Tuesday, December 13, 2011

You mean Christmas is almost here?!?!



Anyone else tend to forget about the holidays until they are literally right around the corner?  I know I do... in fact, I have to share... I have not bought even one gift yet. True story!

We have been sooo busy! Not to mention a lovely transmission problem took out our holiday funds until we get paid again on the 23rd. Yep, that's right...we won't be buying until two days before Christmas!

If you are panic-ing about the upcoming holiday and how you are going to get all those gifts, never fear... jcpenney's has a great solution. Don't panic, just head on over to jcp.com and check out all the great gifts and gift ideas they have for you!




Another thing I love is that I can browse and buy online, and have it shipped to the local jcpenney...then all I have to do is pick it up. NO shipping charges! jcpenney also offers free shipping to home for orders $69+!  If you don 't want to purchase online, you can always check and see if your local store has the item you want in stock.

The category's are great. I know my husband wants some comfy pj's, so that gift is perfect, and all the kids love Pillow Pets.... and of course, I should let my husband check it out, because I LOVE diamond earrings!

I know we'll be rushing around at the last minute, but at least you may not have to. What do you love about the jcpenney last minute gift guide? What gift would you pick?


“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of jcpenney and received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”

Monday, December 5, 2011

Monday Meet and Greet- Eco Baby Mama Drama



This week's featured blogger is Bri, from Eco Baby Mama Drama!  Let's learn a little more about her and her blog!

Your Name: Bri










How did you decide on what to name your blog? I knew I wanted something with ‘eco’ and ‘baby’ because my focus when I started was baby products as I was a new mom again and my best friend actually came up with the name and it made me laugh so I ran with it! 

Tell us a little about you...  
Tell us 5 of your favorite things, and 5 of your least favorite things.
Favorite Things:
  • 1. My 3 boys (even though they drive a mama crazy!)
  • 2. Being a stay at home mom
  • 3. Sweets (salty is yummy too!)
  • 4. Watching Law shows
  • 5. Finding a great deal
Least Favorite Things:
  • 1. Mean people
  • 2. Rude people
  • 3. Liars
  • 4. Scalloped Potatoes
  • 5. A huge store that starts with W
When and why did you start blogging? I started my own blog in April after being a contributor on another blog for quite awhile, I wanted to expand the things I was able to write about and what better way to do that then start my own blog and have full control of the topics

 What do you blog about? Pretty much anything that is family friendly, I love environmentally friendly products for reviews especially.

What does your family think of your blog? Do they read it? My immediate family thinks it is great and support me a lot, my extended family doesn’t really get it.  My 13 year old follows me and reads every post (he is an email subscriber!) and my husband proof reads for me sometimes but my extended family doesn’t really follow me.

When do you find the time to blog? I get about a 30 minute window daily between nap time starting and my oldest arriving home from school so finding time is a challenge

What is your favorite blog post ever? Probably this one (http://www.ecobabymamadrama.com/2011/08/positive-diagnosis-update-on-tates.html) it is the update to a 5 part series in which I shared my youngests struggle with c-diff

What has been your biggest blogging challenge? I struggle with every post, I am a very insecure writer and never know if my posts are too long, too short, or just not interesting.  I am also very tech challenged so simply watermarking a picture is difficult for me.

What advice would you give a new blogger? Network, make other blogging friends, they are invaluable

What widget or feature could you not live without? Since I am tech challenged I don’t really use a lot of widgets honestly

What are your favorite blogs to read? I used to read tons of blogs however I rarely am able to now as any free time I have I spend working on my own blog

Where can we find you? 

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Update your look with a new pair of glasses from GlassesUSA!



GlassesUSA.com offers great prices on prescription glasses, and they have so many styles available there is sure to be a pair just right for you!

We were able to review GlassesUSA recently, and I have been very pleased with the pair of eyeglasses that we were sent!

Here's Gavin a couple days after he got his GlassesUSA glasses!
Now, Gavin is a typical 7 year old boy....he really likes to rough and tumble, and the glasses he wears don't last long. So far, our GlassesUSA glasses have lasted nearly two months, and still are holding up well! 

We usually purchase 5-6 pairs of glasses for Gavin each year.... yeah, that's a lot! So, savings are important! We've purchased expensive glasses before ($600 a pair glasses) and had them only last 6 months...so purchasing  a $50 to $60 pair every couple months makes a lot more sense to us!

