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Jingle All The Way 2 Movie Party #JingleInsiders

December 16, 2014 by Samantha 3 Comments

This past weekend, we had a movie viewing party of the new Jingle All the Way 2, starring Larry the Cable Guy. We were sent some fun crafts and movie goodies for the kids (OK, and some of the adults) to have a fun time while watching the movie.

The kids had a great time coloring ornaments for the trees

and we made them peppermint hot chocolate in Jingle All the Way 2 mugs. How cute are the mustache straws? They loved them- but I think the adults had fun laughing at the kids almost as much. (Oh, sorry, with the kids? That’s what I’m supposed to say, yes? Haha.)

The kids also had fun with the activity pages. They were able to follow a maze, make a list for Santa, and color holiday pictures in their own frames. They also did quite a few “Mad Libs” style joke sheets- I think those were everyone’s favorites.
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Filed Under: evergreen, movie, review Tagged With: FHE, movie

Animal Planet Sea Lab Playset

December 16, 2014 by Samantha 7 Comments

Disclosure- we received the below in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are our own and honest.

It is no secret my son is an animal fan. If it has fur, scales, or feathers, then its for him. Right now he especially loves playing with sea animals. The Sea lab play set by Animal Planet fits in with the little guy’s play patterns because it (surprise surprise) has tons of animals with over 29 pieces. There are whales, sharks, fish and of course two scientists to study the whole lab. There are lots of lights and sounds to discover and a ton of fun to be had. The lab folds open for extended play and fun with more then one person. Then once you are all done all the pieces can fit right back into the lab for easy transportation and storage. (The best part, in mom’s opinion.)
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Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, review, toys Tagged With: Holiday Gift Guide 2014, toys

Fun Holiday Toys and Gifts

December 16, 2014 by Samantha 2 Comments

With holiday shopping days winding to a close, you might be really stressed out trying to figure out the best toys to give the kids in your life. Don’t worry, that’s what we are here for. Check out some of these toys, sure to please any child. These are easy to give, won’t break the bank, and are pretty much guaranteed to make kids light up like the Christmas tree or Menorah.

Legos- you really can’t go wrong. Got a little builder in your life? These sets are awesome, and inexpensive (especially as LEGO sets go. No matter if you have a boy or a girl (or want to give a gift for everyone to enjoy), either of these sets will be a hit. The CREATOR Furry Creatures playset is adorable- everyone here had a good time building it. It comes with all the pieces you need to build a cat and a mouse, even a little piece of cheese. You can also build this three-in-one set into a puppy dog or a rabbit, or try making them all and see what you like best. $20 at http://shop.lego.com

Got fans of the Hobbit or Lord of the Rings, or perhaps you yourself are and want to introduce it to your children. The LEGO The Hobbit Attack on Lake-town is pretty neat, and offers a lot for the price of $30 (larger sets available). Defend your land from those awful Orcs with Tauriel and her Elven warriors. Includes 5 minifigures with assorted weapons: Bain son of Bard, Bard the Bowman™, Tauriel and 2 Hunter Orcs. If your kids are anything like mine, it is all about the minifigs, so having this many in one set, for this price, is pretty good (especially when you consider they are about $5 each out of the set).

Jay At Play is making some pretty awesome stuff right now, and great for any kid. Easy gift giving- and again, the kids will love the gifts! First, look at the new Tummy Stuffers Wild Ones! They come in several sizes, and right now you can get a large one with a free small sized Tummy Stuffer for only $20 at https://www.buytummystuffers.com/. You really, really can’t beat that. You can choose from 6 styles of animal, all in funky, wild colors that the kids will enjoy. Not to mention, that this is not only a toy, but it encourages kids to clean up- and they really like doing it! They will put all their toys into that Tummy Stuffer, you wait and see how fast they clean up. I kid you not- I would not lead you wrong. They stuff their toys into the mouth of the animal until it is full, which takes longer then you might think.
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Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, review Tagged With: holiday, Holiday Gift Guide 2014, toys

Cleaning up before the relatives arrive

December 15, 2014 by Samantha 2 Comments

Disclosure: I’m proud to partner with CVS/pharmacy for the Gold Emblem and Total Home Prep for Holiday Entertaining campaign. I am being sponsored to help lead this campaign, but all opinions expressed are my own, and all product claims or program details shared should be verified at CVS.com or with the appropriate manufacturers.

Getting ready for relatives visiting from out of town can be difficult for the holidays, especially to an already full house with schedules and life getting in the way of the holidays. There are a few initial steps which can help out the time crunch in the long run.

Clean Start – With the right tools and a fresh start, clean the house as thoroughly as possible. There is no need to go around with a white glove, but if you do a deep clean first before decorating, life will be easier.

