Happy New Year!

I just wanted to wish you all a very happy new year! May this new year bring joy, happiness, and prosperity to you and your families! I'm not really a fan of the whole new years resolution thing, since usually I taper off by the spring and forget to think about them! So this year, instead of doing the cliche diet and exercise resolution I think I'll decide on things to do instead of avoid, so here goes:

This year I will make an effort to eat healthier than the year before. I will not worry so much about having a perfectly clean home, instead I'll focus more on quality time with my family. Lastly, I want to write in my journal for Izzy at least once a week, which is something I need to make more time for.

So, whatever your resolutions and wishes may be this year, I wish you much perseverance and success!

I'm Back!

Phew! We're finally back home from our Christmas travels. We had so much fun catching up with family and friends, but it's nice to be home and get some after Christmas organizing done (I'm talking finding an organized way to store all the new Barbies and My Little Ponies and Littlest Pet Shop animals that Izzy got this year!). Izzy had so much fun this year, and she was really looking forward to what Santa Claus would lay under our tree. However, she was slightly disappointed when Santa wasn't still there in the morning! She kept looking up the chimney trying to figure out where he went! She got over this feeling once she started opening her presents though!

I'll post some fun Christmas pictures later this week, because right now, I have A TON of winners to post up!

Lanyapi Designs winner: comment #34!
Bunny B said...
I love the
Large Feather Necklace- 14K gold filled chain
and the bunny necklaces!
bunnybx at gmail . com

SKLZ winner: comment #5!
Shawntele said...

Awesome giveaway! My son still shoots hoops in his room with the little foam ball and mini hoop he got for Christmas when he was three (he is 15 now!) Besides the pro mini hoop I also think the football trainer looks great, the worst thing when practicing by yourself is having to chase the ball after a punt. :)

My email is: savedbygrace7215(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks for the entry!

Monster Gift Card winner #1: (iTunes gift card) comment #1!
Traci Fritz said...

I would love to have the best buy GC to buy my husband some of the electronic things he looks at but never buys!

Monster Gift Card winner #2: (Motherhood Maternity gift card) comment #48!
Anne J said...

I have your button, http://lunaj1456.blogspot.com #3
ajolly1456 at gmail dot com

Personalized Parcels winner: comment #57!
pixie13 said...

tweet
http://twitter.com/pixie13sweeps/status/6932836188

gevin13{at}gmail{dot}com

Out of the Box winner: comment #15!
Michele P. said...

Christmas button #2

micaela6955 at msn dot com

Snorg Tees winner: comment #53!
trisha too said...

Christmas buttoned 3

sandtneal at mfire dot com


I have emailed all of the winners, please reply within 48 hours.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to everyone out there! Thank you to everyone who have been entering the Christmas giveaways, I'll be posting all of the recent winners and those to come after Christmas (over the weekend). I'm going to be taking a break from the blog over the next few days to spend some time with family and friends! I just wanted to let you all know that I feel incredibly blessed to have my wonderful readers in my "online family". You guys are great, and I love hearing from you as we all journey through parenthood and beyond. Have a wonderful Christmas, and I wish you all safe travels and happy times with family friends!

Love,
Marina

Tastybaby Review and Giveaway!

I am so excited to have discovered my new go to item when it comes to stocking stuffers (keep reading to hear about the fruit snacks)! If you have been on the lookout for a healthier option when it comes to baby and toddler food, look no further, Tastybaby is here!

Tastybaby was founded by friends and collaborators Liane Weintraub and Shannon Swanson, and both have a remarkable passion for creating healthy food for children. Tastybaby's products include Frozen Organic Purees, Organic Infant Cereals and Gummy Fruit Snacks, all of which can be found at your local supermarket and online, making it convenient for parents to buy. Either find a retailer near you or buy Tastybaby at Amazon.com, where you even get free home delivery! Tastybaby's website not only helps you navigate where and what to buy, but they are also "a place to find interesting, entertaining, helpful & sometimes provocative original features. It’s an online magazine, a blog & a planet-conscious guide. It’s a Tasty approach to food, fashion, family & giving back ... most importantly, Tastybaby.com is always FUN!"

Tastybaby sent us their amazing Tasty Brand™ Organic Fruit Snacks and after tasting just one bite, we were hooked! They make a great snack for anyone over age 2, including busy moms and dads on the go! They are vegan, gluten-free, fat-free, cholesterol-free, certified USDA Organic, and contain absolutely no high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, or flavors. We've pretty much cut out all corn syrup in our family, and it's been very hard to find fruit snacks without it in them, until now! Izzy had so much fun sharing her Tastybaby fruit snacks with her friend one day, and I even caught them practicing their colors with them! What I was most impressed with is that these fruit snacks actually taste like fruit, they are even juicy! Most fruit snacks are dry and chewy, lacking any sort of natural fruit flavor. Not so with Tastybaby! I am so glad to have found a healthier alternative to the traditional fruit snacks that are currently on the market, and I know that I can rest assured in giving them to Izzy!

