Let Splenda help with your holiday entertaining!

I have to confess. I am usually an "over-planner". You know the type (they probably drive you nuts!)...they have the Christmas shopping done by December 1st, the holiday meals all planned and practically cooked weeks in advance, and sail through that week before Christmas with a blissful smile on their face. While I have not often achieved "blissful smile mode", I usually come pretty close.

Not this year.

I don't know what it is - maybe the increased responsibilities at work or the nasty weather that has kept me off the roads on a number of days when I would usually be getting things done. Whatever it is, I am behind the eight ball this year. Waaaay behind.

With the threat of another nasty winter storm closing schools tomorrow, I stashed Little J at my mom's house and headed out to try and get some things done. Since the weather is promising three storms in the next five days, everyone else in Southeast Wisconsin had the same idea. It was a zoo out there - people cutting each other off in traffic, stealing parking places, and hitting each other with their shopping carts in an effort to be next in line at the cash register. Bah humbug!

By the end of my shopping trip, I had a splitting headache. I couldn't stand to try and even think about meal planning for the Christmas Eve party we are hosting. I know that I don't want this year to be like last year where I didn't even sit down to visit with my guests. Turns out that this is not uncommon.

So this year, I am enlisting the help of the people at Splenda. Yep - you read that right and you can get their help too. Check out their website and get help with everything from recipes, to planning your celebration, to low calorie festive beverage options. (Be sure to check out new Splenda with added fiber to add a little healthy kick to your baking.) Give yourself the chance to sit and relax with your guests this holiday season - it's what the time is supposed to be all about, right?

A Greener House

I've talked in the past about how much I like Clorox's Green Works cleaners. Their all purpose and glass cleaners are now a staple in my cleaning cabinet. I love that they are not prohibitively expensive, do a great job, smell good, and are all natural.

That's why I was thrilled when Mom Central contacted me to let me know that Clorox had come out with a new Green Works dish soap. Knowing how pleased I was with the other cleaners I had been given, I was excited to receive my new dish soap.

I am happy to report that it did not disappoint. Like the other Green Works products, it delivers a powerful cleaning punch while helping me to keep harsh chemicals and fumes out of my home. It works just as well as it chemical laden counterparts and does not break the bank like some natural alternatives can.

Clorox's Green Works products are available at most general retailers (anywhere Clorox products are sold). I have found them at both my local grocery store and at my local Target. The dish soap is available in five scents: Original, Water Lily, Tangerine, Free & Clear and Simply Lemon.

I'm hoping that Green Works disinfecting wipes are next!!

AccuClean

After spending the day outside planting, my allergies have kicked in full swing. This spring seems to be particularly bad as my usual meds aren't helping at all. Little J is suffering as well and has now developed itchy red eyes to compliment his runny nose. He's rubbed one eye so much, it triggered a nasty case of eczema on his eyelid which required a trip to the pediatrician yesterday.

All of this brought back a conversation I had with my furnace repair guy this past winter. (We use a small company and they come out twice a year to maintain our furnace and air conditioner and are starting to feel like family.)

One of the (many) really cold days this past winter, we woke up to the furnace cycling on and off about every 45 seconds. Not a reassuring sound when the scheduled high is -5. The furnace repair guy came out right away and after an hour of fiddling around determined that the furnace was having trouble sucking in air through the filter. I had bought the ultimate-clean-all-allergens-out-of-the-air super thick filter to help with allergies. Turns out it was putting a bit of a strain on the already running 24/7 furnace.

The repair guy suggested that I look into a whole house filter as it would ease the strain on our furnace and is much more effective than what I was using. I figured it would be complicated to install and cost a ton, so I kind of put it on the back burner for a while.

This spring has brought it back to my attention!

So imagine my delight when MomCentral came looking for people to explore the AccuClean Whole Home Air Filtration System by American Standard. I immediately checked out their website and was thrilled with what I learned:

• It removes allergens: AccuClean filters airborne allergens like mold, dust mites, pollen, even pet hair and animal dander, before they can land on your rugs, floors and upholstery.


• It prevents odors: The majority of irritating particles like cooking grease, even smoke from burnt food, can be removed from the air. (I often avoid cooking fish in the winter because I can't stand the smell lasting for days after.)


• It removes up to 99.98% of unwanted particles and allergens from the filtered air in your home. (Standard 1" throwaway filters and ionic-type room appliances can't even begin to match that.)


• It removes the flu virus from the air...after the winter we had here, this is a HUGE plus for me!


