Thank you to who?Comics for sponsoring this post and encouraging my child to read biographies in comic book form! Please click here to learn more about the app. And follow who? Comics on Twitter for updates!

We’re hitting our mid-year homeschooling slump at the moment. This year I’m blaming it on pregnancy, but regardless of the cause, it’s clear that I need to do some serious revamping to get my kids excited about learning again. One tried and true way to get them excited about something is to incorporate technology so I use quite a few websites and ipad apps when we need something to get us out of a funk.

Who?Comics is a new app. that features biographies of famous people in comic form to make them more exciting for kids. The comics are geared towards kids ages 8 and up so when my 8 year old son started complaining that he was sick of doing math earlier this week I surprised him by parking him on the couch with my ipad and his choice of comics. Needless to say, he was thrilled.

The comics themselves are very visually appealing to kids. They have a bit of an anime style to them and in my son’s eloquent words, “I like them, but I don’t know why.”

I thought a few of the illustrations of people’s faces when they were angry or excited were a bit over the top and a bit on the scary side but my son didn’t seem to even notice that. As far as content goes, I really liked that they focused on some of the little details that might not be included in a regular biography but are really appealing to kids. We read the Steven Spielberg comic and my son thought it was hilarious that they included the pranks he liked to play on his family as a kid. It really made Spielberg real to my son and drew him into the story.

I really liked that the comics didn’t talk down to kids. I’m always in favor of teaching my kids with all the information I can, even if some of it is a bit above their heads initially. The Bill Gates comic included specific details on early computer technology that my 8 year old son hadn’t heard of before but it didn’t discourage him from being fully engaged in the comic and he picked up some new information. I have been told that some of the comics are more appropriate for older kids so you may want to either read with your child or preview the comic beforehand.

The app is new so it’s still a bit buggy. I had trouble actually purchasing a few of the comics. It just seemed to load and load and load and would eventually freeze up the app, which is a shame because there are quite a few my son still wants to read. I would have liked to see the app itself as a free download since you pay for each comic individually, although it does include several free comics so I suppose that makes up for the cost of the app.

I’m excited for what they have in the works though and I’m hoping to incorporate more of the who?comics into our homeschool plans for the year as the bugs get worked out. They have a great start on titles but I’d love to see more choices in the future.

Thank you again to who? Comics for sponsoring my post. Please click here to learn more about the app. Visit who? Comics for updates. I was selected for this opportunity by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own. #CleverWhoComics #spon

We clearly aren’t doing much entertaining this holiday season. A husband with a broken ankle and a high risk pregnancy with orders to lay low for a while severely limited our holiday plans. I do have several foodies on my holiday shopping list though so I’ve been on the lookout for some great gift ideas that fit my budget. I was excited to discover the new Giada De Laurentiis line at Target, which is after all one of my favorite places.

Mom Central sent me a great selection of Giada De Laurentiis products and I’ve been extremely impressed, not only with the styling, but the quality as well. By far my favorite is the 3 piece batter bowl set. It’s a sturdy set with a pour spout on each bowl, which makes it really functional in the kitchen. The styling and vibrant red color also make it perfect for serving food for a holiday party as well.

If you’re planning any holiday gatherings this year, Giada De Laurentiis has some great tips. She suggests preparing most of the dishes before hand so you don’t have to do all the cooking at once. This has been a huge help to me when I’ve hosted large dinners. I’ve always tried to get the bulk of the cooking done the day before so that all I have to worry about the day of the party is reheating and putting a few finishing touches on everything.

Giada also suggests keeping your menu simple. I promise you, your guests won’t care. Some of my favorite dishes are quick and easy to prepare and many only have a handful of ingredients which drastically cuts down on the cost of the meal.

If you need some fresh ideas for appetizers, try these. We’re crazy about dates in our house so I’m sure the stuffed date recipe will become a holiday staple.

Cheese Stuffed Dates with Prosciutto

Recipe Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

• ¼ cup (2oz) goat cheese, at room temperature
• ¼ cup (2oz) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• ¼ cup finely chopped basil leaves
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 16 Medjool dates (or 12 traditional dates)
• 8 thin slices of prosciutto, halved lengthwise

1. In a small bowl, mix together the cheeses and basil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. With a knife, make a lengthwise incision in each date, gently open the dates slightly and remove the pits.
3. Spoon about ½ tsp cheese mixture inside each one. Close the dates around the filling.
4. Wrap a piece of prosciutto around each date and secure with toothpick.
5. Arrange the stuffed dates on platter and serve.

