In recognition that April is National Autism Awareness Month, I was able to review a new children’s book released from Scholastic; My Brother Charlie, written by Holly Robinson Peete and  her daughter Ryan Elizabeth Peete.  Most of you know Holly From “Hanging with Mr Cooper”.

Holly Robinson Peete, bestselling author, actress, and national autism spokesperson, has paired with her daughter, Ryan, to co-author this uplifting book based on their own personal experiences with Holly’s son and Ryan’s brother, RJ, who has autism

My Brother Charlie is a touching story about the relationship of a young girl named Callie and her autistic twin brother, Charlie.   Narrated from Callie’s perspective it is a refreshingly honest story of the often misunderstood condition.  What I love about this book is that it clearly explains Autism, and although a story of love, patience, and understanding does not gloss over the frustrations that it can bring into a family dealing with it.

Callie explains how much she loves her brother and the ways in which they are very similar, but then she is quick to point out his differences as his mood may change very quickly as he stays to himself and refuses to talk.  She hides neither her frustrations with his behavior or her deep love and commitment to him that her and the family share.  Unlike many other books that tackle disabilities it doesn’t paint a false image.  Charlie is neither seen as disruptive or a total angel deserving of endless sympathy, but just a child, who in most ways is the same as other children.

Charlie may at times have behaviors that seem to be different from others, but Charlie himself is no different, and this book stresses that point and how family togetherness can overcome any obstacles that may appear.  The key too many frustrations we have in life are a lack of understanding on the issue.

This book does a great job of explaining Autism in a simple manner and the effects it can have on a family, but also how important Love, Patience, and family unity are to anything a family is dealing with.   This is a perfect book for someone with Autism or any disability in their family, or anyone who is interested in learning about the condition.

Holly and Ryan Have arranged for 5% of their royalty earnings for this book to go to the HollyRod4kids Foundation to help children with autism gain access to affordable treatment and therapies.   So go buy this book and help give back!  You can read more about the Foundation @ http://www.hollyrod.org/

One Lucky Winner will win a copy of this book!  To Enter please tell me why you would like to win this. I will pick the winner 4/26 @ Noon Est.

Extra Entries!
1. Follow ME on twitter and tweet this giveaway ( 1 Entry,1 tweet per day)

2. Follow my blog on either google connect, networked blogs or become a fan on mommy’s hangout facebook page. ( 1 entry for each one you do

3. Subscribe to my blog either by reader or email (2 Entries)

4. Grab my button or ad me to your blog Roll (2 Entries)

CONGRATS THE WINNER WAS:

Is your pocketbook or wallet a mess like mine?  Is it cluttered with gift cards, debit cards, credit cards receipts, and identification cards in no particular order that makes it impossible to find things? If you answered yes then I have the answer for you!  It is the Card Cubby!

I have so many cards and people that are behind me in line always give me this “awful look” when I am trying to find my credit card or member cards.  I admit it is annoying but thanks to my new Card Cubby I don’t have to worry anymore! I was able to review a Pretty Lime Croc Card Cubby and I must say I LOVE IT!

The Card Cubby is a miniature alphabetized card file that you can carry inside of your purse to keep all of your cards and receipts in perfect order and easy to find.  It is the perfect size at only 5 inches in width, but big enough to hold all of your cards, drivers license, and some cash if you want to ditch your purse and use it as a wallet!

It even comes in a variety of colors so you don’t have to sacrifice your fashion sense just to stay organized.  Colors range from Passion Pink to Lime Croc.  There are other products that help to organize your purse, but none offer the alphabetical organization and compact size of the Card Cubby.  Starting at $19.99, I think the Card Cubby is reasonably priced for the convenience and organization it provides.  Don’t let shopping become a hassle due to a messy purse, get a Card Cubby today for yourself, Friends and of course your Mother!!

NOW WIN ONE!! One Lucky Winner will win a Card Cubby! To Enter please head over to and tell me which color you like best!   I will pick the winner 4/29 @ Noon EST!!

