Minted

My favorite time of year is quickly approaching.  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, hands down.  All that eating and drinking and socializing with friends and family.  It's so much fun.  I think part of the reason I enjoy this time of year so much is because it leads into Christmas and the fun festivities the holidays bring.  One thing I look forward to every year is creating our family holiday card.  This year, I'm looking at Minted.

With so many options it's becoming difficult to choose one.  I love the look of Destination Luggage Tag

The number of photos you can include on Complete Tree Holiday is amazing!  For someone who can't make a decision on what photos to include or if you have a family you can't get to look good in the same photo.

The simplicity of Calligraphic Flourish Holiday is very classy looking and so easy on the eye.

Though right now I seem to be drawn most to Sparkling Be Merry because it can be used as your Christmas card but can then be turned into an ornament your tree can see for years!

There's so many great options making it incredibly hard to choose!  

On top of all of the holiday cards Minted carries, they also have a section on holiday gifts and I'm dying over this cute print.  What a great gift for a grandparent wall!

What options do you like best? Any I didn't mention that you think I should consider?  I'd love to hear what you would send.

-stephanie

Product Review: My First Book Series

Books are big in our house.  Addie has an entire bookcase full of them and she does not share well when it comes to her books.  If there was one thing she had to pick out of all of her toys, she'd likely choose her books.  I think this comes from me being a big reader when I was younger.  I could sit and read an entire book in one day, when I was 10.  It's what brought me a lot of joy, the imagination I got to experience with each book I read.  So books are important to me and to my kids.

So when Sophie Helenek reached out to me to see if I had interest in having Graham review her books I was all over it.  The My First Book series is fantastic for babies because each page includes some great contrasting images.  Those black and white pages for younger babies who see only in black and white.  There are also pages full of color and along with each image is a word the parent can say aloud to help baby to recognize the images by your voice.

The books are great!  Graham loves the eye catching pictures.  There are really so many great features to the books that a parent may overlook.  The black and white pages, the eye catching color pages, the line that borders each page to help draw babies attention back to the subject and each letter of the word is in a different color. 

They're the perfect size for babies little hands and are a sturdy board book for that teething stage that Graham is currently in.  Even at nearly 4, Addie is also digging the books but she is my bookworm!

Check out Sophie's page on Amazon where you can purchase these books.  They make a great baby shower gift to start out new babies book collection.  You can also keep up with the My First Book series via Twitter.

-stephanie

Quirkie Kids

Growing up I was always the quiet kid who didn't make friends easily because I was always in the background.  I nearly won the title 'Most Shy' in my senior yearbook because of it.  I wasn't very confident in myself and a lot of that is because I was super aware of everyone else around me being criticized for what they said, who they hung out with and what they were wearing.  Because of this, I tried my hardest to wear what everyone else was wearing, never standing out and being subject to mean remarks.

As many people do, I grew up and learned a lot about myself.  Looking back, high school was a tough time but I now realize, it was a tough time for nearly everyone for one reason or another.  We're all the same, we put our pants on one leg at a time even though they may be different sizes.  Being more confident and comfortable I've been able to try new things, wear clothes I wouldn't normally wear and enjoy it.  I hope I can pass along the same message to my kids and luckily there are companies like Quirkie Kids who can help.

QUIRKIE KIDS is a line of pink tees for girls AND boys.

Our tees feature playful designs of things not typically associated with the color pink.

We believe that ALL kids should be free to wear pink regardless of their gender.

Some kids like green. Some kids like blue. And some kids like pink and we say: why not?

Let me first say it's really hard to snap a good picture of an 8 month old and a 3.5 year old who doesn't like her brother touching her.  :)

Back to the stuff you want to know about Quirkie Kids...

I love, love, love these tees & onesies.  You can find the tees in sizes 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 and the onesies in 0-3, 3-6, 6-12, 12-18 and 18-24 months. The soft tees are proudly made in the USA.  You can follow Quirkie Kids on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest for all the latest updates.

I seriously cannot  get enough of the cuteness with both of my kids but Graham and that rhino onesie.  dead.

Check them out and tell them I sent you!

-stephanie

Product Review & Giveaway: Matilda Jane Clothing

Over the past 7 or so months, I've fallen in love with Matilda Jane Clothing.  I had a chance to review some of their clothing (or Addie did) back in the fall here and again earlier this year here.  So when they reached out to me again to check out some of their newer items I couldn't resist.  Right now I'm dying over so many cute looks they have to offer.  Some of my favorites are the Ladybug Bubble for the itty bitties and I really like the All a Flutter Peasant Top for Addie.

