Be dazzled by the Disneyland Diamond Celebration Merchandise

It's a shopper's paradise at the Disneyland Resort this year, because it's Disneyland's 60th Anniversary, and the Diamond Celebration Merchandise collection has hit stores around the resort! Over the course of the celebration, Disney will release more than 500 merchandise items, including apparel, accessories, headwear, home décor, souvenirs, toys, pins, D-Tech, collectibles and more.

On our recent trip to the Disneyland Resort, the boys and I had the chance to meet with Summer from Disney's Merchandising Department, to take a look at some of the merchandise that Disney has released for the Diamond Celebration.  These items are now on sale, only at the Disneyland Resort, for a limited time.

Check out our video below!  It was so much fun going through the whole table of items!  My favorite has got to be the Dooney and Burke shopper tote.

Take a closer look at some of the items that Summer showed us in the video:

Mickey and Minnie Diamond Anniversary plush

Caramel apples, cake pops, marshmallow wands, photo album, autograph book, mug, and popcorn bucket (you can see more special popcorn buckets in my Disneyland Diamond Celebration Treats post).

The Diamond Celebration version of the classic Mickey ears.

This is the Made With Magic paintbrush that Jammy was holding. Turn it on, and the tip glows with changing colored lights.  Press the button with the magic wand icon in order to change the color of the Made With Magic Mickey Ears and Made With Magic Mickey Mitt.

That's only a small subset of the items available!

Items for the home include pillows, frames, blankets, and mugs.

Fashion items include shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, caps, hats, scarves, and jewelry.

I couldn't resist trying on the sparkly Minnie ears!

Pins, pins, pins!  You know we love trading pins!  The 60th Anniversary pins are a great commemorative item because they are so inexpensive, starting at just $9.95 for a pin, $9.95 for a lanyard, and $5.95 for a plastic pouch.  Stay tuned for a separate post featuring a closer look at the 60th Anniversary pins!

Which Diamond Celebration merchandise item would you most like to own?


Disclosure: I was a guest of the Disneyland Resort at their May 2015 press event for the Disneyland Diamond Celebration. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Willow Creek Sleeping Bag by Coleman

I finally got a chance to test out the sleeping bag that Coleman sent me a couple of months ago! I took their Willow Creek sleeping bag with me on the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure, and The Pea used it when she invited her best friend over for a sleepover. Here's what we thought of it:

The Basics

The Coleman Willow Creek Scoop Sleeping Bag is great for warm-weather camping. It measures 33-Inch wide by 78-Inch long, and fits most people up to 5-Inch11-Inch. The unique scoop shape makes a comfortable headrest, keeping your head and pillow off the ground. The Willow Creek Sleeping Bag is durably constructed of a soft brushed-polyester cover and liner, with 3 pounds of ThermoTech insulation to keep you comfortable down to 40°-60Degree Fahrenheit. The Willow Creek features the QuickCord storage system for easy storage -- no tying required. Coleman-Inchs ComfortSmart technology means your sleeping bag is packed with features to keep you warm and comfortable: ZipPlow plows fabric away from the zipper to prevent snags; Comfort Cuff surrounds your face with softness; FiberLock prevents insulation from shifting keeping you warm and increasing durability; ThermoLock reduces heat loss through the zipper, keeping you warmer; Zipper Glide tailoring allows smooth zipper operation around corners; and Roll Control locks the bag in place for easier rolling.


The Bongga
This sleeping bag is a welcome addition to our arsenal of Coleman gear for some outdoor family fun! It served me well when I camped out in San Francisco last week, and The Pea's friend slept like a baby in it when they had their sleepover. Here's what I love best about this sleeping bag:

* It feels soft and cozy, like your favorite comforter.

* I love color scheme -- the brown and blue look so cute, and since they're a gender-neutral color, you can buy this for an older daughter, then pass it on to a younger brother a couple of years afterwards.

