Pirates of the Caribbean Prize Pack Giveaway...

Congrats to Tawnda M!

Yo Ho, Yo Ho…..you know what that means! Captain Jack is back and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES sails into theatres everywhere on May 20th! Here is a brief synopsis of the fourth Pirates adventure:

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : ON STRANGER TIDES (In Disney Digital 3D™)
Genre: Comedy-Adventure
Rating: PG-13

"Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Rob Marshall, “Pirates of the Caribbean : On Stranger Tides” captures the fun, adventure and humor that ignited the hit franchise—this time in Disney Digital 3D™. Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow in an action-packed adventure. Crossing paths with the enigmatic Angelica (Penélope Cruz), he’s not sure if it’s love—or if she’s a ruthless con artist who’s using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the “Queen Anne’s Revenge,” the ship of the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn’t know whom to fear more: Blackbeard or Angelica, with whom he shares a mysterious past. The international cast includes franchise vets Geoffrey Rush as the vengeful Captain Hector Barbossa and Kevin R. McNally as Captain Jack’s longtime comrade Joshamee Gibbs, plus Sam Claflin as a stalwart missionary and Astrid Bergès-Frisbey as a mysterious mermaid."
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES sails into theatres May 20th, 2011 in Disney Digital 3D™.

Win It: Disney has generously offered one ABCD Diaries reader a prize pack including:

-PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : ON STRANGER TIDES in adult sizes of S, M, L, XL(winner chooses 1)

- PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : ON STRANGER TIDES bandana in black

- PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : ON STRANGER TIDES temporary tattoo (2 per winner)

To enter, follow our blog via GFC.

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Giveaway ends Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 11:59cst. Winner will be chosen via random.org and emailed. They will have 48 hours to reply. Open to US 18+
Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was in no way compensated for this promotion. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

"The Megasaurus" Review...

We recently had the chance to review The Megasaurus, written by Thomas Weck, Peter Weck and illustrated by Len Di Salvo.

The Megasaurus (The Lima Bear Stories)
Written by Peter Weck, Thomas Weck
Illustrated by Len Di Salvo
 
Product Details
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Lima Bear Press (May 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1933872128


Product Description
"What's the King of Beandom to do? The tiny, multi-colored bean-shaped bears of Beandom are under attack by a monster. Even the King's wisest advisors seem unable find a solution. Who will save Beandom? Can an ordinary tiny bear step forward with a plan that works? Welcome to Beandom! It's a great place to visit. Or, it will be just as soon as we get rid of that pesky monster! The message of the story is: Follow your convictions even when others think differently. In the series entitled The Lima Bear Stories, as the basic characters appear and reappear, each has a distinct personality that shines through in every story. While the children have no idea what twists and turns the story may take, they come to know the characters and have a pretty good idea of how they are likely to act in different situations and settings. In essence, the children become friends with the characters. There is a form of bonding that develops. Each story carries an important overriding message (such as courage, tolerance, honesty), and we believe that this bonding creates a more profound understanding and appreciation of the message."

What we thought: This was a cute book to teach courage and the idea of standing up for what you believe in to young children. The story is short and easy to understand.  It is full of great illustrations and definitely kept our kiddos interested throughout its entirety.  ABCD Diaries gives The Megasaurus an A!

Buy It: Find The Megasaurus at your favorite book seller.

Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given a copy of this book for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

Scentsy Review...

We recently had the chance to review a few Scentsy products.

About Scentsy:
"Scentsy is a direct selling, wickless candle company headquartered in Meridian, Idaho. The company is owned by Orville and Heidi Thompson and sells its products through a field sales force of more than 100,000 independent sales representatives known as Independent Scentsy Consultants, who market and sell Scentsy products through home parties. Scentsy sells wickless candles, ceramic warmers, and a variety of fragrance products.
A wickless candle, called a Scentsy Bar or a Scentsy Brick, is a highly fragrant wax bar that is warmed to release fragrance into the air. Because the wax is gently warmed rather than burned, it can hold more fragrance oil than a traditional candle. And, because there is no flame, there is no smoke, soot, or lead. Scentsy wickless candles are a safer alternative to traditional candles."

                                                
Zebra Full Size Warmer:
"Express your individuality and make a statement in any room with a Full-Size Scentsy Warmer. Approximately 4.5" wide and 6" tall; uses a 25-watt bulb.

Available in a variety of styles and colors."

Scentsy Bars:
"Refresh your home with Scentsy’s authentic wickless candles. Simply break off portions of your favorite Scentsy Bars and add them to a warmer for long-lasting fragrance! Available in more than 80 scents.
Luna-White florals—jasmine, sweet pea, and freesia—juicy berries, and sandalwood shimmer like moonlight."
 
What we thought:  We have tried a lot of home fragrance products and I must say the Scentsy wax is one of the longest lasting fragrances we've used. We just broke off a chunk of our bar and it lasted several days, burning for at least 5 hours a day, before the scent started to fade.  The fragrance was lovely and after browsing the site and reading the descriptions of other scents, I can't wait to try more:)  The selection of warmers is vast and there is definitely something for every one and every room in your house.  We reviewed the full-size warmer and a scent bar, but they also have plug in warmers, scent circles, scent paks, buddies, fragrance foam,room spray and lots more.  Seriously, they cover a lot of ground:)  Overall, Scentsy offers exceptional products in an impressive variety of styles and scents.  ABCD Diaries gives Scentsy an A+!
 