Addie is wearing the Cloudy Puffer Tee, the Love Bug Knot Top and Sweetheart Ruffled Leggings from the It's a Wonderful Parade collection.  It's all so cute!

One of our favorite things about Matilda Jane Clothing, other than the fabulous quality, is that you can take any item and easily mix and match within the same collection. That means dad doesn't have to worry about matching up your girls.

Giveaway  The great people at Matilda Jane are offering one of my readers the chance to win a $50 gift card to Matilda Jane!

How to Enter  Just follow the instructions in the Raffelcopter widget below.  Make sure you complete the first task as it is a mandatory task.  Once you complete the mandatory task, all other tasks are optional but do increase your chances to win!  The giveaway is open to US only and will close at midnight on Wednesday, June 4, 2014.  Good Luck!

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Product Review & Giveaway: GooseWaddle Blankets

Note: I received this product free in exchange for my honest opinion.  All opinions are that, mine and true.

You know how you go to your baby shower and you're loaded up with gifts from friends and family?  Inevitably you're going to get a baby blanket.  Scratch that, you'll probably get 5 baby blankets.  There's something about women and baby blankets and they just can't seem to not purchase one as a gift.  If you have that problem, then you're going to want to pay close attention to the rest of this post.  I recently had the chance to review GooseWaddle baby blankets and I am in love.  

"GooseWaddle is an extraordinary new line of ultra-high-quality quality blankets.  Exquisitely soft and oh-so-comfy, our premium blankets are thoughtfully designed and superbly crafted using the finest materials.  Available in classic colors and in full-sized blanket or loveable "blankie size."   

I selected white because I'm a fan of just about everything neutral.  When the package arrived I rushed into the house, opened the box and grabbed the blanket and nearly dropped it.  Seriously, never have I ever felt anything so soft.  If I could have a GooseWaddle blanket come in King size I may never leave my bed.  I instantly pulled the blanket up to my face and rubbed it on my cheeks, signed like I was in heaven and thought, "Graham is going to love this".  



And he does.  He rubs his cherub face all over that blanket and has, on a couple occasions, tried to eat it.  Here's where things get really fun...

Giveaway GooseWaddle is offering one of my readers the chance to win a $50 gift certificate!

How to Enter  Just follow the instructions in the Raffelcopter widget below.  Make sure you complete the first task as it is a mandatory task.  Once you complete the mandatory task, all other tasks are optional but do increase your chances to win! Open to US  only and will close at midnight on Monday, March 10, 2014.  Good Luck!

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Product Review: Little Pim

NOTE:  I received this product free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.  All opinions are mine and not influenced by the promotional value.

Exposing my kids to different languages and cultures has been important to me.  I feel like children who are exposed to different languages and cultures, grow into respectable, more intelligent adults.  So Little Pim reached out to me recently to review their product and I was excited!

Little Pim is a foreign language company that introduces children betwen the ages of 0 and 5 to a foreign language using DVDs, music CDs, flashcards, and books.  I selected Spanish because both Rick and I took Spanish in high school and we've both been to Mexico several times and will continue to travel there.  

The DVDs arrived in a 3 pack set focusing on different areas children commonly deal with.  Addie loves the little Panda that pops in throughout the show and is now repeating words from the DVD.

The other day she said, "Hola!" to me and I thought, where did you pick that up.  She promptly asked to watch the panda show and started repeating, "los platanos" (bananas).

When you check out the Little Pim's website, a customer service agent chat box will appear to assist in your questions and/or purchase.  There are a wide variety of languages you can purchase from, check out some samples here.  I highly suggest you try out some of their products for your little ones.  This age group is very important for learning new things and we know how "spongelike" their brains are!

-stephanie

Product Review & Giveaway: Matilda Jane Clothing

I enjoyed the Matilda Jane clothing giveaway so much last time that I decided to do another one for you!  I know how much each of you appreciated the opportunity so here it is again!  Addie received so many compliments on her outfit from the last giveaway and when she got the next outfit, we enjoyed it all over again.  

As mentioned in the last post, each item in the collection is meant to be worn interchangeably with the other pieces so you never have to worry about matching items.  

Addie's wearing the Stippling Tee, Gallery Leggings, and the Turtle Dove Knot Top.  I just can't get enough of their clothes!

Giveaway  The great people at Matilda Jane are offering one of my readers the chance to win a $50 gift card to Matilda Jane!

How to Enter  Just follow the instructions in the Raffelcopter widget below.  Make sure you complete the first task as it is a mandatory task.  Once you complete the mandatory task, all other tasks are optional but do increase your chances to win!  The giveaway is open to US only and will close at midnight on Tuesday, January 14, 2014.  Good Luck!

