As a seasoned ipod Touch user, I love browsing through iTunes and downloading different apps– and yes, I do go for the free apps mostly. Palm offers the App Catalog. While it’s got some good applications, it could be improved.

I did like the many specific categories. Offered on the Palm Mobile Apps are Books, Business, Education, Entertainment, Finance, Food, Games, Health & Fitness, Lifestyle, Music, Navigation, News, Photography, Productivity, Reference, Social Networking, Sports, Travel and Weather.

While there is the official Facebook App and a few Twitter Apps (some free, most retail for around $0.99 – $2.99), I feel that the Facebook App and Twitter Apps weren’t as easy to navigate, once downloaded and installed, as similar apps on iTunes.  I would like to see a version of TweetDeck for the Palm Pre Plus, because I love the version on the iPod Touch.

The Books category is a winner.  For $0.99, you can download classics like Pride and Prejudice, The Art of War, and Treasure Island. In this category, the Palm Apps Catalog shines.

Unfortunately, there are only 6 Preschool Apps for the Palm Pre Plus– which was too bad, because my two year old loves playing with the free games I can download on my ipod Touch. When she gets bored, I can download new ones. I would like to see the same thing on the Palm Pre Plus. New apps are being added every day,  so I think things are going to get much better!

Disclosure: I am taking part in the Verizon Palm® Pre™ Plus Mommy Blogger Program and will be testing out the phone for the rest of this month on Mommies With Style.

The other day they pulled out one of their favorite all time outdoor toys.  We’re going on our third season using this toy and it’s such a hit, I had to share.  It’s the Marky Sparky Blast Pad Advanced Missle Launch System.  A friend gave it to us for a birthday a couple of years ago and we’re already on our second set.  Every kid (including the Dads) just loves this toy.  We call it the “stomp rocket” as you stomp on the attachment and it uses air to blast the rocket off.  And never fear, the rockets are made of foam so there’s no injury risk.  We’ve had the rockets come down on people’s heads before and the only reaction is more laughing.

It retails for $29.99 but you can always find deals so keep your eyes peeled.  It’s currently discounted to $21.14 on Amazon with free shipping.

If you pre-order New Moon on Amazon and you can also watch it instantly on release day your computer or compatible device for up to 30 days from your purchase.

It’s currently $20.49 with free shipping. I’m ordering!

Also true to Disney, there’s plenty of adult humor mixed throughout the movie so we were entertained watching it as well.

Get the single-disc DVD on Amazon for $16.99 with free shipping, or the 3-Disc combo w/Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital Copy for $27.99.

Even better, if you plan on heading out to the stores to get it in person, be sure to print out this coupon to receive $10 off the 3-Disc combo in person.  (FYI, if you have trouble getting it to load, try Firefox.  It wouldn’t load for me in IE but will load in Firefox.)

I was a little worried about the size, because it seemed smaller than his other bag. But it fits a sandwich, apple, side snack and a reusable bottle into the bag, plus a cooler pack, napkin and utensils.

In addition to its easy wipe-ability, I love that the carrier strap hooks on to other bags, like Skip*Hop’s Zoo Packs, as well as bags not made by  Skip*Hop.

Thanks to Skip*Hop fro providing a sample.

We love Revolution Foods (click here to read my review from last year). Our favorite item was the Organic Jammy Sammys - snack-sized sandwich bars . We were psyched to learn they’ve added Blueberries & Oatmeal to their line up. Plus, they’ve also added 3 types of Organic Grammy Sammys — yogurt-filled soft graham sandwich bars.  Choose from Honey Graham & Strawberry Yogurt, Cocoa Graham & Banana Yogurt, and Cinnamon Graham & Vanilla Yogurt. Both of my children loved these snack sized treats.  We will be stocking up on these for lunchboxes. You can’t go wrong with 100% whole grains and organic yogurt!

Even though I’m only 16 weeks pregnant right now with my third child, I’m drooling over Oilo Studio’s fantastic crib bedding. We’re going to have to redo our nursery bedding again, when our third child arrives this summer.  We had boring white bedding for our first child (used on my son’s toddler bed now) and our second child, a daughter, is still in a crib, using beautiful pink organic bedding, from Until Kara. #3 will be a boy and we’re going to have to start from scratch.

Oilo’s Modern Berries Crib Set ($399) would be perfect for my upcoming arrival’s crib bedding. White with sage green, it’s patterned after the red currant berries that grow in Norway and can work for a boy or a girl. Included in the set is a 100% woven cotton bumper and bed skirt, a zippered slip cover bumper, fitted cotton percale crib sheet. It’s machine washable and made in the USA.  While we didn’t use bumpers until both our children approached a year old, I like to have them included in a set.

Exclusive for MWS Readers: Purchase at  www.oilostudio.com — use code: mws2010 to receive a 15% discount on any order.

I’ve been fascinated with these at-home laser hair removal systems since I got my legs professionally lasered about two years ago. It was expensive, it was definitely uncomfortable/borderline painful, but holy moley, it worked! Pre-lasering, I had to shave. Every. Single. Day. I just got back from a camp trip with my family a few weeks ago and went over a week sans-razor and sported shorts on the trip. I am a believer.  So when I heard that I might be able to get smooth results for less than salon prices, at my own convenience and in the comfort of my own home – I had to check it out.

Below I’ve answered some of the questions I had and hopefully some you’re thinking of too!

What is it? TRIA is a handheld, cord-free, FDA-approved, super-easy-to-use laser hair removal device that you can use in your living room, bathroom or backyard to get silky smooth skin anywhere from the neck down (the TRIA isn’t approved for use on the neck/face). There is a handheld device, a skin sensor (more on this later) and a power cord to recharge the battery which lasts for about 30-40 minutes before needing to be recharged.

