360 Cookware: Stainless Steel Cookware with Vapor Technology

If you're currently shopping for a new stainless steel cookware set with added benefits, check out this brand- 360 Cookware.

What's really great and different about 360 Cookware from other brands of cookware is that it uses Vapor® Technology which allows food to cook in its own natural juices without the excess water or grease other skillets and saucepans require. This technology helps create fast, even heat that gently surrounds all your healthy recipes, thus, food is better tasting and retains their nutritional quality.


Whether you're cooking vegetables, meats, entrees, soups, stews or pasta, 360 Cookware's revolutionary stainless steel Vapor® Cookware surrounds food with a delicate vapor of moist, even, controlled heat that locks in your food’s flavor, texture and nutrients, all while using far less energy than traditional cookware. The lids are also specially designed to create a vapor seal that captures heat and keeps it moving around your food, not escaping out the sides. And the stay-cool handles ensure you’re not only cooking healthy, but cooking safe, too!

I've cooked some of my family's favorite recipes with my new 360 Stainless Steel 3.5 Quart Sauté Pan like entrees, vegetables, and even pasta. I love it! With three hungry kids and a husband who loves home-cooked meals, this is the perfect saute pan for me! I also love the fact that my family can save energy, money and time spent on cooking with this 'green cookware' from 360 Cookware!

More flavorful meals with less fat, less time while 'being green'. That's the promise of 360 Cookware. Go visit them online at: www.360cookware.com to find out more about their products and to purchase. You can even browse for some great recipes while you're there!

*Hip Mama's Place Disclosure: “My reviews and opinions are 100% my own. 360 Cookware provided me the product mentioned in this post to facilitate my review".

About the Author: Jocelyn Cañasa-Brown is a working mom of two boys and is a recognized blogger and mom influencer in the Washington, DC area. In her spare time, she designs and creates her own handmade jewelry, maintains her jewelry store on Etsy and is an active moms group organizer and leader both online and offline. Hip Mama's Place was nominated for Parents' Picks 2010 Best Parenting Blogs and named one of the Highest Rated Blogs and Sites on Nickelodeon ParentsConnect for the Washington, DC area. Follow Jocelyn on Twitter and/or Facebook.

360 Cookware: Stainless Steel Cookware with Vapor Technology

http://www.hipmamasplace.com/2011/08/360-cookware-stainless-steel-cookware.html

How to Get the Wavy Hair You've Always Wanted

Perfect the tousled look just in time for the last few weeks of summer

This is a TotalBeauty.com wavy hair article

The grass is always greener on the other side of the hair spectrum -- which means those of us with fine, pin-straight hair crave beach-y waves that look effortlessly gorgeous. So we went to the experts to give us a fool-proof tutorial on how to get beach-y waves. Now you don't have a reason not to try the look before summer ends.

See how-tos

How to Get the Wavy Hair You've Always Wanted

http://www.hipmamasplace.com/2011/08/how-to-get-wavy-hair-youve-always.html

“After-School Crunchtime Tips” for Busy Families from Lance Crackers + A Yum-tastic Giveaway!

My family and I just got back from our most wonderful summer beach vacation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina yesterday! We had a fantastic time at the beach and explored a lot of cool spots while we were there.

Now I need to spring back to a routine, especially now that my kids are going back to school this coming Monday...




... which brings me to my post today. I'm so grateful and thrilled that Lance® Sandwich Crackers sent me plenty of their yummy crackers to try, plus a fun back to school caddy and some much needed art and craft supplies for my boys! :)




As a mom of two hungry, growing boys plus a teenager, I'm always on the lookout for healthy, nutritious and tasty snacks for them. What I love about Lance® Sandwich Crackers is that they come in many varieties (19 of them!) which include whole grain, 100-calorie and reduced fat options. They are also not one of those dried up crackers that taste bland, but are made with freshly-baked, crispy crackers and real peanut butter or real cheese filling. Plus, they have 0 grams trans fat, no preservatives, and no high fructose corn syrup. So what more can I ask for a perfect after-school snack? My kids love Lance® Sandwich Crackers so much I brought them on our beach vacation!


Lance® Sandwich Crackers also gave me a head's up on their new partnership with The Mom on the Run lifestyle expert, Colleen Burns (a mom of five boys ages 6 – 16), to put together helpful tips for parents looking to make homework less work in the “After-School Crunchtime Tips” campaign, including:

*Guidance on how much homework to expect.
*Creating a workstation for getting homework done, complete with a homework “kit” for each child.
*Setting household-wide homework rules for parents and kids.
*Creating consistency with your after-school routine, including a good snack to make concentrating on homework easier.
*Setting a good example for children by getting your “homework” done, too!

This campaign is hosted on the Lance Snacks Facebook page and will run from mid-August through October. Go ahead check it out and share your own tips for back-to-school time! Facebook fans and visitors can also enter for their chance to win one of five $500 Visa gift cards, or one of 25 homework caddies filled with back-to-school homework supplies and Lance Sandwich Crackers! I'm definitely going to participate in this very exciting contest!

*YUM-TASTIC GIVEAWAY!

Hurray, Hip Mama's Place readers! One of you will win the same Lance® Sandwich Crackers back to school package I received pictured above (except the Starbucks coffee!) which includes: homework caddy, school supplies and many varieties of Lance crackers!


To enter the contest, leave a comment on this post with your own helpful "After-School Crunchtime Tip" to make sure your kid's homework gets done right and on time! Leave your comment by September 10th, 2011 at 12MN, EST. THIS IS YOUR MANDATORY CONTEST ENTRY.

