Make This Holiday Season an Eco-Friendly One

MAKE ECO-FRIENDLY THE THEME 

I know you may not want to think about it, but the holiday season is rapidly approaching! This time of year is my absolute favorite. I love the Christmas trees and lights, all of the holiday buzz, and of course you can’t forget the baked goods! Baking is a big part of the holidays and pies, cakes and cookies are absolute necessities!

While baking can be fun and of course very delicious, it does have some cons. Think of all of the cupcake liners, the tin-foil and other items that get thrown away during the holidays. It might not seem like a lot at first, but it does create waste over time.

I have some very useful and eco-friendly baking tips that will keep your food tasty, but leaves the environmental guilt at the door!

1. Plan to bake several things at the same time. This way, you reduce the amount of times that your oven has to heat up. While it’s inconvenient, it also saves money on your electricity bill too.

2. If you’re planning on buying new baking pans or dishes, look for brands that use natural materials such as bamboo or recycled materials. These are much better for the environment and cook exactly as a normal baking dish would.

3. Instead of using a paper towel to clean up a mess or a spill, use a sponge. Scotch Brite makes a fabulous biodegradable sponge made from natural fibers that would be a great eco alternative to using paper towels. Or you can just use a regular towel or dishcloth that you wash and reuse.

4.  Forgo the muffin paper liners that you line your muffin pan with. They are discarded instantly and create a lot of waste. Instead of using the liners, spread a tiny amount of olive oil in the tins. The muffins will not stick and you’ll be able to easily take them out of the tin once they’ve cooled.

5. Instead of using cooking spray (which has a lot of chemicals) to grease your pans, use a small amount of olive oil. Just take a cloth and spread it around. Your food will come out easily and you won’t be having chemicals touch your food.

6. It’s important to look for ingredients that are organic and packaged in material that is recyclable or reusable.

These tips are very important in helping to make the world a better place. Even if you’ve never participated in any of these earth friendly tips before, it’s never too late to start.  Just making one of these smart choices will help you to know you’re making a great decision for the earth. 

Christmas Treats That Belong On Your Holiday Table

If you're having a Christmas party in the next few weeks, I'm sure desserts are on your mind. Everyone loves a sweet treat or two during the holidays.  Wondering what to serve? Look no further.

These Christmas tree brownies are not only adorable but tasty too

Your kids will love helping to make these delicious reindeer cupcakes

Individual fruit pies are sure to be a big hit

There's so many tasty treats out there, I'm sure you'll find something delicious and crowd-pleasing for your Christmas parties!

Make Holiday Traveling More Comfortable With Intex Air Mattresses! #HolidayGiftGuide

In just a matter of weeks, holiday travel will commence.  Individuals will be traveling all over the world to reunite with their friends and family for Christmas.  Tables will be lined with fabulous dishes, appetizers, and baked goods.  I can guarantee your mouth is watering just thinking about it! While everyone enjoys having company over, there's not always enough bedrooms to host all of your guests overnight.  Don't think about booking a hotel just yet, there's more than enough room for everyone with Intex air mattresses!

Intex is the worldwide leader in inflatable products including air beds, pools, and spas.  There's also air furniture including loungers, chairs, kid's sofas, and much more.  If you're looking for air beds, you can find them in a variety of styles and sizes to best fit you or your family's needs. The luxury line of airbeds is manufactured with fiber-tech technology, constructed with thousands of high-strength polyester fibers across the internal structures for years of lasting comfort.  Built with 110-120V internal air pumps and stylish carry bags for easy transport, Intex airbeds are uniquely crafted to cater to your needs.  You'll always have a restful night's sleep thanks to Intex.

We travel to Florida for the holiday season each year.  Since my parent's don't have a bed for Scarlett to sleep on, she always has to sleep on a small air bed.  She has a child sized one that we leave there, but eventually she will outgrow it.  I thought it would be ideal for her to have a larger one that will grow with her for years to come, as well as for anyone else who ever needs it.

Intex's 22" High-Rise Premium Comfort Airbed sets itself apart with its Dura-Beam Plus high-strength polyester fibers which don't stretch over time, making it a valuable, long-lasting home or travel necessity.  You'll be met with ultimate comfort thanks to a plush dual air pillowtop system for added comfort.  This airbed is a queen size which is ideal for both an adult and a child, and two people can easily sleep on it.  

Once you take the air bed out of the box, it's very simple to inflate with the included pump and easy-to-follow instructions for inflation and deflation.  Forget simple standard air beds, the High-Rise Premium Comfort Airbed is where it's at.  You'll be able to inflate the bed in just about 30 seconds! After that, you or your guests will be able to sleep on a wonderfully comfortable bed for a night of restful sleep. The inflation/deflation electrical cord stores in the bed for easy use. When not in use, easily deflate and simply store in a closet or garage in the included carry bag.

