Curl up by the fire with Duraflame!

If your neck of the woods is anything like mine (central Kentucky), it is COLD. Not just a little chilly…I mean COLD.

Natural Duraflame firelogI’ll be the first to admit, I’m a wimp on both ends of the weather spectrum — the very cold days, the very hot days? I’m not a fan. But the one thing that can make me enjoy a cold day is curling up by a warm and toasty fire with my kids! We don’t have a fireplace at our house and have enjoyed outdoor fires in our backyard fire pit thanks to Duraflame before, and over Christmas vacation, we warmed ourselves by the fire at my parents’ house with a fabulous Duraflame log.

And Then...Story Starters Duraflame sent us a firelog along with this awesome set of story starters from Compendium, a gift company that makes some awesome products! They sent “And Then…” (Volume One), a set of 20 story-starting prompts to get your kids’ creative juices flowing!

These story starters are so much fun! It gets you set up with a really cool premise, sets a scene, and ends with “and then…”! Your kids will amaze you and most likely inspire some laughs with the fun ways they’ll finish the story. Whether your story starts with a secret door or a hot air balloon, you’ll be transported to a story where anything can happen!

Starting a story

Curling up by the fire with Duraflame

I can’t think of a better way to spend a snow day than to be snuggled up with my kids by a warm fireplace with a Duraflame log, telling stories with my boys.

Thank you, Compedium and Duraflame, for making the cold weather enjoyable!

And Then…Volume One is available for $24.95 at live-inspired.com! Duraflame logs are available at most grocery stores! Check out their full line of products at Duraflame.com!

Disclosure:  Duraflame’s awesome PR team sent me a complimentary firelog and the story starters set in exchange for an honest review. I received no monetary compensation for this post and my thoughts are my own.

Winter Storm? Meh.

For everyone who lives in a not-quite-Midwest and not-quite-The-South state like Kentucky, I give you this:

not impressed with this winter storm

We constantly get forecasts of apocalyptic snow and it NEVER HAPPENS. Gettin’ real tired of your lies, meteorologists*.

*Disclaimer:  I know, they’re not fortune-tellers. But really.

Autograph Books for WDW at Dollar Tree!

Are you and your family heading to Walt Disney World or another Disney resort in 2014? Then GET THEE TO A DOLLAR TREE!

Not only do they have some adorable Disney toys and whatnot, up by the register today, I found these Journals that are PERFECT to use for character autograph books!

Autograph books for WDW at Dollar Tree!

There is also a Minnie Mouse variety, but I got two of the Mickey & Friends books and we will customize them for each of our boys so they can keep their own books. How cute are these, and only $1.00 each!

If you foresee many trips to The World, you could get many books, but I would recommend just checking back every few months, as the styles are bound to change!

The Blue Car

A few weeks ago, my husband and I took our boys, Miles (5) and Spencer (3) to see Santa. We had put it off several times because it just seemed like a big ordeal, we knew it would be busy, and we just wanted it to be “right.”

Do you know what I mean, wanting it to be “right”? I want everyone to be dressed nicely, faces freshly scrubbed, no one overtired and grumpy…Unfortunately, I fear that I spend so much time waiting for the “right” moment that I miss the opportunity to just let things happen. And when I just let things happen, I’m usually amazed by how my vision of right was actually wrong.

TheBlueCarFor about a week prior, I had been prepping the boys, asking them to be thinking of what they wanted for Christmas, telling them that this was their chance to ask Santa for something.We finally made it to see the mall Santa, after securing a Fast Pass to avoid the inevitably long line. We were able to bypass the line, which would have easily meant an hour or more’s wait, and after just five minutes in line, it was our turn.

It happened quickly, the boys went up to talk to Santa by themselves while we stood to the side, then they smiled for the camera and we got a cute picture to put into a scrapbook. As we walked over to the checkout desk to receive our photo, I bent down and asked the boys what they had asked Santa for. Miles looked at me and said “I asked Santa for a blue car to give to a boy or girl who doesn’t have any toys. We have a lot of toys, too many cars, Mommy.” Feeling a lump in my throat, I hugged tightly and gave him a kiss on the top of his head.

Over the next few days, Miles continued to talk about the blue car. “I hope Santa remembers to bring the blue car to give to another kid.” “Another kid is going to be so happy to see that blue car!” In the busyness of the season, I made several frantic trips around town grabbing last minute gifts and sure enough, on Christmas Eve, I was in Walmart  searching for a blue car to wrap and put under the tree from Santa.

