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Gillette Fusion ProGlide Razors

June 14, 2010 by The Mom Jen Leave a Comment

Looking for something to get dad/grandpa for Father’s Day? I know in our household, my husband needs to shave at least 3 times a week. His facial hair is very coarse and he goes through razor blades constantly to keep his face smooth and not nicked and full of razor burn.

The new Gillette Fusion ProGlide Razor makes shaving a smooth experience rather than a rough chore, providing incredible comfort, even if you shave everyday.

Plus, the MicroComb, found exclusively on the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power, helps guide hair to the blade.

Available in manual and power, the new Gillette Fusion ProGlide razor is our most technologically advanced razor to date. By addressing every aspect of the razor’s contact with hair and skin, it’s an advancement in men’s shaving comfort and performance. Enhanced Fusion features include:

Re-engineered Low Cutting Force blades with thinner edges
Fusion’s advanced low-resistance blade coating
Improved blade suspension system
25% larger Lubrastrip
Streamlined Comfort Guard
Innovative microcomb, exclusively on ProGlide Power

The shower-safe ProGlide Power also delivers soothing micro-pulses while its on-board microchip provides consistent power shave after-shave.

Our take: My husband’s first run with the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power was successful. His face has never been smoother after a simple shave, and there was no “work” involved. His course hair was shaved with one stroke through and not repeated pulls like he normally does (razor burn…extra time). The microcomb is fabulous around the delicate nose area for stray hairs and great for sideburns and near the ears guiding the stubble to the blades. The increased lubrication on the strip just enhances shaving cream’s work to make for a smooth finish. The fear we have is replacing both blades and batteries will be costly, though it’s noted that the battery should last 3-6 months.

We were sent a razor kit for review purposes. The opinions are our tried and true experience and were not influenced by any source.

Whiplash: Twisting Scooter

June 14, 2010 by The Mom Jen Leave a Comment

What are your kids doing this summer? I’m trying to get mine away from the electronics for a majority of the day to enjoy the weather and get some exercise! One way to do it is with the Whiplash Scooter.

This isn’t your ordinary scooter! This self-propelling revolutionary new ride that whips side to side, is part scooter and part casterboard and totally fun! The rear caster wheel spins 360 degrees and added handlebar can make you maneuver like you wouldn’t believe. When first getting on one, my 9 year old exclaimed, “I’m totally surfing on wheels!”

Check out the commercial for the Whiplash…

So how do you ride the Whiplash?

1. Place the Whiplash on a slight downward slope.
Place foot in the center of the back platform and position the scooter so that it is level with the ground.

2. Push with your front foot and lean
your weight forward. Look straight ahead. Straighten your body and bend your knees slightly.

3. Immediately after pushing off, start the twisting motion. To acheive an “S” shape, move your shoulders and your hips back and forth in opposing directions. Swing your back foot repeatedly left to right and self propel your Whiplash Scooter without ever putting your foot on the ground.

Our take: Minus a few adjustments and dad’s help, my 9 year old put the Whiplash together on his own. We’ve had the Whiplash for a month now and my son is so much more agile and comfortable on it. At first balancing while scooting is a challenge, there are a few different strategies and muscles you need to coordinate at the same time. Don’t forget a helmet and pads. We learned the hard way that elbow and knee pad are good to have for the first few weeks. But the scooter handlebar is also great for that, it helps you keep your balance in the beginning. The caster wheel and the wave action board makes you feel like you’re in the water rather than on the ground. Gaining confidence, we through out a mini obstacle course and now the Whiplash is a daily event!

You can find the Whiplash at Target, KMart, Sports Authority and online at Amazon.com for $79.

We were sent a Whiplash for review purposes. The opinions are our tried and true experience and were not influenced by any source.

VTech MobiGo Touch Learning System

June 2, 2010 by The Mom Jen 1 Comment

My older two children and I have iPod Touch devices. My son saved birthday and Christmas money to buy his, my oldest and I both received ours as gifts. It’s a hoot to watch the 3 of us all on them at the same time on with our fingers dancing across the screen. My husband and four-year-old feel left out for sure and play pretend with remotes and books as their special touch devices, they’re hilarious! My youngest child is in luck, VTech Kids, the company that is famous for it’s fabulous children’s electronic toys is coming out with a new gadget for the younger group to feel cool and high-tech!

Introducing the MobiGo Touch Learning System geared for children ages 3-8. Now our smallest children will be able to mimic our smart technology with their very own working electronic learning device. The MobiGo has a touch screen that allows your child to tap, flick, rub, spin, and drag their way around age appropriate games and skills!

Something I’ve been wishing for in elementary school is that computer classes actually teach kids how to type, rather than pecking at a keyboard. The MobiGo has a fully operable keyboard that slides out and helps those little fingers find their way around a QWERTY keypad. Genius!

