Car Review Toyota 2012 Prius v Hybrid Fuel Efficiency Without Sacrificing Most Sought Auto Features

Automotive

All photos in this post by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

If you're a Baby Boomer who grew up in the 70s like I did, you may recall the early compact and sub-compact cars made by Toyota and its competitors that were products of the 1973 Oil Crisis and America's new demand at the time for greater fuel efficiency. Later in 1997, with the introduction of the original Prius model, Toyota became one of the first companies to commercially mass produce and sell hybrid cars, bringing forth a whole new kind of energy smart driving machine. 

2012 Prius v Featured in this Review

The Prius family of vehicles, which received the GreenCarReports.com 2012 Best Green Car Award  has been accelerating ever since. Now including the third generation Prius Hatchback, the Prius v, and the Prius c, with the Prius Plug-In Hybrid expected to debut early this year, the brand is the best-selling hybrid in America.  Understandably, with all that history in addition to my family having owned a few Toyotas over the years,  you can probably imagine why I was both intrigued and excited to have the opportunity to drive and evaluate the 2012 Prius v for Mommy Blog Expert.

The Prius v is unveiled at the L.A. Auto Show

I have to admit that the first time I saw the Prius v that was unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November I wasn't really that stoked about it. From the looks of the car's exterior body, I thought this vehicle -- while certainly sporty in styling -- would be way too small for me, my passengers, and cargo, and that it would likely not have much power upon acceleration. As my subsequent hands-on testing went on to prove, I was wrong on both these counts and many other pre-conceived notions I had about hybrid cars in general and the Prius v in particular.

Pulling out of Toyota's Press Vehicle Lot to Start the Test

Typically I look forward to driving my own car again after using a loaner or rental. However this experience was a whole different story. After testing and driving the Prius v over 900 miles to Las Vegas to cover CES the International Consumer Electronics Show and back home to Los Angeles I discovered that -- ironically -- there are many more things that I liked about this Toyota hybrid than the non-Toyota SUV that I currently own and drive.

Prius v Driver's Seat View - Check out all the Bells & Whistles

With three models to choose from the Prius v is loaded with wonderful standard features depending on the model as well as some cool options that you can add on to customize it still further. At this point I'd be remiss not to mention that the "v" in Prius stands for versatile -- and as a matter of fact -- after driving this car I couldn't think of a better word to describe it.

Screen Shot of the Entune App on my iPhone

Furthermore, I could go on for pages about all things that I think you might appreciate about this vehicle. But to keep this post from getting too long, here are just a handful of the things that had the greatest appeal to me on the Prius v Five press car that I drove for this review.

The Spacious Second Row of Seats in the Prius v

• Awesome fuel efficiency, averaging between 38-40 MPG in city and on the highway, and a good amount of power for driving long distances at the maximum speed limits on freeways
• A compact size car that made it possible to take advantage of designated hybrid parking spaces in Las Vegas and L.A.
• Sporty exterior with a roomy interior cabin with generous headroom and leg room for tall people like me, my hubbie, and all four of our teens
• A panoramic moon roof with power sliding sunshades that opens so wide to the sky that it almost creates the feel of riding in a convertible with the top down
• Automatic climate control to maintain a constant temperature of your choosing
• Large display GPS audio with navigation with camera view back up, built-in SiriusXM Satellite Radio and the Entune system that when downloaded to your cell phone from the App Store gives you hands free in-car phone use, Internet connectivity to Bing, Open Table, Pandora plus other practical apps you'll use while traveling.
• Ample center front seat console for storage as well as other strategically located cup holders plus other places to store things like maps, sunglasses, and mobile devices while driving
• Sun visors with light up vanity mirrors above both the driver's and front passenger's seats
• Keyless entry and ignition that starts at the push of a button; an added plus is that this car will not let you lock it if the sensor that opens it is left inside which is something I think harried carpool moms will especially appreciate
• A great deal of room in the hatchback trunk for hauling around the things you need while in town like kid's sporting equipment and for baggage for longer trips

 

The Prius v has so many features it comes with 3 separate manuals

With the introduction of the Prius v last fall and the introduction of the brand new Prius c this month (which I hope to test and review for a future MBE post) Toyota shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. That's what is called real progress. 

If the latest innovations are any indication, I can't wait to see what Toyota rolls off their development line next.