Want to win some Tastybaby fruit snacks to try for yourselves? Then enter this "tasty" giveaway! One winner will receive 1 case of Tastybaby fruit snacks (a $28.75 value), I know you will just love them!

Here are the entry rules (this giveaway is open in the US only, unless noted otherwise later):
1. (This is the mandatory entry) Receive one entry for visiting Tastybaby and telling me product you most want to try! Make sure you leave your EMAIL address in this entry.
2. Receive two entries for publicly following my blog and telling me that you do in two separate comments.
3. Receive one entry for being an email subscriber and telling me that you are in a comment.
4. Receive three entries for grabbing my new button and putting it on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive three extra entries for posting my Christmas button on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
6. Receive one entry per day for following both me and Tastybaby on Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway! Leave me a comment each day to let me know that you did.
7. Receive one entry per day for updating your Facebook status and including the link to this giveaway. Leave a comment with a status link.
8. Receive five entries for blogging about this giveaway on your blog and leave me the link in a comment.

This giveaway will end on December 30, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Surf Sweets Review

My husband is addicted to sugary snacks, and sometimes I worry that Izzy will inherit his sugar tooth. We are pretty strict on limiting Izzy's candy intake (she's only 2, so a little goes a long way), but when we do allow her to eat something sweet, I try to give her something that is as healthy as something sugary can be. If this sounds anything like your family, then listen up, because Surf Sweets is a company you need to hear about!

Surf Sweets is a brand inspired by healthy life choices, sunny weather, and of course, surfing! Their goal as a company (they're a part of TruSweets, LLC.) is to manufacture candy that serves as a better choice for both families and the environment. Surf Sweets uses all natural, organic ingredients in crafting candy that is not all bad for your child! Each serving of candy has 100% of your daily vitamin C recommendation, and their candy contains absolutely no trans fats, GMOs, corn syrup, gluten, artificial colors, or artificial flavors! Their production facilities are also free of the common allergens of peanuts, wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, tree nuts, shell fish, and fish. That was a BIG deal in my book, because Izzy has egg and dairy allergies, so it's nice to know there's a company that takes food allergies that seriously!

Surf Sweets sent us a variety of candy confections to review and boy was my husband happy to help out on this one! We got to try the Gummy Worms, Gummy Bears, Sour Berry Bears, and the ever popular Jelly Beans! We were very satisfied with all of the products, and I was amazed at how fresh they tasted, especially because it was candy! Another thing I liked was that most of their products are vegetarian and vegan, which makes it a great treat to have on hand for your friends who are vegetarian or vegan! Overall, the thing that most impressed me about Surf Sweets has been how open they are with their customers about what ingredients are used in making their candy, because we all know that most companies out there simply wouldn't be bothered! So kuddos to Surf Sweet, you've made a life long fan out of me!

Surf Sweets is the new solution to all of our sugary cravings, and I know I can be confident in choosing the healthier alternative offered by Surf Sweets products to give to Izzy on the occasions that she gets a special treat. You will love the Surf Sweets experience, and has they always say, "Being responsible never tasted so good"!

***Click here for some great recipe ideas with their candy, and here to visit their blog!***

Mayfair Lane Review

When it comes to organizational products, I can never have too many. I just LOVE all the different ways I can organize everything about our daily lives, and it's great when you can do so in style! Mayfair Lane is one of my new favorite companies and if you read on, you'll definitely understand why!

Mayfair Lane has been in existence for just one year, and they have already received lots of buzz! When it comes to innovative gifts, Mayfair Lane is at the center of the market. Their patent-pending Happeez® line is sure to be a favorite, with their elegant, fun, simple, and trendy designs when it comes to the array of gifts they feature. The brains behind Mayfair Lane is founder and CEO Sue Russell, who sought to solve the problem of magnets not working on stainless steel, glass, or wood paneled refrigerators. Here's a description from their website: "Happeez® Notepads, Clippers, Photo Frames, Whiteboards, and List Pads contain a Happeez® material that grips to stainless steel and other slick surfaces such as glass, mirror, aluminum, plastic or vinyl. Unlike a magnet, Happeez® products protect surfaces from scratching and marring, and will not leave a residue. If the product loses its grip due to dust build-up, users can easily revive it by spraying the back with water or a vinegar-based window cleaner."