This contest is open to U.S. ADDRESSES ONLY. Please leave your email address (if you don't have a blog). I will choose ONE (1) WINNER using Random.org and will be announced as a comment on this post. The winner will also be notified by email and/or through a comment on their blog (if available).

*IMPORTANT: PLEASE DO NOT CROSS-PROMOTE ANY OTHER GIVEAWAYS HAPPENING ON ANY OTHER BLOG OR WEBSITE. ANY SPAM COMMENTS WILL BE DELETED IMMEDIATELY.

*EXTRA ENTRIES for many chances to win! BE SURE TO ENTER A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH EXTRA ENTRY YOU DO TO BE COUNTED IN!

Your comment is your one required/mandatory entry. To earn extra entries, just do the following:

1. Tweet this giveaway daily on Twitter however you like, but include this URL page and hash tags anywhere in your Twitter update: @HipMamasPlace http://bit.ly/qPla9J #giveaways (1 EXTRA ENTRY FOR EACH TWEET THAT YOU DO DAILY)

EXAMPLE OF A TWEET:

I want to win Lance Sandwich Crackers school caddy, art supplies and yummy crackers @HipMamasPlace http://bit.ly/qPla9J #giveaways!

2. Like or Become a fan of Hip Mama's Place on Facebook and post a comment on our wall and tell me why you like visiting Hip Mama's Place or reply to the latest post on our wall (3 EXTRA ENTRIES)

3. Follow Hip Mama's Place on Twitter (3 EXTRA ENTRIES)

4. Follow me or friend me on Google Friend Connect (link is under "Our Hip Followers" on the left side bar) (5 EXTRA ENTRIES)

5. Join the Hip Mama's Place Community and EARN 2 EXTRA ENTRIES. You can earn 3 more extra entries by creating a new post or join in on the conversations on the "Forum" section of our mom community. (5 TOTAL EXTRA ENTRIES)

6. Grab one of Hip Mama's Place's buttons under the "Grab Our Fabulous Buttons" on the right hand side bar on our main page and paste it on an HTML page on your blog sidebar. (5 EXTRA ENTRIES)

Remember, the more entries you have, the greater chances of winning! Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do for your extra entries (i.e. your name on HMP Community name, Google Friend Connect, Facebook name, Twitter name and Twitter post links). Good luck!

*Hip Mama's Place Disclosure: “My reviews and opinions are 100% my own. Lance® Sandwich Crackers provided me the products mentioned in this post to facilitate my review and giveaway".

About the Author: Jocelyn Cañasa-Brown is a working mom of two boys and is a recognized blogger and mom influencer in the Washington, DC area. In her spare time, she designs and creates her own handmade jewelry, maintains her jewelry store on Etsy and is an active moms group organizer and leader both online and offline. Hip Mama's Place was nominated for Parents' Picks 2010 Best Parenting Blogs and named one of the Highest Rated Blogs and Sites on Nickelodeon ParentsConnect for the Washington, DC area. Follow Jocelyn on Twitter and/or Facebook.

“After-School Crunchtime Tips” for Busy Families from Lance Crackers + A Yum-tastic Giveaway!

http://www.hipmamasplace.com/2011/08/after-school-crunchtime-tips-for-busy.html

VeggieTales Princess and the Pop Star: A Story of Trading Places- Review and Giveaway!

My kids love VeggieTales, so we were happy to receive VeggieTales Princess and the Pop Star: A Story of Trading Places -- a brand-new DVD from Big Idea Entertainment, for our review.

Synopsis: VeggieTales Princess and the Pop Star: A Story of Trading Places:


Princess Poppyseed’s life on her family’s farm is far from the glamorous but lonely world of her favorite pop singer Vanna Banana. On a chance meeting at a playground, Vanna and Princess cross paths and realize that they look almost exactly alike—which leads to the crazy secret plan where they decide to switch lives! As each girl realizes that the life they longed for doesn’t fulfill all of their dreams, they learn that the life God gave them is the one for which they were uniquely and lovingly designed.

DVD Bonus Features:

* Audio Commentary
* “Astonishing Wigs” Silly Songs Sing-Along
* “Right Where You Belong” Sing-Along
* Behind the music with Francesca Battistelli and Friends
* Princess Poppyseed’s Points For Being Uniquely You

This family-friendly title teaches an important lesson about being true to one's self and features tons of high-energy and fun music, silly sing-alongs and bonus features like behind the music interviews with real children whose voices were used in the movie.

My six year old Gabriel is a big music fan and has been singing the fun, upbeat new song from this movie, "You Never Are” written and performed by Francesca Battistelli, since the first time we watched this DVD. He sounds so cute singing this song. His little brother Jaden dances along and even I love it too and find myself singing along! :)

For a sneak peak, watch this short video:

VeggieTales Princess and the Pop Star: A Story of Trading Places is now available for SRP $14.93 at all major DVD retail outlets.

*DVD GIVEAWAY!

One of you, lucky Hip Mama's Place reader, will win a copy of VeggieTales Princess and the Pop Star: A Story of Trading Places!

To enter the contest, leave a comment on this post by September 9th, 2011 at 12MN, EST. THIS IS YOUR MANDATORY CONTEST ENTRY.

This contest is open to U.S. ADDRESSES ONLY. Please leave your email address (if you don't have a blog). I will choose ONE (1) WINNER using Random.org and will be announced as a comment on this post. The winner will also be notified by email and/or through a comment on their blog (if available).

*IMPORTANT: PLEASE DO NOT CROSS-PROMOTE ANY OTHER GIVEAWAYS HAPPENING ON ANY OTHER BLOG OR WEBSITE. ANY SPAM COMMENTS WILL BE DELETED IMMEDIATELY.

*EXTRA ENTRIES for many chances to win! BE SURE TO ENTER A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH EXTRA ENTRY YOU DO TO BE COUNTED IN!