Another great thing that GlassesUSA has is a virtual mirror. Upload a photo of yourself, and then try on all the glasses that you can find! I know I like to know what my glasses will look like on me before I buy glasses

GlassesUSA also offers a 110% lowest price guarantee. If you find the same glasses anywhere else online for less, GlassesUSA will refund you 110% of the difference! There is more details on their site, just click "satisfaction guaranteed" on the header to read more!

GlassesUSA also offers a great incentive to share the savings with friends....if you tell your friends about GlassesUSA, and they make a purchase, you get $30 to spend on your next pair!
And, if you want to save even more, you can get 10% off by using the code Blog10 !

Monday, November 28, 2011

Monday Meet and Greet- Someday I'll Learn


This week's featured blog is Someday I'll Learn! Let's welcome Chelsea and learn a little more about her and her blog....

Your Name: Chelsea Day

Someday I'll Learn


Where do you blog? Tell us a little about you: I'm a marketing consultant and new mom living in San Diego with my husband. I run the family blog Someday I'll Learn, which is all about tackling domestic life…one day at a time!

How did you decide what to name your blog?: When we settled down just out of college, I was pretty clueless about domestic issues and frequently found myself declaring, "Someday I'll learn!" Now, I'm having fun learning new things daily.


What are your favorite things?
  • Crème brûlée
  • My son's laugh
  • Red-eye coffee
  • Mod podge
  • The color yellow

What are you least favorite things?
  • Porcelain dolls
  • Freeway overpasses (I always feel like I'll just go careening off!)
  • Blood
  • Poor grammar
  • Dishes

When and why did you start blogging?: I moved to San Diego in 2009 and didn't know anyone. I spent a lot of time browsing other blogs and felt the urge to create one for our own family. It's been an incredible experience and I've actually made friends with quite a few bloggers in real life as a result.

What do you blog about?: Someday I'll Learn offers personal insights and shortcuts for cooking, cleaning, parenting, organization and more. I aim to simplify life for other busy parents with helpful tips and a healthy dose of reality.

What does your family think of your blog? Do they read it?: My family has been incredibly supportive, and most of them read the blog every day. My husband, Nate, is a contributor. Everyone loves his sense of humor!

When do you find the time to blog?: Good question. Uhhh...I don't sleep a whole lot. 

What is your favorite blog post ever?: I Have PTSD (http://www.somedayilllearn.com/2011/10/i-have-ptsd/) is the most personal post I've written. It was difficult, but I'm proud of myself for putting it out there and being a voice of encouragement for other people to share their own stories.

What has been your biggest blogging challenge?: Staying authentic and true to my own voice while working with brands to monetize the blog. Someday I'll Learn has transformed from a little family blog into an at-home job, but it's still a space for my own personal reflections. Balancing those interests and keeping my priorities straight takes conscious effort.

What advice would you give a new blogger?: Make friends! I've found so many supportive people in the blogosphere. It can be isolating initially to sit at home and put your ideas out there without a ton of feedback. Join blogging groups and converse with other people.

What widget or feature could you not live without?: LinkWithin (http://www.linkwithin.com/). I love being reminded of past, related posts that I had completely forgotten about!

What are your favorite blogs to read?: 
The Mama Mary Show (http://www.mamamaryshow.com/)

Where can we find you?: 

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!




Holiday Cartoon #4206 by AndertoonsAndertoons Holiday Cartoons

Oh Thanksgiving. I love Thanksgiving...I love the family, the togetherness, and the recognition by all for what they are grateful for. I cannot even begin to say everything that I am thankful for. There really are so many things that I could say.

So, for today, I will say that I am thankful for my readers. I love hearing from you, I love sharing with you all, and I really enjoy knowing that someone, somewhere, is reading what I write.

Happy Thanksgiving to all that celebrate...and again, THANK YOU!


Monday, November 21, 2011

Monday Meet and Greet- Real Mom Reviews



This week I introduce my friend Skye, from Real Mom Reviews. Skye can be thanked for helping me start blogging regularly and introducing me to review and giveaway blogging! THANKS, Skye!

Name- Skye, but better knows as "Mom"


Where do you blog? http://RealMomReviews.net

A bit about Real Mom Reviews.... As the mother of 6, five under the age of 7, and a 15 year old- I have done my fair share of shopping for baby products. I am a twenty three year old middle class mom from Pennsylvania and I don’t like to part with money unless I know it is on a product I am going to love.
For the longest time I relied on consumer reports and the ratings on websites to influence my decision on what product I was going to buy. But then I took a step back and realized that most people only write a review on a site like that if they do not like the product. Being extremely picky about what I purchased my kids this just was not the type of review I could trust anymore. So I decided to start writing my own.

