Lady V dZine

Mr Potato Head Toy Story 3-Review and Giveaway

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 21:05:00 +0000

Mr. Potato Head is an American toy icon. He has been around for what feels like forever. He was invented in 1949 by George Lerner, and Hasbro began manufacturing and distributing the spud in 1952. The original toy did not come with a potato body, it was a kit of hands, feet, ears, two mouths, two pairs of eyes, four noses, three hats, eyeglasses, a pipe, and 8 felt pieces which were supposed to be facial hair. Mr. Potato Head has come a long way in the last 58 years. Light-years, to be exact. The humble toy was launched into outer space with Toy Story 3, when Hasbro introduced Spud Lightyear and Woody’s Tater Round Up.

MR. POTATO HEAD Toy Story 3 SPUD LIGHTYEAR

Get ready for out-of-this world fun with a wild and wacky astro-tot! Your SPUD LIGHTYEAR figure has all of the accessories he needs to look just like spaceman character from the Toy Story 3 movie — and it’s up to you to take the accessories and give him a crazy new look. His “jetpack” where his “ear” should be? A set of “teeth” instead of a “nose”? The kookier the look, the better for this high-“frying” hero!

Potato body comes with one pair of eyes, one nose, one set of teeth, two arms, one chest piece, one visor, one jetpack, one back plate and one pair of shoes accessories.
Ages 2 and up.

MR. POTATO HEAD Toy Story 3 WOODY’S TATER ROUND UP

Get ready for some “wild west” fun with this wild and wacky tater tot cowpoke! Your MR. POTATO HEAD figure has everything he needs to look like the Woody character from the Toy Story 3 movie — and it’s up to you to take the accessories and give him a crazy new look. His “cowboy hat” where his “ear” should be? A set of “teeth” instead of a “nose”? The kookier the look, the better hero!

Potato body comes with one pair of eyes, one nose, one set of teeth, two arms, two ears, one cowboy hat, one vest, one belt and one pair of cowboy boots accessories.
Ages 2 and up.

I remember well the hours of kooky fun I had as a kid mixing up all of Mr. Potato Heads pieces. My kids first discovered Mr. Potato Head at the pediatrician’s office. Zane thought it was fun to put Tato’s nose where his arms are supposed to go. So, when I received an opportunity to review Spud Lightyear and Woody’s Tater Round Up, I knew that the kids would LOVE them.

I was right.

As soon as Zane saw me open the box, he shouted, “Tato, Tato!” He enjoyed showing Selah how to pull the pieces off and put them in the wrong spot. While the toys are recommended for ages 2 and up, with supervised play, Selah enjoyed them as well. Zane has a little bit of trouble getting the visor or Spud Lightyear to stay in place, and has to have help putting on Woody’s jacket. Otherwise, my two spuds can enjoy hours of fun playing with the plastic spuds.

Buy it… Spud Lightyear and Woody’s Tater Round Up , as well as other Mr. Potato Head products, are available in the Hasbro Toy Shop, on Amazon.com, as well as at local retailers nationwide.

Win it… Playskool would like to give one lucky Lady V dZine reader their own Spud Lightyear.

Mandatory Entry… Visit Playskool and tell me another product you would love to have.

***Please note- this must be done before any bonus entries will count***

Bonus entries–

1 entry- Follow me on GFC—right side bar, comment with your user name.
1 entry- Like Lady V dZine on Facebook and comment back here with your screen name.
1 entry- Subscribe to Lady V dZine by RSS or email and comment back with the e-mail you signed up with (one each)
1 entry- Follow Lady V dZine on Twitter AND tweet this contest using @ladyvdzine and linking back to this post- comment with your tweet status (may be done up to 4x/day, at least 30 minutes apart)
- May use “Enter to #win Spud Lightyear @ladyvdzine (9/21)“
1 entry- Like Mr Potato Head on Facebook and comment back here with your screen name.
1 entry- Like Playskool on Facebook and comment back here with your screen name.
1 entry- For each current giveaway that you enter- comment with name of giveaway
1 entry- For each non-giveaway post that you submit to Stumble Upon *may use the button in the top/bottom of each post to submit- comment back with your Stumble Upon profile and name of the post you submitted.
1 entry- For each non-giveaway post that you leave a RELEVANT comment on- comment back with post title or link to post.
5 entries- Blog this contest linking to this post- leave 5 comments here with a link to your post

The fine print…

Contest open to the US. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. CST on 09/22/2010. Winner will be selected randomly. Winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond with mailing address. If no response is received from the winning entrant, a new winner will be selected. Prize will be forfeited and donated to charity if not claimed by primary or alternate winners.