Your comment is your one required/mandatory entry. To earn extra entries, just do the following:

1. Tweet this giveaway daily on Twitter however you like, but include this URL page and hash tags anywhere in your Twitter update: @HipMamasPlace @VeggieTales http://bit.ly/nvx6qZ #movies #giveaways (1 EXTRA ENTRY FOR EACH TWEET THAT YOU DO DAILY)

EXAMPLE OF A TWEET:

I want to win a VeggieTales Princess and the Popstar DVD @HipMamasPlace @VeggieTales http://bit.ly/nvx6qZ #movies #giveaways!

2. Like or Become a fan of Hip Mama's Place on Facebook and post a comment on our wall and tell me why you like visiting Hip Mama's Place or reply to the latest post on our wall (3 EXTRA ENTRIES)

3. Follow Hip Mama's Place on Twitter (3 EXTRA ENTRIES)

4. Follow me or friend me on Google Friend Connect (link is under "Our Hip Followers" on the left side bar) (5 EXTRA ENTRIES)

5. Join the Hip Mama's Place Community and EARN 2 EXTRA ENTRIES. You can earn 3 more extra entries by creating a new post or join in on the conversations on the "Forum" section of our mom community. (5 TOTAL EXTRA ENTRIES)

6. Grab one of Hip Mama's Place's buttons under the "Grab Our Fabulous Buttons" on the right hand side bar on our main page and paste it on an HTML page on your blog sidebar. (5 EXTRA ENTRIES)

Remember, the more entries you have, the greater chances of winning! Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do for your extra entries (i.e. your name on HMP Community name, Google Friend Connect, Facebook name, Twitter name and Twitter post links). Good luck!

*Hip Mama's Place Disclosure: “My reviews and opinions are 100% my own. VeggieTales provided me copies of the DVD mentioned in this post to facilitate my review and giveaway".

About the Author: Jocelyn Cañasa-Brown is a working mom of two boys and is a recognized blogger and mom influencer in the Washington, DC area. In her spare time, she designs and creates her own handmade jewelry, maintains her jewelry store on Etsy and is an active moms group organizer and leader both online and offline. Hip Mama's Place was nominated for Parents' Picks 2010 Best Parenting Blogs and named one of the Highest Rated Blogs and Sites on Nickelodeon ParentsConnect for the Washington, DC area. Follow Jocelyn on Twitter and/or Facebook.

VeggieTales Princess and the Pop Star: A Story of Trading Places- Review and Giveaway!

http://www.hipmamasplace.com/2011/08/veggietales-princess-and-pop-star-story.html

Mama Mio Get Waisted Body Shaper Cream- Review and Giveaway!

I am currently on family vacation in beautiful Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It's my first visit here so we've been exploring a lot, besides going to the beach and the indoor water park inside the Dunes Village Resort (where we're staying at) everyday. We're loving our stay here and the kids are super delirious with excitement! :)

Anyway, I wanted to look slimmer and sexier in my swimsuit so I'm so happy that Mama Mio has sent me a full size bottle of their Get Waisted Body Shaper- an ab cream formulated to give me some tummy tightening benefits!


I'm so loving this stuff and definitely recommending this celebrity favorite ab cream to my family and friends! I've been using this cream for two weeks now and it absolutely made a difference on my tummy. I've been combating fat deposits in my ab area and now after daily use of Get Waisted for only two weeks, my ab definitely looks and feels firmer and tighter! Love, love, love it! :)

Here's what Mama Mio recently reported about Get Waisted:

With only 30% of Americans feeling happy in a bikini and many considering their need for some tummy tightening*, it’s no surprise that Mama Mio has seen a 55% rise in sales of its miracle ab-rehab cream Get Waisted. Celebrity fans, including super-diva Christina Aguilera, can’t get enough of Get Waisted’s waist-whittling powers – and stomach-conscious women are seemingly seeing the same effects with one bottle selling every 45 seconds worldwide (and no personal trainer in sight!)

In a recent Daily Mail (a leading daily newspaper in the UK) feature, Mama Mio Get Waisted received a rave review for reducing the waist and hips by an inch.

Consumer tester Amy Finlayson, 32, can attest to the powers of this body shaper in a bottle. In just one week her stomach was noticeably flatter, smoother and more toned and after a full four week trial, a full inch had been taken off her waist AND hips. Fitness expert, Dani Mears, confirmed the results, saying “I used a caliper to see if Amy has lost weight on her stomach. Incredibly, after the four-week period she had lost an inch from her waist and an inch from her hips.”

So why not try Get Waisted out for yourself? Get them at MamaMio.com for $56.00 (100 ml, 3.4 full oz)

*WIN IT!

One of you, lucky Hip Mama's Place reader, will win a full size bottle of Mama Mio Get Waisted Body Shaper, valued at $56.00!

To enter the contest, leave a comment on this post by September 8th, 2011 at 12MN, EST. THIS IS YOUR MANDATORY CONTEST ENTRY.

This contest is open to U.S. ADDRESSES ONLY. Please leave your email address (if you don't have a blog). I will choose ONE (1) WINNER using Random.org and will be announced as a comment on this post. The winner will also be notified by email and/or through a comment on their blog (if available).

*IMPORTANT: PLEASE DO NOT CROSS-PROMOTE ANY OTHER GIVEAWAYS HAPPENING ON ANY OTHER BLOG OR WEBSITE. ANY SPAM COMMENTS WILL BE DELETED IMMEDIATELY.

*EXTRA ENTRIES for many chances to win! BE SURE TO ENTER A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH EXTRA ENTRY YOU DO TO BE COUNTED IN!