Five of my favorite things-Red, Cuddling, Blogging, Friends, Singing loud in the car, My iPad

When do you find the time to blog? Some days- I dont sleep! :) I love blogging, I love trying out new things, and I love the look on my kiddos face when a package arrives at the door- however my neighbors think I have a shopping addiction

When did you start blogging? Real Mom Reviews was established November 14th 2010

My favorite blog post ever is "Bottles Are For Baby Dolls" http://www.realmomreviews.net/2011/05/bottles-are-for-baby-dolls/

What has been your biggest blogging challenge, how did you overcome it? Getting my husband to realize it was a full time job. It took almost a year for him to realize that my blog is my job! :)

What advice would you give a new blogger? Make blogging friends and join free events

Where can we find you? 
You can find me on Facebook (http://facebook.com/RealMomReviews) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/RealMomReview) and you can subscribe to my emails (http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=RealMomReview) to get my posts delivered to you daily!

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Three days off!!!



So this busy little rural carrier has been in general orientation, driver orientation, and "Rural Academy" for the last two weeks. I know it has been scarce around these parts...and I apologize!

I've had to readjust my schedule and it has been.... overwhelming interesting. First of all... I am a second shift kind of gal. I have worked second shift for soooo long. Well, I've had to be up at the butt crack of  dawn or earlier for all this training and I've been going to bed early (like 8pm early)!  

Next week I start my on-the-job training, but it won't be nearly as intense (only a couple days next week, and a few the week after), so I will be back to blogging a bit more regularly! Yay!

Let's see...what else is new. We got hit with a bunch of snow a couple days ago...sooooo many cars in the ditch, and so many accidents. It was a bad first snow this year. The ground was still warm, so it made some terrible ice and drivers just didn't use enough caution. I can't even remember how many cars I saw on the side of the road because of being stuck, or in an accident. 

I think that's about all for now... I'll be writing more soon since I have three wonderful days off. Be on the lookout for a GREAT Mohawk Rug giveaway!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Monday Meet and Greet- Books R Us





A big thank you to Eileen, from Books R Us, for sharing with us this week! 

Your Name : Eileen

Where do you blog?
Books R Us-   http://www.booksrusonline.com

How did you decide on what to name your blog?
I did not know what to name the blog for a while after starting it. It was originally called Ginger High (after My daughter's book) but I started to do book reviews and I felt that the name was not  appropriate for the blog at that time.  I saw an ad for Toys R Us on TV one day and the name just came to me and Books R Us was born.


Tell us 5 of your favorite things, and 5 of your least favorite things.

Favorite Things:
1. My Family
2. Ice Cream
3. Vacations
4. Winning contests
5. Pizza (Especially White Pizza)

Least Favorite Things:

1. Ironing ( What a tedious job)
2. House Cleaning
3. Paying the Bills
4. Vegetables unless they have a lot of butter on them.
5. Black Eyed Peas Rock group.


When and why did you start blogging?

My daughter Melissa, self published a YA novel called "Ginger High" in 2009 and that was when we started the blog. Although the book did not become a best seller, we both enjoy blogging and meeting new people.


What do you blog about?
I post on a variety of topics including books, software, food and everyday living. My blog is about life and all the crazy things that can happen each day.

What does your family think of your blog? Do they read it?
My Husband and my son have no interest in the blog but they like all of the goodies that show up on our doorstep.  

When do you find the time to blog?
I usually blog after I get home from work at midnight ( I work 12 hr shifts as a RN) Everyone is asleep and the only one that will bother me is the cat.

What is your favorite blog post ever?
I was surfing the web last year and I found something hilarious so I decided to share it with you.
On a more serious note, my favorite post was my review of the Safer Brand Bug control Concentrate-http://www.booksrusonline.com/2011/08/review-of-safer-brand-bug-patrol.html

What has been your biggest blogging challenge?
The biggest challenge is obtaining sponsors for giveaways. I have had so many rejections or the person does not respond back at all. I would love to learn about template design and change the blog for each season.That would make my blog more appealing and interesting.

What advice would you give a new blogger?
If you are a newbie blogger, it is a lot of work and can take up much of your time. Do not give up and you will succeed in the world of blogging. I have a lot of fun and I find it very relaxing after a hard day at work.

What widget or feature could you not live without?
Rafflecopter of course. I do not know what I would do without it.

What are your favorite blogs to read?
I have so many blogs that I like to read but some of my favorites are:

Confessions of A bookaholic-  http://www.totalbookaholic.blogspot.com/


Where can we find you?