* It was unbelievably easy to pack! I didn't have to struggle at all; no sitting on the sleeping bag to make sure it stays rolled, or straining to get the cord all the way around so I can tie it. Usually I end up with a huge lumpy mess that looks like it's going to burst, but this sleeping bag packs up easily into a neat, compact roll. At the 3-Day for the Cure, we were limited to a single bag, including sleeping bag and sleeping mat, and this is the only adult-sized sleeping bag we have that actually fit into my duffel bag.




The Blah
This sleeping bag is supposed to fit adults up to 5'11'', but I'm 5 feet, 8 inches tall, and I found this sleeping bag to be just too short. Also, I'd revise the temperature rating to between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. When I used it in San Francisco, nighttime temperatures were in the low 50's, and dropped to 45, and even though I wore 4 layers of clothing, I was just too cold. I think it's much more suited to kids -- they can move around it in comfortably and the sleeping bag will still cover them well, and since kids don't feel the cold as much as adults do, they'll sleep well when the temperatures are in the 40's, and won't get too stifled when the temperatures are higher.


The Bottom Line
Coleman's Willow Creek Sleeping Bag is comfy, cozy, convenient -- just perfect for a girls' sleepover and kids' warm-weather camping!




We've got one more camping trip coming up in a couple of weeks, so stay tuned for a review of our new Coleman tent!

Disclosure: I received a sleeping bag from Coleman to review. I was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Win one of Twelve Disaster Survival Kits

Last week I attended a blogger talk given by California Volunteers, the lead oversight agency for the California Citizen Corps Program, which was created post 9/11 to coordinate volunteer activities to make our communities safer, stronger and better prepared to respond to any emergency. They talked to us about ways we could prepare ourselves and our families for a disaster.

We took away some useful information, practical tips -- and two disaster kits for our car and home. The kits are filled with supplies such as water, flashlights and other things that can help you in a disaster. It's kind of a weird thing to feature on a review blog, because I hope I never ever have to use it. But I can say without a doubt that a disaster kit is something you want to have.


Win It!
California Volunteers has given me 12 disaster kits like the one above (see the contents of each kit on my Finding Bonggamom disaster kit post) to give out to 12 readers. To enter, simply leave a comment here and tell me one thing your family needs to do to prepare for a disaster.

For extra entries, you can either or both of the following, (you can only do each entra entry once; please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

1) Head over to my disaster kit post on Finding Bonggamom and leave a comment there, telling me which of the things in the disaster kit you think would be most useful to you.

2) Tweet this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your tweet). Here is a sample tweet you can copy and paste:

Win a Disaster Survival Kit from @bonggafinds and @calvolunteers -- 12 winners! Ends 11/30 http://tinyurl.com/yavvmxt

Maximum of three entries per person. Maximum of one prize per person. This giveaway ends at midnight PST on November 30, 2009; I will draw 12 winners at random and post their names on the comments section as soon as the winners confirm prize acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck and stay prepared!



I received a free lunch and sample disaster kit courtesy of California Volunteers. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Corky and Company Kids Coats from KidsCoats.com

It feels strange to be thinking about winter coats when the kids are in tank tops and it's 90 degrees in the shade, but cold weather will be here before you know it, and it's time to find some Kids Outerwear! I've always coveted Corky & Company coats, so I was very happy to get the opportunity to review some samples for each of my kids from online retailer KidsCoats.com. Here's what I thought of them:

The Basics
Kids Coats carries the web's largest selection of children's coats from award-winning manufacturer Corky & Company . They sent each of my kids one of the coats in their Fall 09 line:

The Pea chose this Brown and Turquoise Polka Daisy Wrap Swing Girls Coat. It's fun and flirty and soft and cuddly and stylish and sweet all at the same time. She loves the dots and flower design, and the fur-lined hood with its fun, poufy tassel. I love how the sleeves roll up for now, so she can wear it all through this winter and maybe even into next winter.


KidsCoats.com also has a great selection of Boys Jackets and Boys Coats. 3Po received this olive nylon coat with fleece sherpa lining. It has a removable hood and it looks as rugged and tough as 3Po. Actually, when I say he received it, I actually meant that he and Jammy fought like tigers for it, and somehow 3Po ended up with it. Maybe it's the aviator-jacket-vibe that made both boys reeeelly want this coat! I never dress them alike, but I do kind of like to have them in the same or matching outerwear, so I might just end up buying another of these coats.