Your comment is your one required/mandatory entry. To earn extra entries, just do the following:

1. Tweet this giveaway daily on Twitter however you like, but include this URL page and hash tags anywhere in your Twitter update: @HipMamasPlace @mamamio http://bit.ly/q7d0l1 #skincare #giveaways (1 EXTRA ENTRY FOR EACH TWEET THAT YOU DO DAILY)

EXAMPLE OF A TWEET:

I want to win the Get Waisted Body Shaper @HipMamasPlace @mamamio http://bit.ly/q7d0l1 #skincare #giveaways!

2. Like or Become a fan of Hip Mama's Place on Facebook and post a comment on our wall and tell me why you like visiting Hip Mama's Place or reply to the latest post on our wall (3 EXTRA ENTRIES)

3. Follow Hip Mama's Place on Twitter (3 EXTRA ENTRIES)

4. Follow me or friend me on Google Friend Connect (link is under "Our Hip Followers" on the left side bar) (5 EXTRA ENTRIES)

5. Join the Hip Mama's Place Community and EARN 2 EXTRA ENTRIES. You can earn 3 more extra entries by creating a new post or join in on the conversations on the "Forum" section of our mom community. (5 TOTAL EXTRA ENTRIES)

6. Grab one of Hip Mama's Place's buttons under the "Grab Our Fabulous Buttons" on the right hand side bar on our main page and paste it on an HTML page on your blog sidebar. (5 EXTRA ENTRIES)

Remember, the more entries you have, the greater chances of winning! Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do for your extra entries (i.e. your name on HMP Community name, Google Friend Connect, Facebook name, Twitter name and Twitter post links). Good luck!

*Hip Mama's Place Disclosure: “My reviews and opinions are 100% my own. Mama Mio provided me the product mentioned in this post to facilitate my review and giveaway".

About the Author: Jocelyn Cañasa-Brown is a working mom of two boys and is a recognized blogger and mom influencer in the Washington, DC area. In her spare time, she designs and creates her own handmade jewelry, maintains her jewelry store on Etsy and is an active moms group organizer and leader both online and offline. Hip Mama's Place was nominated for Parents' Picks 2010 Best Parenting Blogs and named one of the Highest Rated Blogs and Sites on Nickelodeon ParentsConnect for the Washington, DC area. Follow Jocelyn on Twitter and/or Facebook.

Mama Mio Get Waisted Body Shaper Cream- Review and Giveaway!

http://www.hipmamasplace.com/2011/08/mama-mio-get-waisted-body-shaper-cream.html

6 Surprising Reasons Why You're Losing Energy

You know you're tired, but do you know why? See these 6 ways you're losing energy now

This is a TotalBeauty.com health article

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that job pressures, relationship conflicts, and lack of sleep all have the same draining effect on us. But what about the energy zappers you're committing without knowing? These surprising drains not only suck your energy but also take a toll on your health. Find out what they are and how to get your energy back now.

See tips

6 Surprising Reasons Why You're Losing Energy

http://www.hipmamasplace.com/2011/08/6-surprising-reasons-why-youre-losing.html

Back to School Promo from Company Kids- Backpacks, Messenger Bags and Totes For Only $19!

Hello, friends. Hope everyone is having a fantastic Thursday! :)

I just got a head's up from Company Kids today that I thought is worth sharing with you all! Now that we parents are looking for ways to save money on back to school items for our kids.


Starting this Friday, August 19,2011 through Thursday, September, 15th, 2011, they're running their “BACK TO SCHOOL” promotion. Adorable and trendy messenger bags, backpacks and totes are going to be on sale for only $19!

I love Company Kids apparel and accessories for my kids. Not only they carry the cutest, trendiest stuff- they're also within my budget! I'm loving the Dino Appliquéd Backpack and the Truck Appliquéd Backpack for my boys. They can be monogrammed with their initials for extra personality and style! And yes, it looks like they're already on sale at $19!

Check out the Company Kids store online for your back to school needs and start saving today!

*Hip Mama's Place Disclosure: “My reviews and opinions are 100% my own. Company Kids provided me a promotional product to facilitate this post".

About the Author: Jocelyn Cañasa-Brown is a working mom of two boys and is a recognized blogger and mom influencer in the Washington, DC area. In her spare time, she designs and creates her own handmade jewelry, maintains her jewelry store on Etsy and is an active moms group organizer and leader both online and offline. Hip Mama's Place was nominated for Parents' Picks 2010 Best Parenting Blogs and named one of the Highest Rated Blogs and Sites on Nickelodeon ParentsConnect for the Washington, DC area. Follow Jocelyn on Twitter and/or Facebook.

Back to School Promo from Company Kids- Backpacks, Messenger Bags and Totes For Only $19!

http://www.hipmamasplace.com/2011/08/back-to-school-promo-from-company-kids.html

Back to School with SpongeBob Alarm Clock Radio- Review and Giveaway!

Getting ready for back-to-school? Here's one cute little gadget you and your child will appreciate, especially on school days when you have to get him up early in the morning.


So glad to have the opportunity to review our new SpongeBob Alarm Clock Radio from Sakar International. Featuring an AM/FM radio built in, an iPod connectivity, a Pop Up snooze button and four alarm clock sounds, the SpongeBob Alarm Clock Radio is also fun and is made to look and feel like a sponge (just like SpongeBob!).

My boys (six year old Gabriel and four year old Jaden) both really like SpongeBob so this was one little treat for them! There were days when we had to go somewhere and had to leave the house early that we used this alarm clock to wake the boys up. They share one bedroom so this works even better- it wakes them both up at the same time! Gabriel also thinks it's really cool that the top of SpongeBob's head is the snooze button. It pops up when the alarm goes off and he can easily push it down again to activate the snooze function. This alarm clock is designed for kids ages 4 and up. It has an iPod connectivity too and will be a great alarm clock radio for pre-teens as well.