Yield: 4 – 6 servings/ 16 dates

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: n/a

Pea Pesto Crostini

            Recipe Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

• 1(10oz) package frozen peas, thawed
• 1 garlic clove
• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 8 (1/2 inch thick) slices whole grain baguette or ciabatta bread, preferably day old
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved or 1 small tomato, diced

For the pea pesto:

1. Pulse together in food processor the peas, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
2. With the machine running, slowly add 1/3 cup of the olive oil and continue to mix until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed.
3. Transfer to small bowl and set aside.

For the crostini:

1. Toast the bread for 2 – 3 minutes on an oven’s broil setting.
2. Transfer bread to platter and spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of pesto on each slice.
3. Top crostini with 2 tomato halves, finely chopped herbs or parmesan cheese and serve.

Yield: 4 – 6 Servings/ 8 crostini

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes

Reading is a hobby that can really put a dent in the budget.  I love to read so I’m always looking for ways to cut down the cost.  So, when I found these Love Inspired books from Harlequin and Steeple Hill.  I was really excited to try them out, since they were a reasonable price. 

Love Inspired Books

Love Inspired books come out each month.  There are several Love Inspired categories: Love Inspired, Love Inspired Historical, and Love Inspired Suspense.  Each month there are several book selections within each category.  Each book is under $5.  I bought several of mine at Wal-Mart for $4.12 each.  If you have a Kindle or other e-readers, you can buy them for under $4.  You can also order them from the Harlequin website. All the ones I have read are really sweet stories that have an inspirational and uplifting message.  THe are also clean reads. Many are part of a miniseries, but most of the books in the miniseries can be read alone without reading previous books in the miniseries.  If you like buying regular books, you will want to get the monthly selections during the month they come out.  After the month is over, they do not sell the books except on the Kindle or other e-readers.  You may be able to find some online from used booksellers, but pretty much I’ve only found them on my Kindle.

July Love Inspired Selections

Love Inspired

The Farmer Next Door by Patricia Davids (The Brides of Amish Country Miniseries)

The Nanny’s Homecoming by Linda Goodnight  (Rocky Mountain Heirs Miniseries)

A Family for Summer by Lois Richer (Love for All Seasons Miniseries)

Pheobe’s Groom by Deb Kastner (E-mail Order Brides Miniseries)

The Daddy Surprise by Ginny Aiken

Mom in Making by Kit Wilkinson

July Love Inspired Historical Selections

July Love Inspired Suspense Selections

The Nanny’s Homecoming Review

The Nanny’s Homecoming is the first book in the Rocky Mountain Heirs Miniseries.  The story starts out when the grandchildren of Grandpa Clayton come to his funeral.  The town is named Clayton after the family.  It’s a small run down town which Grandpa Clayton has plans for even after his death.  After the funeral, the grandkids come together for the reading of Grandpa’s will. Grandpa Clayton decides to leave each of them a large inheritance.  The only catch is all of them must come back to Clayton and live there for one year.  If even one of them does not do this, they all lose their inheritance and the money goes to the other side of the Clayton family, which the family has been in a feud with for a long time.  This story focuses on Brooke, a grandchild who came back to live in Clayton after the funeral and breaking up with her fiancé. 

Gabe comes to Clayton to reopen the Lucky Lady mine.  He brings with him his small son AJ.  Since Clayton is so small there are no daycare centers, so he is looking for a nanny.  Gabe meets his new neighbor, Brooke Clayton and even though he thinks she is not very reliable and scatterbrained he seems to connect with her and ask her to be his nanny.  Brooke has decided she wants no children and finds every excuse not to take the job, even though she needs the job, is great with kids and seems to make AJ happy. She ends up feeling a connection to Gabe just like he did for her and decides to take the job.  Brooke believes she is responsible for her younger sister’s death after Brooke was suppose to be watching her and that has made her want nothing to do with being in charge of kids, and she tries to get over that by taking the job. But when someone starts stalking Brooke to try to get her to leave Clayton and bad things start happing at the mine AJ is placed in danger and Brooke regrets taking the job.  Will she ever get over the loss and guilt from her sister’s death? Will the feelings Brooke and Gabe feel for each other ever amount to anything?  You have to read, The Nanny’s Homecoming, to find out.

