With 3 kids in the house, 2 of them toddlers, we don't really get to go to the movies very often. For one, Sophie would probably try to climb over all of the theater seats while making monkey sounds, and Xander would probably just scream the whole time, not wanting to sit still. So for now, while the kids are toddlers, we generally wait until something comes out on DVD so we can watch it in the chaos, oops, comfort of our own home. So I have to admit, I have not seen any of the movies that have been nominated for Academy Awards this year. Isn't that terrible?! I know...I need to make date night more of a priority! However, I do follow all of the movie reviews and do pay attention to all of the Hollywood buzz, so several of them are on my must-see list. I also pay attention to fashion, so we will definitely be tuning into the red carpet events and the Academy Awards this Sunday, February 24, 2013. So to help get into "Oscar Mode", my husband and I recently had a Red Carpet Movie Night, with help from the folks at Wholly Guacamole and Daily's Cocktails. After all, what goes better with movie night or a star-studded awards show than some yummy Wholly products and some delicious frozen cocktails?!
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We just moved from Virginia to Ohio, so this winter has been quite an adjustment. In Virginia, snow was rare, and the mere mention of a flurry would sent people to the store in droves to clean out the inventory of bread, milk, and toilet paper. (Yes, really!) Here in Ohio, snow is common. And temperatures get frigid. So we've been dealing with the climate change, as well as fighting off nasty winter colds. (Not a fun combination!) It seems that whatever nasty cold has been going around has found residence in my home. We have all had cold symptoms for about a month. At first, we were all miserable and super sick, but now, there are just some lingering sniffles. Now some friends and family call me a modern-day Hippie because I tend to look for natural and homeopathic remedies for minor illnesses rather than rush to the doctor right away or get "drugged up" on traditional over the counter medications. I would much prefer taking something created from nature, since I truly do believe that these remedies work extremely well, without the added risks or side-effects that their conventional counterparts have. (This is just my opinion, of course consulting your physician is always a good idea!) With 3 kids in the house, we have a lot of games. Of course many of them are geared towards toddlers, but we also have a good selection of games that are made for adults, teens, and older kids. One issue we have come across while playing games, especially with our younger kids, is that no one likes to lose the game. It makes them feel bad, and sometimes even results in a full-blown temper tantrum. This takes the fun out of what should be a pleasant experience. That's why I really love the products from Peaceable Kingdom. This awesome company creates a large line of games, geared towards varying age groups, that are cooperative rather than competitive. That's right...Everybody wins! This is such an awesome concept, as it will not only help build family bonds but also help little ones have high self-esteem and a strong sense of teamwork. What is a Cooperative Game? A cooperative game is a game where all players play together against a common obstacle, not against each other. In a cooperative game no one feels left out and everyone has fun! Peaceable Kingdom’s cooperative board games use familiar game mechanisms – spinning a spinner, matching cards, moving a token, strategizing a win! The difference is that players play together. Playing together helps kids in many ways – they experience shared decision-making, they build self-esteem, they learn to share, to feel compassion, and to work as a team. Playing cooperative games teaches kids to cooperate. Peaceable Kingdom also offers a variety of colorful and fun sticker and activity books for little ones to explore. There are themes for both boys and girls, as well as some that are truly gender neutral, such as Funny Food, Scratch N' Sniff, and Color Me sticker packs! How cool is that?! (My little ones adore stickers, so the selection at Peaceable Kingdom is just perfect for our family or 2 boys and a girl!) Recently, the awesome folks at Peaceable Kingdom sent me both a board game and a sticker activity book to review. I'd love to tell you more about them! It’s high speed fun on the rails as Thomas and his engine friends race around Sodor! Meet new engine Stafford and your favorite engine friends in five high spirited adventures plus four interactive bonus features, in Thomas & Friends®: Go Go Thomas arriving on DVD, Digital Download and Video On Demand March 5, 2013 from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment.
The award-winning Thomas & Friends teaches timeless life lessons of discovery, friendship and cooperation, inviting children to enter a world of imagination through the tracks of a train and the words of a story. Is everyone ready to follow the Yellow Brick Road to the land of Oz? I know we are! We've dusted off our ruby slippers, and even have a make-shift Toto in our Yorkie named Trouble. In anticipation of this great movie, which hits theaters on March 8, 2013, I have a brand new trailer for you all! This clip is very neat, and shows how to travel by bubble. My toddlers completely froze and watched in total awe. Take a look! “Like” OZ THE GREAT & POWERFUL on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ozthegreatandpowerful
"Follow" OZ THE GREAT & POWERFUL on Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneyozmovie Visit the website: http://www.disney.com/thewizard OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL lands in theaters on March 8th! As many of you know, my name is Brandy, and I am the mama behind this blog. I have a stubborn, often strange teen who wants to be an "emo", (whatever that is...Is it a cross between Elmo and an Emu? Hmm...) and I also have 2 toddlers: my 3 year old diva, Sophia, and my 2 year old terror, Xander. I also have a man-child of a husband who just happens to be wonderful, despite his addiction to anime and cartoons. Pets? You betcha! We gave 3 puppies, and (possibly) 2 cats. We recently had a cute, orange tabby show up covered in snow, and while we're attempting to locate the owner, he has made himself quite at home and my kids have started calling him "Cheddar". He also gets along swimmingly with our cat, Noodles...And let's just face it: Noodles and Cheddar. How perfect is that combo?! Yeah, I thought so, too! So with a household like that, you can see why I make an ideal blogger as far as demographics and targeted audiences go. I literally have a little bit of everything under my roof, so I can honestly use and review almost anything. Beauty and fashion...Housewares since we just bought our home and are remodeling and upgrading, kids' products, and