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Holiday Gift Guide-Dell Inspiron R Series Laptops-Giveaway-CLOSED

December 20, 2011 By Kathryn 515 Comments

Holiday Gift for Families

Every once in a while, a person wants to give a gift that leaves that special someone speechless. And if you have a computer user in the household, you’ll find getting the reaction you want has never been easier thanks to Dell Canada and the company’s ingenious and customizable Dell Inspiron R Series laptops.

The Dell Inspiron R Series is sleek, functional and unbelievably beautiful. The highlight of this whole series is, for me, its customizability. With a choice of 22 SWITCH by Design Studio lid patterns and 3 SWITCH by Design Studio lid colours, your laptop can be as stylish and original as you are! My personal favourite is the Horizontal Pink lid; I adore the feminine colours and sleek stripes! But if you prefer trendy geometric art, bold black and white patterns or even just a solid red, blue or black lid, there’s a SWITCH lid for you too!

The stylish exterior is only the beginning of the features that the Inspiron R Series offers, however. For the ultimate entertainment experience, the Inspiron R laptops offer Wireless Display, which lets you wirelessly project HD video and surround sound to your home theatre. And Dell’s incredibly popular Dell Stage software lets you enjoy convenient, one-click access to your photos, movies, music and more!

Now of course, functionality is just as important as style and entertainment for a dedicated computer user, and the Dell Inspiron R Series offers lots of that too thanks to a 2nd gen Intel Core i3 CPU and hard drives of up to 750 GB! And because Dell knows that every customer is unique, there are tons of hardware customization options for the Inspiron R Series computers so that everyone can have the laptop that’s perfect for them!

Optional upgrades include fun features like an internal Blu-ray drive and power-boosting options such as the Intel Core i7 Quad Core processor for the ultimate performance! I’ll have a detailed review of the Dell Inspiron 15R in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, why not check out the Dell Canada Facebook page for all the latest product info and promotions from Dell Canada? Or send a Tweet to @dellhomesalesca to learn what computer might be best for you and your family!

Dell Canada knows that you are going to love the new redesigned Inspiron R Series laptops, so they are giving one incredibly lucky Mommy Kat and Kids reader the chance to win their very own Dell Inspiron 15R laptop computer and two extra switch lids! This is a giveaway you will NOT want to miss, so check out all the details and enter below!

The Dell Inspiron R laptops can be purchased at www.dell.ca and with prices starting at just $499, the Inspiron R Series is a great economical computer choice as well. The Dell Inspiron R Series is designed to be the perfect multi-functional family computer and is definitely a gift that will wow the lucky recipient. Check out these stylish and powerful laptops for yourself today!

ARV: $499-$649

Holiday Gift Guide-Tonka XT Ricochet Stunt Pro R/C

December 16, 2011 By Kathryn 4 Comments

Holiday Gift for Older Boys

There are plenty of choices when it comes to buying a remote control vehicle for the holidays but to really impress a child, check out the fabulous Tonka XT Ricochet Stunt Pro R/C! This amazing remote control vehicle uses the same double-sided flip technology as Tonka’s popular Bounce Back Racer, but this is a whole new level of remote control action!

tonka xt ricochet stunt pro rc

The first thing that really sets the Tonka XT Ricochet Stunt Pro apart is its Replay Button. By pressing the red button on the top left side of the controller while driving, you can save your coolest stunts. Then you can replay them by pressing the red button in the centre of the controller!

The tough look and fast speed of the Tonka XT are a bit part of its appeal as well, and with the digital precision steering and the ability to flip the vehicle over , busting wild tricks is fun and easy! Best of all, with the included rechargeable battery pack, the fun can keep going and going.

The tires on the Ricochet Stunt Pro are fairly soft, but because of the speed and power of the vehicle I would definitely not recommend it for areas with fragile objects nearby. We tested out the remote control car in our basement playroom, which has a heavy-duty carpet and unfinished walls, and the open space and low-pile carpet were the perfect combination for getting some really cool moves with the Ricochet Stunt Pro. The whole family had a blast trying to create the coolest tricks and then replaying them again and again!