Monday, November 7, 2011

Monday Meet and Greet- Tales from the Nursery




A big thank you to Darcy, from Tales from the Nursery, for sharing with us this week. Let's learn a little more about her...

Your Name: Darcy

Where do you blog? Tales From the Nursery http://www.darcyandbrian.com

How did you decide on what to name your blog? I started this blog while I was pregnant and working on the nursery.  I figured I'd be spending a lot of time there!

Tell us 5 of your favorite things, and 5 of your least favorite things...

5 Things I Love:
My family
Reese's Peanutbutter cups
Metal music
Tattoos
Gadgets

5 Things I Hate:
Clowns
Feet
Lemons
Being interrupted
Unsolicited parenting advice by strangers

When and why did you start blogging?
I started blogging back in ummm 2000? 2001? I wrote about daily college life with a few others.  I've had a few different blogs since then.  I maintained a successful gaming blog for a few years.  It's always been a fun hobby and outlet for me! 


What do you blog about?  At TFTN I blog about being a first time mom.  I talk about breastfeeding, cloth diapers, products and I love giveaway events!

What does your family think of your blog? Do they read it?  My hubby supports it (he's my developer) and a few family members read it.  Sometimes they don't like the personal stuff so much.

When do you find the time to blog? Late at night while everyone else is sleeping, usually!  During naps I try to do bloggy chores if possible.  Off and on throughout the day I tend to email, Twitter, and Facebook via my phone.  I sometimes am able to blog a bit from it too.

What is your favorite blog post ever?I think one of my favorite personal posts is about my constant struggle with my self-image. Learning to Love Me http://www.darcyandbrian.com/2011/05/23/learning-to-love-me-my-constant-struggle-with-self-image/

What is the best advice or knowledge that you have found? Be true to yourself, disclose! and give credit where credit is due.

What advice would you give a new blogger? Read other blogs.  Don't just follow but actually read them and comment on them.  You'll learn a lot and they'll inspire you too.

What widget or feature could you not live without? My husband :)

Where can we find you?


Saturday, November 5, 2011

Do you have a Happy Napper?



Ever been watching TV and hear a song that comes along... maybe even one that perks your kids' interest. Well, one day that is exactly what happened at our house. 

"They are happy, Happy Nappers, and they love to play with you..."  the kids' ears perk up, they come out to the living room... and they WANT. 

I have to admit, Happy Nappers are awfully cute! 

We were thrilled to receive the Castle to Dragon Happy Napper for review.


This is all one piece... the door unzips to allow the dragon to come out and play (after his nap, of course). Do you see the little "doorbell" button there on the right? If you ring it the dragon inside gives a few grumbles, as if waking up. Then, once it is nap time again, you unzip the back of the dragon, turn the plush toy inside out, and  send dragon to bed. 

Our four year old, Gabriel, LOVED this Happy Napper. He carried it everywhere he went for a couple weeks after receiving it. He slept with it, took it in the car, everywhere. 

He loved the doorbell... but, he loved it so much the batteries died (or he disconnected the wires). And here is one thing that I didn't like... there is no way to change the batteries. The battery case also floats around in the plush toy, and since you are frequently moving the stuffing, it seems like it would be very easy to disconnect the wires.  We aren't sure if it was a wire disconnect, or if the batteries died, but either way, Gabriel lost a lot of interest in the Happy Napper when he couldn't "wake the dragon up".  So now the Happy Napper sits on his bed, or in the closet.

I DO think this is a fun toy, and a great way to make nap time a lot more fun. I hope that future Happy Napper will have a way to change the batteries and a more secure battery case/wiring so that these toys can last longer. 

Happy Nappers can be purchased online at www.happynapper.com , but I have also seen them in some big box stores. (My local K-Mart carries them). 

Happy Nappers are recommended for children age 3 and up. They are made of 100% polyester and made in China.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Mild by Nature- Madre Labs




"To create truly innovative and unique formulations of the highest quality, assisting our health-minded customers in supporting the well-being of their babies by offering finished products that WE OURSELVES would use.

At Madre Labs, we strive to use only the finest natural ingredients deemed acceptable by our discriminating customers, as well as our peers in the natural products industry."

Do you like the best possible product to be used on your baby? I know I want to know that there aren't chemicals that will harm my child while I try to keep my child clean. Mild by Nature has an entire line of bath products just for your baby.

Mild by Nature features the No no-no's label. What does that mean?

"No sulfates, parabens, dyes, animal ingredients and animal testing."

""NO No-No's" is our trademarked logo, signifying that we have cross-referenced multiple documents/databases while searching for acceptable ingredients for our products, which are considered gentle, biodegradable and “green”, and have received good safety ratings.