The marketing team for Mr Potato Head Toy Story 3 toys provided me with a complimentary Spud Lightyear and Woody’s Tater Round Up to facilitate my honest review. No other compensation was received. Opinions expressed are 100% my own and are based on my own experience. Your experience may differ.

cmp.ly/5/wyadsz

Have you entered my current giveaways?

Be sure to check out the Rules and Bonus Entries Page to maximize your chances of winning!

Be blessed, Virginia [aka Lady V dZine]

Beyond Opinion by Ravi Zacharias

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:00:49 +0000

I recently had the privilege of reading Beyond Opinion by Ravi Zacharias, courtesy of Thomas Nelson publishers. I’ve listened to Ravi Zacharias many times on the radio, and have always enjoyed his approach to apologetics. So, when this book became available for review, I requested it.

Book Description

A definitive master work from the world’s leading Christian apologist. Respected apologist Ravi Zacharias was once sharing his faith with a Hindu when the man asked: "If the Christian faith is truly supernatural, why is it not more evident in the lives of so many Christians I know?" The question hit hard, and this book is an answer. Its purpose is to equip Christians everywhere to simultaneously defend the faith and be transformed by it into people of compassion.

In addition to writing several chapters himself, Ravi Zacharias brings together many of today’s leading apologists and Christian teachers, including Alister McGrath and John Lennox, to address topics present in the very future of worldwide Christianity—from the process of spiritual transformation to the challenges posed by militant atheism and a resurgent Islam. Destined to become a classic, Beyond Opinion is a touchstone that will affect Christians around the world.

Beyond Opinion is a comprehensive introduction to Christian Apologetics. As the general editor and contributing author, Ravi Zacharias pulled together an amazing team of apologists, including Alister McGrath and John Lennox, to write this book.

While Beyond Opinion is a book on apologetics, written by apologists, it is so much more. This book is written for all Christians that would like to be able to defend the faith they live and live the faith they defend. Whether sharing your faith with a neighbor that happens to be Hindu, or discussing Christianity with a co-worker that is postmodern and challenges any claim to authority, this book will equip you to give an answer.

Beyond Opinion is not about debating religion and winning arguments. It is about relating to those who challenge Christianity and learning to discuss the cross of Christ in light of the objections. It is about learning to, with gentleness and respect, always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

Beyond Opinion is well-worth the time that it takes to read and digest it. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who has even a passing interest in apologetics as well as to those who wish to delve into the field of apologetics with gusto. I think Beyond Opinion would be well suited to book studies as well as introductory collegiate level classes on apologetics.

Beyond Opinion is available at local retailers as well as on Amazon.com

Disclosure- Thomas Nelson Publishers provided me a complimentary copy of Beyond Opinion in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received. All opinions expressed are 100% my own and are based on my own experience. Your experience may differ.

Wordless Wednesday- KinderMusik

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 03:22:56 +0000

Last week, a KinderMusik teacher came to our monthly MomsClub meeting for a demonstrations.

Check out the Wordless Wednesday Headquarters for more photo fun!

Have you entered my current giveaways?

Be sure to check out the Rules and Bonus Entries Page to maximize your chances of winning!

Be blessed, Virginia [aka Lady V dZine]

Abby & Friends- P is for Princess Review and Giveaway

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:39:46 +0000

As you know, Zane is a full fledged Elmo fanatic. We have quite a few Sesame Street films in our home, most of them are of Elmo. I sometimes feel bad for Selah, because she gets stuck watching whatever character Zane likes. So, when I received an opportunity to review Sesame Street’s Abby & Friends- P is for Princess, I was certain that Selah would love it. Finally a movie for her!

