Samantha, Author at Have Sippy Will Travel

The Best Subscription-Based Gifts for Men: Give the Gifts that Keep on Giving!

March 16, 2016 by Samantha 1 Comment

The subscription-based shopping craze is in full swing, and makes it easy for you to give a gift to the man in your life that literally keeps on giving. From razors and undies to sock subscriptions and specialized subscriptions for gamers, pet lovers, and tie enthusiasts, you’ll be hard-pressed to find an item out there that isn’t represented by a company that offers subscriptions. Here are a few top favorites that have garnered the attention of consumers from every walk of life.

Men’s Yoga Subscriptions: Get the Gear and Instructional Videos

For many, it is thought that the yoga trend is only for the ladies. But if you’ve been to a yoga studio anytime in the last 10 years or so, you know the numbers of men signing up for classes has grown tremendously. With this in mind, a few yoga companies have created subscriptions to help guys out. Broga Yoga offers online streaming yoga videos, yoga certification, and event listings. Sign up your shy guy for just $12 per month, and the first 30 days are free! Sadly, there aren’t any men’s clothing or sock subscriptions for yoga, but you can get great men’s yoga clothes from Spiritual Gangster to get started, and you can gift your guy a Yogi Surprise monthly subscription box for less than $40 a month. These tidy little boxes contain awesome products, from organic foods and yoga gloves to body oils and more.

Men’s Sock Subscriptions: The One Thing They Will Never Get Themselves

It’s a known fact that almost all men will wear their socks until they look like they’ve been around since the Civil War. To end this sad display of holey (and unholy) socks in sad disrepair, sign up your brother, dad, boyfriend, husband, or buddy for sock subscriptions from Nice Laundry. If you know him well, then you’ll know whether the lucky recipient of your Nice Laundry socks should be calf socks or no-show socks, as this online subscription-based sock shop offers both in tons of vivid colors, fun prints, modernized takes on classic argyle, and much more. Your guy will receive a sock drawer makeover with six pairs you’ve chosen for him plus an additional seventh pair for free every quarter of the year for just $49 each quarter. These high-quality socks offer much more than eye-pleasing prints — Nice Laundry is known for crafting comfy, moisture-wicking socks that fit well and stay put on the foot, right where they should be.

Glasses and Sunglasses: Endless Eyewear from DITTO

For $24 per month for nonprescription and only $34 per month for prescription glasses, DITTO allows its users to swap out glasses from a huge inventory anytime they want to. When a pair arrives that’s been picked online, wear them for a week, a couple weeks, or longer, and send them back in to receive the next pair you’ve picked in your glasses subscription. This is a great way for guys to change up their look with very little effort — and when given as a gift, swapping with as much frequency as he likes is fun for free! DITTO has thousands of frames from hundreds of brands to choose from

Filed Under: Uncategorized

March 22nd is American Diabetes Association Alert Day #prediabetes

March 16, 2016 by Samantha Leave a Comment

86 million American adults (more than 1 in 3) have prediabetes and are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a serious health condition that can lead to heart attack and stroke. Surprisingly, nearly 90% of those with prediabetes don’t even know that they have it. But prediabetes can be reversed through weight loss, diet changes and increased physical activity, and the first step to reversing the condition is to evaluate one’s personal risk so that they can take action as soon as possible.

That’s why the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have partnered with the Ad Council to launch the first national public service advertising campaign about prediabetes, encouraging people to learn their risk by taking a short online test at the campaign site, which also features information on prediabetes as well as lifestyle programs and tips to help people reverse their risk.

You can visit DoIHavePrediabetes.org for a short online test that will help you learn your risk for prediabetes. Learn things like;

The answers to these 7 simple questions can tell you if you’re likely to have prediabetes.
Already slipping on your resolutions? Here are some tips to stick with healthy change.
What you need to know about prediabetes – and how it can be reversed.
Telenovela star joins new prediabetes PSA campaign [and others for Hispanic audiences].
Have prediabetes? If you do, you probably don’t know it yet. Here’s how you can find out.
Think you’re too busy for type 2 diabetes? I thought so too.

For more information about the campaign visit DoIHavePrediabetes.org or Adcouncil.org. You can find out more about prediabetes and the organizations’ efforts to prevent type 2 diabetes at: ADA, AMA, CDC.

Filed Under: charity/notforprofit, health

Filling Easter Baskets with Fun

March 16, 2016 by Samantha 2 Comments

Are you ready for the Easter Bunny to hop into your house? Check out these fun spring toys to fill your little one’s baskets with.