Mayfair Lane could not be more right in how they described their products. I have been so impressed, not only with the quality of the products they sell, but also in the simple beauty that they add to everyday items. I was given the chance to review a Happeez® clipper and notepad, both in the Cabana Blue/Palm Tree Green Small Damask print. I love both of these products, because I love it when I find things are both functional and beautiful to look at. The clipper works nice on the refrigerator, but my favorite use for it is to post little reminders to myself on my bathroom mirror. I like to leave myself little motivational messages, and they sure do look a lot nice now that I use the clipper instead of plain old tape! I also love the notepad because it livens up my daily to-do lists!


Mayfair Lane is sure to be a hit no matter who you need to give a gift to this year, especially with moms, office managers, and teachers! What a great way to combine functionality with art, helping cheer up an otherwise bland space like one's desk. Check out the Happeez® whiteboards (perfect for a college dorm room!), photo frames, list pads, and you're sure to get some great gift giving ideas! Keep Mayfair Lane in mind for all of your home and office needs and you'll be one happy and organized lady!

Snorg Tees Review and Giveaway!

T-shirts. Everyone loves them, from your husband to your toddler to your teen to yourself. It's one of the easiest articles of clothing to throw on when you're in a hurry or don't know what to wear. Needless to say, t-shirts are very popular, especially for men. My husband has way too men, (think 50+), yet he still thinks he doesn't have enough of them! We recently set off on a closet cleaning adventure and were able to donate a lot of clothing, especially t-shirts, that we don't wear that often. I was proud of our whole family for this, and I was really excited when I received a new t-shirt to give to my husband in return. Want to know where his favorite new t-shirt is from? It's from Snorg Tees, one of the coolest t-shirt companies around!

Snorg Tees has been around since 2004 by a creative group of friends seeking to start their own business. Snorg Tees specialty is in creating pop-culture inspired, random, and funny t-shirts, and most designs are created by their employees! The other designs are created by their customers, which is totally cool! I know I can think of a few budding t-shirt designers that should submit their ideas to them! Snorg Tees is always on the lookout to bring customers exactly what they want, and they are always excited to receive feedback to help them do just that.


Snorg Tees sent us the BRB t-shirt (photo below), and my husband LOVES it! He wears it all the time, which means it has been washed numerous times, and it still looks like new! My husband's favorite thing about Snorg Tees is the wittiness of their apparel, and I can agree! Snorg Tees is definitely the place to shop if you're looking for clothing that is funny, random, or witty!


Snorg Tees has decided to award one of you lucky ladies with a t-shirt of your own! You'll have so much fun deciding which one to choose since they are so many fun ones! Here are some of my other favorites:

We Will Rock You T-Shirt


Rule 76 Play Like A Champion T-Shirt


The Only Thing We Have to Fear T-Shirt


Here are the entry rules (this giveaway is open in the US only, unless noted otherwise later):
1. (This is the mandatory entry) Receive one entry for visiting Snorg Tees and telling me what T-Shirt you'll choose if you win! Make sure you leave your EMAIL address in this entry.
2. Receive two entries for following my blog and telling me that you do in two separate comments.
3. Receive one entry for being an email subscriber and telling me that you are in a comment.
4. Receive three entries for grabbing my new button and putting it on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive three extra entries for posting my Christmas button on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
6. Receive one entry per day for following me Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway! Leave me a comment each day to let me know that you did.
7. Receive one entry per day for updating your Facebook status and including the link to this giveaway. Leave a comment with a status link.
8. Receive five entries for blogging about this giveaway on your blog and leave me the link in a comment.

This giveaway will end on December 27, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

3 Winners!

Announcing some more lucky winners!

*Lisa's Lovelies winner: comment #33!
zachsgran said...

follower #2
zachsgran1 at yahoo dot com

*Little Fox Fashions winner: comment #8!
kuparstwn said...

I follow with Google Friend.
#1

*Janey Mac winner: comment #3!
Laura said...

I'm a follower using google friend connect!

lmerritt49903@gmail.com


I have already sent you all emails, so please reply within 48 hours. Thanks!

Update about Out of the Box!

Guess what!? There is now a giveaway attached to my Out of the Box review! Click here to enter!

Personalized Parcels Review and Giveaway!

I'm a huge fan of the gift basket. I love how much fun it is to give and receive gift baskets that are packed with love, and the person's interests and favorite items inside. While it's fun to give someone one large present, I've found it's equally as fun to give an array of items devoted to being special for the person to receive it. Personalized Parcels accomplishes just that, and you definitely need to hear about how great my experience was in working with such a great company!

