As a family which always try to spend quality time together, playing games is definitely one of our favourite activity. I can tell you that it is definitely no easy task trying to find a game that a 6 year old can understand and play while a 10 year old or even an adult (us parents!) can also enjoy. Pictureka is a game that makes it possible.

Pictureka by Hasbro is another purchase which I made through Amazon.com and it is basically a visual hide and seek game with a twist. Players compete with one another to collect mission cards in order for them to win. The game is ever changing, so your family will surely enjoy this game, and at the same time, allowing them to make good use of family time.

So, how does one play this game Pictureka? It starts off with all players roll on who goes first. After you distinguish who goes first, each player takes turns to roll a dice to know which color cards he or she picks from. There are 3 color cards to roll for which are red, green, and blue. Blue color allows all players to find that card and whoever finds that card wins the card. Red allows players to bid how many he or she thinks they’ll find a particular card before the timer runs out. Green allows a person or the player to find that card before timer runs out. The overall goal of each player is to find 6 cards in order for them to win. But 6 cards won’t be always being the case, people could choose to increase it to be 9 cards or 12 cards, you have the total ability to pick how many cards to win.

Although, Pictureka is recommended for ages 6 and above, I find it suitable for all ages. As far as a family game goes, Pictureka definitely gets the two thumbs up from me!

Disclosure : I have not received any compensation for writing this content and I have no material connection to the brands, topics and/or products that are mentioned herein.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

I’m pretty excited to run this giveaway as there are products for everyone in the family ~ Baby/Child, Mom and Dad. Check out what you can win for your family below:

Le Baby Inc., Hair Gel Designed for Babies & Children courtesy of www.lebabyinc.com

Le Baby hair gel is a styling gel free of harsh chemicals meant to define wispy curls and tackle unruly after-nap hair. While the concept of baby hairstyling products might seem a little child-beauty-pageant to some, for many moms and dads it’s a must-have diaper bag accessory. From taming those wild fly-aways to smoothing frizzies, Le Baby hair gel works on all hair types and is hypoallergenic for sensitive skin. Whatever your child’s hair type, Le Baby will make combing and styling a cinch. The unique formulas leave hair shiny, healthy looking and more manageable.

Retail Cost: $9.95

PowerHouse Hit The Deck For Moms and Dads, courtesy of  www.powerhouseperformancecoaching.com/

Trying to lose weight? Short on time? Looking for cardio and strength training all in one workout? Trouble managing your stress? Need a convenient workout at home or on the road?

PowerHouse Hit The Deck™ is the answer — one box has it all! Set the timer, draw your first card, and do as many repetitions as you can. When the timer beeps, draw your next card! Simple, easy, effective: a cardiovascular AND strength training workout at the same time, as well as an effective tool to combat stress and the Cortisol Crisis™.

Retail Value : $19.95

Hey Dude Aftershave For The Man of The House, courtesy of  http://www.heydudeskincare.com

Hey Dude Skincare ™ is a line of men’s skin care products designed to give today’s man the essential tools he needs to combat the natural effects of aging and external conditions upon his face and body. Made from high quality organic ingredients like hyaluronic acid and essential nutrients, Hey Dude Skin Care products perform the most vital of functions to help a man protect, repair, and maintain his skin – Functions that include moisturizing and cleansing deeply into the cellular level of a man’s facial skin.

 Hey Dude Aftershave contains seaweed extracts that combine with the proteins of the outer layer of the skin and the hair, forming protective moisturizing complexes. Efficient hydration enhances the skin’s natural ability to repair itself. Seaweed extracts decrease the irritation caused by shaving and depilation. Aftershave calms and moisturizes, as well as reduces skin redness and razor burn.

Retail Price : $19.00

LashFood For Moms, courtesy of  www.lashfood.com

LashFood is formulated with the highest grade all natural ingredients available, and is designed to condition, repair, restore, and create longer healthier and more beautiful eyelashes and eyebrows.

LashFood’s breakthrough natural ingredients, including Biotin an essential vitamin, Arginine a natural amino acid, and herbal extracts, helps promote the natural growth and strength of eyelashes and eyebrows. The result: your lashes become thicker, darker, and longer with this revolutionary conditioner.

LashFood retails for $129.00 and will last up to 5 months.

WIN THEM ALL! :  You can enter to win this whole package of awesome products worth more than $150 by following the requirements below:

• One mandatory entry – Tell us why you want to win all the above products
• Two additional entries – Tweet this giveaway and leave your twitter thread here. You can do this everyday until the contest closes.
• Three additional entries – Add this blog to your blogroll and leave your blog url in the comment section here.
• Giveaway is open to US and Canada shipping address only.
• Giveaway closes on 22nd March 2010 and a winner will be picked using Random.org. We will not be emailing winners, so please make sure you subscribe to our feed or check back here for the winner announcement post.