What more can they do? Educational games: From fishing, coloring book pages, drawing and playing instruments, kids can discover a wide variety of fun and engaging games similar to “apps” found on smart phones and devices. Learning skills: MobiGo teaches a wide range of skills including math, vocabulary, spelling, logic and categorization. The handheld gaming console makes learning fun on the go for little hands and is equipped with headphone and AC adapter jacks.

Our take: We’ve had the MobiGo for about a day and a half and my daughter’s waking hours have been using it with excitement and pride. The included game cartridge has 6 different games with easy and difficult settings for each game. At 4 years old, she’s been learning to identify letters and in the “shooting gallery” game, she’s searching for them on the attached keyboard with great success. Big brother (age 9) helped out on the addition game (“space challenge”) and “music maestro” was having her follow with music on a piano! The MobiGo is pretty amazing in it’s capabilities and the price point is reasonable for a birthday or Christmas gift! It’s portability is a great selling point for long road trips and quiet time….hallelujah! I was afraid the snapping motion of opening the keyboard was going to be an issue (help me!) but it is easy for her, just making sure she doesn’t get her fingers pinched when closing it. The included USB cord is for connecting to the MobiGo website where you can upload scores for the games, and download “rewards” earned while playing. I’m really impressed by this game! It does take 4 AA batteries, my only wish is for a way to “charge” the machine itself. Hopefully the batteries will last a while.

The MobiGo will be available at Toys ‘R’ Us for purchase at the price of $59.99.

I received a MobiGo to facilitate this review. The opinions are our tried and true experience and was not influenced by any other source.

Avatar: Movie Review

May 26, 2010 by The Mom Jen Leave a Comment

Have you seen it yet? We just did, finally! Since its global theatrical release last December, AVATAR has continued to make motion picture history. Written by James Cameron and produced with his long-time collaborator Jon Landau, AVATAR stars Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Wes Studi and Laz Alonso.

My question was “can director, James Cameron top Titanic?” Oscar and Golden Globe winning epic is the highest grossing film of all time, taking in over $2.6 billion in worldwide box office. AVATAR takes audiences to a spectacular world beyond imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on a journey of redemption and discovery as he leads a heroic battle to save a civilization.

My Husband’s Take: I didn’t go see AVATAR at the theater because my butt fell asleep at “Titanic”. I was worried that as James Cameron’s star grew, his movies got longer, and the movie became more about the special effects and less about the story. Not one to believe the hype created by all the awards it received, I thought myself lucky to have missed seeing the movie.

I was WRONG! This movie is great because the story is truly awesome! Sure the movie has all the cutting edge special effects and cinematography but the story is a mix of classic story lines and themes including environmentalism, colonialism, and the clash between science, religion and popular thinking. This movie uses mythology like “Star Wars”, questions the role of science like “Frankenstein”, depicts the plight of the native people like “Dances With Wolves”, shows the destructive nature of man like “Apocalypse Now,” while exploring the true nature of love and proposing a direct connection between man and nature. The breathtaking planet Pandora allows us to leave the limits of the human world behind and explore the possibilities if we can only overcome the inherit flaws of humanity.

Watch it! The movie can be found for $16.99-$17.99 on Amazon for Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD combo.

We were sent the movie for purpose of this review. The opinions are our tried-and-true experience and were not influenced by any source.

Cuisinart 4-Slice Belgian Waffle Maker Review

May 25, 2010 by The Mom Jen Leave a Comment

Say goodbye to frozen breakfasts, or dining out that can cost a fortune! I know our family of 5 can spend up to $40 just going out to eat on weekend mornings. Cuisinart‘s 4-Slice Belgian Waffle Maker is so easy to use, you can have a delicious inexpensive breakfast every week at home!

The Belgian Waffle Maker retails for $49.95, a fair price that pays for itself in less than two days in my opinion.

* Bakes (four) 1-inch-deep Belgian waffles
* Five-setting browning control

* Red power On indicator light stays on while baking
* Green indicator light illuminates when the waffle maker is ready to bake and also when the waffles are ready to eat
* Audible alert for when the unit is heated up and when the waffles are ready to eat
* Locking lid
* Cord wraps under the base and unit stands on end for compact storage
* Non-stick baking plates
* Chrome-plated handle
* Instruction/Recipe book included

* Limited 3-year warranty

Our take: We live by a time clock, so often during the week, my school-aged kids make their own breakfasts, the frozen way. Often toaster breakfasts are quick and easy and “good enough.” In less than 10 minutes from start to finish, this waffle maker has sent my kids off to school with full tummies and smiles!

I love that I can make enough for all 3 kids at one time, no waiting or whining, “she got hers first!”The waffle maker is not rocket science, it’s simple to use, just preheat, pour on the batter, close the top and wait. Depending on the color you like, light to dark brown waffles, the heat setting takes about 5-6 minutes to make.