• It has a reusable filter that can be easily washed or vacuumed.


• It can be attached to your existing furnace or air handler, so you don't need to renovate your home to install it.

There were quite a few dealers in my area who carry American Standard products. If this sounds like something that might help your family, head over and check it out.

Ragú's Fresh & Simple Pouches

I am usually a pretty good cook. I try to have some sort of homemade meal on the dinner table at least five or six nights a week. It's not always fancy, but it usually is pretty healthy and somewhat yummy.

Before we had Little J, we used to eat out quite a bit. We have since scaled back due to concerns about the health of our wallets and waistlines. Still, there are those days when cooking a meal seems overwhelming on top of running to practices, getting the laundry put away, running errands, and everything else that needs to get done in a day.

Ragu has come up with a great product to help out on just such a day...Fresh and Simple Pouches. Heated up in 90 seconds in the microwave, Ragú's Fresh & Simple Pouches can be added to any pasta, meat, or seafood dinner and taste delicious. In addition to how easy Ragú's pouches are to prepare - all you have to do is snip off a corner and toss in the microwave - they also contain only all-natural ingredients, along with Vitamin C, calcium, fiber, and protein. And to make me feel less guilty, the sauces have no sugar added, no artificial additives or preservatives. Plus, no messy pan to clean up at the end of the meal! Thanks so much for the free samples, Ragu!!

Check out Ragu's website for more information as well as some great recipes to try. (Be sure to print out their free recipe booklet.)

Cranergy

Ocean Spray has come out with its own energy drink, Cranergy. A delicious and naturally energizing juice drink, Cranergy is made with a base of cranberry juice, which is then enhanced with natural energizers like green tea extract and B vitamins. It contains no high fructose corn syrup and is sweetened with Splenda and has only 35 calories per eight-ounce serving (50 percent fewer calories than other leading energy drinks and traditional sodas).

Best of all, Cranergy tastes great! Ocean Spray was kind enough to supply me with some samples of their new beverage in Cranberry Lift and Raspberry Cranberry Lift flavors. Now I have to add that I grew up on cranberry juice and have always been a huge fan of it, so I wasn't sure if I was going to like this jazzed-up version. I had nothing to worry about. Ocean Spray has stayed true to their juice roots and only improved on what they have already done. Both flavors were crisp and refreshing and definitely not overly sweet, like I had feared.

Not only is Cranergy refreshing, but the green tea and B vitamins give a little extra lift to your energy without having that sugar or caffeine crash in the afternoon. I will definitely be adding Cranergy to my grocery list. If you would like to try Cranergy for yourself, grab a coupon here.

Go For the Gold!

It's hard to believe Tony the Tiger and Frosted Flakes turn 56 this year (and does he look good for his age or what?). Frosted Flakes were such a major part of most people's childhood breakfasts. They conjure up feelings of home and family.

The folks at Kellogg's have improved on this breakfast staple with a new product, Frosted Flakes Gold. With ten grams of whole grain and three grams of fiber in each serving, Kellogg's has combined better nutrition with that great taste we all remember.

Kellogg's has also teamed up with the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), Little League® International and Girls on the Run International to create the Earn Your Stripes™ program. This program encourages kids to be more active, eat right and work hard to achieve their goals.

Thanks to Kellogg's for the cereal sample and to Mom Central for their sponsorship.

SimplyMobile Moms

Have you ever been at the grocery store wishing you had your computer with you? You know, when you realize that your grocery list is at home, on your hard drive, and not in your hand printed out like it should be?

Have you ever run into a friend that you never see and wished you could magically produce all those great pictures of your kids that are home, on your computer?

Have you ever been stuck at your child's practice (piano, soccer, taekwondo) wishing you could access a document on your computer and give it another once over before tomorrow morning's presentation?

SimplyMobile Moms is an incredibly easy and practical tool that allows you to send, access, and share the key electronic information that you need throughout the day via your mobile phone. SimplyMobile Moms is a unique, free service that helps us moms stay connected and organized via mobile phone, keeping our lives running smoothly when we are away from home. Doesn't the idea of having access to those lists, catching up on e-mails, and even reading your favorite blogs while on the go make your to-do list seem so much more manageable?

In the interest of full disclosure, the more advanced features like maps, emails, and large amounts of content are suited best to smart phones (iPhones and Blackberries, for example) which can access the content via a one-click web link. I do not have one of these fancier phones and have not tried these features. However, phones without an Internet browser receive content via text messages, so you can send yourself short to dos and ingredients from online recipes that can then be accessed while you're standing in the grocery aisle. This is amazingly helpful in so many ways.

