Spreading Holiday Cheer with Calico Critters #GiftGuide

December 17, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Do your kids love Calico Critters as much as mine do? They are the perfect toys for kids, and since they use animals instead of traditional dolls, both boys and girls can enjoy them without getting the side eye from those judgmental or less progressive members of the family. (Not that boys should ever be ashamed of playing with dolls- I just love that there is another option for kids, as well as for the boys who want to nurture, but might not love dolls.)

Calico Critters is already decking the halls with lots of family merriment and cheer, with both their traditional collection as well as brand new additions.  This holiday season, consider Calico Critters as the perfect gift-giving items for your little holiday helpers. They last as well, so they will stay in great condition from your oldest to your youngest (and likely then some- I still have the Calico Critter I had when I was a kid, and it looks great. My son added it to his collection.)

CALICO CRITTERS VILLAGE RED ROOF SERIES HOME

 

Sweet Raspberry Home

kids gifts

The Sweet Raspberry Home is the newest addition to the Village, perfectly matching the detail and design of the Red Roof Cozy Cottage and Red Roof Country Home. Kids will enjoy the outdoors with the Hopscotch Rabbit family in the comfort of their home porch. The home comes furnished with baby furniture and Nursery Series Grace Hopscotch Rabbit who’s ready to play. Children can also connect the Sweet Raspberry Home with the Red Roof Cozy Cottage and Country Home for more fun.  Ages 3+/ $24.95/ Available Now

 

Red Roof Country Home

dollhouse

playset

Nestled in the Village is the beautiful and spacious Red Roof Country Home.  With four rooms, a terrace, staircase and lights, Critter families can enjoy the beauty of the village in the comfort of their home.  Children can create various layouts in a 90˚angle, 180˚angle or closed setting. Connect the Country Home to the Sweet Raspberry Home and Cozy Cottage for an even grander household. The Red Roof Country Home Gift set includes detailed furniture, accessories and lights, as well as Heidi & Bell Hopscotch Rabbits. Ages 3+, $69.95/ Gift Set $99.95/ Available Now

 

Red Roof Cozy Cottage

cheap dollhouse

Comfortable, cozy and close to the Village! The Red Roof Cozy Cottage is the perfect starter home for children to build their world of imagination.  Bell Hopscotch is ready to play house in her quaint home, furnished with a bed, kitchen sink, stove/oven, food, tables, chairs and more! Kids can connect the Cozy Cottage to the Sweet Raspberry Home and Country Home for even more creativity and fun. Ages 3+/ $29.95/ Available Now

 

CALICO CRITTERS NURSERY COLLECTION 

The new Nursery collection features sweet new Baby Critters and specially designed environments – all packed with play for the little ones. 

calico critters babies

Blind Bags – Baby Party Series

Blind bags add the element of surprise to Calico Critters play!  Hidden in each bag is a new Baby Party critter that children can add to their nursery collection. They won’t know which critter is inside until they open the bag. Each bag includes a Baby Critter and uniquely designed party accessories. The collection includes nine new collectable babies to complete the party:  Maple Cat baby with a bouquet of flowers, Sweetpea Rabbit baby with party hat and tambourine, Toy Poodle baby playing the piano, Persian Cat baby with a birthday cake, Sandy Cat baby with bowling set, Cuddle Bear baby with horseshoes, Woolly Alpaca baby with a gift, Fluffy Hamster baby with confetti shooter, and last but not least, the exclusive secret style Baby Critter to add more fun to the festivities!   Ages 3+/ $4.95 each

Blind Bags – Baby Shopping Series

toy baby animals

Blind bags add the element of surprise to Calico Critters play!  Hidden in each bag is a new Baby Shopping critter that children can add to their nursery collection. They won’t know which critter is inside until they open the bag. Each bag includes a Baby Critter and uniquely designed grocery and shopping accessories. To add to the surprise, the series includes one extra secret style critter. The collection includes nine new collectable babies to tag along the shopping trip:  Hopscotch Rabbit Baby with Bread, Buckley Deer Baby with Shopping Cart, Wilder Panda Baby with Popcorn, Outback Koala Baby with Shopping Bag, Polar Bear Baby with Ice Cream, Sweetpea Rabbit Baby with Eggs and Juice, Tuxedo Cat Baby with Shopping Cart, Silk Cat Baby with Cash Register, and an exclusive secret style baby to join the fun at the Grocery Market! Ages 3+/ $4.95 each

