SOCIAL MEDIA

Monday, February 29, 2016

BasketBox Belongs in Everyone's Home

Do you walk into clothing stores and not see exactly what you're looking for? It can be difficult when stores seem to sell similar clothing styles that you're not interested in.  If you're the type of person who likes out of the box and unique items, I have a company that you'll absolutely love.



BasketBox is a company unlike any other that you've seen before.  They specialize in demonym apparel and gifts that will delight any recipient.  The interesting thing about this company is that they use the craft of cartography to allow them to print the map of each state on a shirt or gift item.  Of course BasketBox also prints the city or state's nickname in bold letters too.  Choose from coffee mugs, shirts, hats, hoodies, and more.  Everyone can show some hometown pride and spirit and this would be the perfect way to do so.  Keep BasketBox in mind for birthday, Christmas, or gifts for any occasion. 

If you have a friend or relative that lives in Georgia and is having a new baby, they'd love to receive a Georgian baby onesie as a baby gift.  What a great way for the parents to pass their hometown roots onto their little one, don't you think? The best part about unique baby gifts like this is that they aren't available in stores.  You won't have to worry about your little one having the same onesie as another baby. 


Maybe you just moved to a new state for work or school? What greater way to celebrate this milestone in your life than by displaying your new state on a comfy Californian hoodie? You'll love wearing it to the gym or just around the house! Soon enough this will be your go-to hoodie that you'll want to wear at all times. 



If you're thinking of a present for an upcoming friend's birthday, why not consider a BasketBox mug or Tee-Shirt Gift Box? If they are the type of person who has everything or are hard to buy for, this would be perfect for them.  The mug would be ideal for their morning cup of coffee or tea, and they'd also love having shirts with their home state on it. What could be better than that? Maybe they'll double the joy and wear the shirt while using the mug.  They'll instantly fall in love with the crew-neck tees that are made from 100% ring-spun cotton that is exceptionally soft and lightweight.  

Don't forget to spoil yourself too.  Whether you're living in the state that you grew up in, or have a new home, display it with joy. Head on over to BasketBox today to place your order. 

*DISCLOSURE* This is a sponsored post for which I received compensation for.  All thoughts are strictly my own.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Breathe Right Giveaway #NightsRight

There's nothing more annoying than trying to sleep while your husband or wife lays beside you snoring.  Some people snore so loudly that it sounds like a freight train is operating in their bedroom! Hopefully that's not the case for you.  It's not a good feeling to be sleep deprived, especially when you fall asleep first and are awoken by loud snoring.  It's time to do something about that snoring and get some sleep, for once and for all!



Breathe Right nasal strips provide nasal congestion relief to help you stop snoring and sleep better.  Whether your stuffy nose is caused by allergies, a cold, or even a deviated septum, Breathe Right strips can help.  Simply put them over your nose and they'll open it up to 38% more than cold medicine alone.  You'll be able to breathe and sleep better, and everyone around you will be able to as well.  


Did you know that an online survey of 1,001 American adults by the Breathe Right brand found 59% of respondents sleep next to a mouth breather and 47% believe it impacts their ability to get a good night's sleep. 

Breathe Right encourages you to let them know how you are getting your #NightsRight by posting images and videos of you and your partner (just like Bob and Sandy!) using Breathe Right nasal strips on social media.  They also invite you to engage with them on Twitter using the hashtag #NightsRight and visit this page beginning 2/29.  You can enter the sleepstakes for a chance to win a grand prize of $2,500! 

Keep these in your bathroom or in your nightstand when you need them most.  Don't let another night go by without sleeping.  Breathe Right will be there for you at all times. 



Tuesday, February 23, 2016

It Could Be a Boat Review

There's nothing quite like getting a surprise package in the mail for your birthday or a special occasion.  You stare at the box and contemplate what could be inside.  Is it a new bracelet? Is it a new pair of shoes? You truly have no idea which is the best part.  If you're anything like me, you can't handle the suspense and you tear into it right away! So much of life is planned that it's truly a joy to receive a surprise once in a while.