About Abby & Friends- P is for Princess

Get ready to be enchanted by everyone’s favorite fairy-in-training, Abby Cadabby, as Warner Home Video (WHV) and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, release Abby and Friends: P is for Princess on DVD on August 3, 2010 for a SRP $14.98. This engaging and entertaining DVD features Abby Cadabby and her Sesame Street pals as they embark on several fun-filled adventures with celebrity appearances by Paul Rudd and Natalie Portman!

Abby and Friends: P is for Princess is full of exciting and educational stories for children ages two through five. In the first story, Abby Cadabby and Rosita pretend to be princesses in a faraway land while a misguided prince, played by actor Paul Rudd, tries to rescue them! Other included stories finds Abby Cadabby and Elmo turning their attention to pretending as well as the letter “P” in “Elmo and Abby Pretend,” and “Letter P Game.” P is for Princess also includes a special appearance by Natalie Portman and Elmo practicing pretending. This DVD also includes two bonus episodes of Sesame Street’s ground-breaking new CGI animated series “Abby’s Flying Fairy School”.

Abby and Friends: P is for Princess touches upon many different educational goals with an overarching theme that encourages children to use their imagination while engaging in pretend play. In addition, kids will see Abby and Elmo address problem solving, such as in “The Princess and the Elephant,” in which the Sesame Street friends must generate a solution to a problem. Finally, math skills, such as relational concepts (high, higher, highest/fast, faster, fastest) are supported in the story “Abby and Rosita Play Princess.”

Okay, Selah absolutely loves Abby now. She had seen Abby a few times before, but because Zane likes “MoMo,” she had never really paid much attention to her. But now, she loves the flying fairy school. When I put Abby in for her, she gets all excited and starts to run around and dance. It is absolutely hilarious! Zane is also appeased by the fact that Elmo appears in “Elmo and Abby Pretend” and “Letter P.”

I love that this video encourages pretend play. My kids are finally getting to the age where they engage in pretend play, and I want to encourage it in any way I can.

Buy it… Abby & Friends- P is for Princess is available on Amazon.com as well as local retailers nationwide.

Win It…

The marketing team for Abby & Friends- P is for Princess would like to give one lucky Lady V dZine reader their own copy of the DVD.

Mandatory Entry… Simply leave a comment telling me who the DVD would be for and who your favorite character is.

***Please note- this must be done before any bonus entries will count***

Bonus entries–

1 entry- Follow me on GFC—right side bar, comment with your user name.
1 entry- Like Lady V dZine on Facebook and comment back here with your screen name.
1 entry- Subscribe to Lady V dZine by RSS or email and comment back with the e-mail you signed up with (one each)
1 entry- Follow Lady V dZine on Twitter AND tweet this contest using @ladyvdzine and @SESAMESTREET and linking back to this post- comment with your tweet status (may be done up to 4x/day, at least 30 minutes apart)
- May use “Enter to #win @SesameStreet Abby & Friends- P is for Princess from @ladyvdzine http://bit.ly/99l2ho (9/21)“
1 entry- Visit Sesame Street and comment back telling me something you learned.
1 entry- For each current giveaway that you enter- comment with name of giveaway
1 entry- For each non-giveaway post that you submit to Stumble Upon *may use the button in the top/bottom of each post to submit- comment back with your Stumble Upon profile and name of the post you submitted.
2 entries- Leave a relevant comment on my Costume Discounters review and comment back here to let me know you did.
2 entries- For each non-giveaway post that you leave a RELEVANT comment on- comment back with post title or link to post.
5 entries- Blog this contest linking to this post- leave 5 comments here with a link to your post

The fine print…

Contest open to the US. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. CST on 09/21/2010. Winner will be selected randomly. Winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond with mailing address. If no response is received from the winning entrant, a new winner will be selected. Prize will be forfeited and donated to charity if not claimed by primary or alternate winners.

The marketing team for Abby & Friends- P is for Princess provided me a complimentary DVD to facilitate my honest review. No other compensation was received. Opinions expressed are 100% my own and are based on my own experience. Your experience may differ.

cmp.ly/5/wyadsz

Have you entered my current giveaways?

Be sure to check out the Rules and Bonus Entries Page to maximize your chances of winning!

Be blessed, Virginia [aka Lady V dZine]

Winner- Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Bowl Cleaner

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:27:17 +0000

There were 217 entries in the Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Bowl Cleaner giveaway contest.

And the winner is…

Comment #53 was left by Sue E.

