I can’t believe how fast the year has already gone, it is already the first of February.  Today at school all my kiddos were so excited about Valentine’s Day.  I was trying to tell them all about the other holiday’s this month, but they only had eyes for the 14th.  Who can blame them?  Valentine’s Day is a day full of candy and love and presents!  It got me thinking that I only have a couple of weeks to find something for my son and my husband.  While my husband and I usually don’t exchange gifts for Valentine’s Day, I did find a few things from Red Envelope that I would love to get for him!

Red Envelope is my go to site for ordering Valentine’s Day gifts.  Last year I shopped from their website, and I shopped from it again this year.  Here are a couple of my favorite items for Valentine’s Day;

Check out this brown wooden watch!  I thought it was so unique and my man would love it!

My husband saw these pub glasses in the catalog and thought they were pretty cool.

I also loved these chocolate covered fortune cookies with love messages inside.  It is so romantic!

So while I had all of these fantastic ideas and more to choose from, what did I end up purchasing?  Well, my husband is so awesome that when he saw how much I loved this necklace, he told me to get it for Valentine’s Day!

I loved this simple pearl necklace because it symbolizes my two children (TJ and baby girl due in May).  I love that it will go with most everything that I own.  I just got some pearl earrings last month and this matches it perfectly.  I will love and cherish this necklace for years to come.

Ordering the necklace was very simple, a couple of clicks and it was on its way.  It arrived in an adorable red box!

I ordered it on a Friday and it came on Monday with expedited shipping.  I am going to be counting on this when I order my husband’s gift this week!  I know without a doubt that it will arrive by Valentine’s Day.

Be sure to visit Red Envelope this Valentine’s Day season.  You will be amazed at the selection of items and the affordability of their gifts!

This post was made possible by RedEnvelope.com.  I received a gift code to RedEnvelope for my participation. All opinions are 100% mine.

My son was born with bad skin.  His entire first year was horrible as far as finding products that worked for his exzema and very dry skin.  I hate that he inherited that from his mommy.  Most of the products that were on the market would irritate his sensitive skin.  We tried almost everything.  Aquaphor Healing Ointment was one of a very few products that wouldn’t irritate TJ’s skin.  We always had a couple of tubes in our house on hand for breakouts.  The other day I heard through another blogger that Aquaphor also has a Shampoo and Wash and I couldn’t wait to try it out.  I have not been very happy with TJ’s current shampoo.  While the bottle said that it was tear-free, but TJ hated it and cried when we washed his hair.  Earlier this week, we received a package from Aquaphor with a tube of Healing Ointment and a bottle of Gentle Wash and Shampoo.

Aquaphor Healing Ointment – The Baby Healing Ointment is a pediatrician-recommended formula that will soothe and protect your baby’s uncomfortable dry skin and provide effective relief for dry, cracked skin.

Aquaphor Gentle Wash & Shampoo –  is a mild, tear-free and fragrance-free cleanser for daily use on baby’s sensitive skin.  Aquaphor soothes and protects your baby’s skin to help keep your baby comfortable throughout the entire winter.

I can already tell a difference in a short week!  The first major difference is that TJ doesn’t mind having his hair washed!  When Aquaphor says that it is tear-free, they really mean it.  As it is the middle of winter, TJ’s skin has been really dry.  The body wash has been helping with that.  When I put lotion on his legs, they don’t feel quite as dry as they have in the weeks prior to using the wash.  I have been using the ointment on TJ’s rough, dry spots and they are getting a lot better.

I hope you try out Aquaphor products for your little ones.  We have loved them especially this winter! Be sure to check out the Aquaphor facebook page for updates and a product locator!

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This giveaway was made possible by Aquaphor. I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample. All opinions are 100% mine.

My husband can’t wait for TJ to be able to play with micro blocks with him.  While he is a little young yet, TJ loves to build things.  He can build an amazing tower out of cups, and he can build a mean robot with his large Mega Bloks. In a couple of years he is going to be ready for the micro blocks sets like Legos and the new Blok Squad playsets from Mega Bloks.

Blok Squad buildable playsets introduce kids to everyday heroes with themes such as fire patrol, police, and construction. Blok Squad is perfect for kids, ages 5 and up, who have transitioned from mini blocks to micro blocks and are ready for more detailed builds. We were sent the construction playset that includes 395 micro blocks.  With this set, my husband was able to build three different construction vehicles for TJ to play with.