It Could Be a Boat is a company that offers fun and exciting mystery packages.  Choose from a small box, medium box, or large box for a set price.  There's even an option to receive one box per month too.  Can you imagine receiving a surprise every month at your door? I'd absolutely love that! The contents of each box are unknown--hence the surprise of receiving a mystery box.  You never know what you'll get.  

Maybe you'll receive candy and electronics, or maybe a small kitchen appliance? You don't know until you open it! Sending a mystery box to a friend or family member for their birthday or Christmas would be a fun twist on a traditional gift.  Why not spoil yourself too? Everyone deserves a mystery box at least once in their lives.

A large mystery box showed up at my door today and I was very excited.  The suspense killed me and I instantly ripped into the box.  As I was opening the box I was envisioning the contents and couldn't wait to see what was inside.

I received a selfie stick, a Minions play pack, a tasting appetizer serving platter, ladybug patches, and a cake pops kit. 



I liked that there was a variety of items inside that were all different and unrelated to each other.  The cake pop kit is very cute and I've been wanting to make cake pops for sometime, so I can't wait to try.  The appetizer tasting platter is perfect because I entertain a lot.  It comes with mini spoons, and a bamboo board for serving.  Maybe I'll even use the platter and make cake pops at my next dinner party? I can picture it now! 

I'm not sure I have a use for the selfie stick.  I don't take many selfies, but if you do this would be perfect for you.  

The ladybug patches are adorable and would look great ironed on my daughter's jean shorts this summer.  I think she'll even love them too. 

My daughter will enjoy the Minions Play Pack because she's getting into arts and crafts more as she gets older.  The pack includes 4 crayons, 25 stickers, and a coloring book.  She'll surely love to color to her hearts content with it.

I really enjoyed having the opportunity to receive products that I wouldn't otherwise know about.  That's the fun of It Could Be a Boat! Do yourself a favor and have a surprise come to your door in the near future.  You'll absolutely love it!

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to It Could Be a Boat for providing me with a complimentary product sample in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 





Monday, February 22, 2016

Documenting Your Baby's Life

If you're a new parent or will be expecting a little one soon, it's so important to document every new milestone and development of your child's life.

When you register for your baby shower, it's equally necessary to ask for photo albums and baby books.  Of course a baby bathtub and a pack of washcloths is essential to register for too, but you'll have a baby book and photo album for life.


I have a baby book that I started writing in when Scarlett was born.  I brought it the hospital with me and I remember having the nurses ink her feet to put her foot prints in the coordinating section of the book.  Those little feet grow so fast that you won't believe your child's foot was ever that small! My book had questions in it to fill out for the year she was born like price of gas, popular movies, etc.  There were also sections to fill out for information regarding her birth, my delivery, our reactions, etc.  

I'm very detail orientated, so I love to write down everything in full detail as soon as possible to remember the early days by.  The key to baby book success in my opinion is to fill it out as the event happens.  Did your baby smile on a Monday night? Record it as soon as the milestone happens.  If you wait to write down the information, you'll forget and it won't be as accurate.  If I didn't record the important events of Scarlett's life, I would probably not remember that she smiled at 6 weeks or sat up at 6 months.  It's never a good feeling to not 100% remember those special times.  Thanks to your baby book, you'll never have that issue.  

I've filled out my book up until 12 months.  The next sections are for two years old, three years old, and beyond.  All of the key milestones and developments have been recorded including sitting up, rolling over, crawling, first words, etc.  I love to go back and read her first or second month.  It feels like so long ago! Scarlett will love reading everything and having her questions answered when she's old enough to appreciate her book.



As for the photo album, get the largest one possible.  We started off with a small album that held 100 pictures to begin with.  That album has the first 6 months of her life documented in it.  On the back of each picture I wrote the location (if we were somewhere other than my house), the date, her age, and what was happening in the picture if it was something important.  My favorite pictures are her first baby gym class, her first time on the swings, and her first time tasting solid foods.  

In my opinion, there's nothing like having as much information as possible for pictures.  I don't want Scarlett to ask me how old she was in a picture or where she was and not know the answer. 

We've recently moved onto a larger album that holds 500 pictures.  This has her life from 7 months old going forward in it.  I routinely look through it and can't believe how small she was in some pictures.  It seems like she was 7 months old yesterday!