Since this airbed is 22" high from the floor to the top of the bed, it looks almost like a real bed! I've never seen an air bed with as much height as this one.  Compared to other mattresses, this one is much higher when it's fully inflated.  Once you do lay down, it's extremely comfortable and you honestly won't be able to tell that you're not laying on a traditional mattress.  Depending on your comfort level, you have the option to adjust the air pressure depending on how firm or soft you want the mattress to be. 

If you do choose to have this blown up in a bedroom year round, you'll surely love the opportunity to pick out new bedding for it!  Putting sheets and bedding on the air mattress is very easy and they securely stay on.

After your holiday guests wake up from a fabulous sleep, don't forget to make them a delicious breakfast before they head out.

If you're looking to upgrade your current air mattress or purchase one for the first time, Intex is here to provide you with wonderful options.

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Intex for providing a product sample in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

The Versatility Of A Cheeseboard For the Holiday Season

The season of holiday entertaining is upon us! Can you believe Thanksgiving is tomorrow? There's nothing I enjoy more during this time of year than serving delicious food to my friends and family. It's nice to get a little creative on what appetizers to serve your guests, especially if you feel like you're in a food rut.

A cheese board is always a crowd-pleasing favorite and the best part about is how versatile it is. There's no wrong way to make one and the best part is you can constantly change it every time you have guests over.  Whether you want to feature brie cheese with herb crackers paired with grapes and nuts, or smoked gouda with flatbread and smoked sausage, the possibilities are endless! Make sure you have a special serving tray or board to create your cheese board.  Your guests will absolutely love it.  

Since I have friends with children over a lot, I like to make sure my cheeseboards are both adult and kid friendly.  Scarlett loves grapes and cheddar cheese, as does most other children.  So when I do a combo cheeseboard, I like to make sure those two options are always there.  Shockingly, Scarlett enjoys sausage so I always have that on the cheese board too. 

If you're having a holiday party in the near future, a cheeseboard would look fabulous on the food table.  Presentation is key, so make sure everything is spaced out nicely.  You can even get a little creative and do a meat and cheese tray featuring prosciutto, olives, salami, various cheeses, and of course fabulous crunchy crackers.  Feel free to get creative and make it your own to ensure your guests say wow! 

Roto Rooter's Routine Maintenance: Simple Steps to Protecting Your Pipes

Thanksgiving is 8 days away, can you believe it? People all around the US are doing last minute food shopping for the holiday and getting their dinner menu's finalized.  If you didn't already know, Thanksgiving is the #1 holiday for plumbers, and the day after is their busiest day of the year! Be mindful of what you put down your kitchen sink as it's not meant to handle everything!

We actually just had a clogged drain in my kitchen sink a few days ago.  Food was backing up from the garbage disposal and the water was slow to drain.  You never know how severe something is until you actually go to fix it, so we were hoping it wasn't a big problem.  Luckily, with a snake and Roto-Rooter clog remover, my husband was able to tackle the issue.  If you don't know how to use a snake, I wouldn't recommend it since you could cause further damage.  An emergency call to a plumber would be very expensive! Roto-Rooter's clog remover has saved us from an expensive plumber phone call many times now. 

This helpful graphic can help you to be pipe and clog smart.  The main cause of clogs are dirt, food particles, accumulated gunk, hair/skin flakes, and soap residue. Even if you don't have a clog, it's imperative that you take preventive measures and regularly use Roto-Rooter's clog remover to keep your pipe clogs at bay.  

Life is easier when you can relax at home without worrying about the stress of clogged pipes. 

Entertain Children With a MagnaTab from Kid O #HolidayGiftGuide

Like any parent, I struggle with Scarlett having too much screen-time.  Sure, she enjoys educational learning apps on the tablet as well as learning videos online, but she also likes to watch videos that provide nothing beneficial to her development.  We live in a world that revolves around screens so it's no surprise that children are just as in-tune to them as adults are! I'm always looking for toys that are entertaining without providing a digital element to them.

Kid O offer toys that are thoughtfully designed with lots of opportunities to explore built right in. Their toys feature timeless concepts with modern designs that engage and stimulate children again and again.  You'll quickly discover that the toys are produced with a rich variety of shapes, colors and sizes, so the possibilities for open-ended, creative play are limitless.  When children's play is powered by their own imaginations, they develop skills they will use for a lifetime.

