I'm so excited that this year, Christmas has come early to my house.  I am finally a proud iPad owner!  Couple that with my smartphone and I'm a tech geek to be reckoned with.   :geek:  There's not an app I can't download or task that I can't accomplish now.  Of course, all of this technological prowess needs to be harnessed while on the go and when I need to be completely hands-free.

I've used several cradle-type devices in the past, but have always ended up picking my pricey gadget off the floor several times.  Is there anything on the market which will successfully secure your iPad or smartphone when it's not feasible to hold it yourself?  Let me introduce you to the iMagnet mount!

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Melissa & Doug is one of my all-time favorite toy manufacturers because they create some of the most innovative and high-quality toys on the market today!  One thing's for sure, if my daughter receives a Melissa & Doug toy of any kind, she's guaranteed to love it.

Now, thanks to their new Terrific Twenty list, you can easily find the hottest holiday toys for your little one.  Right now, you can also enter to win one of these amazing  toys in the 20 Days of Terrific Twenty Giveaway on Facebook.  Enter just one time and you're automatically entered for all 20 days!

Of course, Melissa & Doug have also graciously offered to give away one of their Terrific Twenty toys right here on Mommy Living the Life of Riley too!  Keep reading to find out which one and enter to win!

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In the next few weeks, we'll be entering into the craziest travel season of the year.  Did you know that there are roughly 10 million airline flights in the U.S. alone?  And a large percentage of that number comes from holiday travel.  Everyone wants to reconnect with family and friends around the holidays which means that most of us will take to the skies or the roads to get back home.

Unfortunately, if you're traveling by air, you must comply with the TSA regulations concerning liquids for carry-on luggage and/or costly baggage fees for checked luggage.  While there's always been a way to make travel size toiletries for shampoo, conditioner, lotions, creams and gels, there hasn't been a way to make your own travel sized toothpaste from a full size tube...until now!

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Transparent Language is a leading provider of best-practice language learning software for consumers, government agencies, educational institutions, and businesses. Since 1991, Transparent Language has helped millions of individuals learn new languages quickly, easily, and effectively.

More than 12,000 schools and universities, as well as top government language schools, such as the Foreign Service Institute and the Defense Language Institute use their products.

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Most of the time, I'm bummed when the weather turns sour.  When it's raining, my daughter can't play outside, errands take a lot longer to run, thanks to more traffic and dangerous driving conditions, and of course, it's harder to stay dry and comfy.

When the rain begins to pour, I whip out my trusty umbrella and head outside, giving no thought as to the quality of the umbrella I've been using.  If the wind would blow too hard, my umbrella would always fold up on me, giving me a drenching.  Once I was inside again, my umbrella seemed to take forever to dry and subsequently soaked everything it touched in the meantime.

Thankfully, I finally discovered the best umbrella to use in bad weather...my new Cheeky Umbrella!  Keep reading to learn more!

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Whether it’s providing a band-aid for a scraped knee or equipping their cars with safety seats, parents are the first line of defense for their children at home. This month, as part of National Fire Prevention Awareness Month, Energizer and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) are asking Moms and Dads to take a vital step to keep their kids safe at home – Change Your Clock Change Your Battery.

From October 11 through November 4, visit the Energizer Bunny Facebook page and click on the Fire Safety Info Tab.  Here you will have the chance to enter a sweepstakes to win an additional Family Safety Kit.  Energizer will be giving away one Family Safety Kit per day for 25 days.  Contained in the kit, valued at more than $150 is:

• One reusable grocery tote
• Two Kidde Battery-Operated Combination Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarms
• One package of Energizer Advanced Lithium batteries
• One package of Energizer MAX Batteries with Power Seal Technology
• Two Energizer flashlights
• Two Energizer Flameless Wax Candles
• One Energizer Bunny Plush Bunny

In addition you can find fire safety tips, a home escape plan that you can download and draw your family’s home escape plan, as well as a coloring and activity sheet.

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