My two initial reservations were about cost. SimplyMobile Moms is a free service, but I was concerned about the cost of the text messages. Turns out, as long as you are using a supported carrier - they are FREE!! (Their list of supported carriers is quite extensive, most phones are covered.) My other concern was about SPAM...I did not want a sudden influx of SPAM messages. They have a "guaranteed no SPAM" policy and I can report that I did not receive one single piece of SPAM. The downloaded software installed quickly and easily and is very simple to use.

Did I mention that this is a FREE service? I did? Well, to make it even better, SimplyMobile Moms is giving away and iPhone and two years free service. So what are you waiting for?? Head over there now and sign up!

Thank you to MomCentral and SimplyMobile Moms for sponsoring this blog tour!

A better way to deal with lice

It's the moment all mothers dread - the moment you realize that your child has caught head lice.

There is such a stigma attached to lice, like it is a character flaw or something. Many people don't want to admit that their child has it. They are afraid that they will be judged as bad parents, unclean, sloppy. They fear that their child will be shunned and ridiculed. The treatments have not helped the situation. In the past they have been smelly and horribly unpleasant. Some have even been unsafe. In fact, in 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency even went so far as to ban lindane, an ingredient found in some lice treatments, as an agricultural insecticide due to its toxicity. Yeah, just what I want to put on my child's head.

Lice MD is a new treatment for lice that puts an end to most of the fears moms have about treating head lice. It is pesticide free (which also means the lice cannot develop pesticide resistance to it) and completely odorless. It works in 10 minutes and conditions rather than dries out your child's hair. It will eliminate the lice, eggs, and nits which is important to prevent continued outbreaks.

The box also includes a comb to help eliminate the nits and eggs and detailed directions on how to rid your house of the little buggers. LiceMD is sold over-the-counter at food, drug and mass retail outlets and wherever lice treatments are sold. It doesn't make having lice pleasant (nothing could!) but it does make treating them a little less unpleasant.

Dare to Wear White

So you may remember that a while ago, I posted about some, um, feminine issues I was having. And how I had a minor meltdown in my ob-gyn's office when she decided that there was "nothing wrong" with me and that I should just go on the pill.

Well, I am happy to report that the pill has somewhat helped with some of the issues I was facing, mainly the incredibly heavy periods I have been having since giving birth to Little J almost four years ago. (Migraines are still an issue.) However, I am not thrilled with the idea of spending the rest of my menstruating life on the pill and I can't bear the thought of going back to the ways things were before.

Turns out there is another option. Who knew? Not me - which makes me wonder WHY didn't I know this? Which also made me jump at the chance to help Mom Central spread the word about this option. It isn't for everyone - you need to be sure that you are done having children. But if you are, be sure to check out the Dare to Wear White (I love that name!!!) website and take their survey. If you are one of the first 250 women to take the survey, you will get a $10 Amazon gift card. (Please only take the survey if you have heavy periods AND are done having children.)

Here is some additional information about heavy periods from Barb, the resident nurse at Mom Central:

Frequently Asked Questions & Answers about Heavy Periods

By Barbara Dehn NP
MomCentral.com
AskNurseBarb.com




How do I know if I have heavy periods?

Although many women may feel as though they are the only ones experiencing heavy periods, women of all ages have heavy periods that interfere with their day-to-day lives. You may have heavy periods if your period:
• Lasts a long time
• Is so heavy that you need to change pads or tampons every 1 to 2 hours
• Is so heavy that you often have a tampon AND a pad for more protection
• Is so heavy that you have to change pads at night

Is it normal to miss work or other activities once in a while because of heavy bleeding?

Many women are surprised to learn that it’s not considered normal for periods to disrupt their normal activities and life. Heavy periods may be interfering with the quality of your life if you:
• Wear dark clothing because you worry about “accidents” during your period
• Miss work or social activities because of heavy periods
• Find that your mood is significantly affected by your heavy periods
• Have had to significantly alter sexual relationships because of heavy periods
• Feel that your life would be much better without your periods

Who is likely to experience heavy bleeding?

Women of all ages may experience heavy bleeding, yet many women in their 30s and 40s may develop heavy bleeding for the first time. Women who have stopped taking birth control pills, those who have had their tubes tied (tubal ligation) and women who are pre-menopausal are especially likely.