The SpongeBob Alarm Clock Radio is now available at Amazon and Toys R'Us for around $25.

*WIN IT!

One of you, lucky Hip Mama's Place readers, will win the SpongeBob Alarm Clock Radio, valued at $29.99!

To enter the contest, leave a comment on this post telling me one good tip to make your kid's back to school transition a little easier. Comments must be in by August 31st, 2011 at 12MN, EST. THIS IS YOUR MANDATORY CONTEST ENTRY.

This contest is open to U.S. ADDRESSES ONLY. Please leave your email address (if you don't have a blog). I will choose ONE (1) WINNER using Random.org and will be announced as a comment on this post. The winner will also be notified by email and/or through a comment on their blog (if available).

*IMPORTANT: PLEASE DO NOT CROSS-PROMOTE ANY OTHER GIVEAWAYS HAPPENING ON ANY OTHER BLOG OR WEBSITE. ANY SPAM COMMENTS WILL BE DELETED IMMEDIATELY.

*EXTRA ENTRIES for many chances to win! BE SURE TO ENTER A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH EXTRA ENTRY YOU DO TO BE COUNTED IN!

Your comment is your one required/mandatory entry. To earn extra entries, just do the following:

1. Tweet this giveaway daily on Twitter however you like, but include this URL page and hash tags anywhere in your Twitter update: @HipMamasPlace #giveaways (1 EXTRA ENTRY FOR EACH TWEET THAT YOU DO DAILY)

EXAMPLE OF A TWEET:

I want to win the SpongeBob Alarm Clock radio @HipMamasPlace @SpongeBob http://bit.ly/nNoa8z #giveaways!

2. Like or Become a fan of Hip Mama's Place on Facebook and post a comment on our wall and tell me why you like visiting Hip Mama's Place or reply to the latest post on our wall (3 EXTRA ENTRIES)

3. Follow Hip Mama's Place on Twitter (3 EXTRA ENTRIES)

4. Follow me or friend me on Google Friend Connect (link is under "Our Hip Followers" on the left side bar) (5 EXTRA ENTRIES)

5. Join the Hip Mama's Place Community and EARN 2 EXTRA ENTRIES. You can earn 3 more extra entries by creating a new post or join in on the conversations on the "Forum" section of our mom community. (5 TOTAL EXTRA ENTRIES)

6. Grab one of Hip Mama's Place's buttons under the "Grab Our Fabulous Buttons" on the right hand side bar on our main page and paste it on an HTML page on your blog sidebar. (5 EXTRA ENTRIES)

Remember, the more entries you have, the greater chances of winning! Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do for your extra entries (i.e. your name on HMP Community name, Google Friend Connect, Facebook name, Twitter name and Twitter post links). Good luck!

*Hip Mama's Place Disclosure: “My reviews and opinions are 100% my own. Nickelodeon provided me the product mentioned in this post to facilitate my review and giveaway".

About the Author: Jocelyn Cañasa-Brown is a working mom of two boys and is a recognized blogger and mom influencer in the Washington, DC area. In her spare time, she designs and creates her own handmade jewelry, maintains her jewelry store on Etsy and is an active moms group organizer and leader both online and offline. Hip Mama's Place was nominated for Parents' Picks 2010 Best Parenting Blogs and named one of the Highest Rated Blogs and Sites on Nickelodeon ParentsConnect for the Washington, DC area. Follow Jocelyn on Twitter and/or Facebook.

Back to School with SpongeBob Alarm Clock Radio- Review and Giveaway!

http://www.hipmamasplace.com/2011/08/back-to-school-with-spongebob-alarm.html

Tända Acne Solutions: Using Light Therapy to Treat and Prevent Acne

Do you suffer from mild to moderate acne and are looking for an effective and natural solution to treat or prevent it?


How about using acne light treatment like Tända Acne Solutions? This solution works by using blue LED light to kill the acne-causing bacteria. The blue light has a phototoxic effect on the bacteria which causes it to self destruct. Dermatologists say that this technology works better than using acne creams or gels like Benzoyl Peroxide and when used daily, Tända Clear can actually prevent breakouts from happening again!

This powerful and sleek handheld device is very convenient and safe to use at home or on-the-go and delivers clinical levels of blue LED light therapy to treat and prevent acne breakouts.

If acne is not a concern, but you want plumper, firmer and more youthful-looking skin, there's Tända Regenerate which uses red LED light therapy to boost overall cellular energy, increasing the production of collagen and elastin and increasing micro-circulation.

So whether you want clear, beautiful skin or you want to look years younger, Tända has got the right tools for your skin's light therapy treatments that you can do on your own at home minus expensive visits to the dermatologists. Plus, there are no cartridges or batteries to buy or throw away which makes it more economical as well.

About the Author: Jocelyn Cañasa-Brown is a working mom of two boys and is a recognized blogger and mom influencer in the Washington, DC area. In her spare time, she designs and creates her own handmade jewelry, maintains her jewelry store on Etsy and is an active moms group organizer and leader both online and offline. Hip Mama's Place was nominated for Parents' Picks 2010 Best Parenting Blogs and named one of the Highest Rated Blogs and Sites on Nickelodeon ParentsConnect for the Washington, DC area. Follow Jocelyn on Twitter and/or Facebook.

Tända Acne Solutions: Using Light Therapy to Treat and Prevent Acne

http://www.hipmamasplace.com/2011/08/tanda-acne-solutions-using-light.html

What's the Most Effective Detox Diet?

One fearless writer follows "Clean" by Alejandro Junger, M.D. How'd she do?