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For your smallest bunnies, take a look at these fun “Easter” eggs. The HABA Shakin’ Eggs are perfect for baskets and they don’t ever go bad. Little ones will love them- not only for their bright colors, but also for the fun sounds they make. Each box contains a set of five colored beech wood eggs- and yes the paint is safe and non-toxic (since we all know little ones are going to put them into their mouths). Each egg makes a different sound- one jingles, another rattles, etc, so that your child can make some fun “music”. It is recommended by the manufacturer for ages 2 and up, but in my opinion, smaller kids can play with these as well- they can’t fit into mouths and there are no small parts. You can get them at http://www.habausa.com/musical-eggs.html or a store near you for around $20.

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Great for nearly any age is the Aurora plush toy line. You can choose from many adorable stuffed friends, some of our favorites being the Cheekeez Bunny and the oh-so-soft Lamb (this one seems to be in a “downward dog” yoga pose, which my son will just love, being that we do yoga together). To me, no basket is complete without a sweet fluffy toy, and these Aurora makes some high quality toys without a ridiculous price tag. They are soft, cuddly, and any child would love to cuddle up with one of these cuties. Cheekeez Bunny is $9, and the lamb is $15.50- you can pick them up (and more to choose from) at http://www.auroragift.com/ and gift stores like Hallmark.

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For your gamer, Skylanders has released two limited edition, exclusive Easter themed toys for the Skylanders SuperChargers game. Spring Ahead Dive Bomber ($14.99) is a new vehicle that the Skylanders have disguised as an Easter egg to protect their bounty! This is a fun new addition to the “vehicles” line of toys, which my son absolutely adores. The Skylanders figures can interact and ride inside them in the game, adding a new layer of fun. Also out for the holiday is Eggcited Thrillipede ($12.99) who, with an extra set of arms, is the reigning Dragon Egg Toss Champion. Maybe they will substitute some Easter Eggs this year, who knows. You can pick these up at Game Stop, Toys R Us, and other stores that carry video games.

If you are not in the mood to crate your own basket, you ran short on time, or perhaps your little chicks live far from you- not to worry! You can order one to be delivered in time for Easter from GourmetGiftBaskets.com . There are a large variety of pre-made baskets to choose from, no matter what the age, likes, or destination of the gift-ee. You can send them to your older children who live far away (there are options like the Gift Basket for Men, Premium Wine Spa Gift Basket, and more) as well as diabetics (Sugar Free Gift Basket), Happy Easter Brownie Cake, and more. For families with more then one child, a great option would be the DOUBLE-BUNNY EASTER BASKET This basket has two of everything- candies, toys, chocolate bunnies- and of course, stuffed toys. When you want to be there but just can’t be, you can send your hugs and chocolate kisses via mail. Head over and see what fits your fancy- prices vary.

When you are ready to get cooking, and before you head to the supermarket to deal with long lines, visit Tastefully Simple. If you are like me, and want to make sure everything comes out perfect (but maybe aren’t the whiz in the kitchen you wish you were) you can get an extra hand with some amazing recipes, menus, and packages that will help make your Easter dinner turn out right. While you will still need to pick up the ham (or whatever it is you prefer to cook up), you can order a time saving, easy to prepare yet delicious Easter Celebration Menu that has nearly everything you need in it. You will need to pick up the fresh items, but it makes cooking and planning so much easier. There are even ideas and “how to’s” on how to make your food look amazing- things you are going to want to share on Instagram, even if you are no Martha Stewart. Easter Basket Cookies, Chick Deviled Eggs, Easter Brownie Truffles, and more. You are going to love they way your food turns out. Visit https://www.tastefullysimple.com and see what I mean- then place your order.

Disclosure- We received the above in order to facilitate reviews. All opinions are my own and honest.

Filed Under: review, toys Tagged With: easter, newspaper cross post, parents at play, toys

Today is is MAR10 (Mario) Day! #Mar10Day

March 10, 2016 by Samantha Leave a Comment

Celebrated by Mario fans each year, the 10th of March is a special day to remember his impact on pop culture, thanks to how the day on the calendar resembles the beloved character’s name. Nintendo is celebrating with fans by listing some of the famous mustached hero’s achievements throughout the past year and by asking fans to participate by tweeting their favorite Mario moments using the #Mar10Day hashtag. So get your tweet on, and tell the world how much you love this feisty Italian plumber.