Disclosure of Material Connection : http://cmp.ly/0

Take ONE peek into our bathrooms and you will know that we are a family of Dove supporter.  From the body wash to hair shampoo and conditioner, our whole household uses Dove because it’s gentle on our sensitive skin. I was very suprise when asked to review Dove’s New Body Wash With Nutrium Moisture. I mean, we’re pretty happy to stick with the current Dove Body Wash but surprisingly, Dove has come out with yet another new BREAKTHROUGH FORMULA?  Could it possibly beat the one we’re using right now? Read on to find out…..

I received the Dove Body Wash With Nutrium Moisture collection which comes in three different formula. If you have sensitive and dry skin, you might want to try the Sensitive Skin Body Wash first as it is unscented. I am not a fan of  body wash with strong fragrance so, this is a plus for me.  I also noticed that it does not lather as much since this is a soap free product.

Next, I tried and tested the Gentle Exfoliating Body Wash. As compared to the Sensitive Skin Body Wash, this formula actually gave a wonderful luxurious lather.  It is also infused with tiny exfoliating beads to gently buff off dead skins. If you’re running short of time in the shower but do not want to miss out on your exfoliation regime, this is like a two in one product that can definitely save your time.

Finally the Deep Moisture Body Wash was given a three days trial. I like that the smell is light and pleasant and after each wash, it left a nice fresh smell on my skin. This formula has a smooth creamy texture which worked well on my skin. I didn’t see any significant difference in my skin after the first usage. However, after three days of continuous usage, I was pleasantly surprised that there’s noticeable smoothness to my feet  which are always very dry and flaky. Having said that, I personally feel that the regular step to apply moisturizer to my skin should not be skipped. Though these Nutrium Moisture Body Wash will help improve the smoothness of your skin, it is not meant to replace what our regular moisturizers can do for our skin.

Overall, my favourite is the Deep Moisture Body Wash, which I have alraedy added to my shopping list. All the three formulas are available at drug stores as well as local retail outlets like Target and Walgreens for about $9 per 12 oz. bottle.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: http://cmp.ly/2

I am super excited to partner with Yoplait Fiber One to run this giveaway.  In conjunction with the launching of their microsite, 50 readers of this blog will be rewarded with a coupon for a FREE four-pack of the new Yoplait Fiber One 50-calorie yogurt. All you need to do is sign up on the Fiber One mini microsite. Now, how cool is that!

Trust me, the Yoplait Fiber One 50-calorie yogurt is definitely a guilt-free, good-for-you snack for moms, in portion sizes, flavor variety and nutritional profiles perfect for kids! It’s also the only leading national nonfat yogurt with 50 calories and 5 grams of fiber. You can choose from  four flavors – Strawberry, Vanilla, Peach and Key Lime Pie. Fiber One 50-calorie yogurt also features a ‘Hungry Girl Seal of Approval’, the first nationally distributed yogurt to receive this endorsement.

Now, here’s your chance fo enjoy a tasty treat that is good for you and a snack your kids will enjoy, for FREE.  The first 50 readers to sign up via the microsite below will be sent a coupon for a FREE four-pack Yoplait Fiber One yogurt. You can also obtain useful weight management tips from best-selling author and food expert Lisa Lillien, a.k.a. Hungry Girl, additional product information about Fiber One yogurt as well as downloadable $1.00 off Fiber One yogurt coupon!

 This giveaway is made possible by Yoplait Fiber One who provided the information, product giveaways as well as coupons.

Thanks to Legacy Interactive, I had the chance to review the Tuttles Madcap Misadventures. The review came just at the right time as the school holidays just started and I was looking for family friendly games to keep my son occupied for the next two weeks.

This animated arcade-style game is being sold with a first-of-its kind national fundraising campaign benefiting children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses via the Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation (www.starlight.org). Thus, some of Hollywood’s biggest names chipped in to help by lending their voices to it, such as Bob Saget who voices Barry Tuttle, Jamie Lee Curtis is mother Barbara Tuttle, William Shatnar is Vance Shepherd, Ashley Tisdale voices Jess Tuttle and Dominic Scott Kay voices young son Zach. 

The Tuttles is about a vacationing family who tries to bond while traveling to the Alamo.  By flying their mini-van through desert, jungle and even underwater, they had to avoid obstacles and collect goodies along the way. Playing the game reminded me of playing The Mario Brothers way back in my younger days. However, the animation was so much better with the Tuttles. I don’t know about others but it was not as easy as I thought. My son and I were stuck at Chapter 7 and could not get pass that stage even after several attempts. Now, he is enlisting the help of his daddy to see whether we could conquer that stage. One thing’s for sure, we’ve definitely proven that The Tuttles is a game that the whole family can play.

The downloadable PC version of the game (www.tuttlesfamilygame.com) was released late last year and has already garnered a “Kids Game of the Year” award from GameTunnel.com and a 2008 Parents’ Choice Silver Award.  Additionally, The Tuttles is available as a download for the PC and Mac, and there are also Flash, widget and Facebook applications.  Fifty percent of the retail proceeds from game sales and 75 percent of the proceeds from the downloads at www.tuttlesfamilygame.com go to www.Starlight.org.

Here’s your chance to let your family enjoy a wonderful game and at the same time make a difference. Just head over to purchase the Tuttles Madcap Misadventures here and know that you are doing it for a good cause too.

About Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation

When a child or teenager has a serious medical condition, everyone in the family is affected. For 25 years, Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation(TM) has dedicated itself to helping seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities. Starlight’s programs have been proven to distract children from their pain, help them better understand and manage their illnesses, and connect families facing similar challenges so that no one feels alone. Through a network of offices, Starlight provides ongoing support to children, parents and siblings in all U.S. states and Canadian provinces with an array of outpatient, hospital-based and Web offerings. Programs are also delivered internationally through affiliates in Australia, Japan and the United Kingdom. To learn more visit www.starlight.org.

My first born had mild asthma when he was in the toddler stage and it really broke my heart. Even though it was nothing serious, being a first time mommy, EVERYTHING was serious! LOL.

Anyway, he grew out of it but still easily has bouts of sneezing out of the blue which we presumed is caused by airborne allergens and dust. Thus, sometime back, the hubs had decided to get one of those air filter to clean the indoor air so that it makes breathing easier for our son. Being the typical man, he did not do much research (like I would have) before he carted home an air filter. To this day, I can honestly say that little thingy he bought had no effect whatsoever to the quality of air in our home.

That was the reason why I decided to do a little research of my own on this topic. If you are looking to keep indoor air virtually pollution-free, I would recommend that you check out American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning’s AccuClean™ whole home air filtration system. AccuClean can be attached to your existing furnace or air handler, so you don’t need to renovate your home to install it. Once installed, AccuClean removes allergens from the air in every room of the house, as opposed to plug-in air cleaners that operate in only one room.

AccuClean is proven to remove up to 99.98% of allergens and more than 99% of the common flu virus. Standard 1″ throwaway filters and ionic-type room appliances can’t even begin to match that!

Now that spring is here,  it also means the return of itchy eyes, explosive sneezes and also the allergy season. As parents, we cannot help but be concerned about the quality of our indoor air to ensure that allergies are kept at bay. Therefore,  if having a cleaner and healthier home is your goal for your family, do check out AccuClean. Just click the link in this post for access to more information. Don’t worry, it’s not an affiliate link

I remember back in my school days, head lice was a common problem and everyone of us would shun those who have it. Even now, it is not uncommon for school going children to come back with a head full of lice. Now, I noticed not much is written about the lice on parenting websites, so I am posting some facts here for those interested:

 What Are Head Lice?

• Head lice are small parasitic insects, about the size of a sesame seed and live on the human scalp. They are brownish, tan or gray in color and move by crawling.

• Lice do not jump or fly, and do not transmit diseases. They feed on human blood and without it they can’t survive.

• Lice are not known to cause disease.

• Lice infestations are not due to poor hygiene.

• Lice live on people’s scalps, not on animals.

• Lice do not travel great distances on their own and can only survive away from a human host for 48 hours. They crawl from one person to another and are spread by direct hair-to-hair contact. Other means of spreading is from the sharing of combs, hats, helmets, scarves, headphones, pillows or other personal items.

 Detection and Prevention

• Examine the head under bright natural light.

• Part the hair and closely examine the scalp, especially the nape of the neck and behind the ears. Lice will quickly move away from the light.

• To find the eggs and nits, look for small white or yellowish-brown specks that are about the size of a poppy seed. Eggs are found on the hair shaft close to the scalp. Newly laid eggs are almost transparent, so it is helpful to examine the hair from different angles of light.

• To tell the difference between eggs and dandruff, try to dislodge them from the hair shaft. If they are not easily removed, they are probably eggs.

• Check everyone in the family for lice or nits.

• Do not share combs or personal items worn on the head or neck.

• Wash all clothing, bedding and towels used by infested persons in hot water (above 130ºF). Dry items at highest heat for at least 20 minutes. Dry clean items that can’t be washed.

• Disinfect hair products such as combs, brushes, and hair accessories by soaking in hot (above 130º F) soapy water for 5 to 10 minutes.

• Place stuffed toys in plastic bags and seal for 2 weeks.

• Vacuum rugs, carpets, mattresses and car seats thoroughly. Dispose of vacuum cleaner bags immediately after use.

Treatment

Most important of all is the treatment. LiceMD®is a a product favoured by school nurses and health care providers because it is pesticide-free, pediatrician tested and clinically proven treatment for effectively, safely and simply eliminating head lice. The lubricating formula not only eliminates head lice, it allows the patented comb to glide effortlessly through the hair so parents can concentrate on removing lice, eggs, and nits — not on combing through tangled hair. It is SAFE as the primary ingredient, Dimethicone, is used as a conditioning agent in many top selling shampoos and has a well-known safety profile.

Eliminating head lice involves a simple 3 step process as follows:

1. Apply LiceMD® to dry hair, then wait 10-minutes
2. With LiceMD® still in the hair, section and comb hair to remove lice, eggs and nits
3. Shampoo hair thoroughly with regular shampoo and warm water

LiceMD® is sold over-the-counter at food, drug and mass retail outlets and wherever lice treatments are sold.