Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Polly Pocket Playtime Pet Shop Play Set

We're back with our second installment of play time with Polly Pocket!  The Playtime Pet Shop Play Set has been a big hit with my six year old daughter and all the little friends we've had over for play dates this month.  This colorful set has several neat features, making it an extra special way to play.  It comes with extras like pet leashes, food bowl, and even toys to make it more realistic. 

The pet shop theme is very popular, as most little kiddos like the idea of having many animal friends to play with.  Mine included!  Plus this is one pet friendly shop with many fun areas to for the animals to play in.  Let's check out some of our favorite features before we get to the video, with my daughter's take on the it!
Polly has a comfy swing seat and a special spot for one of her friends to sit.  The animal bunk beds are nearby.  ER likes to put the kitty on one level and the sleeping kittens on another so they can be close by to their mother.
To the left of Polly's swing is another perch, perfect for the love birds.  It comes off, but as you can see I've left the plastic ties on for the time being.  It holds it securely when ER moves the Polly Pocket Playtime Pet Shop from her bedroom upstairs, downstairs.  ER really likes to attach the birds to Polly's arm so it looks like she is holding them.
On the other side of the swings is a pet care center, where the animals can be washed before being put to bed.  I love that a little shelf for their toiletries and even a little towel has been included.  The green slider has a spot to stick in Polly's feet so she can "stand" and bathe the pets.
A carrier is included so that when the animals are adopted they can travel in style.  It opens and closes securely.  Please note this brown and white dog is not part of this set.  It's from the Polly Pocket Hangout House, Kitchen add on set, which you saw in our Polly Pocket post last month

I'm sorry if there is any confusion, my daughter snuck this one into the pile of accessories to play with and I didn't notice until I was processing the photos.  When I asked her about it, ER said that of course this puppy would be in the travel carrier.  She was adopted earlier and came back to visit her friends still at the pet shop.  Even though she is only six she totally said that in a voice that said, "Duh, Mom!"  Oh the imagination that one has!
There is a cool hidden trap door where the pets can drop down a level and be ready to get picked up by their new owners.  There is also a slide that both pets and Polly can take. 
My favorite detail is the food dispenser.  Press the lever and food drops down, cute! 
Like the Hangout House we got last month, the Polly Pocket Playtime Pet Shop Play Set also has the ever popular elevator feature.  Now let's check out what ER has to say!
My daughter says the Pet Shop is her favorite yet, she has four Polly Pocket sets in total including the two we were sent to review, because of all the animals. She likes it even though Polly and the animals do not have the suction cups on them to hold the pieces in place like the Hangout House. That made it easier for things to stay in place if the table or house were bumped.

ER keeps everything in a canvas storage box so loosing pieces from the Pet Shop hasn't been an issue so far and it's easy for her to carry the box around when she wants to play somewhere other than her bedroom. She carries the Hangout House in a box too, because she is on the petite size and the irregular shape of the house can make it difficult for her to hang on too, even with most of the movable parts suctioned cupped to it.

She likes how this play set has more detail, like the trap door, spinning pet display, and the pet bunks that are built right into the actual play set so you don't have to worry about moving them about. The Pet Shop is also more elaborate than the base Hangout House so that's another plus, although it does have higher price tag.
Besides the Polly Pocket Playtime Pet Shop Play Set we also received a Polly Pocket DVD featuring "Friends Finish First".  You can also view it, and many more videos, online in the video section of the Polly Pocket website

In the video Polly and her friends are taking part in a roller blading race, on what must be the coolest track ever!  They've been having fun together, when a producer picks Polly and her friends to be in the adventure of a lifetime and compete against one another in a roller blading contest.  She thinks Polly has star qualities and is a fierce competitor who will do anything to be crowned the first adventurista ever!  It's not all fun and games, Dr. Alexandra Cassandra's had an ulterior motive.  She wants to produce the most watched show ever and thinks the competition will get high ratings.  Along the way Polly is torn between winning and friends.  She figures out what really matters and teaches Dr. Alexandra Cassandra too.

My daughter thought "Friends Finish First" was very exciting to watch, with all the fast paced action and the amazing tricks the girls perform.  Her favorite part was when everyone celebrates on a fantastical shiny floating blimp-like vehicle that Dr. Alexandara Cassandra gets around in.  It's like a flying cruise ship and thought the idea of being in the sky and swimming in a pool was pretty neat. 

She liked the video so much that now she enjoys watching others on Polly Pocket's website as well.  She likes the modern and hip look of the characters and how it feels less babyish than the preschool shows she can see on TV.  You can also play games and check out Polly World there.  I really like how the all of these features on the site combine to make it a really fun way to continue the fun online.  The games were basic enough for ER to have fun without getting frustrated.  She's quite the fashionista so she really liked getting to virtually dress up Polly.
I know we will continue to play with and enjoy our Polly Pocket play sets after this review campaign. ER is hoping a vehicle of some sort and some additional clothing options for her dolls will show up under the Christmas tree. She really likes their trendy fashions! She'd also like a Polly Pocket with "real" hair as opposed to the plastic molded hair.