There's three categories of Kid O toys; educational, Myland, and vehicles.  Parents everywhere will enjoy the fact that there's a toy for every age range.  If you have young children, your daughter will be happy to receive the Alphabuild blocks while your son will smile at the A to Z lowercase MagnaTab.  Kid O's toys are electronic-free and really stimulate the imagination, which are what I look for in toys.

Scarlett was thrilled to receive the Glow in the Dark Jumbo MagnaTab as well as the Free Play MagnaTab. My tiny tot is very creative and always looking for a new outlet to express herself with. Both slim MagnaTabs are a free-form drawling tablet that are filled with tiny little magnetic balls that permanently stay inside.  The Free Play MagnaTab is a lot smaller than the Jumbo Glow in the Dark one.

Use the included magnetic stylus to draw shapes, numbers, words, or pictures of any kind.  The pen is a magnetic stylus that raises each magnetic ball up to the surface and locks it into place.  When you're done drawing and want to move onto a new picture, use the pen or your hand to sweep across the front to put all the balls bak inside.  If your child is learning the ABC's or numbers, the MagnaTab would be a great way to teach those subjects.  When not in use, store the magnetic stylus in the convenient slot.

We've had our fair share of stained clothes and furniture from markers and paints, so I'm always looking for something that foster creativity but in a mess-free way.  The best part about the MagnaTabs is that they're portable and can go anywhere at any time! If you're traveling for the holidays, put the compact MagnaTab in a carry-on bag for the airplane, or in a tote bag for the car.

The Glow in the Dark MagnaTab requires no batteries and is perfect for using in the car when it's dark out, or after the lights are out when your child is in bed.  Scarlett sometimes isn't ready to sleep as soon as I turn off the lights and plays in bed, so this is a great alternative for her to use for a few moments before she's ready to sleep.

Scarlett has been enjoying both and is amazed that the tiny balls create pictures, as am I! She's been using both on and off throughout the day.  I'm noticing that she likes to ask me to shut off the lights in the bathroom and close the door, so she can use the Glow in the Dark MagnaTab.  A few moments later, I hear her excitedly yelling for me to come in so I can see what she drew! It reminds me of the glow in the dark crayons I had when I was a child.

Since the Glow in the Dark MagnaTab is much larger and offers a wider drawing surface, Scarlett has gravitated to that one to make her pictures truly come to life.  The Free Play MagnaTab will come in handy for when I have Scarlett practice her letters throughout the day.  We won't be wasting paper thanks to this! The magnetic stylus is easy for her small hand to hold and she has no issues drawing on the MagnaTab.  I had a hard time getting a picture of it in the dark, but rest assured it looks cool!

I like that both Magnatabs are small enough to fit in an organizer bin in her room so she can play with them whenever she chooses.  The added bonus about the Kid O MagnaTabs is that your child can use them for years to come.  Before you know it, they will be drawing easily deciphered houses and trees or even a heart! It'll be fun to see how Scarlett's drawings progress over time.

If you're looking for a unique and fun gift for a child for Christmas, Kid O's MagnaTab line is definitely it.

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Kid O/PlayMonster for providing a product sample in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

My Fairy Garden Offers a Fun and Exciting Activity for Kids #HolidayGiftGuide

One large interest that Scarlett has that I don't is her love of the outdoors.  She could spend all day playing outside, collecting leaves, and just enjoying mother nature.  I don't share her great love of the outdoors although I do encourage it! Children need as much outdoor time as possible, especially during the warmer months of the years.  I think it's excellent for children to be connected to nature and learn all about various types of nature.

My Fairy Garden brings outdoor growing to the comfort of your own home.  Since it's Fall here in New England, it's hard to have an outdoor garden because it's cold.  This magical fairy garden is the first of its kind, it's a toy that's also a real live garden that can be maintained in the comfort of your own home! Children will be amazed at the opportunity to grow their own garden first hand.  They can plant the included organic seeds in the soil and care for the garden all while setting up and playing with the fairies, woodland friends, and accessories.  The magical cottage includes everything you need to make it a gift that a child won't soon forget! Switch up the fairies and friends to make the garden truly your own.  Your little ones will love checking on the garden and seeing the progress its made each day.  Don't forget to give it a lot of sunlight and water too.

I can guarantee any young child would flip if they saw this under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning.  This toy is not only a wonderful bonding activity with a parent or family member, but it offers the advantage of learning too. You can teach your child about gardening and taking care of a garden all while they have fun. 

