Thomas the Train: Take-n-Play Rumbling Gold Mine Run

December 24, 2011 by 11 Comments

Thomas is timeless. No matter how many trains and train sets your kids have there is always something new out there to get their attention. One of the newest ones is Take-n-Play track sets. These sets are great because not only do you get a train and a nifty track set but it is also portable.

The track folds up nicely and is able to be picked up and brought with them, to lets say, Grandma’s house. I am sure quite a few of you have to deal with lots of running around in the next few days. A toy like this is very helpful right now. No more screams to play with the trains, take them with you. If you don’t want to [Read more…]

Filed Under: kids, review

Merry Christmas!

December 24, 2011 by 10 Comments

Merry Christmas from me and mine to you and yours- thanks for being a part of our lives [Read more…]

Filed Under: holidays

Home Decorating Tips for a Warm and Cozy Winter

December 24, 2011 by 5 Comments

When the cold months of winter start to set in, with shorter days, longer nights, and biting winds that
makes you long to wrap your hands around a warm mug of cocoa, you may find yourself going into
hibernation mode. You’ll likely have trouble getting out of bed in the morning and you’ll want nothing
more than to come home and snuggle up under your favorite down comforter or drink some wine and
eat some cheese with your honey next to a blazing fire. Or perhaps your fondest wish is to settle down
on the couch with the family, pop some corn, and watch a few holiday flicks. The point is, much of the
winter will be spent indoors, which means you’ll likely want a home that is warm and cozy. So here are
just a few decorating tips to create the perfect space to wait out the winter.

1. Pillows and throws. Unless you want to pay beaucoup bucks to heat your house, you’re likely
going to lock the thermostat at a temperature that is a little chilly for most people. But since
you can only pile on so many sweaters and socks, it behooves you to create some areas for
members of your household to nest. This is where fluffy pillows and fuzzy throws enter the
picture, and you should have plenty handy in cupboards, bins, and baskets around the house.
As for color, you can’t go wrong with winter white (it gets dirty, but cleans up well with bleach)
or a bright accent color that goes with your décor. Various shades of green are always nice
when there’s no greenery outside.

2. Door draft stops. While you can certainly add some weather stripping for exterior doors or
place practical rubber draft stops under entryways, you can use your drafty house as an excuse
for some cute (yet functional) accessorizing. Decorative draft [Read more…]

Filed Under: home

Slim Fast

December 24, 2011 by 3 Comments
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Slim-Fast for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
Ok so the holidays are almost here. You can see the reindeer antlers on the horizon. The ‘scariest’ part is you ca smell the cookies baking. Cookies baking is one of the most mouth watering smells in the world. Now is the time when cookies are baked and they are just coming out of oven warm and gooey chocolate chip cookies….
Ok so maybe thinking about baking cookies isn’t a very nice way to start a post about losing some weight but, it actually is. Weight loss isn’t about completely cutting yourself off from your favorite foods, it is about moderation and control. This is what I like about the new Slim-Fast 3-2-1 plan.
This plan is simple [Read more…]
Filed Under: Uncategorized

Thomas & Friends Discover Junction Tidmouth Sheds

December 23, 2011 by 6 Comments

Does your preschooler want to play with the big Thomas the Train set, but their little hands just aren’t meant for them? Fisher Price has a play set line for you. The Discover Junction line includes train s and sets meant for smaller hands and easier to function special features like ramps and spinning helicopters. These sets also do not have tracks, but have locations. The Tidmouth Sheds is just that, no tracks to connect or get disconnected during play time. All that is needed is a flat surface.

Tidmouth Sheds is a necessity for any train set. The sheds are the alpha and omega of Thomas’s daily activities. Here is where Thomas sleeps and gets [Read more…]

Filed Under: kids, review

Disney Cars 2 AppMATes

December 23, 2011 by 8 Comments

I am not sure if you realize this, but tablets are great not only for checking email, surfing the web, and productivity stuff for work, but also for keeping kids busy. All those wonderful touch screen games like Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja are a great way to quiet down a child. Little Man loves fruit ninja.

Spin Master and Disney teamed up to bring play time to a new level knowing this. In comes in The new Disney Cars 2 AppMATes. These toys pair with the AppMATes app from iTunes.
The app is a game where you control the car and race and smash about in various environments and Cars 2 [Read more…]

Filed Under: kids, technology

Great Holiday Party Ideas

December 23, 2011 by 3 Comments

If you’re tired of serving the same old dishes, listening to the same tired holiday music, and settling
down to watch the same old flicks (if you have to watch It’s a Wonderful Life one more time, you swear
you’re going to lose it), then perhaps it’s time to spice up your traditional holiday party. You don’t have
to go so far as to hire a professional party planner to deck your halls and bring in a five-star chef, but
you definitely need to make some changes to the agenda if you want do something new and exciting
this year. So here are just a few great ideas to get your holiday party started and ensure that you’re the
toast of the town come New Year.

1. Food. While the whole clan might be expecting turkey, ham, or roast beef as the main dish,
along with seasonal sides like mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and other calorie-laden
classics, you can do your part this year to stick to your diet with foods that are both healthy and
delicious (not to mention different). Actually, the turkey isn’t a bad idea…it’s the healthiest of
the holiday meats. But if you want to try something different, how about a roasted leg of lamb
marinated in tawny port (served with creamy organic squash soup and an arugula salad with
walnuts and dried cranberries)? Or if you’re just throwing a cocktail party, try some exotic hors
d’oeuvres with fresh ingredients.

2. Drinks. If you happen to be one of many trying to stick to a diet this holiday season, you’re
in luck when it comes to the sauce, because Skinny Girl has more than just margaritas. The
Skinny Girl Brand has a couple of new cocktails in the [Read more…]

Filed Under: holidays

Jakks Cars 2 TV Plug-In Video Game

December 23, 2011 by 6 Comments

Ok so its Christmas time and the family is over. You have every console imaginable but the kids just want to play something easy. No installs, no updates, no learning how to play. Just something easy to plug in, turn on and play.

Jakks Pacific is great at making these type toys. The most popular right now is the Deluxe Cars 2 TV game . This game is based on the popular Cars 2 movie which was recently released on DVD. There are “18” games included in this. Most of which are derivatives of racing games, while a few are mock shooting games where you have to sabotage other racers with oil barrels and such. Keep in mind this game is not meant for serious gamers. This is an electronic TV toy. Not a serious gaming console. This is a driving wheel which connects to your TV and lets the kids play Cars 2 easily and quickly.

Each game is easy to the point where winning is a given, which is nice for little gamers. [Read more…]

Filed Under: kids, review