Mario’s Year in Review:

Mario had a big milestone in 2015! He celebrated 30 years since he leaped his way into people’s hearts in 1985’s Super Mario Bros. Fans across the country celebrated with him in this fun video.
Nintendo launched Super Mario Maker, a game that lets fans create and share their own Super Mario Bros. levels. So far, 6.2 million levels have been created by fans!
Facebook’s engineers celebrated Mario by creating their very own Super Mario Maker levels for fans to play. Check them out here.
A special 30th Anniversary Mario amiibo was released in a classic 8-bit design. The limited-edition figure was a tribute to the original Super Mario Bros. game that launched for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985.
Mario hit the courts with the launch of Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash for Wii U. In the game, fans play as Mario and friends in intense tennis competitions.
For the first time, Mario teamed up with his paper version, Paper Mario, in the colorful action RPG Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam for Nintendo 3DS.
With the help of his voice actor, Charles Martinet, Mario celebrated the grand opening of the Nintendo NY store in Rockefeller Plaza.

…and Mario will have more to celebrate in 2016! Competing with his friends in the Olympic Games, Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is coming to Nintendo 3DS on March 18 (with the Wii U version launching this summer).

Filed Under: entertainment, gaming, technology Tagged With: check in, Nintendo, video games

The White House Takes on Diapers #DiaperGap

March 10, 2016 by Samantha Leave a Comment

I’d like to share some information that was sent to me from Renata Alexis of Covenant House. Diapers are not something that we think about often, but for struggling women and families, it’s a real problem that needs a solution. The White House is stepping up and stepping in to help those in need work to find a resolution.

“Diapers are basic necessities for these young women and their children, just like food and housing. We work to provide diapers to them as much as we can. But right now, diapers are a big expense: We pay roughly 33 cents per diaper and wait one week per shipment. When we run out, we need to make a run to the corner store, where we end up paying premium prices.

This isn’t just our problem. Studies show nearly one in three families struggle to afford diapers for their babies.

Policy experts say that low-income families spend twice as much on diapers every year compared to some wealthier families. That’s because low-income families don’t have internet access or credit cards to order diapers in bulk online, or often don’t have transportation to buy in bulk at a big box store.

When families can’t afford a healthy number of diapers for their babies, they’re faced with the choice between buying diapers and paying for food, rent, or utilities like heat. That’s a choice that no family should have to make.

Today, the White House is highlighting a new initiative by private and non-profit entities to help fix this problem and make diapers more affordable for all. Learn more about how it will help millions of families in need.

The initiative has three key parts:

First, the private sector and the non-profit community have teamed up to provide a more affordable way to manufacture and distribute diapers to non-profit organizations. This means that organizations like mine can pay less than half the cost of what we normally pay for diapers, and get them faster with free two-day shipping.
Second, any 501(c)(3) non-profit can sign up to participate in the Community Diaper Program and begin offering these more affordable diapers to families in their communities. The National Diaper Bank Network estimates that their 280 diaper banks will be able to order more than 14 million diapers this year thanks to this program.
Third, even more private sector organizations are helping address the problem through diaper donation campaigns to benefit families in need.

I cannot say how much seemingly small efforts like these can impact organizations like Covenant House. When we have cheaper, more reliable access to diapers, we can invest any savings into job training programs to help these young mothers find full-time jobs to support their families.

But more important than saving money, this initiative shows these women that people care about them. They are working so hard to change their lives and provide their children with a good future, and this is the kind of support that they’ll remember for a lifetime.”

Take a minute to find out what’s being done to help families get the diapers they need at wh.gov/DiaperGap.

Filed Under: charity/notforprofit, family, health

Moving House: How To Make That New Home A Home

March 8, 2016 by Samantha 1 Comment

When you are moving house, there are many different difficulties and challenges which you need to face. One of the problems which a lot of people find occurs only after they have moved. Too many people move and then find themselves worrying that their new house is not right for them! This is an experience which many of us have been through. The truth is, it can come as quite a severe shock. However, all is not lost; there are a number of things you can do to make that home yours. Most of it will simply come in time, and you need to just be patient and let it happen. But there are some steps to take from day one to make sure that it actually happens, so you may as well! Let’s have a look at some of the things you can do now.

Decorate

A lot of people end up not getting around to decorating for a long time. That is perfectly understandable; after all, it seems like a lot of effort. Often, when you have just gone through the stress of moving home, you just want to relax for a while. Personally, I’m of the opinion that you should just carry on and get it all done as soon as you possibly can. That way, you can relax fully knowing that your home is yours. Re-decorating is the quickest and simplest way to make a new home your own. If you don’t do this, you are missing a trick. It can even be a fun activity to share with those you live with. If you have kids, it can be a really therapeutic way to get them involved in the entire house moving process. You need not decorate the entire house to give it your own flavour. Just the living room and bedrooms will do to start with. You can always do the rest at a later time.

