No ReGifting Required for Carven Dans Ma Bulle

February 13, 2019 by 8 Comments

Happy Valentine’s Day to myself! I am a Carven girl and I am in love with Dans Ma Bulle perfume.  Sophisticated and edgy, this sensual perfume passed my “waft test” with flying colors.  What is the “waft test?” It’s when you walk by someone and they do a u-turn to share how great you smell!  This happened to me not one, but two times the first day I wore Dans Ma Bulle. My coworker even followed me back to my desk so that I could show her where to find it! I mean you can’t go wrong with this perfume that lures you in with top notes of litchi rose, mandarin orange and peony … and then whack ‘em … captures you with its base notes of vanilla, sandalwood and Patchouli!

Carven Dans Ma Bulle can definitely be a staple in your perfume collection. It’s a great scent for busy mothers, college girls, and professional women.

Carven Dans Ma Bulle ($120.00 – Bloomingdales – Fall 2018)

 

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Kate Spade’s In Full Bloom Perfume is a Winner

February 13, 2019 by 10 Comments

I just love Kate Spade’s perfume bottle designs.  Even if you do not care for the scent the bottle may serve as a beautiful work of art.  However, Kate Spade In Full Bloom is more than just a pretty bottle … it is in your face bold to the tenth power! If I spray a little perfume on my wrist and the scent gets not one … not two … but FIVE back to back sniffs and an emmmmm, I consider this perfume is a winner. In Full Bloom is a Winner!

In Full Bloom is the perfect name and description of this confident, fresh and scent.  The perfume reminds me of the time I visited St. Louis’s Missouri Botanical Garden while its impressive rose garden was in full bloom. The perfume draws you in to explore its notes of lemon, green tea, peach and lotus flower. This Kate Spade perfume commands and receives attention.  The perfume does lack all day staying power, so you may need to reapply.

Kate Spade New York In Full Bloom ($98 – Ulta.com – Spring 2018)

 

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WIN Thomas and Friends: Lift and Load Cargo Set

June 6, 2018 by 65 Comments

All wood track is a hit with kids, but will it hold their attention?

My little angels looooooove building and creating imaginary environments.  That’s why I thought Thomas and Friends: Lift and Load Cargo Set would be a hit for my 2.5-year-old nephew. Described as a kid friendly and easy-to-build track, I sat down and let my nephew take charge.  After tearing open the box, he was immediately drawn to the poseable figures and Thomas. He attempted to put the tracks together, however it seemed too much of a challenge for a 2.5 year old.  Enter me … the SUPER AUNT.

With adult supervision the track can be completed and even joined to other classic Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway engines and track. There’s no wrong way to connect, so there’s no wrong way to build! Thomas & Friends Wood toys are designed to help develop children’s physical, cognitive and emotional skills. By creating their own stories, kids can engage in playful activities that improve motor and thinking skills.

I really wanted my 2.5-year-old nephew to complete the track by himself. The set is rated for children 3 and older.  This is not a one and done toy and I will definitely store and reintroduce next year. Okay, I will let him keep Thomas at least!

Contents of the set:

  • Thomas & Friends Wood toy train set includes Charlie, 2 Troublesome Trucks, 2 cargo pieces, 2 track adaptors, track layout with transfer crane, cargo loading station, ramps, and 4-way crossing with knob to switch the train’s direction
  • Included track adaptors connect to other wood track systems, including classic Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway (sold separately and subject to availability)
  • Made with sustainably-sourced wood
  • Easy-to-build, kid-friendly track features connectors that let children build by themselves
  • Poseable plastic figure can sit in the sliding crane, and the crane can lift and lower the cargo pieces

Pros:

Wood pieces

Good quality

Consistent with Thomas the Train brand

Cons:

Have a storage container ready after you open the box

Children may need assistance from parent to connect the track

 

Rating: 4.2/5 Stars 

Donna Andrews

Super Aunt of 2 year old

Update: I thought I was going to store the set until he was a little older, but my nephew has asked to play with the set every day since my posting. He is even getting how to connect the track.  Thumbs up!

 

One of you can win a set of your own- feel free to comment in the RC form below. Good luck, ends June 30, 2018.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Lucid Audio HearMuffs

June 6, 2018 by 4 Comments

Parents will do anything within their powers to protect their children from harm. Right? Right! So, if we protect our children from  … say for instance … mosquitoes or harmful UV rays … shouldn’t we also protect their precious hearing? Of course, that is why I was happy to let my one-year-old nephew try out the Lucid Audio’s HearMuffs.