Blind Bags – Baby Band Series 

Blind bags add the element of surprise to Calico Critters play!  Hidden in each bag is a new Baby Band critter that children can add to their nursery collection. They won’t know which critter is inside until they open the bag. Each bag includes a Baby critter and a uniquely designed musical instrument.  The collection includes eight new collectable babies to complete the band: Shiloh Yellow Labrador on xylophone, Daisy Maple Cat playing the Trumpet, Jason Cuddle Bear with cymbals, Henry Sweetpea Rabbit on the drums, Milo Toy Poodle with accordion, Grace Hopscotch Rabbit playing the violin, Joseph Tuxedo Cat on the piano, and last but not least, Luke Hazelnut Chipmunk playing the tambourine. Ages 3+/ $4.95 each

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Gifts That Give To Those Who Need It Most #GiftGuide

December 16, 2019 by 1 Comment

As you buy gifts for loved ones this year, consider what you could do to help impoverished children throughout the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and Latin America as well. Gifts are made through Cross Catholic Outreach, a 501c3 Catholic relief and development ministry that provides food, shelter, medical care, water, education, self-help programs, care for orphans and emergency relief. These are a few of the options people can choose from as gift ideas (more ideas are here):

  • Food for the hungry – Send lifesaving supplies of Vitafood to starving children and their families. $27 can feed a family for a whole month.
  • Toys and gifts for a needy child – Let Cross Catholic Outreach pack your Box of Joy with toys and gifts and send it to a child. For $34, Cross Catholic Outreach will pack your Box of Joy and send it to a needy child overseas.
  • Mosquito nets – Send a gift that will effectively help prevent malaria in Zambia. A gift of $26 will provide 3 mosquito nets and help prevent malaria.
  • Bicycles – Send one of the most useful gifts for the poor that you could ever send. $66 provides the gift of a bicycle.

Want to give back to the environment? Check out The Sierra Club. 

These Holiday Gift Guides have Gifts That Give Back, they are the nation’s largest and oldest grassroots environmental organization. This holiday season, Sierra Club is asking families to put the environment first by purchasing gifts that help protect our communities and our future.

Adopt A Wild Animal: From a grizzly bear or polar bear, to a gray wolf or humpback whale, your symbolic adoption will help protect wild animals and the wild places they call home. “Adopt” today and receive an adorable plush animal to love.

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WIN “Zeus the Mighty” Prize Pack from National Geographic Kids Books #HolidayGiftGuide

December 6, 2019 by 46 Comments
Looking for a great gift for the kids this holiday season? Check out Zeus the Mighty: The Quest for the Golden Fleasby Crispin Boyer (ages 8-12, hardcover,  $12.99) This book introduces readers to the Mount Olympus Pet Center in Athens … Georgia, where Zeus the Mighty (an adorable hamster) rules over a crew of cute critters, all named after (and believing themselves to be) Greek gods and goddesses. By day, Zeus — a tiny, overconfident hamster with a mighty appetite for power — and his gaggle of gods run on their exercise wheels and take catnaps. But at night these fearless furry friends bravely take on legendary mythological quests! In the series’ first thrilling adventure, Zeus the Mighty has one giant task in front of him: to find the “golden fleas” so he can solidify his position as “king of the gods.”
 
Get ready to laugh, cheer, and learn with this adorable and quirky cast of characters in their unforgettable first adventure — a reimagining of the tale of the Golden Fleece. Click here to view the fantastic book trailer. 
national geographic books
 “A center for rescued pets becomes the stage for adventures of literally mythical import in this series opener … lots of comical byplay … A treat for proto–Percy Jackson fans.” – Kirkus
And some more Zeus fun:
* Meet the characters, play games, read an excerpt, and learn more about Greek artifacts at ZeusTheMighty.com.
* Also, check out the podcast Greeking Out available here: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/books/zeus-the-mighty/podcast/episodes/.
You can also follow them on social media-
* National Geographic Kids Books twitter – @NGKidsBks
* National Geographic Kids Facebook – @nationalgeographickids
* National Geographic Kids website: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
* Please use the following hashtag: #zeusthemighty
* Zeus the Mighty Booktrailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajY_qbF2fEo
One of you can win this adorable prize pack. You can buy at the link above, and you are welcome to enter to win by using the RC form below. Good luck! Ends Dec. 24, 2019.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Best of Pokemon For Your Collector #HolidayGiftGuide

December 6, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Looking for some great new toys for your Pokemon fans? Check out these fun options.