I can't wait to have many albums in the future containing a multitude of pictures of Scarlett.  I know we'll love to look back on it in 5 or 10 years.

Create memories now and for the future for your child.  A baby book and a photo album is the key to everlasting memories.








Thursday, February 18, 2016

Everybody Needs Timeless Skin Care in Their Lives

Like many ladies do, I own a lot of cosmetic and skin care products.  My beauty routine is important to me and one that I routinely partake in every morning and night.  It's mandatory to take care of your skin well as you only have one face. Why not keep it looking its best as long as possible? I frequently like to try new products and find new favorites that provide me with the results I'm looking for.



Timeless Skin Care is a skincare company that offers all-natural, paraben-free and pure concentrations for your skin's health and healing.  The company specializes in skincare products that are anti-aging and timeless. You'll be pleased to know that the products contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid to help reduce wrinkles, minimize the appearance of scars, and treat acne too.  The company is dedicated in creating items that offer you results without a lot of harsh chemicals.  Sometimes simplicity is the key to beauty.  Delight yourself with serums and creams that will help you look and feel your best.  You certainly can't put a price tag on that!

Here are some products which belong in every woman's bathroom:

I feel as though every lady at some point in her life struggles with under eye bags, eye wrinkles, and crow's feet.  The hydrating hyalronic acid eye cream hydrates, firms, and tones the delicate skin around your eyes, while reducing the look of fines lines and crow's feet.  


With no colors added, a non-greasy feel, and less chemicals in the product how can you go wrong? It's also non-greasy and made in the USA as an added bonus.  The active ingredients in the eye cream fight wrinkles, hydrate and moisturize, and tighten and strengthen skin.  Your eye wrinkle concerns will be a thing of the past!

If you're looking to give your skin a boost, it's time to introduce it to Coenzyme Q10 Serum.  This miracle product provides cells with energy to build collagen and elastin.  As we age, our skin loses elasticity and leaves us potentially unhappy with our appearance.  Coenzyme Q10 is found in younger skin but the amount decreases as we get older.  When you use this product, you'll keep your skin looking youthful and fresh by energizing your skin cells.  The serum is natural and paraben-free. You'll love the active ingredients that provide cells with the energy to build collagen and elastin, fight winkles, and hydrate and moisturize skin.

Any product from Timeless Skincare makes a great gift for yourself or a friend.  If you're looking to treat yourself and your skin today, Timeless Skincare is waiting for you.

*DISCLOSURE* This is a sponsored post which I was compensated for. 

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Five Fun Ways To Kill Time When You're Bored

We’ve heard it from so many people before. Procrastination is, more often than not, a complete waste of time. But it only is when you are doing the wrong kind of procrastination! But did you know that there are a few productive forms of this time-wasting method? Whenever you’re bored, don’t just spend time watching YouTube videos or flicking through TV channels. Try these fun and often engrossing activities instead to make the most out of your procrastination time!

  • Enter competitions

There are loads of competitions on the internet waiting for you to enter them! Want to win a holiday? Check the awesome comp out right now and good luck! You’ll find so many different prizes waiting to be won, including TVs, books and cash. Some are super easy to enter. You just need to give your name and email, while others may require you to answer a general knowledge question correctly.

  • Do word and maths puzzles

Not only do puzzles relieve boredom, but they act as a mental gym for your brain! Why not tackle a difficult Sudoku number game? Or try your word skills on a cryptic crossword. If you fancy something easier, check out word searches. If you’d rather not stare at a computer screen to do puzzles, you can always pick up a small book of them at your local store.

Picture from this website

  • Bake cakes and cookies

Everyone loves a sweet treat now and then! There are lots of recipes that will only take a short amount of time, so you don’t have to put off your work for too long. These cupcakes only take 15 minutes to make – no time at all! If whatever you are baking takes needs a while in the oven, you can get back to work while you wait for it.

  • Read a book

Just like puzzles, reading is a great way to strengthen your mind. Even if you only read for ten minutes a day, you’ll be doing your brain a lot of good. If you don’t already read, start off with some short stories. Once you are feeling comfortable, venture onto classic novels, such as Pride and Prejudice. Feeling super confident in your reading ability? Move onto non-fiction and learn some interesting facts or skills! If you only have a spare couple of minutes to kill, you could surf newspaper websites to have a quick read of the latest new stories.

