We are spending less time doing laundry thanks to the sensors inside the Whirlpool Duet - they detect water levels and cut down on washing/drying cycles.

But that's not the only way we are saving time. What used to be the brutal job of stain-treating our children's laundry is now gone. Before owning the Whirlpool Duet we had a basket full of stain removal products in addition to our trusted vinegar to help us pretreat stubborn stains. We sorted the laundry and pulled out anything that was in desperate need of OxiClean. After treating a mountain of kid's laundry we tossed everything in the wash and hoped for the best. There were many stains left behind. I have a memory box full of baby clothes to prove it.

Treating stubborn stains with the Whirlpool Duet is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Toss laundry inside the washing machine.

Even the kool-aid stained, white, button down shirt from a certain nine-year-old boy. Do not pretreat.

2. Locate the DEEP CLEAN button and press START.

3. Determine the SOIL LEVEL and press START.

Go about your day and forget about the button down shirt that was handed down from Cousin Phillip to Cousin Billy to a certain nine-year-old boy who managed to get it stained for the first time. No need to check-in to see if the laundry is done, the Whirlpool Duet sings to you signifying it's done. Pull out the stain-free laundry and wonder who you can hand it down to next.

Pretty incredible, no? Nothing was spot treated or photoshopped.

I wrote this review while participating in a test-drive campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Whirlpool and received a complimentary Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

My husband and nine-year-old son had the opportunity to watch an early screening of Real Steel, courtesy of DreamWorks.

“Real Steel” is an action drama about a former boxer (Hugh Jackman) who, against all odds,  gets one last shot at a comeback when he teams up with his estranged son (Dakota Goyo) to build and train the perfect contender for the new high-tech sport of robot boxing.

Knowing that our son (the eldest child) was a little more sensitive to violence than our four-year-old daughter (who, unlike him, grew up watching movies for a more mature audience), we decided to prepare him beforehand by watching the movie trailers on YouTube and answering questions. "That looks AWESOME!" our son shouted in the comforts of our well lit home in broad daylight. "I can't wait to see it!" We discussed how the movie was fiction and answered all his questions ranging from who writes the story to how CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) works. On the night of the early screening I kissed both my husband and son before they left for the movie, "Have a nice father-son date!"

Minutes later I received a frantic phone call.

"HE. WON'T. STEP. INSIDE. THE. MOVIE. THEATRE."

"What do you mean?"

"He saw the movie posters outside of the theatre and realized it was dark inside. He refuses to go."

"Put him on the phone."

"Jay. Honey. My love. Mommy and Daddy would never ever make you do anything you really didn't want to do. But we know you will enjoy this movie. Just like you enjoyed Star Wars, Harry Potter and The Transformers. Mommy and Daddy read about the movie and together we decided it was something you can watch."

"But.... sniffle, sniffle. But, it's rated PG-13."

"All the old movies we watch at home should be rated PG-13 but in the old days that rating didn't exist."

"Really? But... I wish you were here, Mom."

"Real Steel is a movie about a daddy and his son building robots that box. You've seen worst."

"Really?"

"Yes. I promise that if you don't like it..."

"Okay. Bye, Mom!"

Just like that, he was off the phone and on his way into the movie theatre with his dad. Needless to say my husband and son came home with smiles planted across their faces. Their very first father-son movie date to see an action packed flick, that my husband said reminded him of Rocky, was a huge success.

Since watching the movie they've had many more discussions that have come up. One night after religion class my son approached his father, "Hey, Dad. That movie we saw really reminds me of the David and Goliath story my teacher just read to us. David was the underdog, just like Atom in the movie." That connection made my heart smile. "Hey, Dad. We should build something together, like a tree house in our back yard from all the scrap metal we find, just like in the movie." That connection made my husband's heart swell. I have not seen the movie myself but from what I've heard from the two boys I love the most is that the father-son underdog theme makes this movie "SO AWESOME" (my nine-year-old's words).

There's no right answer to "What age is appropriate for a PG-13 movie?" - only you know your child well enough to decide. I'm certain that the first movie I watched in a movie theatre with my father ("E.T" - 1982 - PG) would be rated a PG-13 today (the PG-13 rating was introduced in 1984) just for the profanity alone. I was only six!

