You probably know that I have a giveaway up right now for some amazing raw honey. Many of you have commented on that post saying you'd love to try Mohawk Valley Trading Co. Pure Maple Syrup. (Can't say I blame you there! There is nothing like drizzling the real deal over pancakes or waffles!) 

Well, I have some great news for those of you who were interested in learning more about Mohawk Valley Trading Co. Pure Maple Syrup. I received some of this to review, too! 

Yes, I know it's still winter. Here in NE Ohio, it's actually disgustingly, horrifyingly cold. I am talking wind chills WELL below zero. And it's not supposed to get any warmer anytime soon. (No, I don't think I will ever truly get used to Ohio cold!) 

But even though the temps outside are dangerously low and there is massive amounts of snow in my forecast, I still make sure my littles wear their sunglasses when they go outside. After all, the sun is still shining, and little peepers need protection! I make the kiddos wear sunblock in the winter, too. Have you ever seen a snow-induced sunburn? Not fun. Not fun at all! 

So when I got the opportunity to check out the high-quality children's sunglasses from Paxley, I was delighted. Paxley offers a great selection of stylish eyewear for babies and children. These glasses are designed in sunny California and handcrafted in Italy! (And we all know Italian-made fashion is very sought after!) 

Paxley offers glasses in 3 sizes: 0-18 months, 1-3 years, and 3-5 years. 

With the holidays fresh in our minds and the drudgery of work beginning to surface again, the search for white sandy beaches and drinks served in fruit starts again as well. If you want to taste that concoction in a coconut instead of dreaming about it, have no fear. Here are ways to turn that vacation you’re planning into a reality, and how to get the best deal while doing it.

Go East
When the thought of crystal clear water and the sun radiating on our back arises, places like Greece and Spain come to mind, and with good reason. They have some of the best beaches and scenery the world has to offer, but unfortunately a hefty price usually comes along with it. Instead, take a trip to the East instead, where your dollar goes much further. For instance, Thailand has some of the most scenic beaches in the world with weather to match, and a stay there costs half of what a comparable trip to Spain would cost you.

Be Flexible
Once you have figured out where you want to go, it’s time to take care of how to get there affordably. In order to get a really cheap holiday in 2014, be flexible in your travel dates. Airplane tickets will be cheapest during the week (Tuesday-Thursday). Also, subscribe to as many airline rewards mailing lists as you can. While your inbox might be flooded with emails, the airlines offer deals to their rewards members before anybody else. 

Pay Smart
Since you have to pay for the flight and accommodations anyway, you might as well get something in return. Credit card companies are hungry for new business, and as such they run promotions where if you spend a certain amount you receive a deal in return, such as airline miles. If you get the right card, you can get a free flight just from buying your tickets!

The internet really has revolutionised the way we buy our holidays, and with the amount of discounts popping up online in this ‘January Sale’ season, you should find it easy to get a holiday for the fraction of the normal price.

With preschoolers, a teen, cats and dogs in my home, you'd better believe I clean...A lot. The sad part? By the end of the day, it often looks like I haven't done a thing. Boy I can't wait till Sophie and Xander are a wee bit older and can help out a little more! And if my Yorkie, aptly named Trouble, would ever get completely, 100% housebroken, that would be great, too. 

Anyway, it seems there are always messes that need urgent attention. It might be spills from sippy cups, food flung all over the room, mud tracked in off of my teen's shoes, or pee and poop from our "zoo"....It's always something. Always. 

So when I got the opportunity to check out the Shark Steam & Spray Mop, I was beyond thrilled. We have mostly hardwood in our home, as well as some vinyl and laminate. This awesome mop can tackle just about any surface. Plus, you can use a cleaning solution, steam, or a combination of both! 

Even though my babies are not really "babies" anymore, I still don't feel right unless I can keep a constant eye on them, even when I am not in the same room. Sure, maybe I am a bit of a Helicopter Mom, and that's okay. I'd rather be safe than sorry, and bad things can happen even under the most watchful eye. 

I know this from experience. On Mother's Day a couple of years ago, my Sophie ate a button battery, right in front of my husband and I. She physically broke a toy open, bypassing a tight screw by snapping the plastic, and BOOM! Into her little mouth the battery went. Talk about scary! Kids DIE from this! Thank God she was okay...The battery went right to her stomach and she pooped it out. I have never been so happy to poke through fecal matter as I was when I finally saw that battery 3 days later. But this happened while my husband and I were physically looking at her...I'd hate to think about what might happen in the kids' rooms when we're NOT there. Sure, we are meticulous about child-proofing, but things happen. 