I really enjoyed the story.  I enjoyed seeing how much Brooke grows through the story to get over her guilty feelings associated with her sister’s death and I loved the characters.  I can’t wait to meet some of the other grandchildren and what happens to them in Clayton.  I loved how the author gives us clues in this book for the next book in the miniseries, and that makes me want to read the next book as soon as it comes out.

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a free digital version of this book from Harlequin in partnership with NetGalley to review it. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Pick up one of the many Love Inspired July selection as a budget read today.

Having all the right equipment when you breastfeeding is very important for success. This becomes especially true when you are pumping your milk for storage. If you have to pump milk so that you can return to work, you will have to pump at regular intervals throughout the day to insure that you keep you milk supply up. This can be a time consuming process, so you really want to be sure that you have a streamlined method to make the most of it. One of the best ways to do that is to utilize a hands-free bustier so that you can multitask while you pump.  Medela has the complete line of breastfeeding needs – from pumps to nursing bras. Check out their Easy Expression Bustier.

Easy Expression™ Bustier
Model: EE Bustier

Features and Benefits

• Gives you the freedom to do other things while pumping.
• Easy to wear, use and wash.
• Cotton/Spandex blend is comfortable on its own or over a nursing bra or camisole.
• Machine wash, tumble dry.
• Available in white or black.
• Halter style also available.

Here’s What I Think

I was very happy to find that the sizing was spot on. Often times you can run into sizing issues when you are nursing because you have no way of knowing just how much you will grow. You can use the Medela Bra Size Calculator and the Bustier Size Chart to find your best size. I wore the bustier on its own and found it to be very comfortable soft fabric that did not bind or dig into my skin. I really liked being about to relieve my engorgement and still comfortably hold my baby, or read my book or do a number of other tasks. It is great to not feel tied down to one spot while pumping. I was also pleased with how well it washed. It did not shrink or distort in shape at all with a normal washing.

Enter to Win

One Busy Mommy Media reader will receive a Medela Easy Expression™ Bustier.

To enter, comment on this post and give us your best breastfeeding advice.

This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and will end on  July 20, 2011

In compliance with the FTC Guidelines, please note that this is a sponsored post, however all opinions are my own. Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules.

Additional Giveaway Entries

Earn additional giveaway entries for each of the following. Comment on this post to let us know each time you earn an additional entry.

• Follow Busy Mommy Media on Twitter
• Become a Fan of Busy Mommy Media on Facebook
• Tweet this giveaway:

• Get updates from Busy Mommy Media by signing up for the  Busy Mommy Media Newsletter, subscribing to the Busy Mommy Media RSS feed, or  Signing up to receive updates from Busy Mommy Media.
• Start or respond to a conversation in our Blog Frog Community.
• Blog about this giveaway and link back to the giveaway post.
• Stumble this post.

Want to be notified when we draw a winner? We’re happy to send out one (1) reminder email when we draw a winner. We promise not to put you on our mailing list (unless you want us to). Add your email address here to receive notification of the winner.

My family has been waiting anxiously for Cars 2 to come out. My oldest son was only 3 when the first Cars movie was released in theaters, yet he had all the names of the characters memorized before he saw the movie. This time around, I had not 1 but 3 excited little boys waiting for the movie to come out. In a family of all boys, Cars may just be their favorite movie of all time so the release of the sequel was an enormous event.

Cars 2 is kind of like Cars meets James Bond and I loved the twist it gave to the movie. That being said, there have been some mixed reviews. I tend to get caught up in the excitement of a movie when I watch it so while I left the theatre excited about the movie, I have to admit that a few things have rubbed me wrong after the fact. Stacey Nerdin, a friend and blogger who’s opinion I respect, brought up the point that kids have been conditioned to think of these cars as characters rather than automobiles and when several of the cars were blown to bits, it constitutes cartoon violence just as much as anything else.

I glazed past all of that while I was watching the movie, as I hate to admit I do to most violence that crosses my path in T.V. or movies, but I’ve been thinking about that and I realized that I don’t want my children to grow used to violence in the media they watch so while they will still watch the movie, I’ll also be talking to them to make sure they understand the difference between what’s okay on the screen and what’s okay in real life.

Cars 2 takes us out of Radiator Springs and into Tokyo, Italy, and London so Lighting McQueen can race in the Grand Prix, which allows for some breathtaking animating (and some pretty cool poster graphics if your kids now want to plaster their room with everything Cars 2). We’re introduced to several new characters, including Michael Caine as Finn McMissile and Emily Mortimer as Holley Shiftwell, both of which added a wonderful new dimension to the movie.