How does it work? Like all laser hair removal, the TRIA laser is attracted to the dark pigment in the hair follicle.  It heats up the follicle causing the hair to gradually fall out and eventually to stop growing back. Your hair grows in cycles so all laser hair removal requires multiple treatments in order to continually disrupt the hair growth cycle.

Who is it best for? Since the laser zeroes in on the dark pigment in the hair, those with lighter skin and darker hair will have the best results. The darker your skin or the lighter your hair, the harder it is for the laser to be attracted to the follicle.

How do I use it? First, start with newly shaven skin. Unlike waxing where you need to grow your hair out in order to use the treatment, with laser hair removal, you don’t want any hair on the surface of your skin.  Then, apply the skin sensor (shown at right) on the area you want to laser. You hold it up to your skin and press a button. If the light turns green, you’re good to go.  If it turns red, it means that your skin is too dark to use the TRIA. (TRIA offers a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you buy it and you find that your skin everywhere is too dark to laser.)  This sensor is vital because it not only lets you know that the TRIA is safe to use on your skin coloring, but it also is the only way to unlock the handheld device.  When the light is green on the sensor, you turn on the handheld and wave the sensor in front of the lights on the handheld.  This will unlock the handheld device so that you can use the laser.

TRIA recently released a new version of their device that includes five laser settings to choose from (their last version only had three).  You want to use the highest level you can handle which will vary based on your personal pain tolerance and the location you are working on (as you can imagine, some areas are a bit more sensitive!).

Then it’s as simple as pressing the triangular tip of the handheld device to your skin and waiting for the start and stop beep. Then move it slightly, overlapping treatment areas, and wait for the next set of beeps. No button to continuously push. No other steps to take. Just place, zap and repeat. (An error buzz will occur if you didn’t get the tip completely against the skin or moved it too soon.)

How often do I need to use it? In the beginning, TRIA recommends one treatment every other week for the first 3 months and then cutting back to one treatment a month for the next 3-5 months.  Of course everyone’s growth cycle might be a little different so you might need more or less treatments.  Zapping more frequently than the recommended spacing however won’t get you faster results. If you’ve already zapped the follicle for that growth cycle, zapping it again, isn’t going to do much so patience and consistency are key.

Does it hurt? You’ll definitely feel it (if you have the power level high enough). Imagine each hair follicle getting a little pin prick. Obviously some areas are more sensitive than others, but that’s the benefit of having five different power settings to choose from. You may also want to consider enlisting a girlfriend to help with the process so that you can focus on relaxing (or managing your pain) through the experience.

Does it work? Of course, this is the most important question. And I can say an unequivocal YES! At least for me. I’ve been using it on my armpits and bikini line for 5 treatments cycles and have started to see the proof. But….(you knew there was a but coming), here’s the thing I’ve found – when I got laser hair removal done professionally, I had a set appointment that I never missed.  When you are doing it at home, it’s easy to think, “Oh, I’ll fit in a treatment some time this week….” and then get distracted with life. Plus it’s not always easy to find the time (or privacy, as a mother of two) to sit in one’s underwear for 30 minutes and do some DIY laser hair removal. And suddenly it’s been two weeks since you were supposed to have a treatment and you still haven’t done it!  So consistency is key to seeing results. The TRIA system comes with a handy 2010 calendar and sticker set so that you can plan out, keep track of and hopefully stick to a treatment scheduled that will get you silky smooth for summer.

There is still snow on the ground! Why should I be thinking about smooth summer legs now? Two reasons: 1) remember that you’re going to need 3-5 months to see results, and 2) being tan, even spray-tanned, decreases the effectiveness of the laser (and may keep you from getting a green light on the sensor), so the best time to laser is definitely in winter when your legs are generally their lightest and probably haven’t seen too much exposure yet.

I’m sold! Where do I get one? With their latest TRIA release, they not only added two more power settings bringing the total up to five, they also dropped their price $200!  Now you can buy TRIA through their website for $595. (They also offer payment plans.) I know this is a chunk of change, but I can tell you that I paid about $700 on sale to have just my legs done and now I have a device that I can use on any part of my body and for any needed touch-ups for years to come. Plus they have that 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you’re not happy with it, you can also return it – no questions asked.

Have other questions? Leave them in the comments section and I’ll be sure to answer them the best I can.

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Disclaimer: TRIA provided a sample of their product for this review.

My new Frigidare Freestanding Electric Range definitely means business.  I opted for an electric range as I have a weird aversion to gas.  My old electric took awhile to heat up on the range portion - as I assumed all electric ranges did.

It’s definitely not the case with this new stove.  I turn it on high and it’s on full heat within a matter of seconds.  It’s fabulous.  And it cooks like a dream. 

Not to mention that the stove part is also more efficient.  I don’t know how 350 degrees isn’t just 350 degrees for every stove, but it just isn’t.

Lastly, I have yet to use but am excited to start using the keep warm drawer.  See the drawer at the bottom in the picture?  I’m currently using it for storage of pots and pans but I plan to clear it out soon to actually use it for it’s intent – which is to turn on the warming feature to keep side dishes and other dinner items warm when I need to.

I wrote this review while participating in a Test Drive Campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Frigidaire and will be receiving a Frigidaire Refrigerator, Range/Microwave, Washer/Dryer set, and a Dishwasher to facilitate my review.  To read more of my reviews, check out my Frigidaire Moms section on Mommies with Style.

One such great cuddling blanket is the Classic Dream Blanket by Aden & Anais. Its so-soft fabric is made of a natural, gentle muslin, making it breathable, flexible and very comfortable.

A great baby gift, the dream blanket is available in colorful bright prints. It uses 4 layers of the light muslin fabric, making it plush enough for a true cuddle.

Thanks to Aden & Anais for providing a sample for this review.