Polly Pocket and her friends are the perfect for girls who are outgrowing preschool toys but who aren't ready for more mature looking dolls and play sets. Mine is scared of the more Gothic themed toys that seem to be popping up. I am glad we have a more wholesome alternative in the form of Polly Pocket for her to continue her make believe play.

The Polly Pocket Playtime Pet Shop Play Set retails for $29.99 and is available at the Mattel shop and many local retailers. Does your child like Polly Pocket?  How does he or she like playing in Polly Pocket's world?

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Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Mattel Polly Pocket. I received a product samples and a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Giveaway! Betty Crocker Shake-N-Pour Dessert Mixes

Our family loves the taste of freshly baked treats and relies on mixes all the time to give us straight from the oven taste without all the work.  I love our Betty Crocker favorites and was intrigued by the concept of their new Shake-N-Bake dessert mixes, especially because one of the varieties is Confetti, and who doesn't love that? 

Betty Crocker Shake-N-Pour Dessert Mixes are designed so that you can prepare something sweet with the absolute minimal of fuss.  You simply add water to the container, shake, and then pour.  A little while later you have fresh cupcakes.
The verdict:

We tried out the Confetti cupcake mix and have a couple tips on how to make it a successful experience.  First of all, when the directions say "Shake hard," they mean HARD.  Even with the stop and tap to loosen ingredients, and shake again method recommended on the container we had some unmixed dry ingredients the first time we tried to pour out our cupcakes.  Lesson learned...shake, shake, shake, shake, tap, shake, shake, shake, and then carefully open and look inside, kind of rolling around the base of the container to check for dry pockets.

We didn't check and had emptied out half the ingredients before realizing we had some dry areas and had to add more water.  I was worried this would upset the ratio wet to dry and affect the end result.  Happily it did not, and our cupcakes both looked and tasted as expected.
Varieties include delicious Chocolate Brownie, Confetti Cupcake, and Chocolate Cupcake.  They are now available in the baking aisle at your local grocers.  I think it's important for me to point out that the price point is a bit higher than traditional boxed mixes and Betty Crocker Shake-N-Pours only make 12 cupcakes.  This is okay with me, as a family of four really doesn't need 24 cupcakes at one time but bothered my husband.  He also felt there was a lot of waste, since you cannot scrape out the container, like you can with a mixing bowl.  I suggest looking for these to be on sale and stock up then. 

The mixes are great for older kids who want to be bake either independently or with minimal supervision, depending on their age.  They'd also be ideal for when you have a babysitter, as a fun activity that requires very little work for the adult.  My daughter found the shake it up concept to be very cool and wants to make them during a play date, also a very handy time to use them since I don't have to drag out a lot of stuff.
Let's do a giveaway, so you can try Betty Crocker Shake-N-Pour Dessert Mixes for yourself!  One lucky reader win win a prize pack containing the following, as shown above:

All three varieties of the Betty Crocker Shake-N-Pour Dessert Mixes
60 minute baking timer
Treat stand
Oven mitt
Please use the Rafflecopter widget to enter.  Subscribers may need to click over to see the entry form.  Good luck!
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Disclosure: The product, gift pack, information, and additional sample have been provided by Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3 out September 18th on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD & Digital

The latest movie in the very popular Beverly Hills Chihuahua series is out this week!  This time Papi, Chloe, and their five pups are back in Viva La Fiesta! This third installment has the canine family moving into the posh Langham Hotel, where owners Marcus is working on transforming their landscape and Erin is busy in the kitchen.  The whole family goes to work when Chloe is tapped to be the new face of the hotel as it's pampered pooch mascott for the puppy friendly Langham. 
Trouble arises when the littest member of the family Rosa, feels less important than ever.  The four legged family pulls together to throw her a quinceaƱera, a big fiesta usually thrown to celebrate a girl's 15th birthday in the Hispanic culture.  Along the way, Rosa finds her inner strength and everyone, both humans and pooches are reminded of the importance of family, friends, and teamwork.
Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3 Viva La Fiesta will delight fans of the previous two movies and appeal to elementary aged viewers.  The concept of a hotel filled with owners relaxing and pampering their doggy friends was especially fanciful to my daughter.  As always, she loves the idea of the dog family, how they interact with each other, and all of the over the top canine fashions!  There is just something about talking dogs that just appeals to her imagination.  The big fiesta at the end is a culmination to the story.
Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3 Viva La Fiesta! is out on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD & Digital on September 18th!  To celebrate the release, everyone's favorite fashionable chihuahua Chloe's is sharing her tips on how to put your best paw forward! And remember, beauty doesn’t have to equal pain. Unless we’re talking about Chewboutin heels. There are some things worth suffering for!
Download Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3 Activities!

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Disclosure: A complimentary review copy was provided.  The experiences and opinions related within are both personal and unbiased.
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