While most of our favorite characters traveled with Lighting McQueen to the Grand Prix, I was disappointed that they didn’t play a larger role in the movie. Lighting McQueen and Mater (with Mater playing the larger role this time) got most of the screen time but my kids tend to latch onto random minor characters in movies and they have spent years obsessed with Ramone, who other than a few quick paint jobs played almost no part in the movie.

It was also hinted that Doc Hudson had passed away, and while I understand that there wasn’t much time to devote to that issue in the movie, I wish the characters had at least mentioned how they were coping with that so kids who have experienced death in their lives could see some of their favorite characters coping well with a loss rather than ignoring the issue once it was brought up in the movie.

That being said – I really did love the movie. The animation was superb, the new characters were interesting and had a lot of depth, and I loved the theme of accepting your friends for who they are. There are some very funny clips in the movie. My favorite was when the entire gang is on the plane flying to their first destination and playing a Cars version of “Angry Birds” for their in-flight entertainment. That scene right there makes me wish I was going with my 7 year old when he goes to see the movie today because he’s going to fall out of his seat laughing. Mater experiencing a high-tech Japanese bathroom is pretty hilarious too.

As new owners of a 100% electric car, I appreciated the effort of introducing the concept of alternative fuel in the movie but the way the plot twists around that may be a bit complex for younger kids to follow.

I took my 3 1/2 year old with me to the premiere because even though he wasn’t around for the first movie (and rarely watches T.V. so I’m honestly not even sure if he’s SEEN the first movie) he’s obsessed with all things Cars and was by far the most anxious one in our house to see the movie. My 7 year old and 5 year old sons are seeing the movie today and I know they are both going to love the spy twist in the movie and all of Mater’s cool new toys (I see lots and LOTS of spy role-playing in our future).

Study after study shows that there is not a single product made in a lab that comes close to incredible value of nursing your baby. One really important aspect of breastmilk that you will never find in a can of formula is the presence of antibodies. When a woman is around a virus or germ, she develops the antibodies that stay in her system. If that same virus later affects the baby, your milk will provide the baby with the antibodies to fight the infection and help them to fight the bug right from the start.

As with everything pregnancy and newborn related, there are some mild drawbacks – mostly centered on discomfort and embarrassment. One of those drawbacks is leakage. For many nursing moms, leakage is something that happens while they are actively nursing their child. This is how it works: You start nursing baby on the left side and get the “let down” of milk, but lo and behold both breasts let down and now you have a wet circle on the right breast. Not only is this inconvenient, uncomfortable and embarrassing, it’s also a waste when you really think about it. That’s where the Milkies Milk Saver comes into play!

About the Milkies Milk Saver:

“Our patented design allows you to breastfeed anywhere without worrying about embarrassing leaks or uncomfortable nursing pads. Slim and portable, no one will even know you are wearing it. Best of all — it collects your leaking breast milk when you nurse, allowing you to store extra breast milk effortlessly.

The milk-saver is easy to use; simply slip into your bra-cup on the non-nursing side before you breastfeed. The milk-saver collects the breast milk that is leaked out when your milk lets down. You can store this milk and save it for any time its needed.

Breastfeeding is something to be proud of. The milk-saver makes it easy. The patented slim design makes the milk-saver nearly imperceptible when worn. A stylish and durable case keeps your milk-saver safe and clean when you’re on the go.
At Milkies, we care about the safety of the materials that make up our products. The Milk-Saver has been rigorously tested to ensure zero chemical leaching and contains no BPA or phthalates.

As an environmentally conscious company, we give breastfeeding moms an alternative to disposable products. The Milk-Saver has exceeded all expectations for functionality and simplicity. It has received accolades from lactation specialists, pediatricians, and breastfeeding moms the world over.

The Milk-Saver makes the perfect baby shower/new mom gift. Or get one for yourself.

Also the Milkies Milk Saver is a USDA allowable cost at WIC clinic. Email helen@mymilkies.com for more information.

Here’s What I think about it:

My very first thought about this product was whether or not it would be noticeable to those around me and would it be comfortable. I was very pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to slip into my nursing bra and how I didn’t even notice it once it was in place.

Early on in the process of breastfeeding, you experience this stage of leakage that is uncontrollable. While your body is trying to figure out just how much milk is needed, it tends to overproduce, which results in what is called engorgement. The Milkies allow you save that leakage or at least collect it, so that it doesn’t run down the front of your shirt. This product really comes in handy when you get to the “rice cereal stage” because one feeding can produce enough milk to mix in with the rice cereal – which is just perfect!