This is a TotalBeauty.com diet article

With so many detox diets out there, we wanted to know which ones actually work -- and which ones are dangerous. Here's one editor's account of her 3-week stint following "Clean." Find out if this detox is right for you.

Read diary

What's the Most Effective Detox Diet?

http://www.hipmamasplace.com/2011/08/whats-most-effective-detox-diet.html

Test Driving Verizon FiOs - My Initial Review

We had been with this cable and internet service company (that I won't name) for a long time and had not been very satisfied with their service for the last couple of years. The internet kept dropping, especially during peak times when we needed it the most. My husband and I are pretty much online most of the time- especially me being that I have an online store and I'm a blogger- that it's very important to us to have a super reliable internet service.

Cable wise, we're a huge tv-watching family too and it doesn't get very annoying than when you're in the middle of watching your favorite show and the tv screen suddenly goes blank! Yes, that happened to us many times with our old cable service!

So you can imagine my excitement when Mom Central told me that they picked me as one of the Verizon FiOS Test Drive Moms- to try out their Verizon FiOs Triple Play Package service which includes cable, internet and home phone. We had been talking for a while about switching to Verizon FiOS but never got around to it until this opportunity came up. So it was just perfect timing!

Day of the Installation...

The installer guy from Verizon FiOS service was extremely pleasant and polite and although the whole installation process took about four hours as expected, it wasn't a hassle at all. At the end of the install, he explained everything to us about the many different cable features, even how to use the remote control and all. Wow, what a huge difference! It was almost like having a new tv in the house! My husband was so excited and said, "Now I know why a lot of people like Verizon FiOS!". It took us a while to get used it but after a few weeks- we can say that Verizon FiOS really lives to its slogan: "THIS IS FIOS. THIS IS BIG".

What We Like So Far...

So far, we're loving the multi-room DVR feature. With this feature, we don't have to watch ten minutes of commercials while watching our favorite shows. It's really neat that when we can't be home to watch our show, the DVR can record it and we can just watch it when we get home. Or when the kids want to watch their shows in their play room, me and my husband can watch sports or our favorite I.D. (Investigation Discovery) shows that we've missed in the living room from our DVR.


One fantastic example: we went to the huge Manchester United vs. FC Barcelona World Football Challenge (US Soccer) game a couple weeks ago and we knew we were going to be on tv as we bought front row seats. The game was televised on ESP2 so we set the DVR to record the whole game and sure enough, we were on national tv! We watch the game over and over again and it's cool that we can watch ourselves on tv! I mean, it was probably only about ten seconds of fame, but hey! It's national tv and we were so thrilled! :)

We haven't had the chance to try out some of the other features of FiOS yet, like the cool TV Widgets and FlexView. I'm sure we will be checking them out soon and I will tell you more about those features in my next post!

Looking for a new cable, internet or home phone provider service? Look into Verizon Fios. To see if Verizon Fios is available in your area click here.

Hip Mama's Place Disclosure:
"I wrote this review while participating in a Test Drive campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Verizon FiOS and received a free trial of the products and services necessary to facilitate my review".

About the Author: Jocelyn Cañasa-Brown is a working mom of two boys and is a recognized blogger and mom influencer in the Washington, DC area. In her spare time, she designs and creates her own handmade jewelry, maintains her jewelry store on Etsy and is an active moms group organizer and leader both online and offline. Hip Mama's Place was nominated for Parents' Picks 2010 Best Parenting Blogs and named one of the Highest Rated Blogs and Sites on Nickelodeon ParentsConnect for the Washington, DC area. Follow Jocelyn on Twitter and/or Facebook.

Test Driving Verizon FiOs - My Initial Review

http://www.hipmamasplace.com/2011/08/test-driving-verizon-fios-my-initial.html

Get Kate Middleton's Regal Look with Goody's Start.Style.Finish™ Collection + Giveaway!

Kate Middleton was recently spotted at the Belasco Theater in L.A. attending the ‘Brits to Watch’ event hosted by BAFTA (the British Academy of Film and Television Arts).


The Duchess of Cambridge looked stunning in her pale lilac Alexander McQueen gown and gorgeous ‘do.

Want to steal her look?


With the Goody Start.Style.Finish collection you can create this regal look for any time and any occasion! No need to have a stylist to steal her royal style. Goody’s Start.Style.Finish, gives you the freedom to create a simple, yet stylish and flawless hairdo in just three easy steps.



Here's how:

Start by detangling and conditioning wet, freshly washed hair to prevent split ends and fight frizz with the Goody Detangling Comb. Then style damp hair with the Goody 43 mm Ouchless Hot Round to imitate Kate’s straight locks with a slight boost of volume. Finally, finish the look to eliminate frizz and add shine with the Goody Gel Cushion Brush and leave down to take your look from day to night.

The Goody Start.Style.Finish™ collection (SRP: $2.99-8.99) is now available at Walmart and Target.

*GIVEAWAY!

Two (2) of you, lucky Hip Mama's Place readers, will each win the three brushes as pictured above from Goody Start.Style.Finish™ collection!

To enter the contest, leave a comment on this post telling me other Goody products you've tried and loved. Comments must be in by August 22nd, 2011 at 12MN, EST. THIS IS YOUR MANDATORY CONTEST ENTRY.

This contest is open to U.S. ADDRESSES ONLY. Please leave your email address (if you don't have a blog). I will choose TWO (2) WINNERS using Random.org and will be announced as a comment on this post. The winners will also be notified by email and/or through a comment on their blog (if available).

*IMPORTANT: PLEASE DO NOT CROSS-PROMOTE ANY OTHER GIVEAWAYS HAPPENING ON ANY OTHER BLOG OR WEBSITE. ANY SPAM COMMENTS WILL BE DELETED IMMEDIATELY.

