30 November 2011

Holiday Gift Ideas For Girls!


Christmas is right around the corner and finding gifts for little ones can be fun, but also challenging if you don't know exactly what they like.  I run into this all the time with my niece and nephew.  While they always seem to act like they love what I get them, I think they secretly don't most years!  This year I have been scouting all the hot toy lists and I think I'm going to do okay this time around.  I think the hardest to buy for are the women and especially girls in my family, so here's some ideas if you get stumped like me!

Hot Girl Toys This Year:
Xia-Xia Pets
Lalaloopsy Dolls
Fijit Friends
Monster High Dolls
Bizu Style Studio

Classic Gifts:
Barbie
Clothing
Makeup
Craft Kits



Qwik Shower Big Wet Wipes Review and Giveaway





Introducing Qwik Shower, the one time use large 10x12 disposable towel!  Created to combat stinky kids after gym practice, these convenient wipes are also great for on the go and are great for adults too!  Another great benefit to using Qwik Shower Big Wet Wipes, is they're eco-friendly!  Qwik Shower is a great alternative to aerosol body sprays, and work just as good if not better.  Right now you can purchase Qwik Shower Big Wet Wipes direct from their website and your order ships free!



I had the chance to review Qwik Shower Big Wet Wipes in my own home and I guarantee you these are a handy product to have!  I have an 11 year old daughter that is super sporty and loves to go out and play basketball with her friends after school.  Now I don't know about other moms, but I have a name for the stink kids seem to have after playing outside.  I call it "Sweaty Kid Smell".  If there's one thing that I don't like, it's that smell.  Sometimes though we are driving from one practice or school function to another and the kids can't get their shower in until later that night.  These wipes are perfect for freshening up in between play and shower!  They are thick and durable like a towel and they get that sweaty kid smell right off!



Enter To Win:
(1) Lucky reader of Textbook Mommy is going to win their very own 6 pack of Qwik Shower Wipes!

How To Win:
Please enter using the Rafflecopter form below.  This may take a moment to load.  Thanks for your patience.

Details:
This giveaway is open to residents of the United States, 18 years of age and older.
Giveaway Ends:  December 7, 2011 at 12:01 AM EST
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email or an alternate winner will be selected.







I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
Sponsored by Tomoson.com

25 November 2011

Winner Wonderland Giveaway Event








Welcome to the Winner Wonderland Giveaway Event. This event is hosted by Put A Little Umbrella In Your
Drink
, Seeds of Life, And The Little Ones Too and Taking Time For Mommy.
This event features giveaways with a value of $25 or more at each of the participating blogs!
Check out all of the great Winner Wonderland Sponsors being featured in this event! Be
sure to visit each blog from the linky below and enter for your chance to win! This event will
close on December 4th at 11:59 pm EST.


* My giveaways are sponsored by the wonderful folks at Bead For Life and The We Do Listen Foundation!




Bead For Life


Our first prize is brought to you by the wonderful folks at Bead For Life, a wonderful non profit organization that works with some of the most talented and hardworking people of Uganda that have a strong desire to improve their lives.  The wonderful men and woman use their skills of paper bead making and jewelry crafting to obtain the goal of self sufficiency within 18 months of working with the Bead For Life team.

Bead For Life not only wants to see the people of Uganda succeed, they also want to give them life long tools such as assisting members in launching their own small businesses by providing training, fascilitating savings accounts, and making business funds available.  When you purchase products through the Bead For Life Online Store you are not only helping provide these members with future opportunities, a portion of all profits help other people impovershed in Uganda, as well as help fund projects in health, affordable housing, and much more!  You can see all of their wonderful jewelry pieces, as well as other goodies - here!



Connect With Bead For Life:
* Website
* Online Store
* Facebook
* Twitter
 

Prize:  Winner will receive a pair of the Leena Earrings pictured above in their choice of blue, orange, red, green, marigold, earth tone, or black.



We Do Listen Foundation

Our second prize is being sponsored by the great people at We Do Listen Foundation.  The We Do Listen Foundation is a non profit organization that focuses on enabling children to enjoy inner peace and communicate in a healthy and effective way.  This foundation helps children attain this through their wonderful line of children's books, music, and games.  Children will have fun learning wonderful skills such as dealing with bullies and handling violent situations.