Enter to Win

One Busy Mommy Media reader will win a Milkies Milk Saver.

To enter, comment on this post and tells us your best advice for a new mother.

This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and will end on  June 21, 2011

In compliance with the FTC Guidelines, please note that this is a sponsored post. Glide Bikes sent me a Go Glider for review purposes and is providing the giveaway prize, however all opinions are my own. Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules.

Additional Giveaway Entries

Earn additional giveaway entries for each of the following. Comment on this post to let us know each time you earn an additional entry.

• Follow Busy Mommy Media on Twitter
• Become a Fan of Busy Mommy Media on Facebook
• Tweet this giveaway by clicking on the box in the upper right hand side of this post or copying and pasting the following into twitter:

I entered to #win a @MyMilkies Milk Saver  from @BusyMommyMedia! http://bit.ly/klCLHp

• Get updates from Busy Mommy Media by signing up for the  Busy Mommy Media Newsletter, subscribing to the Busy Mommy Media RSS feed, or  Signing up to receive updates from Busy Mommy Media.
• Start or respond to a conversation in our Blog Frog Community.
• Blog about this giveaway and link back to the giveaway post.
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Want to be notified when we draw a winner? We’re happy to send out one (1) reminder email when we draw a winner. We promise not to put you on our mailing list (unless you want us to). Add your email address here to receive notification of the winner.

I was introduced to balance bikes a few years ago and I loved the concept but my kids took a little while to warm up to the idea. My youngest was 18 months old at the time and took to the idea right away but my older 2 children thought the balance bike was broken because it had no pedals. Fast forward a few years – My now 5 year old still had not learned how to ride a bike and quite honestly, was a bit intimidated by the idea of learning.

At Toy Fair earlier this year, I was thrilled to be introduced to Glide Bikes because not only do they make great balance bikes for younger children, but their Go Glider is designed for use by kids ages 5-10. They even have a larger size that is perfect for special needs kids or adults.

Glide Bike Pays Attention to the Details

My 5 year old was thrilled to death when the Go Glider arrived. He loved the way it looked like a real big kid bike – complete with hand brakes, which is perfect because my older son has struggled to get used to hand breaks since he learned on a bike with training wheels and pedal brakes. Foam padding covers the handlebar and the neck of the bikes to protect kids from injury if they have a fall.

Glide Bikes has thought of every detail. The seat has a quick release clamp that makes it really easy to adjust. This is essential with kids because some weeks I swear my kids shoot up several inches at a time.

The handlebars have a steering limit, which doesn’t at all affect maneuverability but does prevent the rider from being hit by the handlebar.

I LOVE the foot pegs. Many of the other balance bikes on the market have foot rests that are near the wheels of the bike, which freaks me out a bit because I can just see my kids missing and sticking their feet in the spokes of the bike. The foot pegs on the Go Glider are in the same place where pedals will eventually be on a regular bike, so kids can learn where they need to put their feet, and while they are wide enough for kids to comfortably put their feet while going downhill, they aren’t long enough to get in the way of their legs.

The 16” foam tires never need air so you don’t have to mess with pumping up the tires and they still give a smooth ride, especially since kids don’t really weight enough to need air filled tires. Glide Bike makes a very sturdy product that could easily hold up to use for multiple kids to save you money.

Why Choose a Balance Bike

I always get comments when we’re out riding bikes because many people have never seen a balance bike before and they are always amazed at how fast my kids can go on them. Most kids start riding a tricycle or a bike with training wheels before moving to a 2-wheeled bike. By doing that, they do learn how to pedal a bike but balancing is actually the hard part about learning to ride a bike. Once a child has mastered balancing, pedaling is an easy skill to pick up.

My oldest son went from a tricycle to a bike with training wheels (which he then outgrew) then to a larger bike with training wheels before he was able to ride a 2-wheel bike. My 5 year old will likely go straight from the Glide Bike to a 2-wheeled bike without training wheels. After riding the Glide Bike for only a month, I suspect that he’s nearly ready now to add pedals to the mix making it a much shorter learning process than my older son had.

Enter to Win

Glide Bikes is giving one lucky Busy Mommy Media reader their choice of either a Mini Glider (ages 2-5) or a Go Glider (ages 5-10)!

To enter, comment on this post and tell us your opinion of balance bikes.