When My Fairy Garden Windmill Terrace arrived, Scarlett was very eager to open it and get started. It arrived on a Saturday afternoon and provided the perfect afternoon activity for us to do together. Once you unbox the garden, it's very simple to put everything together.  The main plastic base is where everything is housed. There's sections for the gardening tools to be stored, as well as a place for the windmill and water wheel.  The Windmill Terrace is the first fairy garden with solar power. When exposed to sunlight, the windmill will turn using solar energy-like magic.  Add water to the pond and press the pump to make the water wheel turn and circular water.  Saffron the Fairy and her swans Beau and Grace are also included for a fun play experience.

Once everything is set up, the circular discs of dirt need to be submerged in water for 30 minutes. When time is up, the dirt is ready to be put back into the main base and then can be fluffed with a gardening tool.  Scarlett really enjoyed helping to put the dirt inside, but what child doesn't enjoy playing in the dirt? 

I let Scarlett sprinkle the seeds all throughout the dirt and ensured that she pressed them down firmly. As we worked on the garden, I used the opportunity to teach her about gardening and how flowers, plants, and vegetables can be grown from seeds, just like the ones she planted.  Of course I told her that sunlight and water is very important in the growing process.

In the next few days, I'd like to add some pretty stones or other small decor that would make the garden even more magical.  We'll probably go to the pet store and get pretty rocks that are meant for a fish tank, or something along those lines. For the moment, she has the two swans, a dog, and a cow in the garden.

I put the Fairy Garden on a countertop facing a window to make sure it has direct sunlight.  Scarlett is in charge of watering it daily to make the plants grow.  She also loved the fact that the windmill was solar powered, she couldn't believe that sun powered the windmill.  I think she thought I was making it up, because she had never heard of solar power before.  Scarlett was learning through play which makes me one happy mom.

The fairy is connected to a wire that secures into the base which makes the fairy look like she's flying. Combined with the two included swans, it really reinforced the element of play.  The fairy can easily be unhooked to play inside the main garden house where she can look out the window into the world around her.  Scarlett says the swans are happiest playing in the dirt.  Since the base is so large, your child can easily add any other figures or animals of their choosing.  Let the creativity fly!

I know Scarlett is eagerly awaiting the first sign of growth and will hopefully be able to be a bit patient! I told her it won't happen overnight but we will check each day.  She feels like such a big girl to be responsible for her garden and I like that she's taking her job seriously.

Scarlett is thrilled with her new Fairy Garden and I can guarantee any young child would be just as equally thrilled.  This would also be an ideal Christmas present for the child who has it all too. Happy gardening!

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to PlayMonster for providing a product sample in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own.  

Adorn Your Walls With Canvases From CanvasDiscount.com!

*DISCLOSURE* This is a sponsored post with BravoMark and Canvas Discount.  All thoughts are strictly my own. 

When I look at the walls in my home, I am presented with pictures of our family and artwork that my husband and I enjoy.  Walls are meant to be filled with love and memories, and that's what I aim to do.  I enjoy seeing pictures of my daughter when she was younger and the memories they evoke. Family means everything to me and I always enjoy adding new collages with meaningful pictures. When's the last time you updated the family photos in your home?

Canvas Discount.com offers canvases in a variety of sizes and wraps to bring your digital pictures to life on your walls.  A lot of people store pictures on their computer in the hopes of printing them later. It's time to make that a reality and have a canvas of your latest family portrait or even a photo of the grandkids made.  Whatever you choose to have printed from Canvas Discount will look fabulous in any room of your home.  There are other photo gifts to browse from including puzzles, photo mugs, and photo mouse pads.  You can even have a photo blanket made for a family member for Christmas too!

The upload process is extremely straightforward.  From start to finish, my canvas was uploaded and ordered in less than 5 minutes.  At checkout, you can even choose from add-on's for your canvas such as having it framed, or a metal hanger plate for easy wall-hanging.  I chose to have a picture of my family on canvas from Scarlett's 3rd birthday party.  That was a wonderful party and I now have a piece of that to always look back on with fond memories. The crisp, clear image looks awesome on the wall in my living room. 

The delivery was extremely fast and I highly recommend CanvasDiscount.com. I will surely be keeping them in mind for future canvas ordering needs. 

*For an exclusive CanvasDiscount offer, click here. 

Gift Someone You Love With Hand-Finished Jewelry This Holiday Season From AJ's Collection #HolidayGiftGuide

Scarlett is at an age now where she's very interested in jewelry.  She has a few Disney princess necklaces, beaded bracelets, and clip on earrings.  I always catch her going through my jewelry box and trying on my pieces.  I'm frequently looking for new items to add to her jewelry box to keep her rotation of accessories fresh and new for her.