The pieces came in several bags.  For the life of us, we couldn’t figure out how they were separated.  The hardest part of building the vehicles was finding the right pieces to go.  I have had a lot of experience with Legos in my classroom and often this is the hardest part of building any of the projects.  The first vehicle (the 4×4 truck) took my husband a little while to build.  TJ was really excited watching my husband put it together and really wanted to help, but he is just too young to put the small blocks together and would get frustrated.

When the first truck was built, TJ played with it for hours.  I appreciated that the truck was able to be played with and not just for looks.  Unfortunately, TJ brought the truck over to his cousins house where they played with it and took it apart and lost some of the parts to it.  In a few years when he is a little older, he is going to have a lot of fun putting playsets together like this one.  My husband enjoyed himself, and built all three sets over the course of December.  I think that your never to old to play with micro blocks!

There are several different micro blocks playsets from Mega Bloks available online and in stores nationwide.  Be sure to visit Mega Bloks’ website to learn more.  The Construction Site playset retails for just $19.99!

This review is made possible by Mega Bloks in conjunction with Child’s Play Communications. I was not compensated for this post other than a product sample for review. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am finally finished with my Christmas shopping.  I am really proud of myself because most years I am up until Christmas Eve making sure that I have everything I need for my loved ones. If you are still looking for some great gift ideas, I have a couple to share with you!

I just received this adorable ornament from Lolita.  I love how cute and modern the wine glass is.  It makes a statement and is sure to make anyone smile.  This is actually my second ornament from Lolita, and I love both of them. My eye will glance at my tree and my two ornaments definitely stand out.  These are a perfect gift for your girlfriends or co-workers! In addition to the wine glass they also have martini glasses and beer glasses to choose from.

For the little girl in your life, Mattel has added more products to its very popular Barbie line of dolls.  Of course there is the 2011 Holiday Barbie.  This year the holiday Barbie is dressed to the nines in a gorgeous green gown that all girls would love to wear.  She is accessorizing her outfit with dangling earrings and red nail polish.

Barbie Sisters Camp Out Stacie Doll and Playset is an adorable toy that has the Barbie Sisters camping out in a tent built for four!  The sisters can roast marshmallows over the campfire and later snuggle down into the included sleeping bag.  To sit around the campfire the set includes a chair and Sister Stacie doll.  My niece was very excited to receive these dolls and the playset.  The sister Stacie doll was a huge hit!  I love that the set included all of these great accessories that she is sure to have hours of play time with.  If you have a little girl ages 5-10 on your holiday list be sure to check out these toys from Mattel in stores nationwide! There is also two more days left to get them shipped before Christmas!

So…. are you finished with your holiday shopping?

This post was made possible by Lolita and Mattel.  I was not compensated for this post other than a product sample. All opinions are 100% mine.

Coco is growing up way too fast these days.  He is truly all boy and loves to be rough and tough with everyone and everything.  My sister in law had mentioned getting him a rocking horse for his birthday, which I thought was a great idea considering he loves animals and is completely fearless.  Unfortunately, our house is getting smaller by the second because of all his toys and games, so I wanted to be sure we could find him a rocking horse that was of great quality as well as safe and not enormous in size.

The Rockin’ Rider from Tek Nek Toys was exactly what we wanted for him!  It small enough that it stores perfectly in a corner and it is soft and perfect in size so Coco can get on and off the horse himself.  It is also sturdy and steady enough that I know it won’t tip over the second he sits on it.

The Rockin’ Rider looks really authentic because of the soft fur and life-like features – which has thrown off the dog quite a bit.  Coco’s favorite part about the horse is how he can press the ears and the mouth moves and sings a cute little song and makes horse noises. He also loves to try to feed the horse his toys as the mouth moves.

I love how the Rockin’ Rider encourages Coco to learn how to move it by rocking it on his own as well as helps his balance as he sits alone and holds onto the peg handles.  We chose the brown color for Coco, but it also comes in Pink for your little girls.  The great thing about the Rockin’ Rider Plush Rocker is that he can easily grow into it and use it for several more years since the age recommendation is up to 3 years of age.  This rocking horse was a great idea – and it would make a perfect holiday gift for your toddler this holiday season!