Congratulations, Sue!

Please check your e-mail. Please respond within 48 hours or I will have to select a new winner.

Thanks everyone for entering!

Winner- Wearable Art

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:16:38 +0000

There were 132 entries in the Wearable Art giveaway contest.

And the winner is…

Comment #66 was left by Rosey.

Congratulations, Rosey!

Please check your e-mail. Please respond within 72 hours or I will have to select a new winner.

Thanks everyone for entering!

Winner- BabyLegs

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:04:00 +0000

There were 311 entries in the BabyLegs giveaway contest.

And the winner is…

Comment #35 was made by Julie.

Congratulations, Julie.

Please check your e-mail. Please respond within 72 hours or I will have to select a new winner.

Thanks everyone for entering!

Have you entered my current giveaways?

Be sure to check out the Rules and Bonus Entries Page to maximize your chances of winning!

Be blessed, Virginia [aka Lady V dZine]

Winner- Kidz Wiz Padz

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:39:48 +0000

There were 50 entries in the Kidz Wiz Padz giveaway contest.

And the winner is…

Comment # 29 was made by Kalie G.

Congratulations, Kalie!

Please check your e-mail. Please respond within 72 hours or I will have to select a new winner.

Thanks everyone for entering!

Our First Wedding

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 02:12:00 +0000

Brian and I initially planned to be wed in December 2006. In fact, a Christmas wedding was something that we both were surprised to learn the other wanted when we first started dating in October of 2004. But, when Brian’s Grandma Hig became ill, we moved the wedding up almost 10 months and had a very simple ceremony in January 2006. All of my Grandparents had previously passed, and Grandma Hig was Brian’s only living Grandparent. It was important to both of us that she be there to celebrate our wedding.

Here we are with Grandma Hig.

We planned the wedding in less than two weeks. Here we are with my parents.

Here we are with Brian’s parents and Grandma Hig…

With both sets of parents…

And me with my Mom…

With our wedding officiants, Pastor Alvin Gingerich and Pastor Kevin Chapman.

My Daddy walking me down the aisle…

We do…

Our first communion as husband and wife…

Our first “wedding cake” was actually fried ice cream in a local Mexican restaurant.

Since we had already booked our reception hall for December, and the deposit was NONREFUNDABLE, we chose to wait to have our big wedding celebration, complete with wedding gown, tuxes, and wedding cake in December like we had originally planned.

People often ask us which anniversary we celebrate, when we were married in January or when we had our wedding in December. We celebrate our anniversary in January. But, we have lots of good memories in December.

I’ll share pictures from our wedding celebration soon.

Have you entered my current giveaways?

Be sure to check out the Rules and Bonus Entries Page to maximize your chances of winning!

Be blessed, Virginia [aka Lady V dZine]

Only 108 Days Until Christmas

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:34:41 +0000

Christmas Countdown Clock Generator

We stopped in at Best Buy today to look at DVD players. We arrived a few minutes before the store opened and were quite surprised to find a line outside of the store.

A line… in September! If people are lining up NOW for Labor Day sales, what are the stores going to be like for the 2010 holiday season?

There are only 108 Days Left until Christmas!!!

I am gearing up for my 2010 Holiday Shopping Guide and am terribly excited about it! I will be featuring products that we receive for review as well as those that we are purchasing ourselves.

The 2010 Holiday Shopping Guide products will each receive a “featured” blog post, as well as inclusion in the dedicated 2010 Holiday Shopping Guide page.

Don’t be left wondering what to put under the tree or in the stocking, be sure to bookmark my 2010 Holiday Shopping Guide!

Are you a PR Rep or Company interested in having a product featured in the 2010 Holiday Shopping Guide? Do you own at Etsy store and want to get the word out about your holiday inventory?

As always, I am available to host giveaway promotions in conjunction with the 2010 Holiday Shopping Guide featured items, as well. I have found that, when paired with a review, product giveaway promotions tend to drive more traffic to the giveaway sponsors site.

Please contact me for more information on being featured in my shopping guide. @ virginia(at)ladyvdzine(dot)com.

Have you entered my current giveaways?

Be sure to check out the Rules and Bonus Entries Page to maximize your chances of winning!

Be blessed, Virginia [aka Lady V dZine]