What was the first movie you watched, in a movie theatre with your parents? I am curious. One person will win an awesome super-retro Real Steel teeshirt, stickers and temporary tattoos . The retro "Real Steel" tee-shirt is pretty cool. One entry per email until 10-13-11 when chosen by random.org.

GIVEAWAY WINNER >>>> Here are your random numbers:

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Timestamp: 2011-10-09 18:41:33 UTC

We love the circus. The exotic animals, the daring trapeze artists, the bright lights and electrifying excitement throughout the arena captivates my children. This year we are most looking forward to seeing Tabayara an animal trainer whose rare ability to communicate with animals allows him to ride rearing stallions at a fully charged gallop and orchestrate majestic four-ton Asian Elephants in a symphony of dance. Also this year there are more breathtaking dare-devilry and superhuman stunts - my nine-year-old can not wait to see it in person after watching some daring acts on America's Got Talent all summer long.

Trapeze your way over to the circus this year for "Fully Charged".

Cleveland performances at The Q:

Wednesday, October 19: 7:30pm

Thursday, October 20: 7:30pm

Friday, October 21: 7:30pm

Saturday, October 22: 11:30am/ 3:30pm/ 7:30pm

Sunday, October 23: 11:30am/ 3:30pm/ 7:30pm

Tickets prices:

$85 (Discount Drug Mart Circus Celebrity)

$68 (Front Row)

$43 (VIP)

$20 **trade price

$15

Discounts:

Save $8 in advance on each ticket with CODE: FFA8 (HERE on The Q's website)-- or save $4 on each ticket on the day of the show with CODE: FFA4. (Restrictions: FFA8 code valid through October 18, 2011. FFA4 code valid October 19-23, 2011. Not valid on Discount Drug Mart Circus Celebrity, Front Row and VIP seats. Limit 6 tickets per transaction.)

Giveaway:

Here's your chance to win FOUR TICKETS to the performance date of your choice. Comment for your chance, one entry per email - let me know what you look forward to seeing the most at the circus. Giveaway ends this Saturday October 8th, 2011 at midnight where one winner will be picked by random. Good luck and see you at the circus!

Disclosure: I was given tickets in exchange for hosting the giveaway. All opinions are my own.

Here are your random numbers:

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Timestamp: 2011-09-21 20:34:04 UTC -  Congrats to commenter #5 Kelly!

Travel to four magical destinations with Disney on Ice's Mickey & Minnie's Magical Journey coming to the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland from Thursday September 29th to Sunday October 2nd.

Make imagination your destination!  Join Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse on a journey into the magical worlds of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, The Lion King,Peter Pan and Lilo & Stitch.  From Ariel’s enchanting undersea kingdom to Never Land with Peter Pan and his sassy fairy friend Tinker Bell, you’ll be captivated by the music, beauty and laughter in a journey so magical, you’ll never want to go home!

Photo: Feld entertainment

Show Schedule:

Thursday, September 29: 7PM

Friday, September 30: 7PM

Saturday, October 1: 11AM/3PM/7PM

Sunday, October 2: 1PM/5PM

Ticket Prices:

Discount Drug Mart Front Row: $70

VIP: $48

P3: $21

P4: $15

SPECIAL DISCOUNT:

Go to the Quicken Loans Arena website and save $6 in advance on each ticket with CODE: FFA6 -- or save $3 on each ticket on the day of the show with CODE: FFA3. (Restrictions: FFA6 code valid through September 28, 2011. FFA3 code valid September 29 - October 2, 2011. Not valid on Discount Drug Mart Front Row and VIP seats. Limit 6 tickets per transaction.)

CLASSY CHAOS GIVEAWAY:

Win four tickets to the showtime of your choice (listed above) by answering the question, "If you could take one person on a Magical Journey, who would it be and where would you go?" in the comment section on this post. One entry per family. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced Sept 19, 2011 at midnight.

Disclosure: I was given tickets in exchange for hosting the giveaway. All opinions are my own.