The We Do Listen Foundation is composed of a group of dedicated writers, artists, designers, educators, parents, therapists, and teachers.  One of their popular line of storybooks for children is the Howard B. Wigglebottom series!  The Wigglebottom books provide wonderful storylines with positive lessons and messages for children.  There are so many wonderful stories to choose from and you can check them all out here!



Connect With The We Do Listen Foundation:


Prize:  Winner will receive their choice of Howard B. Wigglebottom children's book!



How To Enter:  Please enter on the Rafflecopter form below.  This form make take a moment to load.  Thanks for your patience!

Details:  (1) Winner will be randomly selected from all entries to win both above mentioned prizes.  Giveaway ends December 5, 2011 at 12:01 AM EST.

Disclosure:  I received no form of compensation for this event other than the donation of a prize for the potential winner by the sponsors mentioned above.



24 November 2011

Financing Your College Education


There are so many options out there for financing your college education, and unless you have a full scholarship or other means to pay in full out of pocket, chances are you need to look at these options.  With so many different options to choose from, it can be tricky to figure out what is best for you and your situation.  Pick wisely, as your financing decisions will impact you later on, and hopefully not in a bad way!

First off you are going to want to fill out a FAFSA { Free Application for Federal Student Aid }.  Even if you think you won't be eligible to receive any help, you may be suprised at what you can receive, not to mention you need one filled out to be eligible for a Pell Grant { which is also financial assistance you do not need to repay like the FAFSA }.  Filling out a FAFSA will also help determine certain scholarship qualifiers.

Tip: Fill out your FAFSA as soon as you can for the year you will be attending.  I've learned that the quicker you get this in, the more money is available to you.  Wait too long and you may be limited on what you receive.

My next tip is to jump on board and first apply for all the scholarships you qualify for that are accessed through your college.  Colleges offer many of these just for attending students, helping your chances of receiving one!  After that, go online and apply for relevant scholarships.  There are many online scholarship databases out there to search through.  There's no hurt in trying!  This is free money towards your education and it's all up for grabs!


 The Breakdown of Loans:

* Perkins Loan - Need based.  Through the Federal Government.  5% fixed interest rate.

* Subsidized Stafford Loan - Need based.  Through the Federal Government.  3.4% fixed interest rate.

* Unsubsidized Stafford Loan - Not limited to need based.  Through the Federal Government.  6.8% fixed  interest rate.

* Parent PLUS Loan - Not limited to need based.  Through the Federal Government.  Borrowed by a parent.  7.9% fixed interest rate.

* Private Loans - Not limited to need based.  Issued through banks, colleges, and state agencies.  Borrowed by the student with usually a parent co-signer.  Interest rates vary, but usually higher than federal rates.


You can learn more about these different types of loans in detail here!


A handy tip for helping you figure out how much you can safely afford to borrow and pay back, is by using a studentloan.com calculator.  I highly recommend taking advantage of using one!  It can be easy to just borrow the money and then think of the repayment as an after thought.  Don't get trapped by this!  Borrow wisely to make life easier after graduation so you can enjoy that new career of yours worry free.

23 November 2011

Tips For Teaching Kids Math Skills




Good quality math skills starting at an early age is key for the future of your child's education, career, and life.  Math seems to be the subject that most children have the hardest time with.  I know in my area, the local schools have recognized the need to boost their math programs and are advancing and articulating their curriculum so that when they enter middle school, they are already equipped for pre-algebra.  Math is something that I have always struggled with myself, even at a college level.  I wish that I would have been able to grasp the concepts better, especially having to start from the ground up after seeing my college entrance math testing results. Yikes!

For the early learning process, using blocks, coins, or whatever you have handy to use for counting when handling math problems is a good start!  Of course later on as they get a little older they will be expected to do mental math.  Introducing word problems at a young age is also a great idea to help them learn how to dissect them.  This will give them an edge as they progress through school.

Help With Their Math Homework!  You are their own personal and FREE ready to go tutor!




Another handy resource for you child is the internet!  There are so many good websites out their { and videos too! } that can walk your child through the tough spots.  I'm not ashamed to say that I have watched many a YouTube videos on math formulas for college myself.  Here's a website that offers some great free math learning resources, click here!  There are so many good websites for teaching math out there.  You just have to look!  Also, don't forget about free online math games to help boost skills.  Your child will be learning core math skills and won't even realize it because it's a game!

