CVS Coupon Matchups (Week of 11/01)

CVS Coupon Matchups (Week of 11/01)



Thank you to Lori from Moms by Heart for compiling the best deals at CVS this week! For the full list, please make sure you stop by Moms By Heart!

Dawn dish soap $.97
-$.25 from 11/1 PG
Final Price: $.72

Revlon eye or lip cosmetics from $3.90 B1G1 free
-$1 from 10/18 SS , use two
Final Price: as low as 2/$1.90

Tide Laundry Detergent 24-32 loads $5.99
-$1.00 from 11/1 PG
Final Price: $4.99

Post Cereals B1G1 FREE
-$2 printable HERE, use two
Final Price: close to FREE

Kleenex $2.39 B1G1 free
-$1/2 from 10/4 SS
-$1 from CVS $100 Flu booklet
Final Price: FREE

Colgate Total 5.8-7.8oz $2.99
-$1 from 10/25 SS
-$1 ECB
Final Price: $.99

Listerine Total Care 16.9 oz, Reach Toothbrush 2 pk, or Reach Floss 30 yd $3.99
-$5/3 Listerine, Reach Floss, or Reach toothbrush QP from 8/2 SS
-$1 CVS coupon from $100 Flu book
-$1 ECB for each
Final Price: 3/$1

Schick Quattro Razor or Refills $7.99
-$3 ECB
-$2 from 10/4 SS
Final Price: $2.99

Ragu Pasta Sauce 3/$5 or $1.66
-$1/2 from 9/13 RP
Final Price: $1.16

Skippy Peanut Butter 3/$5 or $1.66
-$1/2 from 10/4 RP
Final Price: $1.16

Glade Scented Oil Candle Holders or Refills $2.50
-$3 ECB when you spend $10 (before coupons)
-buy holder get refill pack free coupon from 11/1 SS or printable HERE
-$5 from SC Johnson rebate HERE
Final Price: $3 overage!

Cascade Gel or Powder $2.99
-$1 from 11/1 PG
Final Price: $1.99

Oral-B Pulsar or manual toothbrush from $2.69
-$5 ECB when you spend $10+ (before coupons
-$1 from 11/1 PG x 4
Final Price: as low as $.44 each

Pampers Jumbo pk $8.99
-$1.50 from 11/1 PG
Final Price: $7.49

Plackers Dental Flossers 90ct $2.99
-$1 from 11/1 RP
-$2 ECB
Final Price: FREE

Gillette Custom Plus 3 - 4ct $5.99
-$2 from 11/1 PG
-$2 ECB
Final Price: $1.99

Nova Max Blood Glucose Monitor $9.99
-$9.99 ECB
Final Price: FREE

Bayer Contour Blood Glucose Monitor $14.99
-$14.99 rebate on box
-up to $30 off coupon from 10/25 RP
Final Price: FREE, possible $14.99 overage





Saturday, October 31, 2009 | 0 comments | Read more...
Walgreens Coupon Matchups & Best Deals {Week of 11/01}

Walgreens Coupon Matchups & Best Deals {Week of 11/01}



These are the best deals at Walgreens this week. A HUGE thank you to Lori from Moms by Heart for compiling the list. Make sure you stop by her blog to see all the matchups for the week!

Campbell Soup $.50
-$1/2 printable HERE
Final Price: FREE

Arm & Hammer 2x Laundry Detergent 26-32 loads $6.99 B1G1 free
-$1/2 from 9/13 SS or printable HERE
Final Price: $3 each wyb two

Gorton's Frozen Entrees 2/$4
-$1/2 from 9/13 SS or $1/3 printable HERE
Final Price: as low as $1.50
*save purchase receipt and submit for Gorton calendar/coupon offer

World's Finest or Queen Anne Chocolate 4/$10
-$5 RR on four
Final Price: 4/$5 or $1.25 each

Hunt's Tomato Sauce 3/$1 (with insert coupon)
-$1/3 printable HERE - when you play the game
Final Price: three for FREE

Olympus FE-26 12 megapixel digital camera WITH memory card $89.99
Sells elsewhere for $89-$129 WITHOUT memory card
available in store or online HERE

Clorox Wipes $1.99
-B2G1 free printable HERE
Final Price: 3/$4 or $1.33

Glade Lasting Impressions $4.99
-$3 from 11/1 SS
-$1/2 from Walgreens November coupon booklet
-$1.66 from SC Johnson rebate (buy 3, get $5 rebate)*
Final Price: FREE + $.17 overage

Glade Sense & Spray $4.99
-$4 from 10/18 SS
-$1/2 from Walgreens November coupon booklet
-$1.66 from SC Johnson rebate (buy 3, get $5 rebate)*
Final Price: $1.17 overage!

Glade Reed Diffuser $4.99
-$3 from 10/4 SS or $2 printable HERE
-$1/2 from Walgreens November coupon booklet
-$1.66 from SC Johnson rebate (buy 3, get $5 rebate)*
Final Price: as low FREE with $.17 overage

Glade 3 wick candle 10oz $4.99
-$2 printable HERE
-$1/2 from Walgreens November coupon booklet
-$1.66 from SC Johnson rebate (buy 3, get $5 rebate)*
Final Price: $.83 each

*limit, three rebates per household, so that's NINE products this can be used on!