*EXTRA ENTRIES for many chances to win! BE SURE TO ENTER A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH EXTRA ENTRY YOU DO TO BE COUNTED IN!

Your comment is your one required/mandatory entry. To earn extra entries, just do the following:

1. Tweet this giveaway daily on Twitter however you like, but include this URL page and hash tags anywhere in your Twitter update: @HipMamasPlace @GoodyHair http://bit.ly/nIBYaY #beauty #giveaways (1 EXTRA ENTRY FOR EACH TWEET THAT YOU DO DAILY)

EXAMPLE OF A TWEET:

I want to win Goody Start.Style.Finish collection @HipMamasPlace @GoodyHair http://bit.ly/nIBYaY #beauty #giveaways!

2. Like or Become a fan of Goody on Facebook (3 EXTRA ENTRIES)

3. Follow Goody on Twitter (3 EXTRA ENTRIES)

4. Like or Become a fan of Hip Mama's Place on Facebook and post a comment on our wall and tell me why you like visiting Hip Mama's Place or reply to the latest post on our wall (3 EXTRA ENTRIES)

5. Follow Hip Mama's Place on Twitter (3 EXTRA ENTRIES)

6. Follow me or friend me on Google Friend Connect (link is under "Our Hip Followers" on the left side bar) (5 EXTRA ENTRIES)

7. Join the Hip Mama's Place Community and EARN 2 EXTRA ENTRIES. You can earn 3 more extra entries by creating a new post or join in on the conversations on the "Forum" section of our mom community. (5 TOTAL EXTRA ENTRIES)

8. Grab one of Hip Mama's Place's buttons under the "Grab Our Fabulous Buttons" on the right hand side bar on our main page and paste it on an HTML page on your blog sidebar. (5 EXTRA ENTRIES)

Remember, the more entries you have, the greater chances of winning! Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do for your extra entries (i.e. your name on HMP Community name, Google Friend Connect, Facebook name, Twitter name and Twitter post links). Good luck!

*Hip Mama's Place Disclosure: “My reviews and opinions are 100% my own. Goody provided me the products mentioned in this post to facilitate my review and giveaway".

About the Author: Jocelyn Cañasa-Brown is a working mom of two boys and is a recognized blogger and mom influencer in the Washington, DC area. In her spare time, she designs and creates her own handmade jewelry, maintains her jewelry store on Etsy and is an active moms group organizer and leader both online and offline. Hip Mama's Place was nominated for Parents' Picks 2010 Best Parenting Blogs and named one of the Highest Rated Blogs and Sites on Nickelodeon ParentsConnect for the Washington, DC area. Follow Jocelyn on Twitter and/or Facebook.

Get Kate Middleton's Regal Look with Goody's Start.Style.Finish™ Collection + Giveaway!

http://www.hipmamasplace.com/2011/08/get-kate-middletons-regal-look-with.html

A Fun Night of Indulgence: Girl Talk, The Bachelorette Finale and My Blue Bunny Personals Ice Cream Party!

I'm a super busy mommy, wife and biz owner, but I like to indulge myself from time to time. So when Mom Central asked me to host a Blue Bunny Personals® Ice Cream Party for friends, I immediately said, "YES!"



I've been wanting to get together with my girlfriends for quite a while and this was the perfect chance to do it. Plus, the thought of having to try Blue Bunny ice cream for free. Why not? My family loves ice cream!


Days before the party, me and my family had the chance to try Blue Bunny® Personals® Chocolate and Salted Caramel flavor. I'm really not big on sweets but I do love any fudge-caramel flavored ice cream, so this was a perfect choice for me! My husband can eat any ice cream so he was just thrilled to see a bunch of ready-to-grab, personal size BB ice cream in our freezer. I love that each BB Personals ice cream cup is portion-controlled too and even comes with its own little spoon under the lid -- so convenient!


So I wanted a really special, festive ice cream party. After all, how often do I get to throw a party in our house with just my girlfriends? Rarely!


So I went to the party store and found the perfect ice cream-themed decor: table cover, napkins, pink and mint green plates and utensils. Aren't those plates super cute? I love them! I also got some colorful hanging decorations and coordinating party balloons. I looove decorating and I had another chance to do it for this party.(Thanks, Mom Central!) :)

FOOD? We had lots of it! Everyone brought something for everybody. We mostly had Filipino food (I'm Filipino-American) and I also ordered cheese pizzas.



And for the ultimate dessert: I made a yummy ice cream dessert made with Blue Bunny Personals® Premium Ice Cream Bunny Tracks® flavor over home-baked vanilla butter cupcake, then topped with chocolate and caramel syrups. Presented in festive, colorful ice cream cups with coordinating spoons. Aahhh.. this was pure self-indulgence at its best!




Everyone loved the ice cream dessert and although the cups were sort of big, we ate them slowly while watching The Bachelorette Finale.


I honestly didn't follow this show for this last season, so I wasn't really into it much like I was last year. But I thought Ashley looked happy with her man of choice and she looked radiant in her lacey, mermaid-style dress. :)


Lots of chatter, laughter and fun for less. That's what I'm talking about! I didn't have to spend hundreds of dollars to have a fun girls night party! :)






After watching the show, I gave away Blue Bunny Personals Ice Cream coupons to the girls- a great way to share and enjoy @Blue_Bunny ice cream with their families!


What a fun night of indulgence: food, girl talk, The Bachelorette and BB ice cream! Everyone had a fantastic time and now I think I inspired another get together with the girls. One of our friends, Judith and her family are moving to Florida next month and we're planning a going away party for her at another friend's house next week. That should be another fun event! :)

Thank you so much, Mom Central and Blue Bunny Personals® Ice Cream for letting me host an evening of fun with my friends!