Personalized Parcels was created by Dez Stephens, who had a passion for creating customized care packages for the special people in her life. Whhile Dex was pregnant, she decided it was the right time to venture out and start her own business so that she could work at home after having her baby. Dez enjoys the whole process of putting care packages together for people, and it brings her great joy to know she's making a difference in someone's lives when they receive their package. Whether a customer knows exactly what they want right away, or have no idea what they want to include, Dez accommodates anything. She has great ideas for those unsure of what to include, and offers great tips and suggestions along the way!

In creating a person's care package, Dez typically starts off with the person's likes and hobbies, keeping in mind what occasion the gift is for. Some popular themes include care packages for college students, spouse birthday gifts, and corporate business gifts. Dez does a superb job in collaborating with the client, always striving to come up with just the right gifts to include in the parcel. Most parcels usually include items relating to music, magazines, specialty food items, personal care products, books, customized gifts and more. Check out their great Parcel-of-the-Month Club by clicking here, it would make for great planning ahead in gift giving!

I had the opportunity to review a care package from Dez geared at my husband's birthday. From the very start of my collaboration with Dez, I knew I was going to be very impressed. It's almost like Dez knew my husband, she did that great at coming up with gifts he would like! She did a really good job at bouncing ideas back and forth with me, and she really took the time to understand what his likes and hobbies were. The best part is that she emailed me a photo of the care package contents before mailing it, just to make sure I was happy. She does this will all of her clients, and I really that shows that she goes the extra mile in desiring to make the experience very satisfactory for her clients. She even included a special handwritten note (with a message from me) to my husband, making a great final touch to the package! She also wrote "Do Not Open Until Your Birthday!" on the outside of the package, ensuring my husband wouldn't accidentally open his surprise too soon! If you look at the photo below, you can see the items in the care package!


I am very confident in recommending Personalized Parcels to everyone in need of that special care package gift. Not only was the end product fabulous, but the entire experience with Dez was really enjoyable, especially since I got to help pick out gifts from the comfort of my own home! And you want to know the best part? One of you lucky ladies is going to be winning the $50 Parcel of your choice! Click here to see some great ideas for themes!


Here are the entry rules (this giveaway is open in the US only, unless noted otherwise later):
1. (This is the mandatory entry) Receive one entry for visiting Personalized Parcels and telling me what themed parcel you'd choose if you win! Make sure you leave your EMAIL address in this entry.
2. Receive two entries for following my blog and telling me that you do in two separate comments.
3. Receive one entry for being an email subscriber and telling me that you are in a comment.
4. Receive three entries for grabbing my new button and putting it on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive three extra entries for posting my Christmas button on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
6. Receive one entry per day for following me Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway! Leave me a comment each day to let me know that you did.
7. Receive one entry per day for updating your Facebook status and including the link to this giveaway. Leave a comment with a status link.
8. Receive five entries for blogging about this giveaway on your blog and leave me the link in a comment.

This giveaway will end on December 27, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Penelope Poet Review

One of the most popular trends in jewelry this year has been the initial necklace. There are so many fun possibilities, and something for everyone when it comes to the different styles on the market. If you are a fan of initial jewelry, or any jewelry for that matter, you will love Penelope Poet!

I was so excited when I found out that I was going to get the opportunity to review a jewelry item from Penelope Poet. Joanne Gouaux is the awesome lady behind Penelope Poet. After becoming a mom she decided to start her own business where she has been able to combine her dream of owning a boutique with her love of unique jewelry and gifts. Penelope Poet as company, believes that every piece of jewelry should be worn as way to reflect one's personal style, no matter what the occasion is. No matter what statement you want to make, you are sure to find something to suit your tastes at Penelope Poet, and many of the items are handcrafted, making them easy to customize, creating a beautifully unique one of a kind item! Click here to read about the actions they take in terms of social responsibility, they do a lot of great things on behalf of those in need!

Penelope Poet sent me the lovely Fresh Water Pearl Initial Necklace, and I love the classic, yet still modern feel to the necklace. Designed by Cathleen Ann, this necklace features a dainty rippled medallion that is accented with one stunning fresh water pearl. The medallion is hand stamped with an initial, and is created out of 14K gold or sterling silver. I have gotten many compliments on this necklace, and my favorite thing about the necklace is how it catches the light and shimmers so beautifully, making it perfect for the holidays!

Some of my other favorites from Penelope Poet include the Beloved Personalized I.D. Bracelet, the White Coin Pearl Necklace, and the Smoky Quartz Briolette Earrings!



Whether you consider yourself to have a classic, eclectic, or trendy style, you will have no problem finding something beautiful to express yourself with at Penelope Poet! Keep them in mind for all of your last minute holiday shopping needs!