Toyota USA Corporate Headquarters in Torrance, California

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FTC Disclosure: I am a member of the Toyota Women Influencers Network TWIN community through a program with Clever Girls Collective. To facilitate this review Toyota provided me with the use of the Prius v from their press car fleet. However, I did not receive any compensation for writing this post or payment in exchange for participating. The opinions expressed herein are mine, and do not reflect the views of Toyota or any of its brands. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

List of Twitter Parties for Moms & Women This Week Jan 30 - Feb 5

Twitter Parties

Updated 2/3/12

Another busy week of Twitter parties begins with four tweetups this Monday night alone with more throughout the week. Check out the full week's schedule below that includes information and links to attend each party. Also keep checking back as additional events will be added to this calendar as the week progresses.

Chinese New Year at The Venetian, Las Vegas

Monday, January 30

Don't miss the #Mamavation Twitter Party 1/30 at 8-10 pm EST. Hosted by @Mamavation Prizes: a $100 Visa Giftcard, EA Sports Active 2 sets (4 prizes/4 winners), Omron Pedometers (4 winners), Eco-Foil Prize Packs (3 winners) and New Balance Shoes (4 winners) plus more prizes to come. RSVP

Come Clean About Fashion Disasters #StrutMoms Twitter Party 1/30 at 9 pm EST with Prizes  including Four (4) $50 The Children's Place Gift Cards. Hosted by @HollyPavlika @TheMoms & @VeraSweeney  DETAILS

Hispanic Mom Bloggers hosts #HISPZ12 Twitter Party 1/30 at 9 pm EST. Prizes include a BlackBerry Playbook 7" Tablet, a $100 Wal-Mart Gift Card, $50 Wal-Mart Gift Card and Two (2) Hispanicize 2012 Conference Tickets.  RSVP

Join @TravelingMoms 1/30 at 9 pm EST for a Family Travel Twitter Party #TMom Prizes include an Orlando Makes Me Smile bag and up to Six (6) one day tickets to the Orlando theme park of your choice and Hydros Filter Water Bottles. RSVP
 

Tuesday, January 31

Marvel's The #Avengers Global Twitter Party and Chat with the Cast & Director on 1/31 at 2 pm EST. Avengers prize packs to be given away, be sure to follow @MarvelDatabase. DETAILS

Join @MomCentral for the #iloveavocados Twitter Party on 1/31 at 3 pm EST. Prizes include Six (6) $50 Amazon gift codes & an Avocados from Mexico prize pack; they're also giving away two (2) $50 Amazon gift codes & Avocados from Mexico prize packs for tweeting before the event. RSVP

The @CleverGirlsColl hosts and the @HuntsChef sponsors the Hunt's Winter Habits Twitter Party #clevertomatoes on 1/31 at 3 pm EST. Fabulous prizes. RSVP


Wednesday, February 1

Join @TheOnlineMom & Friends on 2/1 at 9 pm EST for #TheOnlineMom Weekly Wednesday Twitter Party. Prizes to win this week: Two (2) $100 Zappos Gift Certificates Info & RSVP

The Lorax Movie Twitter party on 2/1 at 8 pm EST hosted by @ResourcefulMom and sponsored by @UniversalPics Loads of prizes: 10 winners will each receive The Lorax Prize Package including a $25 Fandango Giftcard & The Lorax t-shirt; 5 winners get a $50 Fandango Giftcard and The Lorax t-shirt; and 10 winners will be awarded a $25 IHOP Giftcard and The Lorax t-shirt. RSVP


Thursday, February 2

Come to the @eBay #eBayWithLove Twitter Party for your chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree. DETAILS

Friday, February 3

It's another @TheOnlineMom Twitter Party at 3 pm EST - This one with @VerizonInsider and @RobynsWorld Prizes include Jawbone JAMBOX Wireless Speaker and Bluetooth Headset #VZWbuzz RSVP

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FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Elegant International Wine Tasting Event Cuisine by Zagat Rated Chef, Feb 15 in LA

Grownup Date Night

For a wonderful adults only night out in February in Southern California, consider this. Herzog Wine Cellars will orchestrate their 5th annual International Food & Wine Festival IFWF for one night only: Wednesday, February 15 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.