This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and will end on  June 21, 2011

In compliance with the FTC Guidelines, please note that this is a sponsored post. Glide Bikes sent me a Go Glider for review purposes and is providing the giveaway prize, however all opinions are my own. Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules.

Additional Giveaway Entries

Earn additional giveaway entries for each of the following. Comment on this post to let us know each time you earn an additional entry.

• Follow Busy Mommy Media on Twitter
• Become a Fan of Busy Mommy Media on Facebook
• Tweet this giveaway by clicking on the box in the upper right hand side of this post or copying and pasting the following into twitter:

I entered to #win a @GlideBike from @BusyMommyMedia for the Spring into Summer #giveaway event! http://bit.ly/lYti4N

• Get updates from Busy Mommy Media by signing up for the  Busy Mommy Media Newsletter, subscribing to the Busy Mommy Media RSS feed, or  Signing up to receive updates from Busy Mommy Media.
• Start or respond to a conversation in our Blog Frog Community.
• Blog about this giveaway and link back to the giveaway post.
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Want to be notified when we draw a winner? We’re happy to send out one (1) reminder email when we draw a winner. We promise not to put you on our mailing list (unless you want us to). Add your email address here to receive notification of the winner.

Waiting For Forever, directed by James Keach, is a movie about never forgetting your first love. The movie was available on Blu-Ray and DVD on May 3, 2011. It is rated PG-13 for some violent content and brief language.

Movie Summary

In the movie, Waiting For Forever, Will Donner lost his parents when he was young and one girl was there for him, Emma. Will has spent his life following Emma because he loves her but never had the courage to tell her.

Will is a quirky street performer who has pretty much nothing and is happy as long as he is near his first love. Will is loved by most people except his brother, Jim, who is a banker. Jim hates that Will has nothing but is still happy. They don’t have a very good relationship because of Jim’s feelings. In fact, Jim treats his brother pretty bad.

In the beginning of the movie, Will follows Emma home. Emma is going home because the show she is an actress in is cancelled and her father is very sick. Emma brings with her a past that Will eventually gets pulled into. Also following Emma home is her boyfriend, Aaron, who wants to marry her.

Emma finally meets Will and they recall the past times they spent together. All seems to go well until Emma finds out that Will has been following her everywhere she has gone. She wants him out of her life. Can Will ever get his first love back or will his all-consuming passion for Emma cost him everything. You have to watch the movie to find out.

Star Studded Cast

The cast of Waiting For Forever is star studded. Will is played by Tom Sturride, who has played on Pirate Radio. Emma is played by Rachel Bilson who has starred on The O.C. and Jumper. Emma’s father is played by Richard Jenkins who was in the movie Step Brothers. Emma’s mom is played by Blythe Danner, who starred in the movies Little Fockers and Meet the Fockers. Also starring in the movie are Nikki Blonsky from Hairspray and Jaime King from Sin City,Pearl Harbor. So as you can see, there are a lot of stars in the movie.

My Movie Review

Waiting For Forever took me forever to get into and give it a chance. The first 20 minutes were really boring, but you really needed that information to understand the rest of the movie. I find it hard to believe that you find out someone is stalking you and then you end up falling in love with your stalker. Even though Will was a harmless stalker, I doubt most people would ever fall in love with someone who is stalking them. That made the movie seem unbelievable to me.

At the same time, I found that I liked the idea of someone helping you through the roughest time of your life coming back and falling in love with you. I fell in love with the character Will, he was so cute with all the crazy things he did in the movie. As a street performer, he wore pajamas and that was how people knew him, “Will Pajamas”.

If you give the movie a chance in the beginning, it is really not that bad and leaves you with a big impression at the end. While it was not my favorite movie, it’s a good movie to watch on a date or with your girlfriends. I’d give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Disclosure: I was given a free viewing copy for this review from Fox Publicity and I was not required to give a positive review but an honest one.

The SS has so many great features that help make it such an adaptable seat.  Since the ‘stay in the car base’ design is so different from other seats, Graco had to change how they engineered their seats.  The SS is reinforced with steel both in the base and in the seat.  The seat actually attaches to the base with four steel pins.  Because of the steel reinforcement, the SS seat and the base make a pretty heavy combination and certainly feels sturdy.   In addition, it has also been tested for side impact safety and is lined with EPS foam in the headrest to help absorb crash forces.