Out of the Box Games Review and Giveaway!

***UPDATE: This review now has a giveaway attached!***

One of my favorite activities to do when we have friends over is play board games. I know, call me a dork, but I love to play games! If you ask my husband, he'd probably say I like games too much, since I tend to get very competitive! Whenever we have couple friends over, it somehow always ends up being girls vs. guys, which is always fun. One of our favorite games to play is Apples to Apples. If you know what game I'm talking about, then you probably wonder what company is behind that awesome game. Out of the Box Publishing is responsible for bringing customers some of the best games around, and if you love to play games, listen up, this company is for you!


Out of the Box Publishing specializes in games that are quick to learn and fun to play. I love that they feature so many non-traditional games, and they have so many unique games that incorporate different themes and situations. Click here to learn more about Out of the Box as a company.

You will definitely love the selection of games Out of the Box Publishing has to offer. I'm especially a fan of their party games, which are so fun to play at family get-togethers, because it gets everyone interacting and laughing! Another favorite of mine includes the Classroom Games, which would make a great addition to any teacher's classroom.

Out of the Box Publishing sent us the game Word on the Street, and we've had so much fun thanks to this game! It's geared at ages 12-adult, for 2-8 players, and is a great game that's fast to learn. The instructions are really simple, and it's a game that gets the players really brainstorming and working together strategically. You can click here to watch a demo of the game.

Overall, what has impressed me the most about Out of the Box Publishing is how true to the game they are in how they describe each game on their website. You can really trust that what you see and read about is really what you'll get. The game demos are a great way to see a game played out, so it can help you better determine what game would suit your needs best. I know my new favorite place to buy games is Out of the Box! Choose Out of the Box this holiday season and you'll have lots of fun and laughter in store at all of your holiday gatherings!

Want to add this game to your family game stash? Win one here!


Here are the entry rules (this giveaway is open in the US only, unless noted otherwise later):
1. (This is the mandatory entry) Receive one entry for visiting Out of the Box Publishing and telling me what your favorite game is! Make sure you leave your EMAIL address in this entry.
2. Receive two entries for following my blog and telling me that you do in two separate comments.
3. Receive one entry for being an email subscriber and telling me that you are in a comment.
4. Receive three entries for grabbing my new button and putting it on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive three extra entries for posting my Christmas button on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
6. Receive one entry per day for following me Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway! Leave me a comment each day to let me know that you did.
7. Receive one entry per day for updating your Facebook status and including the link to this giveaway. Leave a comment with a status link.
8. Receive five entries for blogging about this giveaway on your blog and leave me the link in a comment.

This giveaway will end on December 27, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Flatten Me Review

"There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all." — Jacqueline Kennedy

I have always loved this quote, especially now that I have a child of my own. Reading is one of the most important skills for children to grasp, and not only is reading great learning time, but it's also a great way to spend quality time with your child. Izzy's favorite activity of all time is reading, and this makes me a very happy mom. I love that she is so enthralled by the different characters on each page, especially at her young age. Every night when we tuck her into bed, we read 3 stories, and of course, this is highly unsatisfactory in Izzy's mind. So, she gets out of bed and piles around 15 books all around her in bed and reads until she falls asleep. I really do need to take a picture of that sometime and post it!

You can probably tell by now that reading is important very important at our house. This is why I'm SO excited to tell you about my new favorite book publishing company: Flatten Me. This company truly envelopes everything you remember about being a kid and being in love with reading stories about magic, fairies, and pirates. Flatten Me specializes in creating personalized stories for your children, giving them a unique experience where they can literally be part of the story! Not only does Flatten Me create amazing personalized books, but they also make festive cards, journals (which are perfect for the preteen!), dress up themed gifts! There are selections for both boys and girls, so you are sure to find a story that will appeal to every child. You will love Flatten Me, and more importantly, so will your child!

Flatten Me sent Izzy and I the personalized story "Isabella in GlitterGills" and it turned out so fabulously! Izzy absolutely went nuts when she saw her picture in the book! The story is about a mermaid (which is one of Izzy's current obsessions), so she loves getting to read all about her own mermaid adventures! I would recommend this book as a great gift idea to commemorate special events especially! I know that I'm going to keep Flatten Me in mind whenever we're in search of birthday gifts, when children love to be the center of attention! These books really help children to use their imagination in thinking of themselves within the story, and it's so fun to see Izzy's face light up every time we read this story, it makes her feel so special!

Keep Flatten Me in mind for your child, and you will have one happy, imaginative kid on your hands! And if you order the "GlitterGills" book, don't be too surprised if your child decides to be a mermaid in real life and splash all over the tub!