Me w/ BBQ Steak by Chef Aarons at Tierra Sur in Oxnard, California

In the past, this once-a-year food and wine tasting extravaganza has been held at Herzog's winery in Oxnard, California. This year, for the first time, the event takes place in Los Angeles and my hubbie and I are really looking forward to attending not only because this is gourmet, local and kosher but also because we love fine wine. That's on top of the delectable food that will be served during the evening prepared by uber talented Chef Todd Aarons of Tierra Sur, the highest Zagat rated restaurant in Ventura County and a personal Mommy Blog Expert favorite fine dining destination.

Prize Winning Wines Abound at Herzog Wine Cellars, Ventura County

True foodies -- especially those who are aficionados of Mediterranean-inspired cuisine -- will likely appreciate Chef Aarons' culinary artistry. If you happen to be a discerning wine connoisseur, there's also a good chance you'll discover something new to savor among the more than 100+ labels from Royal Wine Corp.'s international portfolio that will reportedly be poured for guests at the festival.

Image from HerzogWineCellars.com

The 2012 International Food & Wine Festival takes place Wednesday, February 15, 2012 starting at 6 p.m. at the elegant Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, 2025 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067. $125 ticket price per person includes food and beverages throughout the festival. Tickets & More Information

Tierra Sur Utilizes Locally Grown Small Family Farm Produce Whenever Possible

MBE Note: A similar event affiliated with Royal Wine Corp. called the 2012 Kosher Food & Wine Experience KFWE takes place in New York, Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers, on February 13th and will feature 200 wines and cuisine from the best East Coast kosher restaurants.

FTC Disclosure: I disclose that I am an enthusiastic patron of Herzog Wine Cellars and Tierra Sur at Herzog. MommyBlogExpert did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Taking a Break for Quality Time With Family

MBE is on Hiatus This Week


I'm taking time off to enjoy my family and kids after an extremely busy month that included a hectic but productive week away from home covering the Consumer Electronics Show CES. 


Lots of new content is coming that you won't want to miss. So, wanted you to know that posts will resume on Monday after I'm able to return to my normal writing work schedule.


Thanks for continuing to read Mommy Blog Expert. This blog appreciates your readership!

Women & Moms Don't Miss All the FUN Twitter Parties Next Week w/ Prizes Jan 22 - 28

Twitter Parties 

January 22-28

To help you start planning for next week, here's a list of Twitter parties that are family friendly coming up. This list will be updated as more Tweet ups are identified so check back frequently as additional events with links to RSVP are added.
Year of the Dragon - Chinese New Year at The Venetian, Las Vegas
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Sunday, January 22, 3 pm EST
If you're a dog lover you won't want to miss the #SuperDogPics Twitter party hosted by Dog Tipper and sponsored by LifeandDog. Details on prizes soon.
RSVP

Monday, January 23, 9 pm EST
Electronics on Vacation #TMom #DreamVacay Twitter Party. Hosted by Traveling Mom, Prize info to come.
RSVP

Wednesday, January 25, 3 pm EST

You're invited to Share the Love at the #GodivaCoffee Twitter party, hosted by Clever Girls Collective and sponsored by Godiva Coffee - because Nothing Says Love Like Godiva. Lots of prizes. Bonus for everyone: Visit GodivaCoffee.com for a $2 coupon off any of the brand's coffees.

RSVP

Thursday, January 26, 9 pm EST
Come to the #Cravebox Twitter Party hosted by SheSpeaksUp and sponsored by Cravebox Prizes include Craveboxes and more.
RSVP

Upcoming...

Monday, January 30, 8-10 pm EST
Mamavation Boot Camp Twitter Party Launch #1, hosted by Mamavation and BookieBoo. Prizes include 2 #Mamavation 7-week Virtual Boot Camp sessions plus prizes organized by Resourceful Mom.
RSVP

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If you have an online event to add to this list, please email janis at janiselspas dot com with "Twitter Party" in subject line.

FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Justin Bieber, Mega Celebrities in Music, Film, TV Sports Converge With Tech at CES

Technology
by Janis Brett Elspas

Las Vegas experienced a huge influx of world-class pop culture and entertainment talent last week for the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show. That's because dozens of recognizable celebrities were in town for appearances at various consumer tech company press conferences, show booths, parties and events held in conjunction with CES over the course of a handful of days. 