AJ's Collection features personalized jewelry for men and women in a variety of styles.  You can choose from necklaces, bracelets, earrings, anklets, keychains, and more.  There's truly something for everyone's taste preferences.  Whether you're looking for a personalized necklace for Grandma with her grandchildren's name and birthstones, or an initial bracelet for your aunt, they have it all. Personalized jewelry always makes an excellent gift for the person who has it all.  With Christmas on the horizon, you'll surely be able to check some gifts off the list with an order at AJ's Collection. Keep the company in mind for gift for virtually any occasion both present and future.

Since Scarlett's 4th birthday is approaching, I decided I wanted to give her something special and unique this year.  Sure she loves toys and games, but I felt that this birthday should be marked with a different type of gift. I opted for a gorgeous hand stamped necklace with Scarlett's December birth stone on it, as well as her name.  This gift came a little early for her and she never has any complaints with opening gifts!

As soon as Scarlett saw the necklace, she loved it.  She wanted to put it on right away and was so excited.  My tiny tot knew that it had her name on it since she has been able to read her own name for a while now.  I liked that the necklace was dainty and ideal for a 4 year old, as well as anyone.  The silver disc was small and perfect for Scarlett to wear just about anywhere.  Since the chain was adjustable, I was easily about to make it a length that was comfortable for her.

The necklace itself is made very well.  I had no issues making out Scarlett's name as it was etched on very clearly.  You'll notice that the font used is not a traditional classic font, but it has more style and personality which Scarlett and I both liked.  The tanzanite stone on the bottom of her name is bright and vivid, giving the necklace a pop of color.

Scarlett felt like such a big girl with the necklace on! This necklace marked the first piece in her jewelry box that wasn't an obvious piece made for children.  I think Scarlett was happy to have a necklace she could wear to virtually everywhere.  I hope I'll be able to get her to take it off at bath time! I'm willing to bet that she shows it off at school too!  This necklace will surely be worn for years to come.

If you're looking to give someone a beautiful piece of jewelry this Christmas, AJ's Collection is waiting for your order.

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to AJ's Collection for providing a product sample in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own.  

Make Dad Happy With An Armitron Watch This Christmas! #HolidayGiftGuide

Christmas is rapidly approaching.  Doesn't it feel like this year just flew by? As you make your holiday shopping list, I'm sure you're already thinking about what to get your Dad. How about skipping the requisite tie or sweater this year and give Pops a special gift that he'll remember always? A square watch box from Armitron wrapped under the Christmas tree would certainly make his day.

Armitron offers various styles of men and women's watches that will instantly become your favorite. Browse through not only digital watches but traditional watches as well.  If you're looking for a birthday or anniversary gift for your significant other this year, an Armitron watch would be a great choice.  Whether you're searching for a silver watch with genuine Swarovski crystals on the face, or a gold watch with a blue face inside, they have you covered.  There's a watch that will it anyone's taste and style.  Why not also treat yourself to a gorgeous new timepiece this holiday season? 

To say my husband is a watch guy is a true understatement.  He can always be seen with one on his wrist at any point.  When we go shopping he gravitates right towards the watch section of the store. Since he hasn't treated himself to a new watch in a while, I knew that it was time. The Men's Silver Tone Day/Date Function Tan Leather Strap Watch had his name written all over it.  Isn't it so nice when people are easy to shop for?

This watch will make that special guy in your life feel like a king! Any wrist would be glad to feature a timepiece with a tan calfskin leather strap with stainless steel buckle closure. There's an easy to read textured black dial with day and date calendar.  Not only is this watch stylish, but very practical too.  

My husband instantly loved the look of this watch as soon as he laid eyes on it.  How can you resist the beautiful large face paired with the supple calfskin band? It's impossible, that's how.  As soon as Jay put the watch on, he said he felt like a million bucks. The neutral color of the strap makes it a versatile watch that can be worth with virtually anything.  

Not only did the watch look great on him, it fit well too.  It's adjustable to one's liking and he had no issues with it securely staying on.  Jay said that thanks to the large face the time was very easy to read and he liked the red tip on the hands.  Once it was accurately set, the date and day is conveniently located right next to the time so you'll always know exactly what day it is.  The hands of the watch move seamlessly allowing you to keep track of time easily.  

My husband is really happy with his new watch and can't stop wearing it.  I think it's safe to say Armitron is his new favorite brand!

Don't forget to give Dad or any other special man in your life an Armitron watch this year, they'll definitely wear it for years to come.

*DISCLOSURE* Thank you to Amitron Watches for providing a product sample in order to facilitate this post.  All thoughts are strictly my own