What causes heavy periods to occur?
Hormonal changes are usually the cause of heavy periods. This tends to be most prevalent in younger girls and teens who are beginning adolescence, and women in their late 30s and early 40s, due to big swings in their hormone levels. These hormone fluctuations usually mean that she is not ovulating regularly and heavy and long periods may result.

What else may cause heavy periods?

Though most heavy periods are caused by hormonal changes, there are other medical conditions that can also cause heavy bleeding. Before considering any treatments for heavy bleeding, the following possibilities need to be ruled out:

• Polyps – Small, non-cancerous growths attached to the lining of the uterus
• Fibroids – Non-cancerous growths of the uterus that are common in women over 30. Fibroids may be within the lining of the uterus, within the muscle, or on the outside wall of the uterus. While some women experience no symptoms, some fibroids can lead to irregular bleeding or pain
• Pre-cancerous or cancerous changes within the lining of the uterus – The lining of the uterus is known as the endometrium, and cancer here, thankfully, is rare. However, if a woman over 35 has been bleeding continuously for more than a few months, she should consult a health care provider to rule out this possibility
• Adenomyosis – In this condition, the lining of the uterus grows into the muscle of the uterus and causes heavy and painful periods
• Thyroid imbalance – Too much or too little of the thyroid hormones can interfere with normal cycles

Are there safe treatment options available for heavy periods?

There are a number of different options available to women with heavy bleeding. The treatments depend upon whether a woman wants more children, the results of any tests she may have had, her age, and how long she’s been dealing with heavy periods.

For a complete list of treatment options see: www.DareToWearWhite.com

What tests may be performed on a woman experiencing heavy bleeding?

Depending on how long a woman has been bleeding heavily, one or more of the following tests may be recommended:
• Pelvic Ultrasound – This test looks at the size and shape of the uterus and ovaries, and measures the thickness of the lining of the uterus
• Endometrial Biopsy – A thin, flexible tube is passed into the uterus to obtain a small sample of the tissue, which is analyzed for any abnormal or cancerous cells
• Sonohysterography – During an ultrasound, a small amount of fluid is introduced into the uterus through a thin, flexible tube to look for polyps or fibroids that may be interfering with regular cycles
• Hysteroscopy – A thin flexible scope is passed into the uterus to obtain a view of the uterine lining. Polyps or small fibroids also can be easily removed during this procedure. Anesthesia is necessary for this test
• Other lab tests – Health care providers may order blood tests for anemia, thyroid issues and bleeding disorders

Extreme Makeover: Blog Edition

So you may have noticed that my blogs have gotten a much needed face lift lately. This is all thanks to a very talented graphic designer who managed to interpret my lame (that is being kind!) explanations of what I was looking for. Seriously, I think I answered a few questions for her and she nailed the designs on the first try. Very impressive stuff!

I highly recommend her should you have any design needs: headers, buttons, etc. You can find her over at Flibby Pie Graphic Design and her prices are MORE than reasonable. And tell her Wisconsin Mommy says hi!

The New Greener Clorox

Clorox has come out with a new line of cleaning products in response to the demand for products that are safer for our homes and for the environment. Green Works can be found in most stores where the traditional Clorox products are found and includes a number of cleaners such as bathroom, kitchen, glass/window, as well as a concentrate that can be mixed with water.

Green Works cleaners work just as well as their more toxic counterparts without giving off the harsh chemical fumes and residue that can result. Green Works products are made from biodegradable ingredients and NOT tested on animals, two things that are important to me personally. They are 99% natural and have a pleasant scent.

Two things which I really like about these products (and that set them apart for me) are:

1. the fact that they are easy to find in the stores where I am already doing my shopping and

2. the cost which is a bit higher than traditional cleaners but lower than other natural cleaners.

Good for Clorox for taking this step! I hope other companies follow their lead and begin coming out with environmentally friendly lines of products as well.

And the winner is....

Rebecca R! Congratulations...I will be in touch with you next week via e-mail with details on how to claim your prize. Thanks to everyone for entering and check back often for more exciting giveaways!

Homework Helper in a Box

Because I can’t resist worrying about things long before I need to, I’ve been wondering how we are going to deal with the whole “Mom I need to research _____ for school” issue once Little J is a bit older. I am completely against him having internet access in his room and we don’t really have the set up for a centrally located computer where I could keep an eye on him. Maybe we’ll move before it becomes an issue.

