***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** My husband is on vacation this week, which is awesome, since it was long overdue. But a week vacation for Dan means that now I have 4 kids at home, since he, my teen, and the little ones really tend to get riled up and end up making a mess of the house. Not to mention, they eat junk food all day and yell and scream incessantly. I love the fact that my littles love their Daddy Time, but I have to admit, it makes it a bit difficult for me to concentrate and get anything done.
So I told him that every day he's off, he and the littles had to spend at least an hour doing something structured and well....sane. A little break from climbing on furniture and jumping all over the place would be quite nice and allow me to keep my own sanity and get some work of my own done. So when I got the opportunity to revisit the great children's science kits from The Young Scientists Club, I was very excited. There are several wonderful kits to choose from, such as Rainbow Science, Kitchen Science, and the Wonders of Nature Kit. These kits feature some of kids' favorite characters from Clifford the Dog and The Magic School Bus, so it definitely adds to the fun and keeps kids engaged while learning. After all, learning should be fun, right?! Last time around, we checked out Clifford's Bubble Science. It was a huge hit with both of my preschoolers! This time, I chose The Magic School Bus Exploring the Wonders of Nature Kit.
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Do I have any fashionistas out here? I have some HUGE news regarding 2 of my favorite children's brands, Hanna Anderson and Umi Children's Shoes.
Starting right NOW, October 21, 2013 through November 10, 2013, these awesome brands are having a Pick-your Perfect Outfit Sweepstakes! The prizes? AMAZING. One grand prize winner will receive a $250 Umi GC AND a $250 Hanna Anderson GC. 3 runners up will receive a $100 Umi GC and a $100 Hanna Anderson GC. How cool is that?! To enter, just click HERE or on the image below to be taken to the official entry form. Good luck! ***Disclosure : I received Heinz®, Johnsonville® and Ocean Spray® products in exchange for sharing this recipe. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*** We are huge football fans here. I mean, BIG TIME fans. While I live in the Cleveland, Ohio area, we root for Chicago.I know. It's just blasphemous, but the hubby is a Chicago native, and he got me into watching football. If I have to watch the games, I might as well root for the team I am always watching, right? Today was a sad, sad day for Da Bears. They lost to the Washington Redskins in a very close game. While we were not happy about the crushing defeat and spent hours yelling at the TV, I can tell you something that DID go right.... The food. I made Ultimate Party Meatballs specifically for munching in during the game. The folks at Heniz, Johnsonville, and Ocean Spray sent me a neat kit with everything I'd need to make these scrumptious meatballs. These meatballs are SO simple, even my preschoolers could make them...Well, maybe not...I don't let them play with hot appliances. Okay, so my 13 year old could make these. There are only 3 ingredients! That's right. 3 ingredients!
All you'll need is some Heinz Chili Sauce, Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce, and some Johnsonville frozen meatballs. ***Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Turning Leaf. I received a complimentary package of products to facilitate my review. No other compensation has been provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** When I was younger, I did not drink wine...Or beer....Or liquor...Or anything at all that contained alcohol. But now that I am 32, and have 2 toddlers and a moody teen in the house, I have certainly learned to appreciate and love a good glass of wine.
I have tried several different wines in the past few years, and I have found that you can't always judge a bottle by its cover. Price tag and a cutesie label mean absolutely nothing. In fact, one of the most horrid wines I have ever tried was pricey at $35 a bottle, and had a very pretty label. It was absolute swill, and I couldn't take more than a sip. Alternately, some of the best wines I have tried cost less than $10 a bottle. Who knew?! I really enjoy fruitier, sweeter wines, whether they're red or white. Dan, the hubby, loves dry whites almost exclusively. So my favorite would have to be a sparkling Moscato where he loves Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay. Recently, I got the opportunity to try Turning Leaf Wines Refresh Over Ice wines. (Thanks so much to my blogging BFF Elaina over at A Time Out For Mommy! She chose to "Refresh It Forward" my way!) We received a very nice package of products, which actually made for a wonderful at home date night! There was a very soft and cozy picnic blanket, plastic wine glasses, plastic "ice cubes", since no one wants their wine watered down, and of course, a couple of bottles of Turning Leaf Refresh Wines. (Crisp White and Red Moscato.) There is even a very nice wine tote that will hold 2 bottles of wine securely. ***Disclosure: I received complimentary product to facilitate my review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** I am officially a cat lady. I won't add the term crazy to the phrase, since I do not have a broken shopping cart full of doilies and the cats do not outnumber the people in the house. (Pretty close, though...) We have 4 kitties named Noodles, Pringles, Havarti and Truffles.