Picture from this website

  • Do some shopping

Thanks to the internet, we can now order almost everything we need online. While procrastinating, you can spend some time on your local supermarket’s website. Now is as good a time as any to order your weekly groceries. Take a look at other websites like Amazon to see if they have any books or DVDs that you’ve meant to buy. You might even find birthday and Christmas ideas for friends and families while you’re looking!

Or try your word skills on a cryptic crossword. If you like card games, there are Solitaire games featuring unique decks that you can play online.

Solitaire is always a hit! It still plays like the old school card game, but there are some added enhancements.



Still bored? Just jump from site to site on the internet. It’s so easy to kill time online – you can easily get distracted by all the millions of websites.


Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Fun Winter Activities for Kids

With winter in full swing here in New England, it feels like warm temps are light years away. It can be difficult to keep young kids entertained when you have to stay inside, but don't let the weather bring you down. You can have just as much winter fun indoors too!


Here are some fun activities that I came up with to keep kids busy when it's cold outside.
1. Throw a Dance Party.
Turn up your favorite jams and get those moves going! Your child will enjoy getting their energy out and being silly with you. Who doesn't love singing and dancing along to their favorite music either?
2. Make Play Dough
There are so many easy-to-make play dough recipes online. You can find one using basic kitchen ingredients that is non-toxic. The best part about these recipes is that you can make them in your own kitchen while staying warm. Break out the cookie cutters and make play-dough dinosaurs, hearts, stars, and so much more.
3. Create Mini Movies on Your iPhone
If you have a budding actor or actress on your hands, they'll really enjoy this one. Have them act out improvised scenes and film it. They'll love seeing themselves on the "big screen". Maybe you can even let them film you? Your little one will get a kick out of filming you!
4. Bake Cupcakes.
Every child loves cupcakes. Bake classic chocolate or vanilla cupcakes and let them decorate the sweet treats. Set out bowls of sprinkles, chocolate chips, sugar pearls and frosting. They'll absolutely love having the opportunity to decorate their own cupcake. They'll love getting to eat their creation almost as much as making it.
5. Boardgames.
Candyland is always a kid's favorite game. If you have a child who's old enough to not put small game pieces in their mouth, why not play a board game with them? Monopoly provides hours of fun and so does Mouse Trap. Your little one will love spending time and making memories with you.
6. Design T-Shirts.
Every child loves arts and crafts. Buy some plain white t-shirts from the craft store along with craft markers, pens, and paints. Have them draw and design to their hearts content. Glittery stars, hearts, and flowers will come to life on the shirt and look wonderful. Your child will be so proud to show off their apparel creation to everyone!
Friday, February 12, 2016

Product of the Year USA Giveaway

Look around your home and you'll see a variety of products ranging from health and beauty to laundry care and even kitchenware.  It's evident that you have items that you use on a daily basis and other ones that you don't use as much, or even have forgotten about. Everyone's guilty of buying products that look good but the results don't wow us.  Wouldn't it be nice to use everyday items that you know are excellent and will always make you happy?



Product of The Year USA is the world's largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. Established 29 years ago in France, the award operates in 42 countries with the same purpose; to guide consumers to the best products in their market and reward manufacturers for quality and innovation.  In the United States, the POY is supported by the votes of over 40,000 consumers.  The award accepts entries each year from consumer packaged goods that demonstrate innovation and were launched within the previous year. There's a category for every product including food, household care, personal care, etc.  It's always an exciting time for consumers because they get the chance to try new products that are award wining.

Well, it's that time of year again! The 30 winning products for 2016 were just announced and you'll certainly be pleased with what was selected.

Take a look at the winning products and you'll see such fabulous items from Tide, M&M's, Lysol, Energizer, Skinny Cow, and so many more.  I'm sure you'll instantly be able to find your favorites.  I want to eat those crispy M&M's right now!  We use Tide laundry detergent in my house all the time and get such a fantastic clean from it.  