But if we don’t, I will definitely let him use Microsoft Student! The folks at Mom Central Consulting kindly asked me to review a copy of Microsoft Student with Encarta Premium 2008. This is a great solution for families facing the exact problem I will be – how to provide a collection of relevant, reliable information without setting your kids loose on the internet. It includes articles that can be accessed through searches as well as an atlas, dictionary, thesaurus, and language translator. It also has a companion, Encarta Kids which is geared younger learners aged 7 to 12.

But, Microsoft Student goes beyond just an encyclopedia. It is a full service homework helper! It includes the amazing MS MATH which includes tools, tutorials and step by step problem solving instructions to help students learn math concepts. Included in MS MATH is a full featured graphing calculator (valued at $100+) AND free online access to “Hotmath” ($49.95 value). Students can quickly find their textbook, and select the problem they are solving. Using the Equation Solver, they can instantly receive step-by-step guidance on how to solve a problem, and what the correct answer should be. (Take it from a former tutor…at $30 - $50 an hour, this more than pays for itself after one or two uses.)

The learning essentials section has great templates to get students started writing reports and presentations. It includes great organizational and brainstorming tools such as K-W-L charts and Venn diagrams that support the types of things your student is learning in school! It even has organizational tools to help with college applications.

The language section is a must-have for anyone who is taking a beginning level foreign language. It supports four languages and can translate either way as well as conjugate verbs. (I SO wish I had this when I was struggling with Spanish in high school!)

The literature feature contains over 1,000 book summaries in a Cliff-Notes type format. The teacher in me cringes a bit at this feature but realizes that most students have access to this type of material somewhere or other and any good teacher can tell whether or not a student has actually read the text. These can always be a good review tool. ‘Nough said.

This really is a great program and is an absolute steal at $37.50. The great folks at Mom Central Consulting and Microsoft have generously provided me with a copy to give away to one lucky commenter. If you’d like to have a copy for yourself, leave me a comment . Please remember to leave me a way to get in touch with you! Our random winner generator (Little J) will be picking a lucky winner out of a hat.
All entries must be in by midnight CST Friday February 29th.

Please check system requirements here. Please read them carefully – I did not and had an old version of Office 2000. I managed to make quite a mess of my laptop and wasn’t able to get much work done for a couple of days until the wonderful folks at my office’s tech-support (thank you guys!!!!) upgraded me to Office 2003 and got me back up and running. Lesson learned!

Need More Time in the Morning?

Yeah right, who doesn't! And what is the one thing that we all know shouldn't fall victim to the morning rush, but often does?
Breakfast.

The folks at Breakfast Breaks know that mornings can be crazy and they have put together a portable, and more important HEALTHY, breakfast in a box. I admit...I was a bit skeptical of these at first. I am a huge fan of convenience, but it usually comes with a high price: empty calories, high fructose corn syrup-laden juice imposters, sugar-loaded cereals...you know what I'm talking about, right?

I was pleasantly surprised when I opened up my box of Breakfast Breaks and found.....
100% real juice
whole grain cereals
100% natural dried fruit
(The stuff I was already giving Little J anyway!) plus
a spoon, napkin, AND a wet wipe already packaged up and ready to go, all I needed to supply was the milk for the cereal.

Now on an average day, I can probably handle getting all of this together for my child on my own - but the next day was the day that we needed to bring my parents to the airport for their early morning flight out of this wintry abyss and getting out of the house on time was going to be a struggle. Throw in ANOTHER snowstorm and a frantic call from my mother saying they would like to leave an hour earlier than planned and my whole schedule went completely out the window.

Enter Breakfast Breaks! Little J happily ate his yummy, nutritious breakfast in the backseat while I drank down a Grande Latte (at least it has calcium) for my nourishment. Now, if they can come up with an adult version that can be eaten with one hand while battling airport traffic in a snowstorm....

Breakfast Breaks come in four varieties.

I love you, You love me...NOT!

Okay, I admit that's a strange title for a Valentine's day post, but I DID get your attention didn't I? Don't worry, Big J is not in the doghouse. (The man bought me a much wanted Roomba for Valentine's Day - he is very NOT in the doghouse!)

No, I am referring to that most annoying Barney song - know the one I am talking about?? Luckily we managed to navigate the whole kiddie music scene without turning to the purple dinosaur. Thanks to some pretty cool friends who already had kids, we were introduced to Dan Zanes, Justin Roberts, The Imagination Movers and Laurie Berkner early on in the game and found them quite tolerable.