Before wrapping the car, I wrote a letter to Miles from Santa (sorry, Claus, I forged your name) and included it in the package.

TheBlueCarLetter

I have to admit, I was slightly worried that he would unwrap the gift and want to play with the car, thinking that perhaps he would forget about those kids who don’t get many presents at Christmas. But the next morning, the boys opened their one gift from Santa and Miles said “I’m not going to get this out, we’re going to save it for another boy or girl.”

Without a plan as to what we would do with the toy, we loaded up the car that afternoon and headed to Tennessee to visit my parents. My mom, always well-prepared, called a few non-profit organizations in their area to find a place where we could deliver the car.

TheBlueCarDeliveryBefore we arrived at Mom and Dad’s house, after a long day in the car, we stopped at a homeless shelter that was serving a Christmas meal. We walked in and found a staff person and I asked Miles to tell him why we were there. Miles handed the car to the man and said “I asked Santa for this car to give to someone who doesn’t have a lot of toys.” We spoke to the man for a few moments and he asked for Miles’s name and then we left, having delivered that special blue car.

I know the car isn’t a big deal; it’s not a fantastic toy that a child would be hoping to receive under their Christmas tree. But for us, it was about the reminder that we are blessed beyond measure and that we need to spend time giving rather than receiving during the holidays and throughout the year. I’m not sure where he got the idea to ask Santa for a gift for someone else. It might have come from church, or the Christian school where he attends Kindergarten. It may have come from our recent trip to get small gifts to pack in a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child. It may have come from my requests to think of some toys in their playroom that we could get rid of, because we have so many.

Wherever it came from, I was grateful for my son’s sweet request and I hope that he continues to not just understand that others don’t live in a nice house, have food on the table at every meal, and more than enough toys, but wants to act on that understanding. I hope he can remind me often that it’s more important to think of others than ourselves. And finally, I hope he knows that this Christmas, he received a most wonderful gift, the gift of giving.

Totlandia Review

Totlandia The Onesies SummerThe Moms are back and at it again! Those lovable and love-to-hateable members of the Pacific Heights Mom & Tots Club are back in action in Totlandia:  The Onesies (Summer) to conclude the full year of The Onesies!

When we last saw Bettina, Lorna, Ally, Jillian, Jade, and the other ladies, things were looking pretty grim for the future of the club moms’ friendship. How could they weather such storms:  betrayal, unrequited love, lies, and scandal?

Here’s the official book tease from the Totlandia website:

As summer sizzles in Totlandia, emotions boil over for the newest members of Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club, whose trust in each other is sorely tempted by Bettina and her club politics.

When Jillian’s vindictive joke backfires, she learns the true meaning of forgiveness.

Jade’s betrayal puts her in a dangerous downward spiral with no bottom in sight—until she finds friendship and redemption where she least expects it.

Lorna faces the biggest trial in her marriage, and makes an important decision that may end it for good.

While Ally may regret the choices made she to get accepted in the club, her exile puts new opportunities in her path, thanks to Brady and his ceaseless desire to win her over—with Barry’s help, who is playing his own little game with the Top Moms Committee.

But it’s Bettina who suffers the ultimate punishment—one that changes her life, and the livelihood of the club, forever.

Author Josie Brown takes her readers on another fun ride through the lives of the PHM&T moms but this book has a little more heart than the first three. The women have made some serious choices and they’re having to own up to them now. Once they see the effects their words and deeds have on those around them, the ladies have to deal with it and in some cases, apologies are in order.

The book, while dealing with very grown-up issues, does give some giggles at the expense of the super over-the-top Bettina and crew. I loved the jokes about an art themed birthday party for a 4 year old, where the pint-sized guests would be dressed as famous artists. Can you imagine??

At the end of the book, it’s clear that things won’t be the same when we meet up with the Pacific Heights Mom & Tots Club again. BIG changes are in store for at least two members. There is some good resolution for a few of the storylines, but there’s still much to discover about the ladies and their lives. There’s one Top Mom Committee member whose comeuppance I’m (im)patiently awaiting! She’s got it comin’!

For anyone who loves a fast-paced book that delivers laughs and heart, pick up the Totlandia series, available individually or currently in a 4-book series pack, for nearly all e-readers! They’re a quick read that you’ll love to talk about with your playgroup moms!

Disclosure:  I was sent a complimentary copy of this book to facilitate my review. I received no compensation for this post and my opinions are my own.

Working Mom Truth

All those years at home as a SAHM

Working moms…Amirite??