POKEMON TAG TEAM MINI TINS

Two Pokémon can be stronger when they join forces, as you’re bound to learn after getting your hands on these new TAG TEAM cards. A TAG TEAM can be stronger than a Pokémon battling solo. Choose from three strong duos—Pikachu & Zekrom-GX, Eevee & Snorlax-GX, or Celebi & Venusaur-GX—in the Pokémon Trading Card Game: TAG TEAM Tin. Each of these fantastic tins contains an amazing pair of Pokémon who work together perfectly as a team—with a GX attack that can leave opponents in the dust. Each tin comes with;

    • 1 of 3 foil TAG TEAM Pokémon-GX with special art: Pikachu & Zekrom-GX, Eevee & Snorlax-GX, or Celebi & Venusaur-GX
    • 4 Pokémon TCG booster packs
    • 1 metal TAG TEAM GX marker
    • A code card to unlock a playable deck in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online

My Partner Pikachu

Engage with Pikachu like never before. My Partner Pikachu features 3 touch sensors that let you and Pikachu communicate in a new and fun way. Watch Pikachu’s arms and ears move, his cheeks and tail light up or hear one of his iconic Pikachu expressions or sound effects. 2 modes of play create over 100 interactions along with 20 sounds and expressions for you to experience. Gotta Catch ‘Em All!™SRP: $19.99, for ages 4+

Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield

Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield games are among the fastest-selling Nintendo Switch games of all time. Additionally, the games sold just over 2 million copies in the first two days in the U.S., making it the highest-grossing launch of any Pokémon game.

In Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, players embark on a journey through the Galar region, where they’ll catch, battle and trade a variety of Pokémon, meet a memorable cast of characters and unravel the mystery behind the Legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta. (Photo: Business Wire)

“This past weekend, millions of people began their Pokémon journeys through the new Galar region,” said Nick Chavez, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “With such a momentous launch, Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield have proven to be two of the must-have games this holiday season.”

Games in the core Pokémon RPG series have sold more than 240 million units worldwide since launching with the Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Blue Version games in 1996.

In Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, players embark on a journey through the Galar region, where they’ll catch, battle and trade a variety of Pokémon, meet a memorable cast of characters and unravel the mystery behind the Legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta. In the Wild Area, which stretches between the Galar region’s different towns and cities, players will explore a vast expanse of untamed wilderness that’s full of Pokémon to battle and catch. By teaming up with three other players locally or online in the new multiplayer co-op Max Raid Battles, players will face off against gigantic and super-strong Pokémon known as Dynamax Pokémon.

For more information about Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, visit https://swordshield.pokemon.com/en-us/.

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Great Gift Ideas For The Kids #GiftGuide

December 5, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Looking for a great toy for the kids that won’t break the bank? We are HUGE fans of Stikbot over here, and have been from the start. They are great for imaginative play, as well as getting kids to get off their gaming consoles now and then. This does require tech, but the use of their minds and imaginations as well as learning a new skill set means it’s not just another useless, mindless, brain numbing app or game- it’s actually pretty cool and gives them something positive to be doing. Not to mention? Kids love, love these.

KlikBots is a line of collectible action figures that kids can use to create their very own stop-motion videos. With their interchangeable pieces, articulating limbs, and action accessories, KlikBots are ready to travel the universe and go on any adventure you can imagine.

KlikBot comes with a free app, Stikbot Studio, that allows users to create and edit stop-motion movies with their characters.

You can get them in single packs as well as “studio packs” which gets you the Klikbot, tripod, and extra bits and pieces.

The Stikbot Studio gets you 1 Stikbot, 1 Stikbot pet and 1 tripod.

There is also a Zanimation Studio, or Studio Pro Stickbot options which comes with 2 Stikbots, 1 Stikbot pet, 1 tripod, 2 prop boxes (blue and green), and 1 green/blue screen stage. Everything your kiddo will need to make stop motion movies like the pros do.

Also available are dinosaurs, pets, safari animals, monsters and mega monsters, and so much more. There are so many “bots” and playsets, your child(ren) won’t get bored. Best part? They are not expensive. You can get them for as little as $4 in just about any store that sells toys. Prices vary depending on what you are buying, but the single packs are a super affordable gift, stocking stuffer, or bribe to get good grades. Not that anyone would ever do that….

Check out the line here, and see what strikes your fancy. Happy holiday shopping!

Filed Under: gifts, Holiday Gift Guide, kids, review, toys Tagged With: , ,

Looking for CBD and Hemp Tinctures and Products? #GiftGuide #MadeInTheUSA

December 5, 2019 by 1 Comment

cbd cream

Let me introduce Extract Labs out of Boulder, CO. They make an amazing selection of exceptionally pure Hemp Tinctures that are the highest quality, but offered at the lowest price points possible since the company keeps every step of production in-house. Yes, they are made here in the USA. 

 

Extract Labs was founded by a former combat veteran turned CO2 extraction expert, Craig Henderson. The Hemp Tinctures are made of oil that has been CO2-extracted from industrial hemp plants grown only in Colorado. It’s rich in CBD and uses a base of fractionated coconut oil – the purest form of coconut oil. Consumer testimonials indicate the tinctures are used to support wellness in a number of ways, including relieving symptoms of anxiety, depression, insomnia, inflammation, epilepsy, chronic pain, PTSD, etc.  It is available in different sizes and dosages. There are even options for your 4 legged friends! 
 