Extra Entries!
1. Follow ME on twitter and tweet this giveaway ( 1 Entry,1 tweet per day)

2. Follow my blog on either google connect, networked blogs or become a fan on mommy’s hangout facebook page. ( 1 entry for each one you do

3. Subscribe to my blog either by reader or email (2 Entries)

4.  Grab my button or ad me to your blog Roll (2 Entries)

5. IF YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BAD JUST ENTER DAILY! (1 per day!) Just post I want or need this bad! AFTER YOU DID THE MAIN Entry

As a parent there are many things to be concerned about regarding our children.  Most Parents are quick to stress the importance of proper eating and personal behavior habits upon their children, but often neglect the vital importance of proper sleeping habits.  We might be quick to yell that it is bedtime, but we often forget to reinforce and explain the importance of a proper sleeping schedule.

The Good Night Light looks to correct this.  Many children, including my daughter have very erratic sleeping patterns that make it hard to plan their schedules and keep them in sync.  The Good Nite Lite seeks to solve this problem.  Children will often continue waking up at inconvenient times until the pattern is reset, often at the detriment of their parent’s schedules.  This leads to the development of their own schedule, such as my daughter waking up every night at 4 am!  The Good Nite Lite seeks to alleviate this problem by providing the proper visual cues so that young children know when to sleep and when to wake up.

The Light has a Moon Face that shows when it is time to begin night activities before they go to sleep and a bright smiling Sun face that shows when it is time to wake up and begin their daily activities.  Over time it becomes easy for your child to know that she isn’t supposed to wake up and get out of bed until she sees “Mr. Sun”, or that when she sees “Mr. Moon” it is time to get ready for Bed.  It comes with preset timers but you can adjust it to suit your child’s individual needs.

While the Good Nite Lite was not designed to aid children with special needs, it has also been a great tool for assisting individuals and families who have been affected by poor sleep (autism, hearing impairment, etc). Created by a father when his children would wake up at 5:00 a.m. every morning, regardless of what time they went to bed, the Good Nite Lite is available at www.GoodNiteLite.com for just $34.99.   It also comes with a 30-Day Guarantee! If your child’s sleeping routine does not improve within 30-days, return the product in the original packaging for a full refund of the cost of the product.

I think this product is an excellent choice for Parents who want a fun way to get their children on a reliable and consistent sleeping schedule.  NOW WIN ONE!! One Lucky Reader will win a  Good Nite Lite! To Enter head over to www.GoodNiteLite.com and tell me why you would like to have this in your home!  I will pick the lucky Winner 4/29 @ Noon EST!

Extra Entries!

1.  Become a Good Nite light Facebook Fan

2. Follow ME on twitter and tweet this giveaway ( 1 Entry,1 tweet per day)

3. Follow my blog on either google connect, networked blogs or become a fan on mommy’s hangout facebook page. ( 1 entry for each one you do

4. Subscribe to my blog either by reader or email (2 Entries)

5. IF YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BAD JUST ENTER DAILY! (1 per day!) Just post I want or need this bad! AFTER YOU DID THE MAIN Entry

Today I have a review and giveaway that I am sure most of you mommies will appreciate! Kymaro’s Body Shaper.  I have been seeing these on TV a lot. I am an info commercial junkie, because that’s the type of calls I take when working.   I will admit I was sold on this product and ready to order, after watching this like 3 times.

However if you know me, you know that I got online and did my research before calling, because trust me I know a lot about info commercials and their tactics. I also prefer to order online!  I hate all the up sales and even though I know the Rep is doing her job it’s just wasting both of our time.   After doing my research I decided to hold off on buying the Kymaro’s Body Shaper.  Honestly the reviews were very mixed. It’s either they hate it or love it.  When I received this pitch I was very honest with the Rep telling her that I was very interested in this product but the reviews online had put me off.  She agreed but she also said something that made a lot of sense, “Women who are 5’5 120lbs obviously are not going to benefit from this body shaper”.  We all know what works for some isn’t going to work for everybody and we can’t  expect the same results.