Not that Jammy ended up with the dregs or anything. The third coat was a beautiful brown zip-up corduroy coat, with fleece sherpa lining and toggle closures. Alfie actually likes this one the best out of all 3 that we received; it's definitely more stylish and hip than 3Po's olive nylon hoodie.


The Bongga
The photos speak for themselves. Actually, I'm a terrible photographer, and the photos don't do the coats justice. Oh. My. God. They are beautiful. They are the kinds of coats that make strangers approach you and ask where you got them. I am going to feel like a bag lady next to these kids -- I'd better go out and look for a grown-up coat that's as chic as theirs. Plus, they are soooo soft, The Pea says it's like being enveloped in a warm, snuggly blanket.

Best of all, I love, love, love that all their coats are machine-washable! Hurrah, no dry cleaning! No need to grit my teeth when I see stains on their beautiful coats but force myself to wait until the coats are so grubby they can practically walk by themselves, then spend almost as much at the dry cleaners as the cost of the coat itself.



The Blah
There isn't much to complain about these coats -- they're great quality at a decent price. Sure, you can buy coats for less money, but you don't get the sturdiness, softness, or style. These are hand-me-down quality coats! Also, Kids Coats offers free shipping on all coats to the US, and up to $50 off when you join their mailing list. And don't you worry -- Bonggamom Finds will be coming out with a KidsCoats.com giveaway soon, so one lucky winner will get to win a fabulous Corky & Company coat!

The Bottom Line
Parents and kids alike will love the coats sold at Kids Coats. Their Corky & Company coats are a super- stylish investment!

I received a product sample for this post, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Jazwares -- a Perfect Combination of Back-to-School Items

This summer my boys converted to the Church of Bakugan, so it's not surprising that they want everything in their universe to have a Bakugan on it -- their clothes, bags, sheets, curtains, lunchboxes, you name it. I'm not going that far, but getting them Bakugan notebooks and pencils and other small items is certainly within my budget. In June I searched far and wide for Bakugan stuff, but couldn't find any. So it was like the Church of Bakugan had performed a miracle when I found out about the Jazwares 2009 Back-to-School line -- it's all about Bakugan!

The Basics
We were sent the Bakugan Pencils with Case set and the Bakugan 11-Piece Value Set, along with a Hershey's Miniature USB drive. The rest of the Jazwares 2009 line of licensed stationery sets includes:

* Hershey's Miniatures Memory Sticks (shaped like Hershey's chocolate, Krackel, Mr. Goodbar, Twizzlers and Bubble Yum)
* Bakugan Musical Pen and Pad
* Bakugan 3D Eraser Set
* Bakugan Pencils with Toppers
* Bakugan Pencils with Case
* Bakugan Deluxe Stamper Set
* Bakugan 11 Piece Value Set



The Hershey USB drives can be purchased at Best Buy and the Bakugan stationary sets can be purchased at Toys R Us (in stores and online) and Rite-Aid.

The Bongga
It's all about the characters, baby! My boys are really into Bakugan -- just like most boys out there -- so this line of school supplies really hit the sweet spot. And speaking of the sweet spot, those Hershey's USB flash drives are SWEET. No, seriously. Litzky PR sent me one that looked like a Hershey's Miniature milk chocolate bar. It was stuck to a cardboard flyer, and I thought it was a real piece of chocolate! I was thinking nice, kind thoughts about the Litzky folks as I tried to unwrap the chocolate, only to discover to my disappointment -- and delight -- that it was a cleverly-disguised USB.

Now let's talk about quality and cost. At $7.99 for the 11-pc. Value Set and $4.99 for the pencil case set, this line is highly affordable (the rest of the line is similarly priced), which is great for cost-cutting parents like me. And the quality of the licensing is great. My kids love all the images emblazoned on the supplies. And unlike some licensed products, there are LOTS of images from the cartoon series, not just a lame old logo on the corner.