When you familiarize yourself with the winning products from POTY each year, it gives you a chance to learn about new products from your favorite brands that you didn't know about. I regularly buy Skinnycow ice cream but had no idea that they produced a beverage too.  Without POY I doubt I would have realized all of the items existed!

I think it's wonderful that an award like POTY was created.  It's important that products get the recognition and praise that they deserve.  I can't wait to see what products are chosen for 2017!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Silk'n Review

Everyone needs me time in their lives, even if it's just 10 minutes to drink a cup of coffee and relax. Taking time for yourself everyday is vitally important to your mental health. Make sure that when you get home from a stressful day of work or school that you take time to unwind.  By doing so, you'll be ready to tackle the next day and the work at hand. You should never feel guilty about taking some time for yourself.



Silk'n allows you to bring the spa experience into the comfort of your own home.  Forget about those weekly expensive treatments, they are a thing of the past! You'll be able to treat yourself anytime of day or night.  Silk'n offers so many products any lady would enjoy including hair removal, anti-aging, and even microdermabrasion systems.  

You'll look and feel like a million bucks with Silk'n's finest diamond microdermabrasion system.  If you want to look younger, you'll love the FaceFX which offers you skin rejuvenation results that will turn the clock back.  It's a new year and it's time to take care of yourself.  The first step to looking your best is allowing Silk'n in your life.

I'm a stay-at-home-mom and my days are spent 100% with my daughter.  The minute she goes to bed at 7 PM, it turns into me-time.  I need those 3 or 4 hours before I go to bed to unwind and relax.  I do so much for my daughter all the time, that I tend to lose focus of myself.  It's essential that I do something for myself to make me happy as well.  One thing that I really love is pedicures.  In the summer, I get them all the time and my feet always look great.  It's hard to bring a baby to a nail salon, but it isn't challenging to bring the nail salon to you!

In the winter, my feet become dry and cracked.  It's not a subject that I generally like to bring up, but I'm sure others have this problem as well.  My bathroom cabinets are filled with lotions and creams guaranteed to provide results to problematic feet.  The products do recommend sleeping with socks on to see those results.  This is hard for me because I hate sleeping with socks on and my feet get hot.  Honestly, I see the best results with pedicures when they scrub the bottom of my feet and heels.  Getting a pedicure every week would be really expensive and next-to-impossible for me.  


What's not impossible is having pedicure worthy results in the comfort of your own home. A wonderful product that will allow you to have smooth and soft feet is the Silk'n Pedi. This is a hand-held battery-operated device which has a gentle, rotating roller that comes with a coarse and polishing roller to remove calluses and dry spots.  It's the ultimate at-home device for nail-salon worthy feet.  You'll see results in just a few minutes- just roll over dry feet targeting calluses with light pressure.  These products would make great gifts for yourself or anyone who's on their feet all day at work.

Go ahead and finish your at-home pampering session with the Silk'n foot cream.  This fabulous cream is a freshly scented dreamy moisturizer that completely soothes tired and dry feet.  

I really enjoyed using the Pedi and foot cream together.  The Pedi tool was easy to use and in minutes my dry skin and problem areas were a distant memory.  I was left with soft and smooth feet that were reminiscent of just leaving the nail salon.  To say I was impressed was an understatement!  The foot cream applied flawlessly and rubbed in well. Whenever I'm looking to treat myself at home, I'll certainly be keeping Silk'n in mind.

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Silk'n for providing me with product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own.  
Monday, February 8, 2016

Valentine's Day Treats

The day of love is quickly approaching! Whether you're cooking for your sweetie at home, or you're both going out, the romantic day is not complete without dessert.

What are some of your favorite Valentine's Day desserts? I'm game for anything chocolate.  The more chocolate involved, the better! Check out some of these mouth-watering treats to give you some culinary inspiration this year.





How amazing does everything look? I want to dig in right now! I'd love to see some of your past Valentine's Day goodies that you've made.  Feel free to post a picture!







Saturday, February 6, 2016

Celebrate Pancake Day on Feb. 9th with T-Fal and Hungry Jack #StackedandSticky #Tfal60Anniversary +Giveaway

Pancakes are always on my agenda anytime of the day.  Who can resist those fluffy round circles of heaven piled high with fabulous add-in's like chocolate chips and strawberries? Don't forget a generous amount of syrup on top too.  Whether you indulge in pancakes for breakfast or even have breakfast for dinner, make sure you delight your tastebuds with your favorite pancakes.