Some Great Free Games For Learning Math





Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Event!




Welcome to the Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Event hosted by Textbook Mommy!  Feel free to hop around to each of the wonderful blogs listed below and enter to win some wonderful stocking stuffers for your family.  This event runs from November 30th-December 7th.  Good luck and Happy Holidays!




What You Can Win:
Pink Sugar Bakery Cupcake Pendant Necklace
If you've never checked out the wonderful and absolutely adorable items at Pink Sugar Bakery, they are a must see!    Pink Sugar Bakery offers handmade cupcake themed goodies, and some are even scented!  PinkSugarBakery.com specializes in:
                                                                       

                                                                       * Pendants
                                                                       * Bracelets
                                                                       * Earrings
                                                                       * Rings
                                                                       * Necklaces
                                                                       * Hair Accessories
                                                                       * Cell Phone Charms, and more!

If you need some wonderfully made, unique holiday gifts, this is the place!  Want a great idea for gifts for your bridesmaids?  Megan from Pink Sugar Bakery recommends giving them each a Cupcake Necklace!  You can also find more goodies from Pink Sugar Bakery on Etsy, Zazzle, and Cafe Press where Megan has the most adorable cupcake ornaments!

Megan from Pink Sugar Bakery is offering (1) reader of Textbook Mommy a beautiful cupcake pendant on a silver-tone chain!  Color to be determined by sponsor.



Connect With Pink Sugar Bakery:
            
Subway Gift Card

This prize I am personally sponsoring.  It's a $10.00 Subway gift card!  This would make a wonderful stocking stuffer for anyone on your list!  With Subway offering $5.00 foot long sandwiches, you can get two meals with this great little stocking stuffer.


Connect With Subway:
* Website
* Twitter
* Facebook


*Disclosure:  I was not compensated in any way for this giveaway event other than a donation of a prize for the winner from PinkSugarBakery.com.  




How To Win These Great Stocking Stuffers:
Enter using the Rafflecopter form below.  The form make take a moment to load, thanks for your patience!  One winner will receive both prizes.  Open to residents of the U.S., 18 years of age and older.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email or an alternate winner will be selected.  Giveaway ends:  December 7th at 12:01 AM EST.  Good Luck!




22 November 2011

Win Money For Your Favorite School!

Game of Your Life

Team up with everyone you know for a chance to win $5,000 for your favorite grade school or high school. All you have to do is register and watch the trailer for "Game of Your Life." It's a humorous and heartfelt video gaming drama about a promising young video game designer who has to make a choice that will affect his future and the lives of everyone around him. Then ask all your friends, family, teachers, fellow parents and PTO members – everyone you know – to watch it so they can vote for your school once a day, too. Because if any one of the people you tell wins, your school wins $5,000.


 
 
Enter To Win Here!
 
 
Zach, a high school gamer who lands a scholarship to an elite video game design program, has a bright future as long as he can survive the intense freshman year project that eliminates half the class in the first three months. But when Zach learns that his father is in financial trouble, he has to make a choice that will affect his future and the lives of everyone around him. This humorous and heartfelt drama is a great reminder to kids – and all of us – that the choices they make impact the people around them. “Game of Your Life” airs Friday, December 2nd 8/7c on NBC.


21 November 2011

Snuggle Exhilarations White Lilac and Spring Flowers Review


Snuggle introduces their new fragrant collection of fabric softeners called Snuggle Exhilarations!  Snuggle Exhilarations come in a variety of wonderful and irresistable scents such as Black Raspberry and Hydrangea, White Lavender and Sandalwood, Sweet Blossom and Pomegranate, Blue Iris and Bamboo Silk, Wild Orchid and Vanilla, and White Lilac and Spring Flowers.  Exhilarations also come in dryer sheet form for extra duty freshness for every load!

Snuggle Exhilarations give you the bonus of added softness, especially with your towels and sheets.  A reduction in fabric wrinkles and static cling is another added benefit when using Snuggle Exhilarations products!  Last but not least, you can't deny the luxury of freshness that Snuggle fabric softeners provide.  With these new scents, you'll find it hard to pick just one favorite!