You can purchase your Rockin’ Rider this holiday season by visiting their website at TekNektoys.com.  You can also find them on their Facebook page at Tek Nek Toys.

This review was made possible by TekNekToys.  I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am so excited to share TJ’s fun new tractor from Step 2.  I don’t know where his love for tractors came from, but whenever we see one he literally screams out loud, “Tractor, Mommy!”  When I saw the Pedal Farm Tractor I knew that TJ would love it.

Step2 is a wonderful company who is the largest American manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys. The Step2 family also includes Thinkativity and Infantino (you can read some of my Infantino reviews here and here). We have loved our Step 2 products that we have reviewed in the past.  The Sand and Water Fun Farm was a perfect toy for this summer and of course the Play Up Toddler Swing and Slide is still a big hit for outdoor play.

The Pedal Farm Tractor was pretty easy to put together.  The parts were clearly labeled and the directions were detailed. We needed a rubber maillot, and a screwdriver and we were all set.

TJ is 2 1/2 years old and is pretty small for his age.  The recommended age for the tractor is 3-5 years.  The tractor was too big for him to pedal on his own, but that didn’t stop him!  He loved being pushed around in the tractor and would use his feet to move himself around.

The steering wheel is easy for my son to maneuver and use.  The tractor’s tires are large and durable and will travel over most terrain.  I can see TJ going through a bunch of mud puddles here soon.

To add even more enjoyment to your Step2 Pedal Farm Tractor, you can purchase the Pedal Farm Tractor Trailer to attach to the back of the tractor to carry toys or dirt or whatever suits your little one’s fancy.

The trailer retails for $49.99 with $2.99 shipping.  Both the trailer and tractor  are durable with poly construction that is water resistant and wipes clean easily.

Check out Step2.com for amazing deals just in time for your holiday gift list.  The Pedal Farm Tractor  is on sale for $79.99 and you can also enjoy $2.99 shipping.

This product feature was made possible by Step 2.  I was not compensated for this post other than a product sample. All opinions are 100% mine.

With the holidays right around the corner, my husband and I are in super cleaning mode.  It’s almost like spring cleaning, however we decided to take the approach of “fall cleaning” and not only winterize the outside of our home, but we have decided to get the inside ready for the company that we will be hosting in the next month.  With the help of several handy products from SC Johnson, we have been able to get our house in tip top shape and keep it that way- even with a toddler and a wild dog.  My husband is obsessed with the Pledge Multi Surface Everyday Cleaner.  He uses it to dust tables, clean counters , clean our television screen and even mop our laminate wood floors!  It’s a cleaner for any man – just one can for any job.   It’s convenient and cleans without streaks or smells.  He also uses the Windex Electronic Wipes daily on his “man toys” like his Iphone, Xbox and flat screen t.v.  These wipes are great at safely taking off baby fingerprints and smudges because of Windex’s gentle formula.  But while he’s cleaning his toys, I am loving the Pledge Fabric Sweeper that is specifically made for Pet Hair.  As much as we love our dog Brady, he sure sheds!  We have become accustomed to vacuuming our couches weekly but the Pledge Fabric Sweeper is the perfect quick topper to pick up any left over hair the vacuum doesn’t get.  I like to use it when I need a quick sweep of the couches before company or if I think I can’t handle the hair until the Saturday cleaning day.  Just like the spray and wipes, the sweeper is super convenient and easy to use – it’s a great chore for your kids!