As the #1 cookware brand in the US and the inventor of the non-stick pan, T-Fal knows a thing or two about cooking foods.  Pancake Day on February 9th and T-Fal go hand in hand with ensuring your pancake creations come out perfectly each and every time.  Why not whip up a batch of chocolate chip and peanut butter pancakes in the OptiCook frying pan? Your pancakes will come out without sticking and your belly will smile.  

If you're a busy mom like I am, you don't have a lot of time to make meals.  I always like to cut corners in the kitchen and spend as much time with my family as possible.  Thanks to Hungry Jack, this is certainly a reality.  Forget mixing ingredients to make your own batter and leaving yourself a lot of clean-up.  With Hungry Jack, all you need is water to have the quickest and tastiest pancakes possible.  Cleanup will be a cinch! Try such mix varieties as chocolate chip, Funfetti, extra light and fluffy, and buttermilk.  Your belly will absolutely love you. 


My stomach wishes every day was Pancake Day.  While this is not possible, I did love the opportunity to make my own pancake creation to delight my family with.  The vision for my pancake idea combined sweet and healthy which is ideal in my book! 


I chose to make coconut pancakes with bananas in T-Fal's OptiCook frying pan.  I put a generous amount of coconut and bananas in the batter so it would be inside the pancakes.  You can't forget perfectly chilled banana slices on the plate either.  The coconut provided a nice hint of sweetness to the soft and fluffy pancake.  Of course the bananas provided a nice healthy addition that paired wonderfully with the coconut.  My belly welcomed the yummy treat instantly.  Thanks to the OptiCook pan, all of the pancakes came out perfectly cooked and beautiful.  It was pure pancake perfection! 

The pancakes were topped off with Hungry Jack Syrup which is always welcomed on any stack.  Hungry Jack's Pancake Mix makes whipping up pancakes a breeze.  Make them any day or night for a meal that will please the whole family.  Don't forget tons of syrup.


Friday, February 5, 2016

School Zone Review

Since I'm a stay-at-home-mom, it's my job to ensure Scarlett learns as much as possible.  Our days consist of learning through play, and reading educational books.  When we do go out, I take her to playgroups or other socialized activities.  I try to teach my 14 month old as many things on a daily basis as possible.  For months we've been using flashcards that teach the names of animals, colors, and foods.  Even though she's too young to verbalize things yet, I know she's retaining the information.  The best thing you can do as a parent is to educate your little one.



School Zone is your one-stop-shop for all educational and learning materials.  You'll be able to browse through categories containing books, music, workbooks, flashcards, learning tablets and much more.  School Zone takes pride in helping you have the necessary tools to teach your child.  Whether you're looking to have your child brush up on their reading or math, or you homeschool, there's certainly a product for your needs.  The minimum age on products is 3 and up, but that doesn't mean that you can't teach a child who is a little younger.  A bonus about School Zone's product is that children will learn through fun and play.  What child wouldn't enjoy playing a memory match game while simultaneously learning letters and numbers? Head on over to the website today to help your child excel.

Scarlett was sent a Little Scholar Tablet with Pink Bumper  to help her learn.  Even though she's only 14 months old, it's the perfect time to teach her as much as possible.  Since she's young and growing, her brain is like a sponge and will soak everything up.  The tablet is meant for ages 3-7 and does have some advanced material on it, but we'll start off with the things that are relevant for her like letters, numbers, shapes, and reading.  What's fantastic about the tablet is that it will grow with her for many years to come.


The tablet is uniquely designed for children in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade.  The device is playful, powerful, and packed with learning.  The skills that the tablet will teach your child will last them a lifetime.  Kids will have a blast mastering math, reading, spelling, and more.  The unit comes with over 200 preloaded apps, videos, e-books, and songs.  Both parents and children will have fun learning and singing 87 original songs.


Scarlett is very into electronics at the moment.  We watch educational videos online about shapes and animals to encourage learning, and she's drawn into the lights and colors.  I knew having this tablet would be a great tool to help encourage learning.  I don't know any child that can resist an electronic device either! I can only teach so much as a parent and it's always nice to have an aid to help you out.