I was lucky enough to receive a bottle of the new Snuggle Exhilarations Fabric Softener in the White Lilac and Spring Flowers fragrance.  I have always used the plain old regular bottle of Snuggle, but this was an exciting chance to see how this scent and formula would compare.  Snuggle has truly made a new line of fabric softeners that do the wonderful job that we all trust for our laundry, but their line of new frangrances in this collection is amazing!  I didn't know how I would like this scent since I've never really been big on florals.  The floral scent is not at all overpowering and it leaves my laundry smelling fresh, as well as the touch of softness I love from Snuggle!  With so many great scents to choose from, I highly recommend this product.  You won't be disappointed!


Connect With Snuggle:




*Disclosure:  I was provided a sample from the above named company, in partnership with Smiley360, in exchange for my personal review.  The opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and are not a result of any outside influence.

Teaching Your Kids Safe Spending Habits


Teaching kids money management skills early on can lay a foundation for success later in life.  One way to start the learning early on is to teach your children how to save their money, how to make it grow, and of course, how to spend it wisely!  Also be sure to include the differences between needs, wants, and wishes.  This helps them to determine if saving or spending in particular situations is the best choice.

Setting goals with children when it comes to their money is another great way to lay the foundation for good money management skills.  One way you can do this is by taking a high ticket item your child has their heart set on.  Encourage the idea of saving towards this goal.  You can even help your child with this goal by stating that you will contribute "x" amount of dollars once they have reached the goal of a particular set amount of money saved.

If your child gets an allowance, it is recommended to give them this in amounts that promote the skills of saving verses spending.  You can do this by giving them five one dollar bills instead of a five dollar bill.  Doing it this way will allow the child to put part of their allowance away for saving, while keeping a portion for spending.



It also doesn't hurt to include your child, especially as they get older into teens, how much the household bills actually cost.  This gives your child an inside look at how much it costs to run a home, and how saving helps to afford the luxuries your family enjoys indulging in when possible.  For teens, this could be a wonderful opportunity to let them see exactly how credit cards work, and how interest is calculated.  This helps promote future wise decisions in borrowing money.

Prepaid debit cards are a wonderful way to continue money management skills as your children get older.  Allowing them to hold their finances on a prepaid debit card for wise spending will enforce the value of a dollar. The My Green Dot prepaid debit card is a great first card just for this purpose!  My Green Dot has the ability to be used as normal debit and credit card functioning, and can be purchased through  nationwide retailers as temporary one time re-loadable or through ordering a personalized card that has the re-loadable feature.  These types of cards can be used to load allowance, paychecks, and more.  This is also a great way to teach responsibility as a whole.

Check out this website for games that help teach your children about money!





17 November 2011

Fun Thanksgiving Craft Ideas!


Want some fun craft ideas for the kids this Thanksgiving season?  I went on a hunt to find some of the best crafts out there for this time of year and I want to share them with all my wonderful readers!  I hope you find some that you will want to try with your children.  Crafts are a great way to spend quality time together!  Simply click on the link under the picture to get directions on how to make each craft.


{ Pine Cone Turkey - Photo Credit: AmazingMoms.com }



{ Garland of Gratitude - Photo Credit: Family Fun







Pam Cooking Spray Review


Clean up after cooking for your family is a breeze with PAM cooking spray!  PAM prevents food from sticking to your pans, and now PAM is introducing its new and improved formula!  This new and improved formula boasts a 70% better no-stick.  Just in time for all that holiday cooking!  PAM is so sure you will love their new formula, they're offering a full money back guarantee if you're not fully satisfied.


Did You Know PAM's Website Is Full Of Wonderful Recipes?

 { Chunky Apple Mini Muffins! }

Chunky Apple Mini Muffins Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • PAM® Butter No-Stick Cooking Spray

  • 2 cups reduced-fat baking mix

  • 8 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

  • 1-1/8 teaspoons apple pie spice, divided

  • 1/4 cup Egg Beaters® Original

  • 1 cup chunky sweetened applesauce

  • 1/4 cup apple juice




  • Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 32 miniature muffin cups with cooking spray; set aside. Combine baking mix, 6 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon apple pie spice in large bowl; set aside. Beat Egg Beaters, applesauce and apple juice in small bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Add to baking mix mixture; stir just until moistened. Batter will be slightly lumpy. Spoon evenly into prepared cups, filling each cup 3/4 full.
    2. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown and wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Remove to wire racks.
    3. Mix remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and remaining 1/8 teaspoon apple pie spice in small bowl. Spray tops of warm muffins with cooking spray; dip into sugar mixture.
    * Makes 16 Servings of 2 Muffins Each *


    I was given the opportunity to try the new and improved formula of PAM myself and I have to say I was impressed!  I redeemed my coupon for the PAM Olive Oil Cooking Spray.  I had just the dish I wanted to try this out on - my lasagna!  I usually have to struggle with cleaning my pan after making lasagna for my family.  I was curious to see how this new and improved formula was going to stack up against this saucy dish!