The Tonka XT Ricochet Stunt Pro R/C vehicle is available at toy stores and mass merchandise stores across North America so check the website for a retailer near you. It would make a great gift for an older boy or even a young-at-heart adult! With a recommended age of eight years or older, it’s not a beginner’s vehicle, but it is definitely a ton of fun! Check it out for yourself today and satisfy your child’s need for speed on Christmas morning!

ARV: $79.99

Disclaimer: The product/s mentioned above were provided free of charge from the company or PR firm in exchange for being featured on Mommy Kat and Kids. Opinions expressed belong to Mommy Kat and Kids and are NOT influenced in any way. Please view full Terms of Use and Policies

Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, Men, Reviews, Tweens and Teens Tagged With: hasbro, hasbro canada, remote control vehicles, ricochet, ricochet remote control, ricochet stunt pro, tonka, tonka xt, tonka xt ricochet stunt pro

Holiday Gift Guide-Gourmet Gift Baskets Christmas Gift Basket Classic

December 13, 2011 By Kathryn 2 Comments

Holiday Gift for Everyone

When you just don’t know what gift to give to someone and time is running out, GourmetGiftBaskets.com is ready to step in and save the day. With delivery right to the recipient and tons of gorgeous gift baskets to suit anyone’s taste, giving a great gift has never been easier. I received the Christmas Gift Basket Classic to review and it had such a nice assortment of fun and pleasing products to enjoy. I loved that it was a mix of sweet and salty treats so that the entire family could dig in together and find a favourite snack.

gourmetgiftbaskets.com christmas gift basket classic

I’d tried a few of the products in the basket before; the Brent & Sam’s cookies and Parmesan Artichoke & Garlic Cheese Biscuits by Salem Baking Company were a few of my very favourites. But there were also some great new products to try and I eagerly sat down with my husband to dig into the Chocolate Covered Cherries by Marich while he indulged in the Buttered Peanut Crunch by Old Dominion Peanut Company. I loved the sweet chocolate-covered dried Bing cherries and the candy coating was the perfect finishing touch. My husband was just as impressed by the sweet and buttery peanut crunch candy.

The biggest surprise in the Christmas Gift Basket Classic was, for me, the Dipping Pretzels by East Shore Specialty Foods and the Robert Rothschild Farm Raspberry Honey Mustard Pretzel Dip. I am a big fan of mustard on a sandwich, but I wouldn’t have expected to like it so much on a pretzel. The sweet yet tangy taste of this gourmet mustard dip went so well with the crunch of the pretzels and really was a uniquely delicious treat!

The basket is rounded out with Almond Pecan-dy Crunch by Morley Candy Makers, Salted Peanuts in Box by Feridie’s, a Signature Dark Chocolate Bar by Lake Champlain and Metropolitan Trail Mix by GourmetGiftBaskets.com. There really is something for everyone in this scrumptious collection!

GourmetGiftBaskets.com also has themed gift baskets for all the hard-to-buy-for people on your Christmas list and the baskets are always delivered super-quickly, so they are perfect for those last-minute presents too. Check out the assortment for yourself and find a beautifully packaged, unique and delicious gift basket for someone special today!

ARV: $59.99

Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, Men, Reviews, Women Tagged With: christmas gift basket, gift baskets, gourmet gift baskets, gourmetgiftbaskets, gourmetgiftbaskets.com

Holiday Gift Guide-Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum-Giveaway-CLOSED

December 8, 2011 By Kathryn 107 Comments

Holiday Gift for Pet Owners

Pets are wonderful, but they do take extra work. And while feeding, exercising and playing with your pet may not be much of a chore, cleaning up their hair can definitely be frustrating!