My absolute least favorite part of cleaning is the bathroom.  Unfortunately, it’s the room that needs it the most and the one that will be frequently visited by our company this holiday season.  Luckily, Scrubbing Bubbles has decided to make my job easier!  Before I get started on the bathroom, I spray Scrubbing Bubbles Extend-A-Clean Mega Shower Foamer on the walls and tub of the shower to let it sit as I’m cleaning the rest of the bathroom.  Then, when it’s time to scrub the shower, the Mega Shower Foamer has already done my job by literally loosing up the dirt and grime that normally would have to be scrubbed off.  All I have to do is wipe it down and rinse and it’s ready to go!  What’s even better about the Extend-A-Clean is the active cleaners in the solution that work for days after to keep your shower clean.  But let’s not forget about the toilet.  Scrubbing Bubbles Continuous Clean Toilet Cleaning Gel is super easy and helpful to use.  Basically you just stamp on the gel disc to the side of the toilet and the disc will clean with every flush.  One package lasts up to 6 weeks, which will run us just past the holidays so there is less time spent cleaning those dreadful toilets!  Scrubbing Bubbles’ products have eased my bathroom duty as well as my mind, ensuring me of a clean bathroom for my upcoming guests.
Another product that has saved me a lot of time as we get our house ready this holiday season is the Shout Color Catcher.  Instead of running small loads of different colors, I can combine them into one larger load and throw one of these sheets right in the washer with the clothes.  The Color Catcher sheet will change color and absorb any loose dyes that may become free during the wash as well as prevents dyes from bleeding and running onto other clothes.  These sheets have saved me tons of time sorting the many piles of laundry that accumulate up in this family!
But as we wind down from a day of organizing, cleaning and preparing our home for yet another season full of family and friends, I truly enjoy lighting yummy scented candles that fill up our house with a welcoming feeling as people enter the door.  Glade offers a variety of candles, including the Scented Oil Candle which comes in a variety of smells perfect for the holidays.  The candles come in a pretty decorative glass holder that you can purchase in your choice of colors.  It is mess free and burning time is about 3 hours – which is the perfect timing for entertaining my guests.
Let SC Johnson help you prepare for your friends and family this holiday season.  To learn more about these products or to get inexpensive tips on how to spruce up your home this fall, visit their website at http://www.rightathome.com.

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Leave a comment and tell me how you prepare for the holidays!

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This giveaway was made possible by SC Johnson. I was not compensated other than a sample for review purposes.  All opinions are 100% mine.

It has been about 3 months since our new Whirlpool Duet Washer and Dryer arrived and I still pinch myself every time I go into the laundry room.  These appliances have been amazing and I have loved every experience I have had with them.  It is hard to pinpoint my favorite feature of the Duet, but here are some of our most used features.

Precision Dispense

This very clever feature allows you to fill the Precision Dispense Ultra cartridge one time, and it will dispense just the right amount of detergent, bleach, and liquid fabric softener  for up to 36 loads of laundry!  This washer is so smart that it will automatically determine how much detergent is needed based on cycle, load size, and the soil level.  All you have to do is pour in your detergent, set the concentration level, and wash away.

Washing Machine Cycle Options

There are several different washing cycles available on the Duet washer.  There is a special cycle for jeans, delicate, whites, and for bulky items.  There is also an Allergen cycle that we use for our dog bed and bedding because my husband suffers from allergies and asthma.  If you normally hand wash some of your laundry, the Duet washer has a hand wash cycle that eliminates the need to hand wash items yourself!

Dryer Cycle Options

The dryer hasn’t been left out when Whirlpool created specialty cycles.  My favorite cycle so far has been the Quick Refresh option that allows me to put in a few items that are wrinkled (because I hate to iron and I often forget to get my clothes out of the dryer right away to avoid this from happening in the first place) and run them through the cycle.  They come out read to wear!  The Deep Clean Steam Cycle  penetrates deep into fabric fibers, breaking down and dissolving tough stains. The Jeans cycle makes sure that when the cycle is over your jeans are not damp while the rest of the load is dry (haven’t we all been there?).

The Computer Sensors

While most people might not think of this as a feature of the Duet Washer and Dryer, I can not tell you how handy the computer has been for my family.  The dryer alerted us that there was a ventilation issue and we were able to fix it.  The washer told us that we were not getting enough hot water into the washer to properly clean our clothes on the Hot cycle.  Any other washer/dryer appliance would not be smart enough to tell us and we might never have known.  We would still be trying to dry our clothes with a clogged vent pipe and we would still be washing our towels in cold water.

Whirlpool has options for everyone.  Their HE washers and dryers come in both front loading and top loading options at every price point. I would highly recommend the Duet washer and dryer as I can not say enough good things about it.  Thank you for following with me as I wrote about my experiences with my new washer and dryer.  I will continue to update everyone on my experiences with my laundry suite.

I wrote this review while participating in a test-drive campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Whirlpool and received a complimentary Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer to facilitate my review.