 

Radical Interpretation

My 3 year old, Spencer, is in Preschool this year. Unlike his big brother, he has ZERO interest in learning his alphabet, numbers, or colors or anything. But he IS learning, whether he likes it or not, and one thing he has learned to do is color nicely and draw.

Yesterday, he drew his first portrait of me.

Child draws mommy like a surfboard

DaddyScrubs

As the parenting product industry rapidly increases, it’s becoming easy to find and buy gifts for moms. But what about the dads?!

DaddyScrubs is a dad-founded and dad-run company that makes fantastic gifts for dads! I met the DaddyScrubs team two years ago at the ABC Kids Expo and they have such a passion for fatherhood! I love that they are making great items that dads love and will actually use!

The first line of products that brought the company into the parenting spotlight a few years ago were their scrubs for dads – DaddyScrubs, designed to make it clear to everyone around the delivery room that the daddy is Daddy, not the doctor! They also have Daddy t-shirts, hoodies, caps, diaper backpacks, and so much more. Their styles have branched out from their classic “Daddy”, and we got to try one out at our house, the Periodic Table of Daddy Elements t-shirt!

My husband absolutely loves his Periodic Table of Daddy Elements t-shirt from DaddyScrubs! It’s a cute design with even cuter jokes in the “periodic table.”

Hot dad, no?

Hot dad, no?

Here’s a close-up shot of the Periodic Table of Daddy Elements:

Screen Shot 2013-11-01 at 4.31.57 PM So cute! I love how they totally cover all of the bases! My favorites are Pb (& jelly) and of course Pd (Play dates)!

This shirt is a conversation starter for sure, everyone wants to see what’s on the shirt. There’s so much that dads at all stages can relate to. From Pickles & ice cream to Prom, the Periodic Table of Daddy Elements is a sweet reminder of all the things dads are great at doing for their families.

Take a look at some of these other great DaddyScrubs gifts:

The Daddy Diaper Pack  recently won the SheKnows 2013 Parenting Award and it’s easy to see why! The Daddy Diaper Pack has roomy pockets, an insulated cooler pocket, and straps for keeping your essentials close at hand!

DaddyScrubs has so many gifts for dads in your life, whether they’re expectant dads, new dads, or expert dads! Go shopping for the dads on your Christmas shopping list at DaddyScrubs.com!

Disclosure:  DaddyScrubs sent us one complimentary t-shirt in exchange for our honest review. I was not paid for this post and I was not required to write a positive review.

Shark Rocket Review

A few weeks back, I was contacted about reviewing the new Shark Rocket vacuum. Was I interested?? YES! And ohhhh people. Boy, do I love this vacuum!

Shark Rocket reviewOkay, here’s the official details on this powerful and multi-functional vacuum, followed by my explanation of why each feature is awesome:

  • Deep Cleans Carpets (Deep cleans carpets better than a full-size Dyson upright [vs. DC40, Based on independent ASTM F608 – 11 (Carpet Embedded Dirt Removal Effectiveness) testing]) — Photographic evidence of the deep cleaning power will be shown below!
  • Cleans Bare Floors and Area Rugs — Yes, carpets AND bare floors AND area rugs!
  • Never Loses Suction or Power — Why do they even make vacuums that would lose suction? What’s the point of that??
  • All the Power without the Weight — Super easy to handle and move around the house
  • Versatile Floor to Ceiling — You can literally clean your ceiling fan one minute and under your couch the next
  • Easy Storage — It comes with a handy dandy hook to keep it off the floor
  • Swivel Steering — You’ve got to see how easy it is to use! (Video below)
  • Premium Pet Tools — Dog owners? You need this thing.
  • Versatile Cleaning — Why buy multiple devices when this one does it all?

Here’s how my Shark Rocket arrived:

Shark Rocket

Shark Rocket accessories

Look at all the things! There are so many ways to clean with the Rocket and you can keep them all in the included accessory bag. You might look at all the accessories and think that means it’s a complicated vacuum, but I assure you it is not. It’s easy to see what does what and changing them out is super easy.

The first room I decided to vacuum with my new Rocket was my boys’ bedroom. We had vacuumed their room less than a week before, so I wanted to see how the Rocket would handle what I thought was a fairly clean floor.

photo 1 (7)

UMMMM…THIS IS HOW FULL IT GOT IN JUST 1/3 OF THE ROOM. GROSS.

I proceeded to fill it up three more times in that room. Good grief. I’ll never trust my eyes again; I actually thought the floor was relatively clean!