Monster Gift Card Review and Giveaway!

Have you ever received a gift card to a store or restaurant you don't ever go to? While it's fun to receive gift cards, would you rather have cash during these tough economic times? Or, maybe you'd like to buy some gift cards at discounted prices? If any of that applies to you, then you will LOVE Monster Gift Card, the website where you can buy, sell, and swap gift cards for what you really want!

There have been many times where people who don't know me that well give me gift cards to places I don't shop at. One time I received a gift card to a restaurant that only serves seafood, and I don't eat seafood! Had I known about Monster Gift Card at the time, I would have been able to trade it for a place I'd rather go to! The concept of Monster Gift Card really struck me as being innovative and a great tool for customers' ever-varying needs. Especially in these tough economic times, it's great to have an online marketplace where you can buy, sell, and swap gift cards to fit your needs. They really do have something for everyone when it comes to what they offer customers. First, if you are just in the mood to buy a discounted gift card, you can usually save a decent amount on them, some as high as 35% off what you'd normally pay for the gift card (which, when combined with the savings from sales at the store, means you are saving a lot)! Second, if you want to sell your gift cards, this is the place to do it! What's really terrific is that every transaction is guaranteed, and they have fast and secure cash payouts, which is great if you need some extra cash this holiday season! Lastly, you can swap the gift cards you have but don't want for some that you do want, but I'll get back to that in a minute!

In terms of selling your gift cards to Monster Gift Card, I have some exciting news! They will be offering any of my readers who sells a gift card to them, a "monster bonus" of 10 free points (worth $10) towards the purchase of a gift card listed for point purchase. To learn more about the point system (it's fairly simple, with each point equaling $1), or if you have any other questions, click here. By taking advantage of this special "monster bonus" you will not only get a little extra cash to use this holiday season, but you'll also get to pick out a gift card to purchase with your free points!

Now, back to the swapping, which is also great fun! Monster Gift Card features gift cards from many different categories, including clothing, travel, automotive, and much more! You're sure to have no problem finding a gift card to swap out for one you do want because you have so many options.

Now, here are some great facts to remember about Monster Gift Card:
*MGC will match all competitors published prices when you sell your card to them. They will also give you 5 "monster bonus" points when you do this as well!
*MGC offers you an easy and secure online marketplace where you can sell your unwanted or unused gift cards online allowing you to make quick and easy cash!
*MGC allows you the freedom to trade gift cards without having to have matching card value amounts. This is possible because of their point system.

I am so excited to have discovered Monster Gift Card, and I know I will be going through them for all my gift card needs in the future! MGC sent me a gift card in exchange for this review, and they will also be awarding 2 of you lucky ladies with gift cards of your own! One winner will win a $10 gift card to iTunes, and the other winner will win a gift card to Motherhood Maternity valued at $59.97.

Here are the entry rules (this giveaway is open in the US only, unless noted otherwise later):
1. (This is the mandatory entry) Receive one entry for visiting Monster Gift Card and telling me what gift cards you particularly have your eye on! Make sure you leave your EMAIL address in this entry.
2. Receive two entries for following my blog and telling me that you do in two separate comments.
3. Receive one entry for being an email subscriber and telling me that you are in a comment.
4. Receive three entries for grabbing my new button and putting it on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive three extra entries for posting my Christmas button on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive one entry per day for following me Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway! Leave me a comment each day to let me know that you did.
6. Receive one entry per day for updating your Facebook status and including the link to this giveaway. Leave a comment with a status link.
7. Receive five entries for blogging about this giveaway on your blog and leave me the link in a comment.

This giveaway will end on December 22, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Monster Gift Card sent me a gift card to the Body Shop in return for my participation in this review and giveaway.

SKLZ Review and Giveaway!

Ok girls, today I'm here to tell you all about a company you don't want to miss hearing about! SKLZ is the go-to place for all of your sports related gifts this Christmas. If you have a sports lover in your family, then listen up, this company is for YOU!

SKLZ has only been around since 2002, but they have successfully carved themselves out as one of best companies around when it comes to innovative and effective sports training products. They SKLZ started out with their now famous baseball swing trainer, the Hit-A-Way.® After the popularity of their first venture, they came out with a complete line of baseball, softball, basketcall, football, tennis, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, and golf training products. That's a lot of sports! No matter what sport your son or daughter is most passionate about, you will be able to choose a fabulous gift for them from SKLZ! The SKLZ motto is “Practice-Play-Win”, and with SKLZ products behind your son or daughter, they are sure to do just that!