What I like about this tablet is that it's ready to use right out of the box.  You don't need an internet connection and it's perfect for travel.  There's no credit-card or registration required at start-up, no apps to download, no advertisements or pressure to buy more apps, and there's no cartridges to use either.  Since you don't need to connect to the internet to use the device, there's no worry about kids accessing questionable content either.

Scarlett used the tablet for the first time today and absolutely loved it. As a parent, I liked that the unit had a protective pink bumper which comes in handy.  Scarlett's sometimes a little rough with electronics and I'd like to keep it free of damage for as long as possible! It's slim, sleek, and lightweight.   The unit requires no startup at all.  Just plug it in, turn it on, and you're good to go.  From the minute I showed the tablet to her, she was curious and wanted to access all that it had to offer,  We started off with content that she's familiar with like numbers and shapes.



The colors are crisp and clear, and the sound is perfectly audible.  The on-screen characters are fun and engaging.  Scarlett and I had a lot of fun with the preloaded apps.  We enjoyed the alphabet train app and I explained to her what letter each word began with.  She enjoyed pointing to various things that she recognizes.  Since she's so young, she won't know the answers herself but you have to start somewhere.  There's so much on the tablet that a child will never get bored.  We had fun checking out the camera app and taking silly pictures, and also listening to some of the entertaining songs. This tablet will definitely become part of our daily learning curriculum.

This tablet will surely be in our family for years and years and Scarlett will love using it.  If you have a young child, a tablet from School Zone is an absolute must.

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to School Zone for providing me with a product sample in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own.  
Thursday, February 4, 2016

Fairytale Brownies Review

Chocolate is my number one weakness.  I try to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly, but I cannot resist the luscious goodness of chocolate.  How can you say no to a deliciously sweet and rich chocolate chip cookie or brownie? It's next to impossible.  There is no discriminating when it comes to sweets in my book because cookies, cake, and brownies are loved equally by me. When's the last time you indulged in a fabulous piece of chocolate cake? 



Fairytale Brownies are premium all-natural brownies and cookies that come in mouth-watering flavors such as caramel, cheesecake swirl, chocolate chip, cream cheese and many more.   You'll instantly find a favorite.  These delectable treats are perfect for not only Valentine's Day but every day of the week too.  Choose from different sweet treat sizes including full-size brownies, snack-size Fairytale Sprites, and bite-sized Magic Morsels.  Don't worry that they may be small, they still pack a big taste.

 The brownies and cookies are offered as a box of 12, 24, 36, 48, and come in multiple box towers that make a wonderful gift.  You can find the combination box that offers the right flavor and size mix that suits your needs.  There is no flavor or size mix that I wouldn't instantly attack if given the opportunity.  I doubt I would even come up for air either.  If you're looking for the perfect gift for your boss, colleague, or even son's teacher, anything from Fairytale Brownies would make an excellent gift. Don't forget to treat yourself to a delicious cheesecake swirl brownie too.

My stomach was so happy when it was able to taste an assortment of 24 brownies from Fairytale Brownies.  I don't blame it at all! The Valentine Double Dozen is the perfect way to celebrate Valentine's Day.  Showing your significant other you love them with delicious brownies is the smartest thing you could do.



Every flavor of brownies that Fairytale Brownies creates is represented in this box.  You'll be able to delight your taste buds with such yummies as cool mint, toasty walnut, caramel, and smooth cream cheese among many others.


I had no problem diving right into these brownies.  Can you blame me though? Not only were these goodies beautiful to look at, they were also equally as gorgeous in my stomach! These square beauties were so tasty that I had to control myself from eating the entire box.  The brownies were soft, moist and full of delicious chocolate flavor.  I hadn't enjoyed anything this delicious in a long, long time.