Cut Costs

Part of the stress of moving is the worry involved in living costs. That’s why I think it’s a great idea to just get it sorted as quickly as you can. As soon as you move, check your energy suppliers. In terms of peace of mind, there are few companies who can offer you more in such a short space of time. They have a long history of helping their customers reduce their energy costs.

Experiment
Last but by no means least: experiment! This is your new home, after all, so you may as well have fun with it. So many people simply accept what they are given, without bothering to change anything. Personally, I think that’s mad. As soon as you have settled in, do yourself a favor and start moving furniture around. Just play around with what you have, and what out what works. Remember that you will be living there for a long time, so you may as well make it as comfortable as possible.

Filed Under: home

Getaway to the Catskills

March 8, 2016 by Samantha 7 Comments

We are fortunate to live near New York City, with lots of cultural events and attractions. However, going to NYC at any time has some drawbacks, namely that it is SUPER CROWDED, everywhere, and it can be SUPER EXPENSIVE.

I was recently hosted on a weekend getaway with the Catskill Mountain Foundation and discovered that there is much culture to be enjoyed just a two hour drive away from the city, with wide open spaces.

Our home base for the weekend was Sherwood House, a guesthouse where students, teachers, musicians,
dancers and artists have stayed to collaborate and produce amazing pieces.

We were situated in Sherwood House because it is very convenient to Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts, a center for the study of studio arts. The arts are really poppin’ in the Catskills!

In Hunter Village Square, the Kaaterskill Fine Arts & Crafts Gallery, features the work of local and regional artists in a variety of mediums, everything from craft exhibits to salon-style exhibitions for art work. Everyone in our group found something they needed to purchase.

Right across the street is the Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Piano Performance Museum, an unexpected and fascinating gem displaying the Steven E. Greenstein Collection of historic pianos from Europe and the Americas over the past four centuries. These pianos can actually be PLAYED and all can be featured in professional performances.

This afternoon filled with music and art left us read to enjoy dinner at the Deer Mountain Inn lodge and restaurant.
Deer Mountain Inn is ALL kinds of luxurious. I felt like the Rat Pack definitely would have convened in the restaurant for a cocktail. The lodge has six gorgeous rooms appointed with a combination of turn-of-the-century design and rustic modern touches. The property is on 168 wooded acres, making for great views and relaxing nature hikes. After filling our bellies with top notch cuisine, we could only drive back to Sherwood House to recharge for our next day’s adventure in the Catskills.

Filed Under: travel Tagged With: NY, travel

Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Cosmic Clash

March 8, 2016 by Samantha 8 Comments

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Long name, yes. Good movie- also yes.
The newest film in the line of Lego DC Comics Super Heroes films has arrived, and this time we delve deeper into the Justice League’s team of heroes as well as one of their most feared villains- Brainiac. The story follows Brainiac’s plan to expand his ever growing collection of planets with the Earth. The only problem is that it has a ‘firewall’, as he puts it. (The “firewall” being the Justice League.) In order to deal with them, he throws who he believes to be the three strongest heroes (Super Man, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern) to various time periods, erasing their memories and leaving Batman, Flash, and Cyborg to figure out how to save the day.

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This movie is full of fun characters like the Legion of Super Heroes and Super Girl, while also keeping true to the Lego name. It was funny and quirky, with brick textures and environments, as well as fun kid friendly versions of popular super heroes.
Personally, Batman is always a favorite with his quick wit and dark brooding emotions, but this movie also casts a new light on the kinder friendlier version of the character. There are so many references to other movies, songs, TV shows and other “Easter Eggs” as it is put, that it is hard to catch them all in one viewing- but the ones you do catch are really funny. Like, really. Laugh out loud funny- and not just for kids.

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We were able to meet some of the voice and production cast from the movie- Troy Baker (voice of Batman), James Arnold Taylor (Flash,) and Khary Payton (Cyborg) attended, as well as producer Brandon Vietti, director Rick Morales, and writer Jim Krieg.M y son especially enjoyed meeting “Cyborg”, who also voices the character on the TV show “Teen Titans”. My son loves that show- and meeting “Cyborg” in person kind of made him “fanboy” out a little bit. Side note- it’s not really a voice Khary Payton does for Cyborg so much as his own voice, which was kind of neat. It was like hearing a character all the time, ha. They were all very nice about it, and meeting fans and children. They took questions from media, the audience, and the kids as well.

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