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Holiday Appetizers for your Dinner Parties!

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and its client.

 

I'm always on the lookout for great holiday appetizers or easy dinner party recipes. I had a chance to try out SeaPak's Spring Rolls recently and love them for an easy meal idea and as an option for healthy quick dinners. We're always having parities to host during the holidays and I'm always looking for an easy appetizer so I don't have to spend much time preparing. Read more about "The 15 Best Frozen Appetizers to Serve at a Party" as mentioned in the Ladies Home Journal. These spring rolls make the best party snack because they're convenient, take a short time to cook and come with a dipping sauce that is amazing!

I also wanted to make a fun dip myself so I made an Asian dipping sauce:

1/3 cup balsamic

1/2 cup oil

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp spicy brown mustard

I love hosting parties using all white china as it really makes my food pop so I've served up the spring rolls on my white china with the dipping sauce it comes with along with my asian dipping sauce. You can pick these up at Wal-Mart. The Today Show even featured these spring rolls!

Check out SeaPak's Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages for more great appetizer options and recipes.

I seriously cannot get enough of the dipping sauce that comes with these spring rolls.  Sweet and spicy and A-MA-ZING!

Go out immediately to Wal-Mart and pick these up in the freezer section for an easy holiday appetizer for your next dinner party!

-stephanie

Product Review & Giveaway: Uncommon Goods

It's that time of year when I should be getting my final shopping done in time for Christmas.  It never fails though that I leave something until 2 days before and I'm scrambling to find one last gift. Each year I plan to do better and each year I fail.  Luckily, I found a company that offers so many unique and affordable gifts for everyone on your shopping list.  Uncommon Goods is a "privately-owned retailer that endeavors to feature unique designs and handcrafted gifts created in harmony with the environment and without harm to animals or people."  Most products are created in the US and half are handcrafted!

I'm really loving that you can also have gifts personalized.  I'm looking to get Rick a gift, but I want to step it up a bit and have it personalized.  You can check out some of those gifts here.

I, or should I say, Addie & Graham had a chance to try out some of Uncommon Goods products.  Addie tried out the Nursery Rhyme blocks you can find here which she just loved!  Every time she grabbed a block she'd say, "what does this one say?".

And Graham?  He got to try out these sweet Babiators.  My little Carlos!  You can find the babiators here.

How stinking cute is he?

Uncommon Goods make its easy for you to find gifts in your price range.  Most of the gift exchanges we do are $50 limits so I can easily check out Uncommon Goods' section of gifts under $50 here to get some really good ideas for our exchange.

Here comes the part where you get really excited!

Giveaway Uncommon Goods is offering one of my readers the chance to win a $50 gift certificate!

How to Enter  Just follow the instructions in the Raffelcopter widget below.  Make sure you complete the first task as it is a mandatory task.  Once you complete the mandatory task, all other tasks are optional but do increase your chances to win! Open to US & Canada only. The giveaway is open to all and will close at midnight on Monday, December 16, 2013.  Good Luck!

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Note:  I received these products free of charge as part of a review, however all opinions are mine and are true.

Product Review: Tiny Prints Birth Announcements

After 7 weeks we finally go our newborn pictures back.  I can't even think about how long it took to get those because I get so angry.  I won't ever be using that photographer again...  Anywho, happier topic.  We ordered our birth announcements through Tiny Prints and I couldn't be any happier.  The designs they have out now are so awesome.  So many great designs, it made choosing one really difficult.

I loved this one but I could not figure out how to move his name off his back.  This was my first choice had I been able to move the lettering.

I love the gold dots on this one but I wanted a shot that better captured his face.

So we chose this one.  My sweet little baby, he's about 6lbs 15 ounces in this picture but you can't tell with all of those creases!

We've used Tiny Prints in the past and I truly love their designs and their customer service.  If you're looking for birth announcements, make sure to check them out and use code TG13 to save 25% as well as code FS13 for free shipping.

-stephanie

PS.  I received these birth announcements free to offer my opinion on Tiny Prints product.  Though I received these free, my review is my honest opinion.

Clever Girls: Just Dance 2014

Staying active is really hard, add on to that two children under 3, working full time and trying to keep up with the house and you can pretty much throw working out regularly out the window.  What we try to do is spend as much time together as a family as possible so incorporating the kids into some type of fitness routine will be important to us.  I recently had a chance to try out Just Dance 2014 and think I found just the way to keep fitness and family together.