Some of my favorite gift ideas are below:

Power Base Soccer: Multi-Skill Solo Trainer


Hurricane Batting Trainer

Read on for my favorite gift idea!
SKLZ sent us the Pro Mini Hoop to review, and review it we did (all the time)! Adam had so much fun helping me review this item, and he didn't even mind having to set it up first, which was super simple by the way! The Pro Mini Hoop has a 9" pro-grade, spring-action break-away rim, with a foam padded side for the door mounts (which means mom doesn't have to worry about damage being done to the door), and the 18" x 12" backboard is made out of clear polycarbonate which makes it shatter-proof! Included is a 5" diameter mini basketball that is the perfect size for the hoop. The Pro Mini Hoop is perfect for the home, office, or dorm, and nicely fits on any door. What has impressed me the most is the durability of the product. It still looks and feels just as new as when we first took it out of the packaging. The Pro Mini Hoop will be a hit with an basketball lover on your Christmas list this year, and I'm sure you will all be just as impressed as we have been with it! We have so much fun goofing off as a family, just shooting hoops inside, especially now that the weather has turned chilly!

Want to win your own Pro Mini Hoop? SKLZ is going to be awarding one of you lucky ladies your own Pro Mini Hoop just in time for Christmas! All you have to do is enter!

*Click here to see the SKLZ gift guide, it's chock full of great gift ideas! Also, check out the SKLZ blog here!*


Here are the entry rules (this giveaway is open to the US only):
1. (This is the mandatory entry) Receive one entry for visiting
SKLZ and telling me what your favorite product is! Make sure you leave your EMAIL address in this entry.
2. Receive two entries for following my blog and telling me that you do in two separate comments.
3. Receive one entry for being an email subscriber and telling me that you are in a comment.
4. Receive three entries for grabbing my new button and putting it on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive three extra entries for posting my Christmas button on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive one entry per day for following me on Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway! Leave me a comment each day to let me know that you did.
6. Receive one entry per day for updating your Facebook status and including the link to this giveaway. Leave a comment with a status link.
7. Receive five entries for blogging about this giveaway on your blog and leave me the link in a comment.

This giveaway will end on December 22, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Lanyapi Designs Review and Giveaway!

A girl can never have too many pretty necklaces and accessories. After all, they say accessories can make or break an outfit, right!? Well, if you choose your jewelry from today's giveaway sponsor, you will definitely MAKE your outfit! Lanyapi Designs is one of my favorite new places to find beautifully unique jewelry. Lanyapi Designs is an Etsy shop run by Daisy, and her jewelry pieces are
"inspired by nature, travel, romance, vintage fashion, and whimsical magic"!

I have fallen in love with the beautiful simplicity that is found in all of the jewelry from Lanyapi Designs. Not one detail is overlooked when it comes to the care Daisy takes from the creation of her pieces down to how she ships them. Each piece comes in a beautiful satchel, protecting it and keeping it as nice as when you first buy it. When you look at the pieces that Daisy creates, you can definitely tell this about them.

Daisy sent me the beautiful Hammer and Heart Charms Necklace (see below) from the Love Takes Work Series, and I love it! First off, I love the message it sends, because love does take work, and second, I love how interesting the necklace looks! I get so many compliments on this necklace each time I wear it, and I've truly never seen a necklace like this before. The details on the small charms are especially nice!

Some of my other favorite items are Daisy's wonderful earrings, and she's running a sale that ends tonight (hurry and order fast!) where the shipping is free on all earrings! Also, if you follow her on twitter or facebook, you get 10% off your order (this sale is until further notice)!

*One of my favorite pairs of earrings: Simple Dangle- Green Faceted Glass Bead with Gold Filigree*

Want to stay up to date on all the happenings at Lanyapi Designs? Click here to visit Daisy's blog, and here to sign up for her mailing list!

Daisy has been kind enough to offer one of you lucky ladies a beautiful necklace of your own, just in time for the holidays! One winner will receive the adorable LOVE Stamp Necklace (see below) and it will definitely look great while dressing up a holiday dress this year!


Here are the entry rules (this giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY!):
1. (This is the mandatory entry) Receive one entry for visiting
Lanyapi Designs and telling me what your favorite piece is! Make sure you leave your EMAIL address in this entry.
2. Receive two entries for following my blog and telling me that you do in two separate comments.
3. Receive one entry for being an email subscriber and telling me that you are in a comment.
4. Receive three entries for grabbing my new button and putting it on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive three extra entries for posting my Christmas button on your blog. Leave three separate comments.
5. Receive one entry per day for following both me and Lanyapi Designs on Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway! Leave me a comment each day to let me know that you did.
6. Receive one entry per day becoming a fan of Lanyapi Designs on Facebook, and for updating your Facebook status and including the link to this giveaway. Leave a comment with a status link.
7. Receive five entries for blogging about this giveaway on your blog and leave me the link in a comment.