I adore my kitties. I spoil them as much as I do my own kids. See Havarti and Truffles? Yep...They have their own Pillow Pet to nap on. They kind of claimed it, even though it's Sophie's. I just bought my princess another and let the kittens keep this one! ***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** Since I am the proud owner of an iPhone as well as the mother of 2 rambunctious toddlers, I always, always, ALWAYS keep my phone covered in some way. My kids love playing their kids' apps on my phone, and I want to keep the sticky-finger goop off of my phone itself. Covers come in very handy! Okay, I also keep my phone covered because well...My name is Brandy, and I am an iPhone case addict. Yep. It's a bit of an obsession. There are so many cute and trendy covers out there, and I like being able to switch my case out often to match my outfit or even my mood! The only problem? Cases can get expensive! I have one that cost almost $80! That one is nothing pretty, but it definitely keeps my phone protected when the kids decide they want to throw or drop it. Even some of my prettier, more fashion forward cases cost me around $50 or so. Yep...Dressing up a cell phone isn't always cheap. Thankfully, I recently discovered Goospery. This company specializes in cases and covers for all of the must-have mobile devices around. So whether you've got an iPhone 4, 4S, or 5, or even a Samsung Galaxy, Goospery has you covered, and you won't break the bank! These cases are super-affordable at costs ranging between $7.50-$14.99. ***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** Wubb-tastic news, Wubb fans! Get ready for Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!: Best of Collection, the biggest and best Wubbzy DVD box set to date! The ultimate episodic assortment, the Wubbzy Best of Collection features four jam-packed discs in one complete compilation that will bring nonstop fun, fun, fun and important life lessons to families everywhere! The Wubbzy Best of Collection from Anchor Bay Entertainment will “wow” Wubb lovers nationwide starting October 1. With 28 episodes and more than four and a half hours of engaging entertainment chockfull of singing and dancing, Wow! Wow! Wubbzy: Best of Collection (SRP $19.98) is the must-have addition to any preschooler’s DVD library – and a perfect gift for this holiday season! Each of the four fun-filled discs in the debut set stars a different Wuzzleburg friend:Best of Wubbzy centers on everyone’s favorite bendy-tailed guy; Best of Widget features the busiest builder and fix-it whiz around; Best of Walden celebrates the town’s smartest little scientist; and Best of Daizy honors the sweet girly girl next door. And the fun doesn’t stop there –the Wubbzy Best of Collection includes coloring and activity sheets – and toe-tapping music videos, too!
***Disclosure: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC. or the manufacturer of this product.*** While I am finally at a healthy weight for my height and frame, I do still worry about proper diet and nutrition. I try and make the healthiest choices possible, like choosing organic foods and not eating desserts or junk food of any kind. I also try and stay as active as I can be, even if it means my living room is my "gym" and cardio means walking my toddlers around the neighborhood in their wagon.