Growing ears of babies and toddlers are susceptible to damage. Providing hearing protection, especially at a young age, helps to ensure optimal hearing as your child grows. HearMuffs is a protective devise that is tauted as being the most advanced hearing preservation for infants and toddlers! Sounds great, but does it work?

I used the HearMuffs at a recent Track-n-Field event where there is historically a large amount of screaming by parents who are trying to encourage their competing children … and not to mention the sudden pop of the starter’s pistol at various times. Unexpected sounds or aggressive voices startles my youngster … which leads to a crying … which leads to crankiness .. which leads to the me leaving earlier thank expected from an event. By his reactions, it is clear loud noises hurt.

To gauge if the HearMuffs really worked, I closely watched my tiny human as the environment seemed to explode around him. Not a budge … nor flinch … only cute toddler smiles and drool. It’s a keeper folks!

HearMuffs compress sounds and has the unique ability to let in outside voices to comfort a child. The unit can even play soothing sounds. Options include Protect only, Soothe Mode allows voices to be heard while compressing potentially harmful noises to comfortable levels and Sounds Mode where the child can enjoy four soothing sounds — Lullaby, White Noise, Creek, and Heartbeat.

We were at the track meet for a few hours and my nephew stayed the entire time and did not have a tantrum. I really believe it was due to the HearMuffs.

Possible Hearing Hazards for Children

  • Loud toys
  • Television volume
  • Events such as festivals, sports events, concerts
  • Firework displays
  • Household appliances (vacuum, hair dryer, blender)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Donna Andrews

Super aunt of a 1 year old boy

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The Little Girl With the Big Voice

May 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment

An inspiring story about overcoming bullying and achieving dreams

 

No one wants their child to experience the torment of bullying. If they do encounter this behavior, are they prepared to handle the situation? Knowing how to cope with bullying is a much needed life skill our children must learn to successfully navigate conflict.

The Little Girl with the Big Voice, written by Wė (pronounced Way) McDonald, is a book your child can relate to and may be helpful in starting conversations regarding bullying. The book teaches valuable lessons such as how to overcome adversity, and building self confidence. Written in Wė’s own words, the book is a powerful story about a girl who courageously embraces her uniqueness and finds her voice.

The book was engaging and illustrations well-done. My niece was completely attentive and asked questions as Wė’s experiences unfolded.  The Little Girl with the Big Voice is fresh and timely. However, I believe the book could have given just a little bit more strategy on conflict resolution. The book’s focus shifted from bullying to Wė being a contestant on the television program, The Voice. Definitely two books in one, which may be good thing for some parents.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Donna Andrews

Super aunt of a 7-year-old girl

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Neema’s Reason to Smile

May 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment

A heart-warming story about a child’s desire to go to school

 The kids are little older now and the novelty of going to school has wane. I have always shared with my nieces and nephews that they should not take education for granted … that going to school should not be a chore as there are many children in this world who would love the opportunity to learn how to read, write, and fuel their imaginations. However, they are unable to attend school because they cannot afford clothing, supplies, and books.

Neema’s Reason to Smile, written by Patricia Newman, is a vibrant and lyrical tale of a young Kenyan girl, named Neema, who dreams of going to school. We learn about Neema’s young life and how she must work selling fruit instead of receiving an education. She saves her coins in hopes of one day having enough money to pay for school, but it is one step forward two steps back for young Neema. One day Neema spots a little girl heading to school and follows her.  She ends up at a school and witnesses a learning environment she had only dreamed of. School was everything she thought it would, but alas, it was not meant to be for Neema; so she thought. For young readers, I believe this book is about responsibility to family, kindness and reciprocity. Although this story is considered fiction, the story is based on the real-life students at Jambo Jipy School in Kenya.

The book was engaging and illustrations well-done. My niece and nephew were attentive (with an occasional distraction as the family dog passed by). They asked questions about Africa, and found it sad that there are kids too poor to go to school.  My niece and nephew cheered when a teacher invited Neema to attend her class.  So, this little book was a reality check for them.

A couple of drawbacks I noticed included a few too many high-level words and harsh description of the “beggar”.

 

Rating: 4/5 stars

Donna Andrews

Super aunt of a 7-year-old girl and 8-year-old boy

 

 

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