As great as these artists are, they are still singing kid music and they are still very much Little J's CD's. Recently, I was given a CD that BOTH Little J and I adore. It is called "That Baby CD" and I cannot say enough great things about it! It contains wonderfully done acoustic covers of songs that you have actually heard outside of a preschool classroom. Songs that you have heard - yes! - on the radio...songs by Bruce Springsteen, The Pretenders, Fleetwood Mac, Bob Marley, The Beatles and more.

Not only are the song choices great, but the arrangements are simple and beautiful. The singers are perfectly chosen to compliment each song and the words are easy to understand, even for a preschooler. My personal favorite is Songbird. The beautiful vocals accompanied by a haunting violin and guitar are just breathtaking. I have to admit that this CD has been getting heavy rotation (can you say that with CDs?) in the car, even when Little J isn't riding with me.

There is also a companion DVD ( named of course That Baby DVD) which features children dancing and lip synching the songs as well as puppets and other visuals. In between the songs are mini-lessons on letters and numbers. It is both interesting and calming at the same time. Little J was absolutely taken with it and has asked to watch it over and over again.

The CD is absolute must-have for anyone with ears. You can bundle it with the DVD for added savings and create a great gift for a baby shower, birthday, or any special occasion. An added bonus? If either ever becomes scratched, the company will replace them free of charge!Want more information or to listen to some samples? Click the logo below and check out their website. Pick up a CD/DVD for yourself and one for a friend - you will not be disappointed!

Froose

Is your child CONSTANTLY asking for juice? I know Little J is, and I began to worry that perhaps all the juice I was giving him wasn't the best for his little growing body. I do water it down quite a bit, but still...is there something better out there?

Turns out, other moms are wondering the same thing. And some of those moms are inventors and nutritionists and in a position to do something about it. And one of those moms invented Froose.

Froose is the brainchild of Denise Devine, a Mom of three, who was working for a major food company and was herself frustrated by the lack of healthy choices for her young children. Her Mom-instincts kicked in when she noticed her son drinking fruit juice all day long and then, after filling up on empty calories, she'd find him not hungry for dinner. She set out to develop a nutritious smoothie-like alternative to juice incorporating whole grains, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. After several years of research, in collaboration with The International Food Network at Cornell, Denise now holds 19 process and composition patents that ultimately enabled her and her team to create a drink that suspends whole foods in liquid form. The resulting beverage is Froose.

With statistics about childhood obesity growing scarier every day, it's great to have a drink that combines the best of whole grains and fruit in one nutritious, portable package. Froose comes in grab-and-grow™ 4 oz. juice boxes, making it a convenient, tasty and nutritious alternative to juice. One box of Froose contains only 80 calories and a healthy amount (3 grams) of fiber. Sweetened with organic brown rice syrup, a complex carbohydrate (which means No Sugar High and No Empty Calories!), it is also wheat and gluten free.

Learn more about Froose at (where else?) http://www.froose.com/ ! You can place an order there and try it for yourself.

Cranium Bloom

Does your preschooler have gift cards from the holidays?

Duplicate presents that need to be returned?

Too many video games?

Is s/he climbing the walls this winter?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, listen up! You have GOT to check out a new line of games and activities by Cranium Bloom. Thanks to Mom Central, we received both the Let's Go to the Zoo Seek & Find Puzzle and the Let's Play Count & Cook Game.

In a word...fantastic!

Let's Go the the Zoo starts with a puzzle building activity. The pieces are the perfect size for preschool fingers and just the right degree of difficulty. Once the puzzle is done, the players choose one of the sets of cards (either beginner or more difficult) and begin a hunt for different items, numbers, or colors in the puzzle. Once they are found, the preschoolers can circle them with the enclosed erasable marker.

I love how this game works on so many different emerging skills at once. The fact that they even found a way to include fine motor skills (a big challenge for Little J) with the use of the marker is brilliant.

The Let's Play Count & Cook Game is equally as fun. The game consists of collecting the ingredients to different recipes. Each pages also offers tips and lessons on everything from kitchen safety to table manners (yeah!) to cool food trivia. Each recipe is one that can easily be made with your preschooler. Little J especially loved discovering peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

Both games include a booklet that includes many ways to add variation to the game and to extend it to the world around you. We have played both games over and over and have yet to tire of them. The teacher in me was VERY impressed with the thought and planning that went into the production of these games! Bravo Cranium!!

All 14 Cranium Bloom games were released exclusively at Target this January.