The ‘stay in the car base’ makes the SS a great seat for parents to use for their own children or for carpool.  It makes switching the seat between different riders quite easy as you can change the seat from rear to forward facing and the no thread harness makes adjusting the harness height quick and easy.  Just pull up on the lever and the headrest and harness can be adjusted to just the right height.  Also, to ensure that parents have the seat securely locked in the base when switching between rear and forward facing, Graco has included locking indicators.  These indicators change colors when the seat is locked into the base.  Families and child care providers will be glad to know that additional ‘stay in the car bases’ can be purchased and the seat portion can easily be transferred from car to car.

The SS can be installed with either LATCH or the seatbelt when using the seat as a harnessed seat.   When using the seat belt for the installation, the SS also has a built-in lock off which can make installing the base with a seat belt quite easy.

When installing the SS in various cars, I found that the base was generally easily installed with LATCH or seat belt using the built-in lock off.  One downside though is that the shape of the base caused the seat to take up a lot of space between the front and back seat if the car has highly bolstered seats.  The  edges of the base cause the base to be pushed forward when the vehicle seats are bolstered.  This could decrease forward facing legroom or cause the SS to need the front seat to be moved forward more.  For seats without bolstered sides, the SS doesn’t seem to take up any additional space.  If you have a small car with bolstered seats, this may not be the best seat choice for you.

Graco has included a level on the SS to help parents determine if their seat is installed at the correct recline angle for rear facing.  This is important for a newborn as proper recline angle should help ensure the baby’s airway remains open.  For now though, Graco is not permitting the SS to be installed at less than a 45 degree angle for older rear facing children.  As children get bigger and are able to support their head, they often want to be able to sit more upright so they can look around and see when is going on.   Another possible downside to the seat, Graco is also requiring the use of the harness strap covers at all times from birth through 40 lbs.  The strap covers are much thicker than most strap covers and contain a cushion that sits against the child.  Some children might find them to be bulky or uncomfortable and parents might find they are a bit big on their newborn babies.

Adjusting and finding the recline angle is easily done with the seat installed.  Simply pull on the lever and check the green recline angle for rear facing.  For forward facing, the seat recline can also be adjusted using the same lever into 5 different recline positions.  Only the most upright position though can be used past 40 lbs.  Please note though that AAP has recently changed their recommendations for rear facing and advise parents or guardians rear face their children until at least age two and that they remain in a booster until age 8-12.

The booster fit of the SS for my 5 year old son is pretty good.  Booster fit though can be different for every child in every car.  I found that the shoulder belt was well placed on my son in the middle of his shoulder and the lap belt portion was acceptable.  It could have been a little lower over his thighs but it is reasonable.  When using the SS in booster mode, the SS has a clever storage spot for the harness in the back of the seat.  This is very convenient as many combination seats require you remove the harness entirely when the seat is in booster mode.  Please note that when using the SS in booster mode, you do not use the stay in the car base.

When the SS is rear facing, the seat can be used up to 40 lbs and for the first three harness/head rest positions.  After that, the seat should be used forward facing until your child’s shoulders reach the top harness slot or 65 lbs.  For booster mode, the seat can then be used until your child’s shoulders are even with the red shoulder belt guide or 100 lbs.

Important for young riders, the SS includes one cup holder and has flip up arm rests which make ingress and egress easier.

For a long time, many car seat manufacturers have tried to make a seat that could fit a child from birth until they are ready for a seat belt.  The Graco SS, with is 10 year expiry, is the first seat that seems to make this claim a real possibility.  Assuming a child meets the minimum requirements for the seat at birth and the booster fits the child properly, it seems that the SS might just be a great investment as it might be the only seat a parent must purchase.

Enter to Win

Graco is giving one lucky Busy Mommy Media their own Smart Seat!

To enter, comment on this post and tell us where you’ll be driving with your kids this summer.

This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and will end on  June 21, 2011

In compliance with the FTC Guidelines, please note that this is a sponsored post. Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules.

Additional Giveaway Entries

Earn additional giveaway entries by doing one or all of the following. Comment on this post to let us know each time you earn an additional entry.

• Follow Busy Mommy Media on Twitter
• Become a Fan of Busy Mommy Media on Facebook
• Tweet this giveaway by clicking on the box in the upper right hand side of this post or copying and pasting the following into twitter:

I entered to #win a @GracoBaby Smart Seat #giveaway from @BusyMommyMedia! http://bit.ly/lAFKFW

• Get updates from Busy Mommy Media by signing up for the  Busy Mommy Media Newsletter, subscribing to the Busy Mommy Media RSS feed, or  Signing up to receive updates from Busy Mommy Media.
• Start or respond to a conversation in our Blog Frog Community.
• Blog about this giveaway and link back to the giveaway post.
• Stumble this post.