    I was so impressed to find out that the leftover lasagna was so simple to remove from the pan.  It literally slid right out, no joke!  For once I didn't have to stand over the sink with a scrubber and dish soap up to my elbows trying to remove baked on food.  This new and improved formula is definitely worth trying!  I'm going to be using this for my holiday cooking this year.  This is going to save me a ton of clean up time in the kitchen.  To find out  more about PAM, or to check out some more of their wonderful recipes, click here.

    Connect With PAM:



    * I was provided samples from PAM, in partnership with Smiley360 in exchange for my personal review.  All opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and are not a result of any outside influence.

    16 November 2011

    Hotpants Review



    Hotpants are the latest and greatest thing from the company Zaggora to hit the market for women everywhere!  What are Hotpants you might ask?  Hotpants are sports shorts that contain bio-ceramic technology, warming up tissue deep below the surface naturally by using your body's own heat.  The bio-ceramics in Hotpants contain far infrared reflective particles that enable your body heat to generate right back into your tissue, enabling you to lose inches and the appearance of dreaded cellulite!

    With Hotpants, you can start to see visible results if worn consistently after 4-6 weeks.  In a sampling done on 20 women using Hotpants on a regular basis, the average loss was 2 jean sizes in just two weeks!  Sounding good so far right?  I did also mention the benefits of the reduced appearance of cellulite with Hotpants right?  Just making sure you're still with me!

    Studies show that just wearing Celu-Lite technology in bed at night also has a positive effect over 6-8 weeks!


     
    I had the wonderful opportunity to review Hotpants for myself and I am so excited to be sharing this fantastic product with my readers!  I've been needing to lose some extra pounds for awhile now, and this product has made the task of slimming down so much easier!  With Hotpants, I get to have a shorter, but more effective and quality workout than before.  I also love that they work for me just by wearing them around the house while I'm tidying up!  
     
    Hotpants work by increasing your perspiration by up to 80%.  That alone helps to shed the extra weight!  I've been using my Hotpants for a week now, and I've already dropped 6 lbs, no joke!  I encourage women to grab this product up because it does in fact truly work.  Hotpants are inviting women everywhere to take their 2 week challenge.  By  joining the challenge and posting your results along the way, you are even eligible to get in on some great prize giveaways!  This is one product every women should put on their holiday wish list!
     
     Connect With Hotpants:



    *Disclosure:  I received a sample from the above name company, in partnership with Mom Bloggers Club, in exchange for my personal review.  All opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and are not a result of any outside influence.

    08 November 2011

    Under The Tree Giveaway Event



    Welcome to the Under the Tree Giveaway Event hosted by Life With Two Boys and Mommy's Reviews and Giveaways. This is a child-themed event and the perfect opportunity for you to enter to win some gifts to put under your tree this Christmas. Be sure to hop around to all of the participating blogs before 11:59 pm on November 14th to see the awesome prizes they have to offer.

    So what is up for grabs here at Textbook Mommy? 

    I have a fantastic prize pack up for grabs for (1) lucky reader of Textbook Mommy!  This prize pack includes one personalized children's book from JustKidsGifts.com, a $20 gift certificate to SmilegramPaper.com (children's stationary), and $20 in gift certificates from MakIt.com (children's art projects).

    Just Kids Gifts is a wonderful resource when purchasing quality, personalized gifts for the child in your life.  This company offers personalized children's books, musical C.D.'s, and photo DVD's.  The great folks at Just Kids Gifts are parents themselves, so you can feel good that they know just what kids love!  I love all the options of books available to personalize through JustKidsGifts.com.  Whether the child in your life is a sports lover, celebrating a birthday, has a favorite character such as Dora or Elmo, or if you're simply looking for the perfect holiday gift, Just Kids Gifts has what you need!  Learn more about Just Kids Gifts by reading a previous completed review of this great company by me here!  The wonderful folks at JustKidsGifts.com are generously offering a winner's choice of a personalized book from their site for this event.