I absolutely love Just Dance 2014 because of the great songs!  I mean, I can go all Miley Cyrus with "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke and Addie can join in with the "YMCA" by the Village People!  It's such a fun way to stay active and fit while having fun as family.  Plus, I just love watching Addie try to dance along as well. Some day, in the not so near future, Graham will also be participating.  Though I totally see him rocking out to Bob Marley's "Could You Be Loved".  Hysterical!



Even if you're a terrible dancer you can follow along easily to the songs.  Looking for a fun game to play with the extended family during the holidays?  This is it!  I mean, how funny would it be to watch your mother in law dropping it like it's hot.  Picture Miley & that mother in law and you're guaranteed a good time!

What's also cool is Ubisoft has a blog where they post updates about Just Dance including the new Just Dance Kids as well as ways to win free songs.  Check it out and go to Amazon or GameStop to purchase.


I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Product Review: Made with Love

A mommy friend of mine recently introduced me to her sisters Etsy store called Made with Love.  Made with Love offers a lot of options for baby products like homemade rattles, teething rings and receiving blankets. Plus if you have a little one who needs a tutu for their birthday, this is the place!

I received the taggie sensory blanket for Graham and love it.  Of course Graham's not quite old enough to get into it but I love that it's small for a baby and has different taggies for a baby to hang onto.  The material is very soft and would hold up to baby puke and slobber which is just around the corner in this house.

Giveaway  Kailee at Made with Love is offering one of my readers the chance to win $10 store credit to Made with Love!

How to Enter  Just follow the instructions in the Raffelcopter widget below.  Make sure you complete the first task as it is a mandatory task.  Once you complete the mandatory task, all other tasks are optional but do increase your chances to win!  The giveaway is open to all and will close at midnight on Thursday, November 14, 2013.  Good Luck!


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I received this product free to review however all opinions are mine.

Product Review: Dr. Scholl's Active Series Inserts

I recently had the opportunity to try out the Dr. Scholl's Active Series inserts for your running shoes. We all know that running can be really tough on your body. Your knees, shins, joints, etc. It's tough on all of you so adding the Dr. Scholl's Active Series inserts into your shoes it provides ample cushioning for your run or workout.

 

 

You'll notice my Mizuno's in the picture above with and without the inserts.  On the left is no insert and the right is the Dr. Scholl's Active Series insert.  They actually blend really well into my shoes with the pink lining! 

 

The Dr. Scholl's Active Series insoles are designed with three areas of protection:

- ball of the foot padding

- reinforced arch support

- deep heel cup absorbs impact

 

These shoes are a lifesaver for any runner or individual doing high intensity workouts!

 

Note:  I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

 

-stephanie

 

PS. Don't forget to enter the $50 Matilda Jane giveaway here.

Product Review & Giveaway: Matilda Jane

I recently had the opportunity to try out Matilda Jane clothing and fell in love.  I absolutely love Matilda Jane for their unique clothing options for kids.  How cool is it that you never have to worry about matching up an outfit because all of their clothes are designed to be interchangeable and match up with any item.  This is especially awesome in our house because Rick doesn't know which shirts go with which pants in her drawer.  Let's be honest, the guy asks me everyday what color shoes he should wear with his black belt!

When Addie received her package she couldn't wait to try on the clothes.  In fact, she wore the outfit on my discharge date from the hospital for our first family photo!  Super cute!  We got to try out the Skyview Puffer Tee, leggings and Turtledove Knot Top which are all part of the Paint by Numbers collection.  I actually didn't realize Matilda Jane also sold women's clothing and am loving that Addie and I can coordinate outfits without completely matching.

Ignore the shoes, remember Rick is dressing her.

Giveaway  The great people at Matilda Jane are offering one of my readers the chance to win a $50 gift card to Matilda Jane!

How to Enter  Just follow the instructions in the Raffelcopter widget below.  Make sure you complete the first task as it is a mandatory task.  Once you complete the mandatory task, all other tasks are optional but do increase your chances to win!  The giveaway is open to US only and will close at midnight on Monday, August 4, 2013.  Good Luck!

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Product Review: Taggies Baby Sleeper

Just over two weeks in to having Graham at home with us and adjusting to life with a newborn and toddler is a lot to handle at times.  Graham hasn't yet slept in his crib because he's waking a lot throughout the night to nurse so I wanted to keep him close to me.  You know, so I don't have to give up more sleep than I already am.  I had the opportunity to try out the Taggies Baby Sleeper and it's been such a great alternative to the crib.

I love this product as it's small and easy to maneuver throughout the house if I want to move it to the living room during the day or back to our room at night.  The fabric is really soft and the print on the inside of the sleeper is so modern and cute!  I love that's a gender neutral design as I'm always looking for ways to save some cash by using products over for the next baby.