My two favorite flavors hands down were cream cheese and mint.  The cream cheese added a nice texture and flavor to the chocolate which was fantastic. The cream cheese swirl design on top was really appealing.   I really liked how each bite was equal part cream cheese and chocolate.  Consistency is always nice! Mint and chocolate are two classic flavors and this pairing did not disappoint in the slightest.  Sometimes the flavor of mint is too strong and overpowers the chocolate, but not in this case.  The cool flavor of mint combined with sweet chocolate provided everything I could want out of a brownie.  I enjoyed each and every bite and can't wait to try the rest of the flavors soon.



No brownie is complete without an icy cold glass of milk to wash it down with.  Don't forget to pair your sweet treat with milk for a snack you won't soon forget.

If you're looking to make Valentine's Day the ultimate event this year, Fairytale Brownies is waiting for your order.

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Fairytale Brownies for providing me with product samples in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own.  
Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Teaching Your Child is The Best Thing You Can Do

In my opinion there's nothing more important than educating and teaching your child. Whether you have a 15 month old or a 10 year old, it doesn't matter.  There's always something essential that they need to know, and it's up to you to provide that information.

There are tons of educational toys and books in my house for Scarlett.  For months she would play with them and I didn't think she was retaining any of the lessons because she was so young.  The books I would read taught colors, letters, numbers, and animals.  Even if she didn't fully understand, it's always good to reach to your child no matter what.

Make sure to read to your child daily

Now that Scarlett is almost 14 months old, I've seen a big change in the past 2-3 months in what she can grasp and retain.  She knows a few select words and it's so rewarding as a parent to see your child growing and developing.  As a parent you put so much time and effort into teaching and shaping your child to be the best they can be.  It's amazing when that day finally comes and they understand and can tell you exactly what you want them to do.  I believe repetition is key to having your child retain knowledge.  Show them a book of animals and say this is the white cat, this is the black dog, etc.  They'll learn colors and animals at the same time and soon enough they'll be able to show you the picture of the dog when asked.

Learning through play

A very exciting moment happened yesterday with Scarlett and I.  We were reading a book and there was a picture of the moon in it.  I pointed to the moon and then I asked her to show me where the moon was herself, which she did.  I was so impressed and couldn't believe she did it, and I asked her many times afterwards and she showed me each time. Since I'm a stay-at-home-mom, my job is to be with Scarlett all day.  The days can be long and tiring, but a moment like this makes all of the exhaustion go away.  I felt like I had succeeded as a parent and taught my child, and you cannot put a price tag on that.

I can't wait to see how much Scarlett learns in the next few months, I'm sure she'll continue to surprise and impress me time and time again.  This is such an exciting time and there's nothing like seeing your child learn.



Monday, February 1, 2016

Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs on DVD!

Disney movies were my absolute favorite when I was child.  The first movie that I saw in theaters was Beauty and the Beast when I was three years old.  There's just something so intriguing and wonderful about each and every Disney movie.  Of course everyone has their favorite title, there's no denying that.

Now that I have my own child, I can't wait to show her the classics when she's old enough to appreciate them.  My parents still have all of my old Disney VHS tapes in the clamshell case in their garage.  They saved them for me when I had a child, but it might be easier to upgrade to DVD at this point.



Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs is a forever enchanting and inspiring film that any child would fall in love with.  The flick embodies The Walt Disney Signature Collection's legacy of animation.  In this epic story of love and friendship, the kind and beautiful princess Snow White wins the hearts of the Seven Dwarfs and triumphs over the evil plans of a wicked queen.  This movie was deemed "The Greatest Animated Film of All Time" by the American Film Institute.  You can own a copy on Blu-Ray debuting February 2nd, or you can enjoy the crystal clear HD version that's available now.  

The best part about this timeless classic is that it has has special never before seen features for the whole family to enjoy.  Gather the kids around the screen for a movie night that they'll love.  Don't forget plenty of snacks!


If you're introducing your children to the movie for the first time, it'll surely capture your hearts.  You'll surely be interested in such bonus features including "In Walt's Words: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Iconography", "The Fairest Facts of Them All: 7 Facts You May not Know About Snow White", and many more! I don't want to ruin any surprises, but you'll definitely be pleasantly surprised.

I can't wait to show Scarlett Snow White when she's old enough to appreciate it.  I just know she'll love it.  There's nothing like seeing the magical wonder of a Disney movie through your child's eyes.


*DISCLOSURE* I received a product sample in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are my own.