Hip Mama's Place Disclosure:
"I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Blue Bunny and received product samples, coupons and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate."

About the Author: Jocelyn Cañasa-Brown is a working mom of two boys and is a recognized blogger and mom influencer in the Washington, DC area. In her spare time, she designs and creates her own handmade jewelry, maintains her jewelry store on Etsy and is an active moms group organizer and leader both online and offline. Hip Mama's Place was nominated for Parents' Picks 2010 Best Parenting Blogs and named one of the Highest Rated Blogs and Sites on Nickelodeon ParentsConnect for the Washington, DC area. Follow Jocelyn on Twitter and/or Facebook.

A Fun Night of Indulgence: Girl Talk, The Bachelorette Finale and My Blue Bunny Personals Ice Cream Party!

http://www.hipmamasplace.com/2011/08/fun-night-of-indulgence-girl-talk.html

TIME For Kids BIG Book of How: 501 Facts Kids Want to Know - Book Review

I have a very inquisitive six year old son and sometimes, I really don't have all the answers in the world, especially when he asks me intriguing questions such as:

How does a chameleon change colors?
How was Mount Rushmore built? or..
How does an iceberg form?


Good thing I found out about this new book from TIME For Kids, called the BIG Book of How. This 192-page book is packed with vivid illustrations and comprehensive reporting to help kids ages 8 and up discover the answers to questions parents don't have ready answers for (such as the questions I mentioned above).

This book contains 501 facts and answers to questions kids commonly ask about how the world around them works, but adults can rarely answer. I love the detailed explanations on this book, the colorful photos and diagrams and the “How to” activities at the end of each chapter that relate to what the kids have just read. Very educational and engaging for my young readers!

The book is also very easy to navigate and are divided by subject areas such as animals, the human body, technology, sports, food and green issues. The words used are simple and the facts are written in a fun, yet engaging style.

“Kids have an insatiable appetite for knowledge and endless curiosity. Following the success of BIG Book of Why, we created BIG Book of How with kids in mind,” said Bob Der, Editorial Director, TIME For Kids. “We filled the book with answers and explanations to questions in a vast number of subject areas, and presented it in fun, family-friendly way.”

I couldn't agree more!

So for those curious kids who are always hungry for knowledge or if you are a parent and you just want to motivate your kids to read about real-world topics, TIME For Kids’ BIG Book of How is a must-have!

Now available at Amazon and at your leading book retailers for $17.95.

*Hip Mama's Place Disclosure: “My reviews and opinions are 100% my own. TIME For Kids provided me a copy of the book mentioned in this post to facilitate this review".

About the Author: Jocelyn Cañasa-Brown is a working mom of two boys and is a recognized blogger and mom influencer in the Washington, DC area. In her spare time, she designs and creates her own handmade jewelry, maintains her jewelry store on Etsy and is an active moms group organizer and leader both online and offline. Hip Mama's Place was nominated for Parents' Picks 2010 Best Parenting Blogs and named one of the Highest Rated Blogs and Sites on Nickelodeon ParentsConnect for the Washington, DC area. Follow Jocelyn on Twitter and/or Facebook.

TIME For Kids BIG Book of How: 501 Facts Kids Want to Know - Book Review

http://www.hipmamasplace.com/2011/08/time-for-kids-big-book-of-how-501-facts.html

Meredith Vieira on the September Issue of Good Housekeeping: Happy At Home

She said goodbye to her Today show family and fans, and in the September issue of Good Housekeeping, on newsstands August 16, Meredith Vieira opens up about her decision to leave the show and talks about rediscovering her marriage.


On her decision to leave the Today show, to spend more time with her husband, Richard Cohen, who has multiple sclerosis:

“I knew for a while that I was leaning [toward leaving]; my gut was telling me that it was time to go. Family and health factored into my decision, but it’s not like Richard is taking some turn for the worse. . . . I was more leaving because he’s healthy. So why not while we are able to enjoy life? He has secondary-progressive MS; we don’t know what’s going to happen. Every year, it’s a little bit worse. On the other hand, he’s doing great compared to a lot of people. And he’s certainly self-sufficient. I mean, the idea that I’m nursing him is ridiculous."

On rediscovering her marriage: "There's a dance to relationships, and we had been doing a little bit of the dancing side by side but not together. Now, we're back together, and we've got to figure out the rhythm of that dance. That kind of reconnecting is really important."

On her anxieties: “This might be a Type A–personality trait, but I never felt good enough about myself. I could be better at this, I could be better at that. I could look better. My work could be better. . . . I feel I always have to work harder, I have to impress all the time. Impress whom? With what? People say, “Just be yourself.” Well, my anxiety is that people aren’t going to want that.”

For the full story, go to http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/meredith-vieira and pick up the September issue of Good Housekeeping, on newsstands August 16.

Photo credit: Andrew Eccles for Good Housekeeping.

About the Author: Jocelyn Cañasa-Brown is a working mom of two boys and is a recognized blogger and mom influencer in the Washington, DC area. In her spare time, she designs and creates her own handmade jewelry, maintains her jewelry store on Etsy and is an active moms group organizer and leader both online and offline. Hip Mama's Place was nominated for Parents' Picks 2010 Best Parenting Blogs and named one of the Highest Rated Blogs and Sites on Nickelodeon ParentsConnect for the Washington, DC area. Follow Jocelyn on Twitter and/or Facebook.

Meredith Vieira on the September Issue of Good Housekeeping: Happy At Home

http://www.hipmamasplace.com/2011/08/meredith-vieira-on-september-issue-of.html