    Connect With Just Kids Gifts:



    Smilegram Paper is a super fun line of children's stationary that is unique from any other children's stationary you have ever come across!  On a search for lined children's stationary that ended with no luck, Carey Grund, mom and creator of Smilegram set out to create a line of stationary for kids that promoted great handwriting skills at the same time.  With fun and fabulous designs created by Carey's own daughter, you can find a Smilegram stationary print that fits your child perfectly.  As a mom, I love how Smilegram promotes the tradition of handwritten notes, combined with the promotion of quality handwriting skills.  To see a guest review of Smilegram I did on the blog An Island Life, click here!  Smilegram Paper is donating a $20 gift certificate for this event.

    Special Deal!
    *Discount code: HOLIDAY for 20% off entire purchase expires 12-31-11.

    Connect With Smilegram:
    Makit is the company behind the famous "Make A Plate".  This concept of Make A Plate was born out of wanting to create a way to preserve children's artwork onto something useful, not just a refrigerator hanging that would eventually fall off or be thrown out.  Makeit is proud to be an official licensee for Disney, Pixar, Girl Scouts, and Crayola.  Makeit is not just a fun way for your child to preserve their artwork, Makit products are also wonderful gift ideas for grandparents, aunts/uncles, teachers, and more! To see my full review of Makit, click here! Right now MakeIt is running a Thanksgiving special where you can get free shipping on a holiday photo platter!  The wonderful folks at MakIt have graciously donated $20 in gift certificates for this event.

    Connect With Makit:



    This Giveaway Is Open To U.S. Residents, 18 Years Of Age+
    Giveaway Ends November 14, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST
    Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email or another winner will be selected

     Be Sure To Scroll Down Below And Enter The Other Great Giveaways Hosted By Participating Bloggers In This Event!

    Note: It may take Rafflecopter a moment to load. Thanks for your patience!

    
    
    
     
     
     

    Makit Products Review



    Producing more than 1 million plates a year for their customers, Makit Products Inc. helps families to create unique and personal plates that are helping to create happy moments everywhere.  Their original Make-A-Plate is over 40 years old and is still Makit's most beloved product.  The concept of Make-A-Plate began as a solution to find a useful way to preserve children's artwork, instead of it just hanging on the fridge or finding its way aimlessly into the trash.  The mission of Makit is to make memories that will last forever.

    Makit is an official liscensee for:
    * Disney
    * Disney/Pixar
    * Girls Scouts
    * Crayola

    Makit is also a green company that proudly does its share to help our environment.  All product remnants are recycled, they only turn on machinery being used at that time, they encourage employees to car pool, and more!  Celebrities such as Dick Clark, Kevin Bacon, Madonna, Steffi Graff, and more love and use Makit Products themselves!


    I had the wonderful opportunity to review some of the wonderful products from Makit with my own girls!  The wonderful folks at Makit sent us three different kits.  We received the Photo Plate Kit, Make-A-Plate Kit, and Make-A-Plate Group Kit.

    The original Make-A-Plate kit comes with a pack of Crayola Washable markers to color your plate design.  Both the Make-A-Plate and Make-A-Plate Group Kit come with plenty of round paper to practice perfecting your designs.  These are later sent in to Makit, where they will be transformed into the final product, a plate!  For their Photo Plate Kits, photos can be sent in via mail or online to complete your plate project.

    { Getting Ready To Design With The Make-A-Plate Kit!}

    The girls and I had so much fun crafting with our plate kits from Makit!  The whole process is very simple and kid friendly.  I love that the kits contain extra paper in case your child makes a mistake or wants to try again.  We haven't yet sent off our designs to be finished, as we have one more plate to complete here at our house.  All designs go back to Makit Headquarters where your plate will be born and sent back to you.  (Shipping not included with price of kits)

    { Here's my 7 year old's plate design - She is so proud of her princess castle by the lake! }

    I love doing craft projects with my girls, and Makit has such wonderful kits that produce lasting treasures.  We plan on using one of the plates as a gift for Grandma.  I know she will just love it!  I think these kits would make a great holiday gift idea for the young ones in your life.  They really are so much fun.  My girls and I gave these products two thumbs up!