The problem is, I am also a self-proclaimed foodie. I LOVE food. One of my favorite things to do is cook, so I make all these huge dinners and yes, they don't always include the healthiest options. I love a good Chicken Alfredo or Tetrazzini, and I also love Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Shaved Parmesan and Asiago cheeses...(Heck, I will devour pretty much anything that's smothered in cheese!) I also love bacon, and pasta and cheese...Wait, didn't I already mention cheese? Yep. That's my weakness! So when I do indulge in little diet "cheats", I don't feel guilty or totally thrown off track. I use Calorease, along with portion control and exercise, to help make sure those little indulgences don't end up going to my thighs. Calorease is one of the easiest ways to make your weight management program more effective. Unlike many other diet aids, it is completely stimulant-free and therefore heart-healthy. It has been shown to bind and eliminate up to 9 times its weight in dietary fat, reducing up to 500 calories a day from the fat in foods. It is naturally sourced, and has been researched in studies and clinical trials. As part of a reduced- calorie diet—and with a regular exercise program—Calorease is the edge you need to help you meet your goals. Okay, so after being horribly displaced in Virginia for about 20 years, I am finally back at home in my adorable little hometown in NE Ohio. (Okay, I have been back for about a year, but who's counting?) Since being back home where I belong, I have been thrilled to see that a lot has remained the same during my absence. Mark & Philly's and Rocco's Pizza are still here, the fun riverfront festivals are still going strong, and many of the same businesses I remember seeing as a kid are still there in the same locations. Gotta love being from a small, very family-oriented town! But there is one thing I simply cannot seem to get used to....The weather. You see, here in Ohio, there are 4 very distinct seasons with very noticeable variants in temperature and precipitation. When it rains, it pours, and when it snows? Holy hell, you'd better pray you have a snow-blower because a shovel just might not cut it! And apparently, this is totally normal. Last year was a MILD winter, although to my family, it was pretty extreme... You see, back in Virginia, if there was even a possibility of snow...Even of less than an inch, the entire region immediately went into a panic. You'd think they were preparing for the Zombie Apocolypse. All the shelves at grocery stores would be bare, and there was no bread or toilet paper to be found. Desperate times called for desperate measures, and God forbid an inch of snow fall, since the world may surely end. Okay...That sounds silly, but seriously...People panicked. Here in NE Ohio, we get feet of snow at one time, on a regular basis during the winter. The temperatures? They're bitter and absolutely frigid. I would not try sticking my tongue to a flag-pole, that's for sure. And locals who have been here for many years will go out wearing shorts, while I am bundled up like an Eskimo. Yeah, the weather is not something I am adapting to at all. I am always so cold! But hey...It's worth it. My kids get to build snow-men and go sledding, and I get an excuse to wear footie pajamas. It's a win-win. Happy Birthday to Robert Carroll, my Facebook pal and ONLY trusted source for local weather reports. He is only 20, so he's a baby,lol...But this young man is going to be a very successful Weather Man. Seriously...Robert is a meteorology student, and his forecasts are often more accurate than the local news channels. Thanks for doing what you do, and for letting me know when I have to wear 20 shirts and long underwear under a massive wool parka. Some of you know Little Pim. They're a foreign language learning company that introduces children between the ages of 0 and 5 to a foreign language using DVDs, music CDs, flashcards, and books. As the holidays approach, Little Pim is hosting a Kickstarter to raise funds and create a holiday e-book that will take Little Pim the panda on a journey around the world. Little Pim will travel, learn new languages, and sample yummy holiday treats in Mexico, China, France, and Brazil. It's a great way to introduce your little one to the joys of travel, adventure, language learning, and cultural holiday traditions. Little Pim wants you to be involved. In hosting a Kickstarter campaign, Little Pim doesn't get to keep any of the money donated unless their full goal is raised. With every donation, you receive a reward. Rewards range from your name in the Thank You section of the book ($1), to your own e-book ($10), a panda plush ($25), Little Pim product ($100), your child's photo featured in the back of the book ($300), and your child being drawn into the book as a character ($1,000)! Definitely consider donating to a holiday e-book adventure that is sure to become a family holiday tradition. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/959449941/around-the-world-with-little-pim-a-holiday-ebook-f Happy Holidays! |
PR Friendly Mama!
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
June 2023
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