The Blah
First off, the pencils just don't sharpen properly! Talk about frustrating! I tried three different sharpeners, but the lead tip kept breaking off. Jammy and 3Po sat watching in dismay as I sharpened half of their beloved Bakugan design off the pencil -- so finally I took an Exacto knife and whittled off the rest of the wood to make a nice sharp pencil point. Also, I wish they had some sort of string or chain attached so the USB drive can be clipped onto a zipper pull; otherwise, they'll just fall to the bottom of the kids' backpacks.


The Bottom Line
Jazwares are an easy, affordable way to make back-to-school process a little more fun for young Bakugan Brawlers -- and because they love the licensed characters, you know they'll be taking extra-special care of their school supplies. I know my boys certainly will!

I received a product sample for this post, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Back-to-School with Lands' End

3Po and Jammy are LOVING the Lands' End backpacks that I picked up for them at last month's MomSelect BlogHer Swag Suite. They're the Lands' End Eco-Friendly backpacks, and I was lucky enough to get one in each of their favorite colors, blue and green (heck, I was lucky to get two! I think Amy, MomSelect's representative, let me grab an extra one because I passed on all the other great swag in that room, including the cute Build-A-Bear, fun tiaras and wands, and more -- thanks Amy!).

These backpacks have something for everyone to love! My boys love all those compartments and zippers, Alfie loves the zigzag elastic for tucking your jacket or cap into, and I love the rugged durability and Lands' End quality. I do still want to buy them the Lands' End Wheeled ClassMate StudyHaul Backpack, because we walk to school and I don't want them carrying their weight in books on their young backs. But for kindergarten, all they'll be carrying is their lunch, so the Eco-Friendly Backpack will be just fine.

3Po and Jammy are so excited to be using their new backpacks when they enter kindergarten in two weeks, and they've already started decorating them with keychains and zipper charms and stickers. Of course, if 3Po and Jammy really had their way, the backpacks would probably look more like these backpacks we created at Packland, a fun site where kids can create their own fantasy backpacks. Who wouldn't want a backpack with a built-in gumball dispenser and pirate flag? Those are just perfect for back to school!

And speaking of back to school, don't forget to join 5 Minutes for Mom and Lands' End for the Ultimate Back-to-School Twitter Party:

Date: Thursday, August 20th
Time: 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. CST
Location: #landsend

Lands' End hosts will be there to answer back-to-school shopping questions, and there will be lots of chances to win Lands' End products during the party. Save the date!

I did not receive a product sample or monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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[IN]Place Rolling Case File

The [IN]Place Rolling Case File that OfficeMax gave me to try out has certainly travelled a lot of miles in two weeks! I took to BlogHer two weeks ago, and this week I was back in Chicago again to film the Peter Walsh-OfficeMax Back to School webcast in nearby Naperville. I took the Rolling Case File to show everyone from OfficeMax how I was using it and to give my feedback. And since it is from Peter Walsh's product line, after all, how could I resist asking him to sign my rolling case for me?

Peter, being a lover of pristine, neat surfaces and quite a humble guy to boot, looked understandably doubtful at the thought of desecrating this nice, sleek black case with his signature. But I promised not to sue him for vandalism of private property, so he gamely took my Sharpie and signed it.

The Basics
The Rolling Case File, from Office Max's [IN]Place System, designed by Peter Walsh, exemplifies some of Peter's organizational maxims: having a place for everything, having everything handy, keeping systems flexible. It's a portable file system with multiple compartments, handy organizational pockets, a separate laptop bag that stores in the front pocket, and a bag for power cords and peripherals that stores in one of the side pockets.

The Bongga
The [IN]Place Rolling Case File is sleek and sturdy and oh-so-well made. It rolls over sidewalksl and roads and airports with ease, and I'm not worried about the wheels falling off anytime soon.I love the way the telescoping handle goes up and down with a quiet, metallic whoosh at the push of a button. I used the middle area to pack my clothes and toiletries in, but if you're travelling on business, the attached bars make this the ideal case to carry all your files and folders in. I love all the separate compartments -- you don't have to rummage around in a bottomless pit to find things!