Justin Bieber at 2012 CES Showing New mRobo Ultra Bass

Photo courtesy of MWW Group on Behalf of TOSY

Most well-known -- at least among tween and teen fans -- was 17 year-old sensation Justin Bieber, the Grammy-nominated platinum pop star singer who was invited to the TOSY Robotics booth at Las Vegas Convention Center to help the Vietnamese firm introduce the mRobo Ultra Bass, a pint-sized Bieber-inspired concept that transforms from an audio speaker into an 18" tall dancing robot capable of holding up to 500 songs. According to the company the futuristic product is expected to launch in Fall 2012 and retail for about $199.

Will Smith Joins Sony on Stage to View Clips from the Upcoming MIB3

Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Another big name descending into Fabulous Las Vegas was actor Will Smith, who appeared during a press conference led by Phil Molyneoux, COO of Sony Electronics. Here, a mind-boggling number of news announcements were delivered in rapid fire fashion about a slew of new Sony connected consumer products across a wide range of categories. Among them were Bloggie Live, the world’s first MP4 full HD pocket camera capable of live video streaming with built-in Wi-Fi and the wedge-shaped Sony Tablet S. Watch for individual MBE reviews on these innovative products soon. Smith, for his part, was on hand for a sneak preview of Men in Black MIB 3 from Sony and Columbia Pictures to be released in theaters May 25, 2012.

Not to be outdone by someone who has been in the public eye a few more years longer than she has was American Idol - Season 1 winner and multi-platinum singer and songwriter Kelly Clarkson who performed her hit song Mr. Know It All from the new album Stronger. It's amazing to think that this super talented vocalist has only been in the public eye for about 10 years, yet she has sold 20 million albums worldwide to date. Watch the press conference with Smith's CES appearance on stage and the performance of Clarkson by clicking on the Sony UStream Window above.

Nicole Polizzi on the Red Carpet, iHip Fete at Gallery at Planet Hollywood  Las Vegas

Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Also there was Nicole Nicole Polizzi best known as Snooki on the hit reality TV show Jersey Shore on hand at the iHip booth to launch her dazzling brand of headphones as well as headlining an exclusive party held by the brand at The Gallery Night Club at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas. Carl Banks of New York Giants fame; Jose "Hyde" Cotto, urban music pioneer; and DJ Luny Tunes all made appearances during CES to promote new personal branded iHip headphones, too. 

Monster Announces Partnership With Earth, Wind & Fire at The Venetian

Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Verdine White bassist of the iconic group Earth, Wind & Fire -- an inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and an 8-time Grammy Award winning ensemble -- shared the podium at the Monster press conference with Head Monster Noel Lee at The Venetian Hotel. White was there to celebrate the group's partnership with Monster and to roll-out a new line of advanced consumer electronic products inspired by his classic band starting with the high performance and elegant Gratitude headphones. Monster, BTW, also announced at CES it has dropped the word Cable from its name. 
 

Two Bond Girls Present James Bond on Blu-Ray at Panasonic Booth

iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Meanwhile over at the Panasonic booth celebrating the 50th anniversary of the James Bond entity and announcing a commemorative boxed set of all 22 films on Blu-Ray from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment were Bond Girls and actresses Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace) and Caterina Murino (Casino Royale). This was followed by an all-star panel chat with three directors from the legendary series: John Glen (five Bond films), Martin Campbell (2 Bond films), and Michael Apted (The World is Not Enough).

Justin Bieber has a blast at mRobo Press Conference
Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Other CES Star Sightings...

Tom Hanks at a private CES event launching Electric City on Yahoo! Larry Johnson, New York Knicks and Ron Duguay, New York Rangers in uniform at Duracell Powermat booth. Also rapper/actor LL Cool J who demo-ed the Boomdizzle Virtual Studio with live recording of his new song, No More at the CNET stage while his engineer was in New York. Additional notables: Jillian Michaels, TV personality and fitness guru; rapper 50 Cent; Dennis Rodman, NBA Hall of Fame; Teresa Scanlan, Miss America 2011; NBA legends Robert Horry and John Salley; and an eclectic collection of others.

Ice Sculpture at 2012 CES Unveiled Event

Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Who are your favorite stars? If you could attend just one of these CES events which one would you choose and why? Please leave a comment and share.