So even though my littles are 3 and 4 years old, we still use baby monitors. We even use them to make sure our teen isn't getting into mischief. (He hates knowing we can put a camera in his room if we're suspicious!) 

Recently, I got the opportunity to check out the VTech Safe&Sound Pan and Tilt Full Color Video Monitor. This monitor has some very cool features that can totally put a paranoid mama's mind at ease....Like me. 

It's no secret that honey is delicious. It's sweet, and depending on the variety, can have delightful and complex flavors. Honey is wonderful to cook with, and a little drizzle of honey over a lot of dishes (think Baklava) can make your taste buds sing. 

But did you know that Raw Honey has plenty of other uses and benefits, too? It's true! Raw honey, which hasn't been heat-processed, contains antiseptic properties and can be used in a myriad of ways. It can even be used to make you look and feel more naturally beautiful. 

Here are 12 uses for raw honey that you may not have been aware of... Until now! You're welcome! 

How cool is that?! These are just a few of the many, many uses for honey. I have personally tried all of these applications myself, and they really do work. I especially love using raw honey to help with my horrid allergies. Local raw honey, by the spoonful, helps the most to aid in allergy relief. Please note: If you ingest raw honey for health benefits, DO NOT HEAT IT. Yep...Adding raw honey to hot tea or foods is a no-no. The heat will destroy the antibiotic properties of the honey. 

When it comes to raw honey, there are plenty of varieties available, all with varying colors and flavors. Some of my absolute favorite products are from Mohawk Valley Trading Co. This company offers only the highest quality unprocessed natural products. They have Pure Maple Syrup, Maple Sugar, Honey, Raw Honey, Beeswax, Beeswax Candles, Handmade Soap and Natural Skin Care Products. 

It seems that everywhere I turn, I am reminded that I really, really need to venture out into the frigid temperatures to go see Disney's FROZEN. Even while shopping, I am seeing tons of awesome merchandise and hearing kids rave about this film to their parents. And, of course, Sophie, Xander and Kyle are all begging me to take them to see it. 

Tonight, I saw something that has convinced me that I need to bundle my kids up like little Eskimos and head to the theater now...There is now a multi-lingual sequence that is simply amazing to watch. Imagine the talent and dedication it takes to sing a song in several languages! 

Check it out! Bet you'll want to rush to the movie theater, too! 

“Like” FROZEN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DisneyFrozen
Follow FROZEN on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DisneyAnimation
Visit the official website: http://www.disney.com/frozen  

FROZEN is now playing in theatres everywhere!

I know...I am probably the only person in the world who hasn't seen Disney's blockbuster hit "FROZEN" yet. This is the one movie I have been dying to see, too. Why haven't I watched this animated feature yet? Well, ironically enough, it's because here in Ohio, we've been frozen. Literally. Temperatures have been so brutal over the past few weeks that I have stayed inside unless it was absolutely necessary to venture out into single digit and negative temps. Let's face it: When it feels like you're stuck in Antarctica, a warm blanket and cup of steaming coffee sounds pretty darn appealing! 

If you're like me, and have been hibernating rather than hitting the theater, I have some great news. Soon...Very, very soon...You will be able to experience FROZEN like never before! 

I was born in the early 1980's. So of course, my childhood was full of high-hair, LA Gear high tops, slap bracelets, and of course, My Little Pony. I used to have a crazy My Little Pony collection! I wonder where all of those original figures are now? Hmm....Anyway, My Little Pony has gone through some major changes over the years. They no longer resemble the ponies I grew up on. Sure, the kids love them anyway, but I, as a Mom, miss getting that nostalgic feeling. 

Luckily, if you miss the original My Little Ponies like I do, there is a great new DVD movie collection that is sure to delight you! Four beloved My Little Pony films are returning to DVD January 21 in the U.S. and Canada when the My Little Pony: Classic Movie Collection is released by Shout! Factory Kids in collaboration with Hasbro Studios. The 2-disc set contains the films Princess Promenade, Runaway Rainbow, Dancing In The Clouds, and Friends Are Never Far Away.

In the highly popular Princess Promenade, Wysteria is beaming with pride! Her gardens are in bloom, her little Breezie friends are in town, and it’s time for Ponyville’s fanciest spring parade, the ultimate celebration of flowers! But things don’t go according to plan when Wysteria accidentally awakens Spike the Dragon, a sleepy, silly, 1,000-year-old dragon! For you see, legend holds that when a dragon is awakened, a new princess is about to be crowned! But who is the Princess of Ponyville?