Buy It: Find these wonderfully safe home fragrance solutions at Scentsy!
 
Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given a Scentsy warmer and sample bar for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

California Olive Ranch Review and Giveaway...

Congrats to Andrea P!

We recently had the chance to review a bottle of California Olive Ranch olive oil.

About California Olive Ranch:
"We cold press our award winning 100% California grown olives within hours of picking for a fresher taste. Our distinct green bottle keeps our sustainably grown, premium extra virgin olive oil fresh longer. Enjoy the new taste of fresh!"

About the Everday Olive Oil:
Tasting notes:

Delicate EVOO
Fruity nose
Smooth and buttery tongue
Very slight peppery finish
Goes Well With:

When baking cakes and cookies.
For all-purpose mayonnaise and mashed potatoes
With tender salad greens
                      


What we thought: This was a really great olive oil for everyday use.  It had a pleasant flavor that worked well for a variety of cooking methods.  We used it in our pump sprayer that converts oil into spray and it was great for prepping pans for cooking and baking and worked really well sprayed on fresh veggies for roasting.  It was great for using in baked goods and on grilled meats.  It was so versatile and our two favorite ways to eat it were mixed with a little basil pesto as a dipping sauce and as a base for delicious salad dressings. Overall, a really great olive oil for daily use...a great healthy alternative to butter or other oils:)  ABCD Diaries gives California Oil Ranch an A+!


Buy It: Find this awesome olive oil at California Olive Ranch!
Win It: California Olive Ranch has generously offered one ABCD Diaries reader a bottle of olive oil! To enter, follow our blog via GFC.

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7.COR has been nominated as best olive oil by the Vegetarian Times. Vote for COR today! +1 entry
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9.Enter any other current giveaways on ABCD Diaries and leave a comment saying so. +1 for each entered

Giveaway ends Monday, May 30, 2011 at 11:59cst. Winner will be chosen via random.org and emailed. They will have 48 hours to reply. Open to US 18+



Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given a bottle of olive oil for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

Yael Naim "She Was a Boy" CDReview...

She Was a Boy
Yael Naim (Artist)
 
Product Details
Audio CD (May 17, 2011)
Original Release Date: 2011
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Virtual Label
ASIN: B004TB6GZ4

Product Description
"Three years have passed since the international success of the debut album from Yael Naim & David Donatien, released in 35 countries, and their title track "New Soul". "She Was A Boy" signed the comeback of Yael Naim, with an album of 12 songs composed entirely in English. Includes the first single 'Go to the River.' 2010."
 
What we thought: What a treat!  We really enjoyed this CD.  Yael Naim has a beautifully angelic voice and this CD has a wonderfully worldly vibe.  It covers a lot of ground with upbeat and uplifting tunes and down-tempo soul searching ballads.  A really well-rounded CD featuring an amazing up and coming artist, She Was a Boy is definitely a keeper:)  ABCD Diaries gives She Was a Boy by Yael Naim an A+!

Buy It: Find this CD at your favorite book/music dealer.
Stay in the loop on Yael Naim updates:
Facebook - http://facebook.com/yael.naim
Twitter - http://twitter.com/yaelnaim

Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given a copy of this CD for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

Urban Trim Squidarella Review...

We recently had the chance to review a Squidarella umbrella from Urban Trim.

About Urban Trim and the Squidarella:
"UrbanTrim is a new brand that is dedicated to seeking out new and innovative products. We look for stylish products that have something unique to offer. We can help design houses bring their products to the market without having to be concerned with marketing, stocking & selling their product. We enable designers to do what they do best and provide a place where people can go to find the latest trends. If you are a designer with a brand new product, get in touch here.

With a Squidarella in hand, it is guaranteed that you will stand out from the crowd. The unique color change technology used by designers SquidLondon transforms these umbrellas into walking pieces of art and creates an interactive experience whilst you walk in the rain. Why not treat someone special to this statement of style and imagination?

The umbrella starts out in black and white. As the rain starts falling on the umbrella, each drop will cause the colorful design to show through. Eventually when the whole umbrella is wet it will have morphed into the vibrant colorful version that you can see above. When the rain stops and the umbrella dries the colorful design will slowly fade back to white, ready for your next rainy adventure...."

What we thought: The kiddos LOVED this umbrella.  It really was a lot of fun.  We haven't had rain here for a while so we tested it out in the sprinkler and it worked wonderfully.  This umbrella is so unique and would make a great gift.  ABCD Diaries gives the Squidarella by Urban Trim an A+!

Buy It: Find these unique umbrellas at Urban Trim!



Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given a Squidarella for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

Crafting Joy Handmade Animal Giveaway...

Want a chance to win one of these adorable handmade animals from the super talented Janie Richards, creator of Crafting Joy?

All you have to do is check out her Facebook page and enter her giveaway!

Voting for her sister(Trudy Richards) to win Furniture Market's Ugly Couch Giveaway gets you an entry to her giveaway for a surprise animal!  Below are some of my personal favorites from her collection:

Janie's creations are pretty amazing and my kiddos and myself are happy owners to more of her designs than I can even count.  Good Luck!
Sign up for her giveaway today(the contest runs through the end of May)!!

Disclaimer: ABCD Diaries was in no way compensated for this review, though both Janie and Trudy(the Ugly Couch entrant) are a couple of my favorite people(oh, and my sisters:) I have been told that if Trudy wins, I might get to sit on the new couch...YIPPEE!! :)