FTC Disclosure: I was invited to attend these events as a member of the press covering the news for MBE. This blog did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this particular post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Hard Working Mom Tech Bloggers Take a Brief Break from Covering the 2012 International CES

Technology

What an awesome, exciting, and exhausting week CES was. Here's a photo of a lighter moment during a special tour for an elite group of tech bloggers, including me. It was great seeing so many of my old blogging friends as well as meeting a few new ones too as the show and conference -- I especially was thrilled to finally meet The Online Mom in person who I've known for years and who organized the Verizon event for us to meet with the brand's PR and management people.

This set of pictures was taken at the Verizon Photo Booth of the Future in one of those cavernous Consumer Electronics Show exhibit halls at Las Vegas Convention Center. That's me in the second row on right in black shirt with my reading glasses on top of my head. Feel free to tag yourself in this photo which I've also posted on MBE's Facebook page.

Learned about lots of really cool and practical cutting edge technologies last week, so watch for many more tech posts about the show as soon as I can unpack and write about them all!
 

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FTC Disclosure: I was an invited guest of Verizon for a special tour of their CES booth as well as the event that followed; I also received a gift bag from the brand. However, the opinions expressed here are my own and MommyBlogExpert did not receive any payment associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

10 Twitter Parties This Week With Major Consumer Brand Giveaways Moms & Women Will Love

Twitter Parties 

Updated 1/17/12

Both moms who blog and moms and women in general that  just want to win some great prizes and interact with like-minded others will want to check into participating in your choice of this week's upcoming Twitter parties. Be sure to revisit this post throughout the week as I'll be updating it and adding more fun online events for you to attend this week as they are discovered.
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Monday, January 16
9 pm EST
Share Your Packing Tips #TMom Twitter Party, hosted by @ TravelingMoms. Prize at end of party.
RSVP

Tuesday, January 17

7-8 pm EST 
Fancy Food Show #MomsandBrands Twitter Party sponsored by Winter Fancy Food Show, San Francisco and hosted by @KemiIngram
Prizes from the upcoming #WFF12 Show such as GoGo Squeez and ACTIVATE Drinks
RSVP

8-9 pm EST
2nd Bloggy Conference 2012 Twitter Party #Bloggycon hosted by @BloggyMoms. Prize provided by Plum District.
RSVP 

9-11 pm EST
Bushs Beans Twitter Party on Winter chili, soups, and stews, hosted by @MomItForward and sponsored by #BushsBeans #Gno. Prizes: $250 of Bushs Beans & cooking equipment. RSVP 

Wednesday, January 18

8-9 pm EST
The #Handwriting Twitter Party hosted by @TheGraciousGirl and sponsored by @CraneandCo, @Sheaffer_Page and @StationeryTrend. Prizes from Crane & Co. and Sheaffer.
RSVP 

8-9 pm EST
Movies on Demand #MODAwards Twitter Party hosted by @MomSpark. Prizes include $200 Visa Giftcard plus GCs from Sephora, American Express, Best Buy & more.
RSVP

Thursday, January 19

9-10 pm EST
Friends & Family Twitter Party hosted by @busymommymedia and sponsored by Hasbro. Follow them @familygamenight to join the fun and conversation about tips and game ideas for your next party with hash tag #GameNight. Prizes: Hasbro's favorite party games (1 Grand Prize Package and 15 individual game winners).
RSVP

9-10 pm EST 

Tide Cold Water Twitter Party #Washcold, sponsored by Tide and P&G Future Friendly and hosted by SheSpeaks.com 

Prizes include Grand Prize: Whirlpool High Efficiency Washing Machine plus $700 worth of prizes including a Honey-Can-Do Triple Laundry Sorter, a Suncast Recycle Bin and more.

RSVP 

9-10 pm EST

Get Back in Shape Fitness Twitter Party #GetItGuide w/ @YahooShine and @Bookieboo. Prizes: Fitness DVDs & Amazon GC

RSVP

Sunday, January 22

During Downton Abbey Broadcast EST

The @MasterpiecePBS Downton Abbey Season 2 Twitter Party #DowntonPBS , event repeats weekly all season.

RSVP

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FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Toyota Unveils New Prius Family Member at Detroit Auto Show - Highest City MPG of Any Car in U.S.

Automotive

America got its first look at the newest addition to the Prius family from Toyota last week. Known as the Prius c, this new hybrid car was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 10.  Having just finished a test drive and been impressed by the fuel efficiency and handling of another Toyota model -- the 2012 Prius v that will be reviewed separately on this blog shortly -- I'm looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the latest Prius vehicle soon to experience it first-hand.