This giveaway will end on December 21, 2009 at 11:59 pm. At that time I will choose a winner using random.org and let them know through email. The lucky winner will have 48 hrs to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

New winner of the PBF Collections Giveaway!

Congrats to comment #1 (well, that was easy, haha, I love it when random.org gives an easy one!)

cpullum said...
I love the Pyramid Purse - Moonlight Owl Collection this is so stylish!!!
Carla
cpullum(at)yahoo(dot)com

I just emailed you, please reply within 48 hours. Thanks!

Yay for some winners!

Ok, I promised you some more winners, so here they are! Congrats!

Pawparazzi Pets: comment #22!
zealandsmom said...
follow blog 2

Fine Leather: comment #26!
Anonymous said...
Email Subscriber!
*Sarah Johnson*


I will be emailing you both shortly, thanks!

Yay! I'm officially a college graduate!

As many of you may remember from some of my posts over the last few months, I was in the final semester of my undergraduate college degree. As of this past Friday, I am D-O-N-E! I am so excited to have reached this achievement, it's been a long and difficult road at times, but I'm glad I stuck to it! I start graduate school next month, and I'm looking forward to this new and exciting challenge! That being said, I just wanted to announce that the winners from the last few giveaways that just ended will be posted up tomorrow, along with some more giveaways! As a fun extra entry into the giveaway of your choice, leave me a comment on this post about something you've achieved since being a mom. Once you leave the comment on this post, leave an extra entry comment onto the giveaway you choose. Have a great evening everyone!

eBeanstalk Review

As you guys have probably figured out by now, I love educational games and toys for children. In the fast-paced lives we all live in today's world, I think it's really important to take a step back and really think about what kinds of things are influencing our children, especially when it comes to their toys. This is why I'm so excited that I have the opportunity to tell you all about eBeanstalk today, because they are truly a company that is as passionate about educational toys as I am!

eBeanstalk is a fairly new company, founded in 2005, who's mission is to provide customers with exceptional educational toys that promote a child's development, and their motto is to "plant the seeds that help children grow". eBeanstalk specializes in newborn, baby, toddler, and preschooler toys that are carefully selected by two different teams of experts. The first is a group of Child Specialists (Child Psychologist, Speech Pathologist, Child Physical Therapist, pediatric occupational therapist and a Special Educator) and a group of over 700 moms who eBeanstalk refers to as their "Mother Board". What has impressed me the most about eBeanstalk is that before deciding on what toys they would sell, they looked at over 10,000 educational toys before settling in on the 600 they wanted to sell. Each toy they sell has been carefully selected, tested, and approved, giving the customers a lot of confidence in the company. Click here to learn even more about this process, you'll really learn a lot about this great company! Also, while you're checking out their great website, click here to learn more about their Gift Series, where your child can receive a new toy every 4 months that is perfectly geared to their age and development level. Isn't that the coolest thing ever!? If you can't tell, I'm pretty impressed by this company!

Another thing I love about eBeanstalk is how easy their website is to navigate. You have the option to look at toys divided by gender, age, category, brand and more! It's really easy to find exactly what you're searching for, but I won't guarantee you won't get sidetracked along the way by all the unique toys that will catch your eye!

eBeanstalk sent Izzy and I an awesome game to try out, and we just loved it! We got to review Diggity Dog, the fun game where the player with the most dog bones by the end of he game wins! This board game was carefully researched and selected by eBeanstalk, and you can really tell, because the quality of this game just can't be beat. This game is geared at ages 3 and up, and comes with magnetic bones that stick to the noses of 4 dogs. The dogs bark out loud, and your child has to count the number of the barks in order to know how many spaces to move on the game board. I've noticed that Izzy's listening skills have improved by playing this game, because she's really started to clue in to listening and counting things that she hears. Izzy has also gotten better at learning to wait her turn, which has been a bit of a problem in recent months, especially since she doesn't have a sibling to practice sharing with. We love this game at our house, and I'd highly recommend it to any mother of a 3 year old, especially because the game is not only fun for children, but it teaches them important skills too!

This Christmas, keep in mind that educational toys can be just as fun, if not more fun, than the average, normal toys on the market. Keep eBeanstalk in mind for your educational toy needs, and you're sure to have happy, intelligent kids playing around your Christmas tree this year!

*Use the code "FREESHIP$65" at checkout and get free shipping on all orders over $65! Also, grandparents can call 1-877-359-3428 Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:30 for a special grandparents only discount!*