    Connect With Makit:


    * Enter To Win $20 In MakIt Gift Certificates Here *



    * Disclosure:  I was provided samples from the above named company in exchange for my honest review.  All of the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and are not a result of any outside influence.

    07 November 2011

    Five Dollar Necklace With FREE SHIPPING!



    Retro is hot...and so is this necklace! Perfect for the funky, vintage trendsetter in your life!
    Today's deal is a STEAL!

    Get this necklace and chain for $5.00...with FREE Shipping!

    Don't wait...these will go fast!

    Chain Length: 38cm

    Pendant Size: 7.5cm x 2.3cm

    06 November 2011

    Heelys Review


    Heelys - The Original Shoes With Wheels!

    If you have kids, you've probably heard of Heelys!  If you haven't hear of them, this review is a must read!  What are Heelys?  They are the original shoes with wheels!  Heelys are the easy to convert shoes that can be used with or without wheels to suit your needs!  These fun shoes come with an easy to use tool to make wheel removal a breeze!  When you're ready to roll on wheels again, you simply just pop them back in.  The fun isn't just for the kids, Heelys come in adult sizes as well! 


    With the holidays coming up, Heelys are the perfect gift idea!  Heelys will be having a spectacular Black Friday special between November 25-November 28.  This special Black Friday deal is "Buy 1 Pair of Heelys, Get the 2nd Pair for Only $25!".  To make the deal even sweeter, all orders during this time will receive FREE GROUND SHIPPING!

    Heelys wants to make sure everyone has a fun, and most importantly safe experience with their products.  For more information on Heelys safety, check out the Heely "Play Safe" guide here.  You can also view the official "How To Skate" video here!  Parents can even print a handy agreement that enforces responsible skating for their children.  What a great idea!


    My daughter and I had the wonderful opportunity to review a pair of Heelys from the Fall/Winter 2011 collection.  The pair of Heelys my daughter reviewed was #7691 from their "Wave" line.  The first thing we both noticed was how cute these shoes were!  We loved the black and pink combination of these particular Heelys!  My daughter is 11 years old and she was easily able to change out the wheels herself with the handy tool that comes with each pair of Heelys.  I even tried the tool myself and it was in fact very simple to use!


    Surprisingly, my daughter learned to Heely with these very fast.  She loves them and has been showing them off to all her friends of course!  As a mom I like that she can wear them as street shoes to school, and then is able to come home and pop in the wheels for outside play time.  I also like that Heelys promotes safety with their products.  My daughter and I watched the How To Skate video to prepare her for safe use.  I'm already planning on getting my other three daughters their own pair.  I would definitely recommend Heelys after our experience!

    { My daughter modeling her Heelys! }




    Connect With Heelys:




    * Disclosure:  I was sent a sample from the above named company in exchange for my personal review.  All opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and are not a result of any outside influence.

    05 November 2011

    Sign Up For The Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Event!





    Christmas is quickly approaching, and with all the talk about gifts, let's not forget about the stockings!  I love watching my kiddos pull the goodies out of their stockings on Christmas morning.  In fact, picking out stocking stuffers for my girls is just as fun as shopping for gifts in my opinion!

    The Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Event involves no fees!  By signing up, you agree to hold a blog giveaway during the event week consisting of an item that can be used as a "stocking stuffer".  You can hold a giveaway for women's, men's, or kid's stocking stuffer items.  You are responsible for finding your own sponsor(s) or you can sponsor your own giveaway.  Some ideas for stocking stuffers could be makeup, gift cards, small toys, skincare products, socks, hair bows, candy, etc.

    So here are the requirements for this event:
    1) By signing up you agree to hold a giveaway of a stocking stuffer, valued at $10 or more.
    2) You must agree to use Rafflecopter in your giveaway.
    3) You need to place the event button on the main page of your blog after signing up.

    * A pre-post for this event is not required, but it would be great if you wanted to do this to help promote the event!

    To sign up: Add your blog to the linky below. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AS WELL.

    * I will be emailing the linky to everyone on the list one week before the event is scheduled to go live.  After that your post will be due by noon on the first day of the event which is November 30th or you will be removed from the giveaway event linky.  Thanks!

    ** Sign Up's For This Event Will Close On November 19th at 11:59 pm EST **

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