The sleeper also has a built in taggie toy that is situated between the babies legs right over the safety harness so any babies who love rubbing their fingers over tags are in heaven.  The other really cool feature on this sleeper that I haven't seen on others is the vibrating feature on the frame if your baby likes that constant motion.  The Taggies Baby Sleeper is a godsend and Addie loves it because she can peek in on Graham if he's fussing.  She also likes it because it's low enough to the ground that she can climb in and act like a baby too!

-stephanie

NOTE:  I received this product free from kidsii.com however all opinions are completely mine.

Product Review: Vitacost

Vitamins and supplements are an essential part of anyone's daily lifestyle.  Whether you're an itty bitty baby in need of some additional vitamin-D or a pregnant woman needing prenatal vitamins and additional folic acid, we all need something that our diet may not be providing fully.  We recently had the opportunity to work with Vitacost to try out some of their vitamins & supplements.

Vitacost has everything you could imagine, from your basic vitamins & supplements to beauty & personal care, products for your pets and coconut oil!  Coconut oil is something I've been dying to try as I've read it's so great for you!

Addie has been taking a multi-vitamin since she was about 2 and loves them.  I think she thinks they're candy.  They do look just like a gummy bear so I guess it makes sense.  We had her try out the Vitacost Multi-Vitamin Gummies for Kids and Vitacost Omega-3 Gummies for Kids.  She loves them both, the best part is we say to her, "Addie do you want your vitamin" and her response is always "yes, and Omega fee".  That little lisp is the cutest thing ever!

You can get up to 50% off health and beauty products, vitamins, nutritional supplements, health foods and whole food products!  If you sign up here, you can receive $10 off your purchase of $30.  Remember, we all need a daily vitamin so you may as well sign up and save yourself $10!

-stephanie

So Fresh & So Clean

 We're down to 15 days until this baby arrives!  15.days.  I can't believe how close it is.  It's so close that I'm suddenly starting to get the whole 'omg, I'm not ready yet'.  We have so much to do still and one of the things I'm trying to stay on top of as much as possible is keeping our house clean.  I recently had a chance to check out Lysol's Power & Free products which help keep all areas of our house looking fresh & clean.

Just take a look at our dirty stove top after dinner one night.

With a little bit of the multi-purpose spray the stove top was looking a bit cleaner.

And can we please talk about that nasty build up that occurs on our kitchen faucet?

I have no idea what that is or how it gets there, but please take a look at what the wipes can do in less than 30 seconds.

The gunk is gone and the silver is shining!  This product is awesome at quickly cleaning up and killing 99.9% of viruses & bacteria.  That's amazing news to a mom of a rambunctious 2.5 year old and a newborn baby on the way.  Especially as we head into the winter months!  I'm wiping down every door knob & toy in our house!  The baby is coming home to a clean home even if he doesn't have a place to lay his head!

-stephanie

Note: Though I received this product for free,  all opinions are mine. 

Product Review & Giveaway: Kidz Gear Headphones

About a month ago I told you about your family vacation to Myrtle Beach.  It was awesome, I miss it and am already thinking about the next time we'll be going.  This time with a new baby to experience it with!  We knew from last years trip that we needed distractions for Addie along the way.  A lot of things to keep her occupied because we knew she wouldn't stay interested in any one thing for a long period of time.  We invested in portable DVD players that attach to the headrests in our car but knew that she'd likely be watching a movie while we wanted to chat or listen to music without hearing a lot of movie noise (over and over and over...).  So I started doing my research on kids headphones and found a great company called Kidz Gear.  

I honestly cannot say enough about Kidz Gear's products.  The quality of the product is amazing.  I love that the cord is longer than the typical headphone cord.  This is especially important when your kids are watching a movie in the car and you might need some extra cordage.  The fit of the headphones is awesome, I can actually get these on my head as well but they adjust down to a size that would fit a smaller head as well. 

Addie loved them and has since watched several movies in her room with the headphones on as well.

The headphones come in a variety of cute colors to choose from and at a price point that's affordable there's no reason not to purchase one for each of your kids!

But first, check this out...

Giveaway  The great people at Kidz Gear are offering one of my readers the chance to win a Kidz Gear headphone, carrying bag & the headphone splitter cable of your choice!

How to Enter  Just follow the instructions in the Raffelcopter widget below.  Make sure you complete the first task as it is a mandatory task.  Once you complete the mandatory task, all other tasks are optional but do increase your chances to win!  The giveaway is open to US only and will close at midnight on Monday, August 4 , 2013.  Good Luck!

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