The 2012 Toyota Prius v, big sister to the brand new Prius c
iPhone photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

The smaller and shorter Prius c -- the c stands for "city" -- will be available in March 2012. At 53 mpg in town and 46 mpg on the highway with a combined rating of 50 mpg, this urban-friendly model has the highest in-city fuel efficiency of any car without a plug in America according to Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc.

Designed as a five-door hatchback with a starting MSRP below $19,000, this all-new vehicle will usher in Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive to the subcompact market when it goes on sale. This car will be offered in three new uber cool colors: Habanero, Moonglow, and Summer Rain Metallic, in addition to existing hues such as Blue Streak Metallic, Absolutely Red, Black Sand Pearl, Magnetic Gray Metallic, Classic Silver Metallic, and Super White.

Debut of the Prius c at the Detroit Auto Show, January 10, 2012

The Prius c joins siblings that include the third generation Prius Liftback and the new Prius v, both already on the market, and the Prius Plug-in Hybrid which will debut early this year. Since the first generation of the Prius was introduced to consumers 14 years ago, more than two million of the brand's units have been sold around the world. With Prius c, Toyota's most proven hybrid technology will finally be available to subcompact car shoppers, in addition to having access to options such as the car manufacturer's sophisticated Entunes system which was first announced last summer.

Based on what I've learned so far about this car and my own current experience with the Toyota brand -- because of its hip styling and pricing -- I wouldn't be surprised if the Prius c sells particularly well to first-time and youthful drivers as well as to older consumers who are young at heart but also budget conscious.

Have you test driven any hybrid cars? If yes, what did you think of the experience?

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FTC Disclosure: I was selected for participation in the Toyota Women Influencers Network TWIN community through a program with Clever Girls Collective. I did not receive any compensation for writing this post or payment in exchange for participating. The opinions expressed herein are mine, and do not reflect the views of Toyota or any of its brands. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

15 Free Educational Craft Ideas & Printable Kids Activities for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

History

Monday, January 16 is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the U.S.  This day -- which always occurs on a Monday as a legal holiday -- marks the anniversary of this great civil rights leader's birth on January 15, 1929.   Like many other Baby Boomers, I remember King's marches, learning about racial equality in elementary school, and his gravely unfortunate murder in 1968. To keep his memory alive for the generations born since his passing it is important to educate children about who King was and how he impacted the course of history in America. Here are a variety of educational and craft projects for kids so they can better understand what Martin Luther King, Jr. was all about.

Craft Ideas, Educational Projects & Printables 

From Crayola

Freedom Hands Cut-Outs

I Have a Dream Craft

Famous Leader Pop-Ups

Diorama - Historic Speech at Lincoln Memorial

MLK Day Crossword Puzzle

From TLC.com

Colorful Peace Medal Dough Bake Craft

From Activity Village

I Have a Dream Bookmarks Printables

From DLTK

Handprint & Dove Unity Paper Wreath Craft

From KinderArt

A Box of Crayons Craft - A Lesson about Diversity

From Education.com

Design a Postage Stamp to Honor Dr. King

From The Holiday Zone

Black & White Collage

Milk Carton Buses 

From Education World

Martin Luther King Kid's Quiz

From Teacher Vision

Martin Luther King Printable Coloring Page

From About.com/Homeschooling

Dr. King Printable Word Search

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FTC Disclosure: This blog did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this particular post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.   

Navigating CES & Las Vegas - Google Comes to Rescue With Free Online Suite of Maps

TECHNOLOGY Getting around CES is crazier than ever this year. Whether you've been here before or this is your first event it's forever a challenge to get to all the places you want to go. So before you send out the SOS crying to go home check the complimentary comprehensive maps hosted by Google. There's so much to see, demo and learn about so get out there and a have a fun, productive and stress free experience at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show. Access CES maps for all the places you want to go HERE http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2012/01/get-indoor-maps-of-las-vegas-casinos.html FTC Disclosure: Mommy Blog Expert is in Las Vegas all week covering CES exhibitors and events. I did not receive any payments or other compensation associated with this post.

International CES Unveiled Pre Show Event for Press Full of Tech Delights for Family

As a media member I had access tonight to an event called CES Unveiled. Watch for a story on my picks for families tomorrow as soon as I can get to the press room so I won't have to write this whole post on my iPhone and I can upload the pics I took.