I decided to take the review! The products arrived very fast and I was happy to put them to the test!  When I opened the box and seen them all I was thinking “THERE IS NO WAY THIS IS GOING TO FIT”. It looks very SMALL!  I put them on nice and slow LOL and WOW they fit and they are comfortable and not as tight as I was expecting! The top was even a little too big!  The big test was to try them with clothes!  So I was on a mission! I got my tightest jeans and shirt I could find!  I still have a tummy due to my last c-section so I am always trying to find something to control that!  Well thanks to Kymaro’s Body Shaper I could actually fit in my favorite jeans again and I didn’t even have to lay on the bed to zip them!  The top also gave me a nice little lift!  I liked the results but I had to test this out more!

I had to see if anyone else could notice!! Without telling my secret I walked upstairs and the first thing my daughters said was mommy where are you going! LOL… Then my oldest 2 ask if I lost weight! WOAH they really noticed! Trust me if they noticed then it has to work!   I have been wearing the shape wear every time I go out and really can tell the difference it makes.

Now I am going to Touch on some of the bad reviews that I seen…

The shape wear rolls up-I haven’t had that issue. I am guessing you have the wrong size! It’s important that you have the right size. The size chart is obviously the same as any chart you would see on the back of a box of pantyhose. Now, any woman that has purchased pantyhose knows that if you are apple or pear shaped that you need to think about that before purchasing a certain size

You don’t notice a big result- Again it depends on the person and your body type. If you have 2 little or even 2 much it’s not going to really help all that much.  Okay, I may not look 15-20 pounds lighter, but it did help conceal the bulges. If you compare to similar items in the store, you will see this product is very reasonable priced.

Kymara infomercial is false advertising and very misleading:  save it..I don’t want to hear it.. I hear this every day about info-commercials it’s not misleading if you would read the fine print you would know this.  Yes I agree it should be spelled out in big bold letters but that’s just how the system works. Better yet go pick up the items up and not deal with calling in or their return policy.. you can now find this line @ Target, CVS or Wal-Mart for 39.99 A pair.I am a very happy customer and have since bought me a pair in the nude color so I can switch them up!

Also I want to share that KYMARO® has announced its plan to increase self-confidence amongst high school students by giving them a reason to attend their proms – a head-to-toe makeover!  The health & beauty brand is taking a positive action towards teenage body image issues by creating a facebook page, where teens can submit their story on why they are apprehensive about going to their prom.

KYMARO®’s “Say Yes to the Prom Dress” is a nationwide contest enlisting high school students to put their confidence levels and writing skills to the test.  Asked to submit a one page, heart-warming essay on why they don’t want to attend their prom, five lucky winners will have the chance to win a full makeover.  A panel of image guru’s including a makeup artist, hairstylist, fashion stylist and fitness expert will work their magic to re-build the self-esteem these teens are craving.  Similar to “Laney Boggs” in “She’s All That,” these stunning ladies will have the opportunity to show-off their $2,000 makeover which includes a new prom dress and accessories, two free prom tickets and transportation to and from prom.  So if you have a teenager that is dealing with self-confidence here is her chance!!

You can learn more and enter @Kymaro®facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kymaro/166322507384?ref=search&sid=585024261.1623339206..1.  Contest will take place between April-June in five regions dependant on the winner’s locations.

NOW YOU CAN WIN YOUR VERY OWN PAIR HERE @ MOMMY’S HANGOUT! At first this was just for a review but after reviewing Kymaro’s Body Shaper and being so pleased with the product I ask for a giveaway! So one of you lucky readers are going to win your own pair!! To Enter please tell me why you would like to try them!! I will pick the Winner 4/23/10 NOON EST!

Extra Entries!

1. Follow ME and Kymaro on twitter and tweet this giveaway ( 1 Entry,1 tweet per day)
2. Follow my blog on either google connect, networked blogs or become a fan on mommy’s hangout facebook page. ( 1 entry for each one you do)
3. Subscribe to my blog either by reader or email (2 Entries)
4. Become a fan of Kyaro on Facebook (1 Entry)
5. IF YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BAD JUST ENTER DAILY! (1 per day!) Just post I want or need this bad! AFTER YOU DID THE MAIN Entry