They also make the most AMAZING Extra Strength Muscle Cream, Face Cream, Softgels and Lip Balm.  
They feel as good as they look.
I also recently checked out a new CBD line called Green Grove CBD – a Kansas City based broad spectrum line (meaning no THC). Made here in the USA, they have a really cool initiative where for every product purchase, a tree is planted. The line offers amazing CBD energy packets that go into water, Bath Bombs, CBD Candles, Soft Gels, Vitamin CBD packets for water (that give you energy) and more. Also fantastic  sleep CBD Tinctures with Melatonin. Again, there are options for your pets as well. 
If you are looking for great healthcare products your friends and family will love, look no further. Happy Holidays 🙂
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7th Heaven’s cruelty-free, vegan and EASY peel-off masks #GiftGuide #Skincare

December 5, 2019 by Leave a Comment

7th Heaven’s cruelty-free, vegan and EASY peel-off masks. Available in several ‘flavors,’ such as Coconut & Clay, Tea Tree and Dead Sea, these de-stressing masks use luxurious natural ingredients to reveal glowing, fresher, cleaner skin.

skin care

The “Dead Sea” Mask… I wish I had made a video of. It was interesting peeling off, and unlike some masks, actually did peel. It was clear, and very sticky going on. I got some in my eyebrows, which panicked me, but I had no trouble getting it off without taking off any hair. It got super tight as it dried, and looked like I was  taking off swaths of sunburnt skin as I peeled it off.

So. It peels off, and didn’t rip any hair. Great, yeah? Maybe. It didn’t take off any blackheads, either, as many peel masks will do. I didn’t notice much in the mask itself after it was off, and since it was translucent, I would think it would be easy to see anything that was pulled away, “ick” wise.

My skin, however, was super soft and felt fantastic, so there was that. It dried clear and shiny- below is how it looked just before I pulled it off.

dead sea skin care

Each mask comes in a generous single-serve sachet and retails for $1.99 . Perfect for stocking stuffers.

Filed Under: beauty, Holiday Gift Guide, review Tagged With: , , , , ,

Now at the Paper Mill Playhouse, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella”

November 25, 2019 by Leave a Comment

We just saw the latest production at NJ’s Paper Mill Playhouse, and it was just delightful. Fun, adorable, and timely ( gotta love those shows that update their material to be relevant to the times and situations), it was a good time for any age. Both cute and funny, the show was a modern take on the classic (and the folktale) Cinderella, who takes a lot less guff then her cartoon buddies did. While still being oh so sweet and of course a bit of a doormat (because, face it- she kind of has to be to survive) she makes her own way, her own friends, and is pretty feisty at times. While you wouldn’t necessarily jump to call her a “hero”, she’s kind to everyone and inspires people to be their best selves and to do the right things- and in this time? That’s pretty heroic. Self rescuing heroine, pleased to see that. No fainting maidens in distress, waiting for some man to save them. Appreciate that.

Take your kids. Take your family. And have a nice date night.

This enchanting, Tony-nominated Broadway adaptation of the beloved musical will put a spell on audiences of all ages. Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella showcases some of the songwriting duo’s loveliest tunes, including “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible/It’s Possible,” and “Ten Minutes Ago,” as well as some new characters and surprising twists. Add a dash of fairytale romance, magical onstage transformations, and the iconic pumpkin and glass slippers—and you’re guaranteed to have a ball!

The production team includes scenic design by Anna Louizos, costume design by William Ivey Long, costume coordination by Tom Beall, lighting design by Charlie Morrison, sound design by Matt Kraus and hair and wig design by Paul Huntley. The Production Stage Manager is Andrea Cibelli. Casting is by Telsey + Company, Lauren Harris, CSA.

Tickets for *Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella* start at $32 and may be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.PaperMill.org. All major credit cards accepted. Groups of 10 or more may receive up to a 40% discount on tickets and should call 973.315.1680. Students may order $20 rush tickets over the phone or in person at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office on the day of the performance. Check Paper Mill Playhouse’s website at www.PaperMill.org for special holiday performance schedules. Performance schedule November 20 – 24: Wednesday at 7:30pm, Thursday at 1:30pm and 7:30pm, Friday at 7:30pm, Saturday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm and Sunday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm. Performance schedule November 27 – December 29: Wednesdays at 7:00pm, Thursdays at 1:30pm and 7:00pm, Fridays at 7:00pm, Saturdays at 1:30pm and 7:00pm and Sunday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm.

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