The Blah
The case is 1 inch wider than United Airlines' maximum thickness for carry-on baggage. I took it on board anyway because you can lose the extra inch by removing the laptop bag from the front compartment and squishing it in. I also figured people would cheat by way more than that (and I was right -- some people boarded the plane with what looked like steamer trunks and baby elephant cages). But still, I couldn't wheel it down the airplane aisle, and I had a nervous moment when I thought it wouldn't fit into the overhead compartment. After a couple of desperate shoves, the case managed to fit (this was a plane from San Francisco to Chicago, certainly not the smallest one out there). International flights? No problem. Smaller aircraft? Be prepared to check it in at the gate.

The Bottom Line
The [IN]Place Rolling Case File's separate compartments make it great for organization on-the-go. Just hope that on-the-go doesn't include a tiny propeller airplane! Whether your version has the designer's' signature on it or not, you'll appreciate the clean style and great quality.

I received a product sample for this post, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Delta Disney Umbrella Stroller review and giveaway

On our last night at the Disneyland Resort last December, 3Po contracted stomach flu. The poor kid was throwing up all night, so instead of being able to enjoy his last day at Disneyland, he was exhausted. He could barely stand up, much less walk a gazillion miles from Fantasyland to Adventureland and back again, so we had to rent a stroller for him to ride in. I remember thinking that at $13 per day rental fee, for a few bucks more we could have just bought an umbrella stroller.

I recently received a stroller from Delta Children's Products' new Disney Umbrella Stroller Collection (available at Walmart and Burlington Coat Factory) to try out. It's a basic, no-frills umbrella stroller at a great price -- just $19.99. The simple design and low cost makes it great for traveling. No more worrying that the airlines are going to smash up your expensive, complicated stroller! No more struggling to fold and unfold your stroller at the airport with your hands full of passports and bags while your little one runs away from you!

The stroller itself is on the small side -- I would say it is best for children ages 1-4 -- so my boys were just a wee bit to big for it, but my little niece Belliboo was happy to oblige and join me on a road test. I found the stroller to be really easy to fold and unfold. The wheels are small, but do a decent job going over bumpy terrain and climbing curbs. The stroller itself is fairly lightweight, but not so flimsy that your toddler will tip over as soon as you sling your purse across the handles. It has a simple sunshade to block some of the sun's rays. The kids really loved the fun and colorful Disney character designs (see, this would have been perfect for our Disneyland trip!). We received the Disney Fairies version, which has a lovely lavender frame and printed Tinkerbell fabric; there is also a Disney Princess and Disney Pixar cars version. Little Belliboo loved the design, and even The Pea thought it was so cute.

The only things I didn't like about the stroller were the lack of storage ( I would have liked a net at the bottom or in the back to store a couple of things like sippy cups or toys) and the low handlebar height (I'm 5 foot 8 inches, so I always have this problem with umbrella strollers, but it's not an issue for my 5'2" sister, or for anyone shorter than 5'7"). But did I mention it costs only $19.99? Price sensitive parents can easily overlook these shortcomings for the price and other benefits, as Delta's Disney Umbrella Strollers are an affordable, fun alternative to lugging around a full-sized stroller.

Would you like to win your very own Delta Disney Umbrella Stroller? We're giving one away to a lucky Bonggamom Finds reader! Here's how to enter:

Go to http://www.deltachildrensproducts.com/ , then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me one other product that Delta offers (this entry must be completed for any extra entries to count).


For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following:
1) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds (leave a comment with your Blogger profile name).
2) Subscribe to Finding Bonggamom (leave a comment with your Blogger profile name).
3) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(leave a comment with your Blogger profile name).
4) Follow Finding Bonggamom on Blogger (leave a comment with your Blogger profile name).
5) Tweet about this giveaway (leave a commment with a link to your tweet). Here's a tweet you can copy and paste:

Disney umbrella stroller giveaway from @bonggafinds http://tw5.us/Pz

Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry (don't list down all your extra entries in 1 comment!) . This giveaway ends at midnight PST on May 11, 2009.; I will draw a winner at random on May 12 and post their names on the same day. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

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