Want to be notified when we draw a winner? We’re happy to send out one (1) reminder email when we draw a winner. We promise not to put you on our mailing list (unless you want us to). Add your email address here to receive notification of the winner.

Though not every new mom will need a breast pump for long-term use, just about everyone will need one at some point in their nursing endeavor. Medela has been named the #1 choice by both hospitals and moms, proving just how wonderful their product is.

Breast pumps allow you to still provide the great breastmilk to your child, even if you must return to work after that six week maternity leave. When researching the right pump for your needs, there are some key features: Mobility, Affordabilty, Comfort and Sound.

Pump In Style^® Advanced – On-the-go Tote

Pump In Style Advanced is a daily use breastpump designed for moms who pump several times a day.  All Pump In Style Advanced breastpumps offer portable convenience for quiet, discreet pumping anywhere.

What is 2-Phase Expression® technology?
Through research, Medela learned that there are two distinct phases of how babies breastfeed.  The Stimulation Phase is fast and light sucking to start milk flowing followed by the Expression Phase, slow and stronger sucking to deliver more milk faster.  Pump In Style Advanced breastpumps have exclusive 2-Phase Expression technology that mimics a baby’s natural nursing pattern.

Features and Benefits

• Daily use · double pump · electric
• Adjustable speed/vacuum dial lets mom choose her most comfortable setting.
• Removable PVC-free cooler bag with contoured ice pack keeps milk cool for up to 12 hours.
• Battery pack lets mom pump anywhere, anytime. (Optional 9V vehicle lighter adapter available).
• More milk in less time with 2-Phase Expression® technology when pumping at Maximum Comfort Vacuum™.
• Everything included in an attractive microfiber tote for fast and easy pumping.
• Helpful storage pockets for organization.
• Convenient integrated work surface for mom.
• Double pumping kit includes PersonalFit™ breastshields.

Here’s What I Think:

I am a stay-at-home mom and have the luxury of directly nursing my babies, but I still have much need for a quality breast pump. In the early stages of nursing, engorgement in a huge issue for me and having a pump on hand can be a lifesaver. Using a pump to relieve the pressure of overfilled breasts is something any nursing mom will proclaim as NECESSARY!

Another reason to have a quality pump is for those rare evenings when you have a sitter and you want to have some grown up time with hubby. Being able to pump a bottle or two for the sitter is a great asset. My very favorite feature of this breast pump is the fact that it is truly quiet! Often times you have to relieve the pressure of engorgement at 3am and turning on a device that sounds like a jet engine is just not a good plan.

The first time I used this pump, it didn’t even wake up my husband – who was sleeping two inches from the tote. I also really like the new tote design. Essentially all of the  parts to the pump (including the cooler) fit into the bottom half of the tote, leaving plenty of room for your own items to go on top. This makes it possible discreetly carry the pump to work with you without having to carry several different bags. The bag is also stylish, for the fashion conscience mamas!

Enter to Win

Medela is giving away a Pump In Style Advanced Breast Pump to one lucky Busy Mommy Media reader.

To enter, comment on this post and tell us your best breastfeeding tip.

This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and will end on  June 21, 2011

In compliance with the FTC Guidelines, please note that this is a sponsored post. Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules.

Additional Giveaway Entries

Earn additional giveaway entries by doing one or all of the following. Comment on this post to let us know each time you earn an additional entry.

• Follow Busy Mommy Media on Twitter
• Become a Fan of Busy Mommy Media on Facebook
• Tweet this giveaway by clicking on the box in the upper right hand side of this post or copying and pasting the following into twitter:

I entered to #win a @Medela_US Pump In Style Advanced Breast Pump #giveaway from @BusyMommyMedia! http://bit.ly/mrfIkI

• Get updates from Busy Mommy Media by signing up for the  Busy Mommy Media Newsletter, subscribing to the Busy Mommy Media RSS feed, or  Signing up to receive updates from Busy Mommy Media.
• Start or respond to a conversation in our Blog Frog Community.
• Blog about this giveaway and link back to the giveaway post.
• Stumble this post.

Want to be notified when we draw a winner? We’re happy to send out one (1) reminder email when we draw a winner. We promise not to put you on our mailing list (unless you want us to). Add your email address here to receive notification of the winner.