where have you gone without the kids??

Dora's Big Birthday Adventure on Nintendo DS

I can't believe Dora has been around for 10 years.  Time has flown by since my oldest began watching the show on Nickelodeon and now my youngest child is enjoying it! Marking the worldwide celebration of Dora the Explorer’s 10th anniversary, 2K Play and Nickelodeon announced that Dora the Explorer: Dora’s Big Birthday Adventure for Nintendo DS is now available at retailers in North America.

Nickelodeon channel premiered Dora's Big Birthday Adventure on August 15, and just like the show, the game allows preschoolers to be a part of the adventure in a fun, interactive way. Dora’s Big Birthday Adventure follows Dora and Boots on their biggest adventure yet as they try to find their way out of Wizzle World to make it to Dora’s big birthday celebration. Nintendo DS players will trace, tap, shout, and scribble their way through challenges, such as riding a unicorn over the rainbow, floating in a magic bubble across Sea Snake Lake and traveling through mystical lands like the Dancing Forest. In addition, gamers can join Dora for special birthday games like Card Match, Balloon Pop, and Dress Up.

Dora’s Big Birthday Adventure for DS features voice actors from the Nickelodeon television show, including a cameo by actress Rosie Perez. Additionally, the game was play-tested for age-appropriateness, fun-factor and quality, and the packaging features a “Kid-Tested” seal.


Our Take:  My 4 year old is a huge Dora fan and although she has to borrow her siblings' DS' to play, she is thrilled to have her own game, made just for her.  Being familiar with the game system, she inserted the cartridge and started playing like a pro.  The game is really geared as user-friendly for the younger age group.  All the while she compared and contrasted the items from the TV show and the game.  Her favorite game is dressing up Boots and Dora and taking pictures of them.  It always amazes me how tech savvy kids can be at a young age. My daughter loves it!

The game is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and has a suggested retail price is $29.99. For more information, please visit www.2kgames.com/2kplay.

We were sent a game to facilitate this review.  The opinions are our tried-and-true experience and were not influenced by any source.

Weekend Winners!

Brenda Novak Prize Pack...
abfantom

Jiffy Lube $35 GC...
Natalie A.
Ardy22

Please check your emails to claim your prize!

End of Summer Goody *Giveaway* :Topps baseball cards, Bazooka candy, and Animal Planet Craft Kits

Welcome to the dog days of summer! Perhaps you’re planning that very last family trip or wondering how you are going to keep the kids busy these last days before "back to school."

Well, I have two giveaway packages for you that might help you avert boredom whether you’re spending time on the road or at home. The two super-fun packs are a Summer Travel Giveaway Package from Topps Trading Cards and Bazooka Candy Brands and Animal Planet Craft and Activities Kits.

As you know, it’s often difficult to keep the kids quiet and occupied on summer trips. The Summer Travel Giveaway Package from Topps Trading Cards and Bazooka Candy Brands is a great way to make sitting in the back seat, well, sweet! Although school started last week for us, we still are taking weekend trips with the kids and soaking in the fabulous California weather.  There were 6 kids with us at the beach recently and they went CRAZY over all the Bazooka candy!  My son preferred the Juicy Drop Pops, my daughters the flavored ring pops!  Happy to report they burned off all the energy in the ocean!  We held the baseball cards aside for a special daddy/son day, my husband still has his binder of cards from his childhood!

If you prefer the craft arena for your kids, roll up your sleeves and get creative with a new line of Animal Planet Craft and Activity Kits! Ranging from cast and fossils to paint-by-number and create your own gliders, this fun line of Animal Planet do-it- yourself kits feature “color and create” flip books and “stamps n’ stickers,” plus make-your-own kits for birdhouses and bug catching. Available exclusively at Michaels. My youngest has about a week before preschool starts and on one of the days next week while the older kids are in school, we'll be putting together a bird house for our back yard.  "Birds like daddy's sunflower seeds, mommy!"  My daughter already has the birds visiting and enjoying the food we leave! ;)

My Giveaway: (2 winners/2 prizes) One lucky reader of The Mom Reviews will receive a package including: Topps Baseball Trading Cards, as well as some yummy treats like sugar free and regular Ring Pop lollipops, Baby Bottle Pop candy, Push Pops, and Juicy Drop Pops.  A second reader will receive an Animal Planet Craft Kit.
-----------------------------------
To Enter:
MAIN ENTRY:  Tell me you last hurrah for the summer before the weather starts to change!  This is your first and required entry before you can submit bonus entries!

----Contest ends 9/8 you must include your email address or your entries will not be counted. Open to US residents only! Winners will be contacted and have 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen.
I was sent product to facilitate this post/review, the opinions are our tried-and-true experience and was not influenced by any source!