We used to have a large Rottweiler cross that shed huge hunks of hair all over the house and while he has been gone for years, we still sometimes come across hair that he’s left behind! Our current pet, the standoffish Siamese cat that has reviewed cat products for me occasionally, doesn’t lose huge amounts of hair but in the fall and early winter she still goes through a phase in which quite a bit of her hair falls out when we’re petting her.

bissell pet hair eraser vacuum in charger

So how do we clean all that hair up quickly and easily? With a little help from Bissell Canada, of course! Bissell knows that different messes require different techniques, and the company has a product to tackle almost any floor or upholstery mess imaginable. When I received the new Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum, I knew at once that it was just what I needed to deal with all the pet hair in the house!

I decided to test the vacuum out on our sofa and chair in the living room. Our furniture has a fabulous design of off-white with a blue, green and burgundy geometric pattern. It’s very subtle and it hides everything! But even though the cat hair wasn’t visible, I knew it was there and since I have extended family members that are allergic to cats, I wanted to make the house as free of cat hair as possible.

The Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum has a few special features that make it especially good for removing pet hair. The most important is the rubber nozzle, which has small nubbins on it to help attract and catch pet hair. Because it’s rubber, it’s also safe for all kinds of surfaces, from hard floors to carpets to upholstery. When I started vacuuming the couch, I really noticed a difference in the way the vacuum moved over the fabric. There was some extra resistance as the rubber nozzle grabbed the fabric to pull off all the pet hair. It took about twenty minutes to do the job, but when I was done the sofa looked great and there was lots of hair in the vacuum canister!

Using the hand vacuum was quick and easy, and storing it for next time was just as easy thanks to the handy wall mount! We put it right in the living room in a corner by an outlet because that way it’s always ready to use at a moment’s notice. I just leave it charging all the time so that it’s powered up whenever I need it.

bissell pet hair eraser cordless vacuum in use

At just 4 lbs. the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum was nice and light and it even featured a pullout nozzle for corners or edges. While it works great for pet hair, I quickly started using it for other messes too. Whether the boys had a messy snack like popcorn or the family had tracked dirt into the house, the hand vacuum was perfect for cleaning it up in a flash. I even used it to clean our stairs, since it was so much lighter and easier to use than our full-sized vacuum.

Bissell Canada has recently launched a brand-new Facebook page and the company is celebrating with a fun Dirty Little Secrets contest! Just visit the Bissell Canada Facebook page and check out the Dirty Little Secrets tab to see how to enter. You can enter daily to win great products from Bissell or maybe even a trip for two to Las Vegas!

The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Cordless Hand Vacuum can be purchased at major retailers across North America and would make a great gift for any pet owner looking for an easy way to keep their furniture free of pet hair. It would also be a great gift for busy parents looking for easy ways to clean up after their kids! Check it out for yourself and let someone you love see how easy cleaning up pet hair and so much more can be!

ARV: $39.99

Holiday Gift Guide-Life is good Clothing

December 5, 2011 By Kathryn Leave a Comment

Holiday Gift for the Whole Family

People may joke about giving clothing as a gift during the holidays, but when it’s really great clothing, it can be the best gift ever. And no company understands great clothing more than Life is good.

life is good enjoy the ride sleep set

Life is good is NOT your typical clothing company. The focus isn’t on trendy fashions or mass-produced designs. The brand very much lives by its name by promoting optimism, humour and humility in all of its designs, and the result is clothing with a comfortable faux-vintage charm that the whole family will love.

From skirts to sweats and products for dad or for the family dog, Life is good is sure to have a gift for every member of the family. My personal favourite is the sleepwear. The designs are cheerfully charming and the jammies are made from 100% cotton so you can be sure they’re incredibly comfortable. My son received the adorable Enjoy the Ride sleep set and it quickly became his favourite sleepwear.

The pyjamas are nice and snug without being too tight like some other brands we have purchased, and the soft cotton is just incredible. I love the message on the pyjamas, and Zackary loves the cool old truck!