About a month ago, a movie came in the mail that changed my little boy’s life!  Cars 2 came out on DVD on November 1 and ever since TJ watched it for the first time he has become obsessed with race cars.  We have since had to get him some little matchbox cars that he uses to race around the coffee table during all of the racing scenes in the movie.  It is rather adorable!

Here is a brief synopsis of the movie:

Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) take their friendship to exciting new places in “Cars 2” when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car.  But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage.  Mater finds himself torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret mission orchestrated by master British super spy Finn McMissile (voice of Michael Caine) and the stunning rookie field spy Holley Shiftwell (voice of Emily Mortimer).  Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world.  The fast-paced fun includes a colorful new all-car cast, complete with menacing villains and international racing competitors.

My husband and I differ slightly on our opinions of the movie.  I thought it was fun, action packed, and engaging.  My husband thought that the animation was amazing and visually stunning, but that the plot line was confusing and difficult to follow.  The movie is a lot more violent than the first with talks of “killing cars”, but I don’t think that it was too violent for kids.  While I believe this movie is geared towards older kids, I still think it is a fun movie that families can all enjoy together.  The main character in this movie is not Lightening McQueen but the tow truck Mater.  Their friendship is put to the test while traveling around the world.  As the story unfolds, the lessons learned about friendship is a beautiful part of the movie.

As I mentioned before, beware because your child may fall in love with the movie and you might have to sit and watch in a hundred times.  I think I have seen it over 70 times already!  It is sure to be another Pixar classic.

This product review was made possible by Disney and  Click Communications.  I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample provided by the company or PR firm. All opinions are 100% mine.

 There really isn’t a contest when it comes to my favorite Disney character.  Winnie the Pooh has made my heart melt since I was a very little kid.  I remember my dad tucking me in at night and reading the books by A.A. Milne.  I remember watching television shows about Winnie and Tigger and Piglet.  While the past few movies haven’t really reminded me of my childhood friend, the new Winne the Pooh that is now out on DVD definitely did!

Winnie the Pooh return to its roots with the characters interacting with the pages in the book.  This “old school” Winne the Pooh is as loveable as I remember him being.  Winnie the Pooh and his friends search for a new tale for Eeyore who lost his somewhere.  The friends create a contest to find the best new tale for their friend and of course have many adventures along the way.

I watched this film with my five year old niece who also loved the movie.  While it is more of a calm, easy going movie than say Cars 2, younger kids may find that it doesn’t keep their attention.  Older kids and adults will love the Winnie the Pooh that they remember from their childhood.

Official Press Release

Burbank, Calif. (September 9, 2011) – Walt Disney Studios proudly invites families and audiences of all ages to return to the HundredAcre Wood with some of the world’s most beloved characters, as “Winnie the Pooh,” the delightful all-new animated feature film comes home to
Blu-ray Combo Pack for the very first time, as well as DVD and Movie Download on October 25, 2011.  Reuniting audiences with Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo and last, but certainly not least, Eeyore (who has lost his tail), “Winnie the Pooh” is a honey of an in-home release containing hours of immersive bonus features, including exclusive animated shorts
“The Ballad of Nessie” and “Mini-Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: The Balloon;” a sing-along viewing option; an informative behind-the-scenes featurette for the whole family and deleted scenes with director commentary – all available on Blu-ray Combo Pack.

Inspired by the beloved stories from A.A. Milne’s books and crafted in Disney’s classic style, “Winnie the Pooh,” is the most critically-acclaimed animated film of 2011^*.  It is narrated by the voice of John Cleese and features the vocal talents of legendary voice actor Jim Cummings(over 350 voices including Gnomeo & Juliet) and a host of other distinctive actors including Craig Ferguson(TV’s ‘The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson’), Tom Kenny (TV’s ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’), Bud Luckey (Toy Story 3) and musical performances by Zooey Deschanel (indie folk band “She & Him”).

I get a little choked up every time I watch the movie.  It brings me back to being a little girl, cuddling my teddy bears.  I love reliving my childhood and being able to share something of me with my son!

Don’t delay and go out and buy a copy for your family.  This classic film will soon be a favorite with everyone in your household!

This product review was made possible by Disney and  Click Communications.  I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample provided by the company or PR firm. All opinions are 100% mine.