Summer Mountain Biking at Northstar at Tahoe

Next to the calm ride up the mountain on the Tahoe Zephyr Express (they have replaced every third or fourth ski lifts with a rack that holds four bikes so its basically just like skiing, you ride up to the lift, toss your bike on a rack and hop into a chairlift just behind the bike and off you go) views views and views of the sierras.
 A quick hop off the chairlift, bike in hand I hit the trails not knowing what to expect I played it conservative started on an intermediate trail. The trails are marked similar to skiing with a green circle representing easy, blue square for intermediate, black diamond for difficult and double black diamond for crazy.
This first trail was basically a dirt road with some steep spots but totally appropriate for my 9 year old son who will definitely be accompanying me next time.

After getting halfway down the mountain I jumped onto a single-track intermediate trail which is just plain fun, it included numerous berms and jumps and you could basically go as fast as your constitution would allow. 20 minutes later I reached the chairlift again, this time I took the Vista Express chair to the top and was rewarded with a view of Lake Tahoe to the south.

Now comfortable with the intermediate, I decided to take on a black diamond and was thoroughly pleased. This trail was fast, technical and exhilarating all at once, lucky for me I got the chance to catch my breath every 10 minutes or so at trail junctions before dropping off to the next segment. These black diamond trails were challenging yet ride able.

Another ride up the chairlift and a little over confident I decided to see what the double black diamond had to offer. Lets just say that I ended up walking a few sections and wondering how the tire marks made it onto some of those rocks. A quick ride down the mountain to our condo for the weekend for a quick lunch, then back up the mountain with a buddy to ride as much of the mountain as possible.

There are a wide variety of trails to challenge any rider’s ability level, and I noticed that even the most advanced riders are able to challenge themselves by going faster and faster. A number of trails include manmade features such as big air jumps and obstacles, beyond my level of expertise but they always had a safe and sane way around. At the end of the day the entire body feels a little shaky but well worth the dust, sweat and tears.

Check out the trail map here, http://www.northstarattahoe.com/info/summer/mtn-biking-map.asp

Right now Northstar at Tahoe is offering an early afternoon mid-week mountain biking package for first-timers for $79, visit http://www.northstarattahoe.com/info/summer/bike_lessons.asp for more details!

My husband was given a lift ticket and bike rental to facilitate this review.  All the opinions are his tried-and-true experience and was not influence by any source.

Eight New Winners!

Stellarocco Tees...
rah267 
Pamela S

Squinkies...
Grand Prize...
marcia goss
First Prize...
nightowl
Kim @ seven thirty three
Nicole C.
Nick
mamalovesitall 

Check your emails to claim your prize! Congrats!!

Northstar at Tahoe: Family Activities in the Village

Just less than a mile from our Northstar at Tahoe Condo is the Village at Northstar, the main event area of the resort.  Here during the winter is where skiers and snowboarders take the gondola up the slopes.  During the summer, the mountain bikers take that same ride up to the trails and lifts to the higher runs.  If you are visiting during the summer without a bike, you can get hiking passes at any of the ticket booths around the Village and ride the gondola to some great walking paths.  The scenery on the ride is top notch!



In the center of the Village is the ice skating/roller skating rink.  Our 3 kids all had the chance to skate and had a wobbly time of it!  It was their first experience on four wheels and let's say thank goodness for the rails. The Saturday afternoon we skated a band played some great 80's music and it was a great time. The rink is open noon-8pm most days and is a $5 charge for skate rental.

Surrounding the rink are both covered and non-covered lounging areas with couches and some spots with fire pits.  Evenings even in the summer are cool, grab your favorite spirit at a few of the great free-standing kiosks selling food and drinks and hang out, it's a gorgeous area!

There are some great shopping stores in the Village like Ambassador Toys and The North Face.  During the summer, on Friday and Saturday nights you can watch an outdoor movie with your family in the fresh night air!  Herbie Fully Loaded played on Friday night, while Fame played Saturday.  Chairs are available on a first come first serve basis, the movie is free!

My youngest tried out the Apex Bungy featuring the Bungy Trampoline, channeling her inner gymnast/acrobat.  For $12 you get 5 minutes of excitement as you bounce up and down on a trampoline.  I hear from my 4 year old that it makes your tummy feel "wiggly!"


The dining in the Village runs a little higher than if you were to go into nearby Truckee, but it's convenient and pretty delicious!  You will find a common Starbucks available, Earthly Delights (deli/grocery), Mikuni Sushi, and North of the Boarder (Mexican).

I suggest Rubicon Pizza Company!  The pizza was fabulous, and we dined again a second night (my girlfriend and I) and the spaghetti bolognese was divine!  Great appetizers (wings, mozz sticks) and kitchy mason jar drinks!  Rubicon has a fabulous kids menu as well!

Enjoy the Village at Northstar during your stay, there's something for the whole family!

I was given a $25 GC to spend in the Village along with skating and hiking passes included in our lodging package.  The opinions are our tried-and-true experience and was not influenced by any source.