pets...I have it all here. Over the past few years, I have gotten to work with hundreds of amazing companies. I am even hoping to attend Reviewers Retreat to connect with even more great brands and learn more about the marketer/blogger relationship. But even though I have made so many fantastic business relationships, there are a few companies that I am still incessantly day-dreaming about working with. Here's my top 3 coveted business relationships, as well as why I'd love to work with them. Did you know that it's National Heart Month? I did, mostly because a dear friend of mine was born with some complex CHD's. (Congenital heart defects.) I have known my friend most of my life, so I have learned a lot of about heart problems, and think it's an issue that needs far more awareness. Also, my Grandpa, who is still wish us, has had several heart attacks over the years, too. Since this is a topic that I feel passionately about because of the struggles people I love have gone through, I have been working on a few campaigns that benefit different heart-related causes. Here's a great sweepstakes I found that also helps the American Heart Association! In celebration of American Heart Month, Master Lock is offering consumers a chance to win a trip to Paris for two and do some good! Visitors to www.MasterLoveLock.com can create and send a virtual love lock and be entered into the sweepstakes for the trip as well as other prizes. Better yet, for every love lock sent, Master Lock is donating $1 in addition to its $10,000 donation to the American Heart Association. Oscar night is almost here! It seems that everywhere I look, people are talking about the movies they expect to win awards, directors and movie-stars, and of course, the speculation about the fashions that might turn up on the red carpet. (Come on....Admit it...You watch the awards specifically to see red carpet action, right? Or is that just me?) Anyway, since I don't watch a ton of movies, I usually check out online reviews. I do this for a few reasons. First, it allows me to see if a film may not be appropriate for my kids. Also, checking out reviews also allows me to decide if I want to spend money to see a movie in theaters, or if I am better off waiting till it's released on DVD. But this time of year, I check out reviews most often so I don't look like a complete fool while finding myself stuck in conversations surrounding Oscar hopefuls that I know nothing about. One of the best places to find very detailed entertainment reviews is DragonBlogger.com. This site has basically anything you'd like to find that is entertainment or tech-related. By browsing DragonBlogger, I have decided that I made the right choice waiting to see Les Miserables rather than rushing to the theater. Yes, I understand that this movie was incredibly well-received by critics, but it looks just a tad bit cheesy for my tastes. Yes, there is even a huge section devoted to gaming, which my husband absolutely loves. He can check out what others have to say about all the new games he's interested in. I can also learn more about games my teen wants to play, such as rating and content, before I agree to let him play them. Have you heard of DragonBlogger.com? What's your favorite feature there? It is amazing how popular babywearing has become today and rightfully so. It keeps everyone happy - baby, mom, siblings. The convenience of having your hands free and your baby content makes the daily tasks of mothering much more manageable. We are excited to have partnered with Thanks Mama to give away the Onya Baby Carrier to one reader so that you and your little one can savor the joy and convenience of babywearing as well! In addition you will get $50 to spend on anything you please - cloth diapers, potty training pants, wooden toys, bedding, baby care items, or nursing essentials, to name a few. Thanks Mama online baby store features a selection of twelve baby carrier brands, among them the versatile Onya Baby Carrier. The unique feature that we love is that it doubles as a baby carrier and a baby seat for when you are out and about. It comes in beautiful, modern colors and two different materials. The soft cotton is suitable for most situations and climates and the rip-stop nylon with mesh lining is perfect for hot weather, hiking, and active outdoor enthusiasts. Our Favorite Features of the Onya Baby Carrier:
Our Favorite Features of the Thanks Mama Store:
Purchase: You can purchase the Onya Baby Carrier at Thanks Mama. Use code CARRIER for 15% off! Win It! Thanks Mama is generously giving away the Onya Baby Carrier (winner's choice based on availability) and a $50 gift card to Thanks Mama store to one winner. Special thanks to AnaB Social for hosting this giveaway. Huge thanks to Thanks Mama and all participating bloggers as well! Giveaway ends March 13th at 12:01 am, open WORLDWIDE, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below (see directions on how to enter here). Thank you! Disclaimer: AnaB Social, Eco-Babyz, and all participating event bloggers are not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. While I am not the Mama to true multiples, I might as well be. My youngest babies are only 12 months apart! Well, 12 months and 2 weeks, to be exact! We tried for years to conceive our daughter, and 3 months after she was born, we got the shock of a lifetime when we found out we were pregnant, yet again. (So for those who have ever wondered why my twitter handle is @oopsimpregnant, there's why! I have never changed it!) Yes, that means being pregnant for the vast majority of almost 2 years. I am not going to lie and say that it was smooth sailing and without stress. In fact, it was incredibly stressful. We were taking care of a newborn, I was recovering from a c-section, and we were faced with the fact that another baby was on the way. I felt like a breeding machine at times. Of course we were happy, but there were moments when I didn't know what on Earth we were going to do, or how we would manage 2 babies at one time. You had better believe I had my What to Expect books on hand at all times! After Xander was born, things were complicated. I had a toddler who had just started walking, and a brand new baby to keep me up all night. It was not easy...But it's been so worth it! Sophie and Xander are the best of friends, when they're not trying to kill each other, and they are so close in age that they have similar interests and like the same toys and activities. So in many ways, it does feel like they could be twins. Which is very, very cool. Speaking of multiples, have you heard of the awesome Multiple Birth Program from the folks at Little Me? |
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I'm Brandy, a happily married, proud Mom of 3 amazing kids. If you're interested in building a working relationship, please feel free to e-mail me at: NewlyCrunchyMamaOf3@gmail.com Links We Love :Archives
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