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Filed Under: review

Proactiv Plus Review

December 15, 2014 by Samantha 7 Comments

Disclosure- I participated in an Influencer Activation Program on behalf of Influence-Central for Proacitv+. I received samples of Proactiv+ to facilitate my review and a thank you item for participating.

I have had acne to some degree for most of my life. I have tried most things to get rid of it, but try as I might, it keeps rearing it’s ugly head. For me personally, it was at it’s worse when I was a tween, then again when I was pregnant, and now with these medications that I am on. However, I always get it with “that time” of the month, and always have. Luckily for me, they are not those horrible, scarring, giant boil-like acne- but I still hate it! I am a grown woman, shouldn’t I have left acne behind me with braces and training bras?

Most of my acne are whiteheads or blackheads. Fun-fun. It makes me feel ugly, gross. Who wants people to see you like that? I know people are looking at THEM, not at me. It’s a feeling I really dislike.

During my break out- it’s not giant, but those whiteheads are all over, especially my nose and hairline. Hate it! (photos taken with my smartphone in the bathroom mirror)

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Filed Under: beauty, review

Cricket Magazine for kids

December 14, 2014 by Samantha 7 Comments

Disclosure- I am a Cricket Media Ambassador, and received the below in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and honest. For more information, see “I Disclose”.

Over the next few months, we will be featuring a line of Cricket Media magazines. For our third feature, we will be featuring Cricket’s fiction, literature and nonfiction stories in the award winning magazine, Cricket. This month’s feature, Cricket, and is geared toward 9-14 year olds.

For the past 40 years Cricket has entertained children and teens around the world with the cream of the crop of children’s literature. The overall idea behind Cricket is that young readers love well written and well illustrated stories. All this and no advertisements makes a great magazine for more experienced readers. Cricket Editor In Chief and founder Marianne Carus put it best, “ The way to create in children a love of reading and an appreciation of good writing is to offer them beautifully illustrated, lively, well-written, interesting stories that sustain a witty tone and a sense of humor. I am convinced that children will respond to quality if it’s not forced upon them but presented in an engaging manner.”
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Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, review Tagged With: kids

Cake Boss Accessories for Cooking and Baking

December 12, 2014 by Samantha 8 Comments

Cake Boss is a nationwide phenomena. The show follows the day to day life of the king of cake decorating Buddy Valastro in his family owned and operated bakery in Hoboken, NJ.

So what to do if you live half a country away from Carlo’s? Why not bring Carlo’s to you if you can’t get to Carlo’s. With the new Cake Boss line of bake ware, decorating tools and serving ware. All you need is a creative baker and you can have the next best thing to Carlo’s Bakery, your own kitchen boss.

The bake ware line is available in three lines of products- basic, deluxe and professional. Each product in the line is built tough and meant to be baked in an oven up to 450 degrees. The basic set is made from heavy duty carbon steel, and the cookie pans even have drop zones for your cookies for even, uniform cookies to delight all this holiday season. The Deluxe line feature commercial-quality carbon steel with rolled edges for added strength and durability. Most of the products have red silicone grips which stay cool to the touch even in the oven for ease of use. Last but not least are the professional products which are made of professional-quality aluminized steel. They also sport a texture which imitates Buddy’s quilting pattern while also heating evenly and eases the release of the baking items without leaving an odd texture on your baked goods.
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Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, review Tagged With: baking

Win Tickets To DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS PRINCESSES & HEROES

December 10, 2014 by Samantha 13 Comments

Anna and Elsa and the hilarious snowman Olaf from Disney’s Frozen will now share their story of true love in Disney On Ice presents Princesses & Heroes Presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt. Believing is just the beginning in this mesmerizing show where dreamers will witness the magic of eight Disney Princesses; Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Tiana, Jasmine, Aurora and Snow White make their wishes come true in this collection of celebrated tales wonderfully told through artistic skating and acrobatics.

Performing at IZOD Center from Jan 1 through Jan 4, audiences will be transported to a world where imaginations soar and anything can happen if they just believe. The Disney Princesses embark on the adventure of a lifetime thanks to the help of Tinker Bell’s magical pixie. Royal sisters, Anna and Elsa along with Olaf and rugged mountain-man Kristoff travel through a fantastical winter wonderland to discover true love conquers all. Then entering a world of wonder where heroes and hearts prevail, guests get to see other favorite Disney Princesses such as Jasmine who discovers a whole new world with Aladdin after meeting her unlikely hero in the marketplace. Prince Philip defeats the evil fire-breathing dragon Maleficent in a race to save his true love Aurora. Prince Eric breaks Ursula’s spell so that Ariel can remain part of his world. Rapunzel, Tiana, Cinderella, Belle and Snow White also find happiness in this beautifully imagined ice show.
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