We worked with our formulators and chemists to ensure that we used only the finest ingredients listed on two "2010 Acceptable Lists" for Personal Care (Baby), which were developed by two well-respected organizations in our industry. Also, we referenced an industry-recognized online cosmetic ingredient safety database to further fine-tune our Innovative Baby Care Formulations."


We received the entire line of products for review. I love the idea behind this line of products. After using them, I can say there isn't anything that I found extraordinary during use, but the products all did their job and left my baby feeling clean.... and me with a sense of security. 

My favorite product out of the line was the Everyday Lotion. It is thick, and really helps dry patches. 
 A big plus, is that all these products are made in the U.S.A. with Eco-Friendly packaging which is recyclable. The bottle also says 100% WindEnergy, so I am assuming that is how the plant is powered (which is pretty neat if I do say so myself)!


Use Coupon Code WOW123 to get $5 off your first order, if you are a first-time iHerb customer!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Bryton Pick- Reusable Floss/Pick!




When was the last time you've gone to eat and had that uncomfortable pressure of something stuck between your teeth? For me, it happens every time I eat hotwings. Never fails! 

Well, Byton Pick has come along to save the day!

This reusable pick can help you floss out those pesky trapped pieces of food. 

We received two Bryton Picks for review. I can say, I didn't expect them to be metal. From the images, I had thought they were plastic...but they are not. Each end has very thin metal pieces that are what you slide between your teeth. 

For the most part, the Bryton Pick worked well. However, in areas that I had dental work done between the teeth, the Bryton Pick was unable to get between the teeth like regular floss was able to. 

I do love that the Bryton Pick is reusable for up to 30 days. I also like that it comes in a little pack you can carry it in as well. 

Go check out the Bryton Pick... do you think you would use one?

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.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Monday Meet and Greet- Arizona Mama



This week we welcome Nancy from Arizona Mama... check out her blog and read a little more about her below!

Your Name: Nancy aka fancygrlnancy



Where do you blog? Arizona Mama http://arizonamama-fancygrlnancy.blogspot.com/

How did you decide on what to name your blog? I was having a hard time with it.  I asked a few bloggy friends and got some great ideas.  Arizona Mama was suggested by Anna from The Baby Store Plus and I liked it immediately.  Its simple and really identifies that I am in Arizona and I am a mom.

Tell us a little bit about you....
I am a mom to an almost 3 and a half year old boy.  I started my family a little later in my 30's.  My wonderful husband is 8 years older than me and he has a daughter that will be 24 soon.  We are currently TTC our second together.  I work fulltime in a Head Start Program.  Currently I am a curriculum training specialist and I train the teachers and mentor them.  I was a Head Start teacher in the classroom for over 10 years. 

Tell us 5 of your favorite things
1. my son
2. my husband
3. my mom
4. chocolate
5. winning giveaways

5 of your least favorite things
1. smokers
2. liars
3. cheaters
4. peas
5. paying bills

When and why did you start blogging?  I started blogging just under 2 years ago.  I honestly started because I was reading blogs and entering giveaways.  I wanted to get all those great extra entries for having the buttons and blogging.  I also wanted to keep kind of a live journal of my son's life.  I have been really bad about not writing in the baby book so I guess my blog is kind of pieces for the baby book.

What do you blog about?  I blog about my life with my son.  I also do many product reviews and giveaways.

What does your family think of your blog? Do they read it?  Most like the idea.  My mom reads it and even stared entering giveaways.  My husband reads it when its a personal post.  I know my brother in law and my aunt have looked at it, but not sure how much they read it. 

When do you find the time to blog?  I blog in the evenings while I should be sleeping.. lol!  And nap time on the weekends.

What is your favorite blog post ever? I don't know about favorite posts, but recently I started a Thursday's Thoughts with Jayden and I write some of the funny things my son says.. he is so smart and cute.. Here are a couple:
and

What is your favorite item you ever reviewed? I have reviewed some great items!  two stick out I love for both the product and the great people that work there.. Picture Keeper http://arizonamama-fancygrlnancy.blogspot.com/2010/10/holiday-gift-save-your-memories-with.html  and Ova Cue Fertility Monitor http://arizonamama-fancygrlnancy.blogspot.com/2011/06/ovacue-fertility-monitor-review-part-1.html

What brand or product would you really like to work with/review? I would LOVE to review The Learning Tower  and I'd also like Vtech and Leap Frog

What are your favorite blogs to read?
I like and read many blogs... Here are a couple:

Where can we find you?
 
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