Life is good also has great choices for the adults on your list, and they go far beyond pyjamas! What woman wouldn’t love this adorable sleigh hat lined with ultra-soft faux fur? Warm, comfortable and completely cute, it’s my favourite winter headgear and if it doesn’t match my outfit, who cares? There are even Life is good coffee mugs for that first hot beverage on Christmas morning!

life is good sleigh hat

Life is good products can be purchased at select stores throughout North America and are also available to buy online at www.lifeisgood.com. A quirky t-shirt or cozy sleep pants from Life is good would make a great gift for almost anyone on your holiday list and the company’s simple message of optimism is sure to start Christmas morning off with a smile. Check out the selection for yourself and see which item has you proclaiming, ‘Life is good!”

ARV: $12-$46

Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, Infants and Children, Men, Reviews, Tweens and Teens, Women Tagged With: enjoy the ride sleep set, life is good, life is good clothing, life is good reviews, life is good sleepwear, life is good sleigh hat

Holiday Gift Guide-Rubik’s Race Board Game-Giveaway-CLOSED

December 4, 2011 By Kathryn 76 Comments

Holiday Gift For Children and Adults

We all remember the classic Rubik’s Cube, the fun, frustrating and addictively awesome toy that first launched in 1980. Well for those of use that find the regular Rubik’s Cube more anger inducing than entertaining, there’s a new variation of the game that anyone can enjoy! Rubik’s Race is the fun new two-person game that takes the Rubik’s Cube to a whole new level.

rubik's race

The concept is simple. A cube filled with nine coloured squares called a Scrambler is shaken and then set down on the table. Opponents face off head-to-head and race to match the pattern of squares inside the Scrambler by sliding their own coloured squares around in the five-by-five grid in the same manner as a sliding square puzzle (often referred to as a 15-puzzle). The first one to complete the puzzle by matching the inner nine squares flips down the centre divider over their squares and yells, “I am the Rubik’s Race Champion!”

Okay, I made that last part up, though my husband and I have been using that phrase when we play! The game is fun, fast-paced and best of all, it’s appropriate for all different skill levels! The recommended age is 5+ so even my youngest son has been having some fun testing his skills, though he does need a little bit of help occasionally! If you so desire, you can even play by yourself and use a timer to try to beat your previous best times!

This game really is a brain twister, but fortunately, it’s easy to match people of similar skill levels to make it interesting for everyone. And it’s a great way to build concentration and logic skills! Rubik’s Race is available at major retailers throughout Canada. So check the game out for yourself and have fun as a family battling with Rubik’s Race!

ARV: $19.99

ShesConnected Ambassador Mission-Checking out the Toshiba Passive 3D TL515 Televisions

November 28, 2011 By Kathryn 5 Comments

There are some gifts that are sure to get a great reaction from the recipients and while they may not fit under the tree very well, nobody in the house is going to mind! A 3D television definitely fits in that “wow” gift category and if you’ve been planning on upgrading to a 3D television, there’s no better time than Christmas to make the switch! Recently, I was asked to check out the new line of Toshiba Passive 3D TL515 series televisions from Toshiba Canada to see what I thought, and I couldn’t wait to get started.

I visited Visions Electronics to see the one of these televisions up close and not only was it absolutely beautiful, it was also incredibly affordable! I was amazed to learn that I could enjoy the magic of a 42″ 3D TV for less than $1000!

Of course, what I really wanted to know was what made the series different from other 3D televisions on the market, and the friendly staff at Visions was only too happy to answer my questions. The first thing I learned was that passive technology is more user-friendly over long periods of time. Unlike active 3D technology, which uses heavy, expensive glasses and has been known to cause eye strain and headaches after awhile in some viewers due to the constant flickering of the glasses, passive technology provides a more natural experience similar to the 3D technology used for movies in the theatre.