So the Rocket is basically a self-propelled vacuum. I mean you have to steer it around and handle it, but it takes off like a rocket! Aptly named, indeed. There are two speeds to choose from, but I mostly use Speed 2, the fastest/most powerful. The regular vacuum brushroll can be used on carpet and bare floors/area rugs, but on my pretty hardwood floors, I prefer to use the Dust Away Attachment, which cleans bare floors by vacuuming first and then coming behind with a microfiber cloth to dust the floor. For our floors that are walked on by dogs all day, this is perfect! It cleans up dust, dirt, and dog hair!

There are other specialty attachments that are and aren’t included with the Shark Rocket — there is a dusting attachment, a crevice tool, the Dust Away, and a pet attachment that were all included with my Shark Rocket (I believe there are some exclusive offers out there that may or may not include some of these attachments). Then there’s an attachment for under furniture and a motorized hand tool to really deep clean upholstery and more — those are not included and can be purchased separately.

I love how versatile the Shark Rocket is. You can use the accessories with or without the long middle part — so on stairs, you can use the vacuum rollerbrush part just attached to the handle/motor/dust cup part. Speaking of the dust cup, it’s really easy to empty! And when you need to clean the filters, you can just clean them yourself, you don’t have to buy a replacement!

 

I absolutely love the Shark Rocket for cleaning all over our house! It’s a time saver, back saver, and money saver by eliminating the need for multiple devices and replacement filters. Last weekend, my husband and I cleaned our entire house with our Sharks — I went around first with the Shark Rocket to pick up all the dirt and dust, and he went behind me with the Shark Sonic Duo to clean the carpets and hardwood floors. These two devices combined are exactly what need to keep our house and floors clean and shiny!

The Shark Rocket is available to purchase pretty much everywhere. See more about it and its features at SharkClean.com, where you can find videos, exclusive offers, answers to FAQs, and more! Retail price for the Shark Rocket is about $159, but watch for sales with the holidays coming up!

Disclosure:  I was sent a complimentary Shark Rocket to facilitate my review. I was not paid for this post and I was not required to write a positive review. These thoughts are my very own.

SafetyTat Review

It seems like there’s some kind of switch that gets flipped in women when they have children. They may have been the most carefree, easy-goes-it person ever, but once that baby is here and YOURS, the worry switch goes from off to on! I never considered myself a worrier, but now every little thing makes me anxious and worried about my boys.

SafetyTatIt’s important to not over-stress over silly things, but there are times that cause a little extra stress. Going to crowded places with my kids does kick the anxiety up a notch, but there’s a simple product that can put my mind at ease. SafetyTats are safe, easy to use tattoos for kids to wear so that moms and dads can worry less!

SafetyTat write-on or original tats can be used at amusement parks, trick or treating, large parks, or other big events as a “just in case” way to provide a way for your child to be reunited with you if they should become lost. They’re so simple to use:  pick the spot you will apply the tattoo (SafetyTat suggests the inside of the forearm, but you could go with the upper arm, a nice traditional tat spot), clean it with the provided alcohol wipe, peel the tattoo off the large piece of backing, hold it firmly in place for 20 seconds (another way to practice counting with little ones!), peel off the top pieces of backing (kinda like a Band-Aid), then write your cell phone number on the tattoo with the special marker. The SafetyTat stays adhered to the skin and it doesn’t come off in water (we tried!). You can leave it on for up to two weeks, perfect for long and short vacations! When you’re ready for it to come off, it easily peels off like a strong sticker.

I tried the SafetyTat on both of my boys and they both tolerated the experience quite well. Here’s what Spencer (3.5) thought of his SafetyTat:

 

We plan to use our SafetyTats when we travel to Disney World in the spring. I love that one SafetyTat should be enough to get us through the entire week! But even more than that, I’m looking forward to the peace of mind, knowing that the boys will be prepared with a way to quickly find me if they get separated. It’s not likely that they’ll get lost, but if they do, SafetyTat is there just in case! The SafetyTat website has other great safety tips for travelers! I’ll be doing some role playing with the boys before our trip, and part of it will include practicing showing Disney cast members their SafetyTat! By taking a look at the Testimonials page of the SafetyTat website, it’s clear that using SafetyTats at Disney is a popular way for them to be used!

SafetyTat has other great products for families as well, all of them well-priced for budget-conscious shoppers! A six-pack of SafetyTats is only $9.99 and you can get them at SafetyTat.com, many online retailers, and store locations in most states! Pick up a pack of SafetyTats so that you’re always prepared, just in case!

Disclosure:  SafetyTats sent me a complimentary 6-pack of SafetyTats for our family to try out for this review. I was not paid for this review and I was not required to write a positive review. These thoughts are my own!