Free Inflight Wi-Fi for Those Flying to & from Las Vegas for Consumer Electronic Show - CES Travel Tips

2012 International CES

Though I'll be traveling myself by car from California for the biggest consumer tech conference of the year, I'd like to share some helpful travel information for savvy business travelers who have flights into McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas between now and the end of the show. Just received word about some very good news for companies, publicists, your boss and significant others affected by your CES trip. 

iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

If you are flying through the clouds and dreading the deluge of emails that will no doubt await you upon landing, there's a bonus for those attending CES that you ought to know about. To help minimize the stress upon arrival at the show, Ford and Gogo are teaming up to give convention attendees 30 minutes of free Wi-Fi access on all Gogo-equipped flights in and out of Las Vegas from January 7 to January 13, 2012.  

How-to access free Gogo Wi-Fi

• Wait till your flight crew has approved electronic device usage
• Then, connect to Gogo on your flight using your Wi-Fi enabled device (laptop, tablet or smartphone in "Airplane Mode" with mobile network off)
• Open your browser and enter your email address in the special Ford/CES promotion on the Gogo home page
• On your flight home, you can write wrapup reports, file CES stories and post to Facebook or Twitter

This complimentary Gogo Wi-Fi is intended to help pave the way to a productive start for your CES adventure trip.  Don't forget to 'like' Gogo on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Have a safe and productive trip and I hope to see you in Las Vegas!

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FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Hate Doing Laundry? Here's a New Laundry Product to Make The Job a Little More Pleasant for Moms

Homekeeping

When my 4 kids -- a singleton plus triplets all born within a year -- were in diapers at the same time, I remember how much laundry I had to do every day. I loved dressing my kids in cutesy matching outfits and they always got them dirty since they loved being outside making my job all the more difficult. In fact, newly laundered clothes were constantly piling up on the couch and spilling onto the floor in our living room where I used to fold and sort because I could never keep up with it all. How I hated doing laundry then, especially when I had to fold it and put it away when I was half asleep, LOL.
4 kids born w/in a year always got dirty so I had lots of laundry
Vintage Family Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Now those sweet little babies are teens and guess what? Those mere hills of laundry have turned into mountains of clothes, especially my two girls who always seem to have multiple costume changes daily creating a lot more washing and drying for me to do. Besides, how many teens do you know that either pick up their own clothes or help mom with the laundry? 

Admittedly I still don't enjoy going around the house picking up their clothes or even loading the washer and dryer, then putting everything away. But I do have to say that I like the smell of my freshly washed laundry a whole lot more now after trying the new Snuggle Exhilarations White Lilac and Spring Flowers concentrated fabric softener.

Note the famous laundry pile spilling off our couch at left
The triplets w/ Daddy spin Hannukah dreidels on my laundry basket
Vintage Family Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Over the years I've used various brand name and bargain brand softeners. Like other products my laundry comes out soft with this, but it is also the first one I've washed clothes with that has the fresh smell of lilacs and other flowers that remind me of spring. Some other brands I've used are too strongly scented and some have no smell at all, but this new Snuggles formulation made by  The Sun Products Corporation is a nice compromise between the two.


The label indicates that this new product is safe for all HE (high efficiency) washing machines like the one I own. A 32 ounce bottle goes a long way to scent and soften up to 32 loads of laundry since you use only about an ounce of the concentrate per wash. An added plus for me -- since I try to incorporate green living into our family life -- is that the bottle packaging contains 25% or more post-consumer recycled plastic. 

Something important from the back of the bottle to note: Do not use this product on children's sleepwear or other garments labeled as flame resistant as it may reduce flame resistance.

Snuggle Exhilarations White Lilac & Spring Flowers
Reminiscent of the sweet smelling flowers in my garden
iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

To learn more about Snuggle Exhilarations White Lilac and Spring Flowers visit the Snuggle site. You can also like them on Facebook so you'll be in the loop on future news, coupon availability and promotions about this brand.

Have you tried this new Snuggle fabric softener product yet? What do you think about it? If not, tell about the experience you have had with the brand are you using now? You are encouraged to leave a comment and share.

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FTC Disclosure: I received the product from the brand Snuggle to facilitate this test and review as a blogger and member of the Smiley360 network. Opinions are my own and MommyBlogExpert did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.