I loved the fact that the television was optimized for long viewing times, but what really amazed me was the 2D to 3D technology. The Toshiba Passive 3D TL515 series can actually convert a regular movie to a 3D movie thanks to this revolutionary technology. In fact, I learned that I could even watch a soccer game or my favourite sitcom in 3D if I so chose! No expensive extras needed with these amazing televisions!

With four pairs of lightweight and comfortable Natural 3D Glasses included with purchase and a price that won’t break the bank, the new Toshiba Passive 3D TL515 television is a gift that is sure to please. To learn more about the televisions or the other great products Toshiba offers, check out the website or visit the Toshiba Canada Facebook page. Or if you prefer, send out a Tweet to @ToshibaCanada with your questions and comments about the new televisions!

Having seen the device for myself and learning about some of the differences between the passive and the active technology, the Toshiba Passive 3D TL515 television will be the first one that I consider when we decide that we want our very own 3D TV. With a history of migraines, the passive technology seems like a much more sensible choice for me. I also love the fact that no expensive, uncomfortable glasses are required. And, best of all, the price is so much more reasonable! If you want to give your family the gift of 3D entertainment this Christmas, check out the televisions for yourself and enjoy the comfort, convenience and affordability of the Toshiba Passive 3D TL515 televisions!

Disclaimer: I am participating in the Toshiba Brand Ambassador Program by ShesConnected. I received a Toshiba Camileo in exchange for my participation in this campaign. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, Men, Reviews Tagged With: passive 3d tl515 series, shesconnected, toshiba, toshiba brand ambassador, toshiba canada, toshiba passive 3d, toshiba televisions

Holiday Gift Guide-Duracell Smart Power Products-Giveaway-CLOSED

November 28, 2011 By Kathryn 88 Comments

Holiday Gift for the Tech Addict

If there’s one type of person that’s hard to shop for at Christmastime, it has to be the gadget addict. The second a new device is released, they already have it in their hands and they’re so up-to-date with technology that it usually seems like there’s nothing else they need! But if you have a tech lover in your house, don’t despair! Duracell Canada has some gift ideas that are sure to be a hit.

duracell instant charger

For the smartphone addict, there’s the unbelievably convenient Duracell Instant Charger. This device provides just what everyone with a smartphone needs…portable power. Just connect it to your computer using the included USB cable. When the light on the charger turns green, it means the instant charger is full and ready to be slipped into a pocket or purse so it’s there to charge your portable devices when you need it!

The Duracell Instant Charger features a universal cable with both a USB and a micro USB connector so no matter what device is in need of a recharge, the Instant Charger will have you covered. My favourite feature was definitely the size of the device. It’s about the same size as a box of mints so carrying it around is no problem at all. And with winter in full swing, I love knowing that I don’t have to worry about a dead phone in an emergency.

duracell mobile charger

If family entertainment is a bigger priority for your household, then the Duracell Mobile Charger may be just what you’ve been looking for. With both a wall plug and a car adapter, this handy device charges your AA and AAA batteries no matter where you are! If you have kids, you know that toys tend to drain batteries at the worst possible time. But with the Duracell Mobile Charger, you won’t have to worry about your child’s video game dying in the middle of a long car ride anymore!

And if your kids have outgrown the age where their toys run on battery-powered devices, there is also a USB hub so that you can charge that cell phone or tablet as well! And best of all, the Duracell Mobile Charger is also a portable power source since you charge your phone or other electronic devices from the batteries in the charger!

Duracell also offers some other great choices for portable power and recharging on the go, including the amazing Powerhouse Charger, which can charge two devices at once and the GoMobile, which charges AA batteries in just an hour and fits in your car’s cup holder. Whatever your power needs, Duracell has you covered this holiday season. The products are available at major retailers across North America and that special gadget addict on your list is sure to be thrilled with any of the great gifts from Duracell that help make on-the-go entertainment even more fun and easy. Check them out for yourself today!

ARV: $21.99-$69.99