Hefty One Zip bags $3.29 B1G1 free
-$1 from 11/1 SS - extras HERE, use two
Final Price: 2/$1.29 or $.65 each

Cottonelle Fresh Wipes $1.99 (with insert coupon)
-$.50 from October ALL YOU magazine
-$.50 Caregivers Marketplace rebate
Final Price: $.99

Alka Seltzer Plus 10-20ct 2/$10
-$3 RR on two
-$1 Walgreens coupon from Healthy Savings booklet, will scan twice
-$1 manufacturer's printable HERE, use two
Final Price: $1.50 each

Vicks NyQuil, DayQuil or Vapor Rub 2/$9
-$3 RR on two
-$1.50 from 11/1 PG
Final Price: $1.50 each

Blistex Lip Balm $2.49
-$1.50 RR
Final Price: $.99

Wal Flu Cold Relief $4.49 B1G1 free
-$1 from the Healthy Savings coupon booklet, will scan twice
Final Price: 2/$2.49 or $1.25 each

RR Deal: buy 2 products, get $2 RR; buy 3+ get $8 RR
Johnson First Aid Gauze $3.99
-$1 from 8/2 SS
Final Price: $2.99

Neosporin $6.99
-$2 from Walgreens activity/coloring book
-$1 from 8/23 SS
Final Price: $3.99

Best Deal:
(3) Johnson First Aid Gauze = $12
-$3 coupons
-$8 RR
Final Price: 3/$1

Pampers Jumbo Packs 2/$20
-$2 RR on two
-$1.50 from 11/1 PG, use two
Final Price: 2/$15 or $7.50 each

Almay Cosmetics $6.99 B1G1 50% off
-$4 from Walgreens November coupon booklet - One Coat Mascara, will scan twice
Final Price: $1.25 each wyb two

Dial Foaming Hand or Yogurt soap, or 3pk bar soap $1.99
-$1 RR
-$.35 from 10/4 SS
Final Price: $.64

Gillette Body Wash or Deodorant 2/$8
-$1 from 11/1 PG - good on body wash or deodorant
-get a FREE body wash wyb deodorant
-$2 RR on two
Final Price: 2/$1

OR...

Tag Body Spray 2/$8
-B1G1 free from 11/1 PG
-$2 RR on two
Final Price: $1 each

Herbal Essences Shampoo & Stylers 2/$7
-$2 RR on two
-buy shampoo get free styler from 10/11 PG
Final Price: 2/$1.50 or $.75 each

OR...

Pantene Styling Products 2/$7
-$2 RR on two
-$1 from 11/1 PG
Final Price: 2/$3

Dawn Dish Liquid $.99 (with insert coupon)
-$.25 from 11/1 PG
Final Price: $.74

Mitchum deodorant $1.99 (with insert coupon)
-$1 from 11/1 SS
Final Price: $.99



Saturday, October 31, 2009 | 0 comments | Read more...
Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!



I hope that everyone has a happy Halloween tonight! Have fun trick or treating and above all, stay safe!

Saturday, October 31, 2009 | 3 comments | Read more...
Review Blogging 101: The New FTC Guidelines and Things You Should Be Aware Of When Writing Product Reviews

Review Blogging 101: The New FTC Guidelines and Things You Should Be Aware Of When Writing Product Reviews

Once you have a product in hand to test, it is time to write the review. How and what you write should obviously be in your own words and style of writing. However, there are a few things that every blogger who writes reviews needs to be aware of. Transparency. Disclosure. Honesty.


You should always tell your readers that X COMPANY sent you a free product {service, trip, etc} to review. You can do this within the post and I also recommend that you add some text at the bottom of the post that very clearly states the same thing. This is important for several reasons. One, your readers. They need to know how you acquired the product, if you have a relationship with the company, and so on for there to be a trusting relationship. Trust and mutual respect is paramount in every relationship--including the one that you have with your readers. You lose your readers' trust--you lose your readers.

Secondly, the FTC has revised their rules on online advertising and endorsements, which can mean up $11,000 fines for bloggers who fail to properly disclose their relationships. It is important that you read the FTC's new guidelines and that you make sure to follow them! I also recommend that you have a blanket review policy, terms of use, or disclaimer on your blog. You can read my Terms of Use HERE. You are more than welcome to use it for your blog as well under a couple of conditions: 1. Change the personal information {i.e. name, blog name, urls, city and state, etc} 2. At the bottom of the Terms of Use, you will see the following text, which you must also include if you choose to use the document:

This Terms of Service and Site Disclaimer was formed with the help of:
Giovanni Di Sauro
Kim Grabinski
One question that I have been asked is "What do I do if I dislike the product? Do I still review it? What do I tell the company?" What I do is let the company know of my concerns, suggestions on how to improve the product, let them know that I will NOT be blogging about the product, and offer to send the product back if they would like. Some people criticize bloggers who don't publish negative reviews, but I honestly don't see the problem. I consider what I do as product recommendations. If I see value in something, then I tell my readers about it. If I hate it, then I skip it. Magazines do this all the time. That being said, don't be afraid to include constructive criticism or suggestions on improving the product in your reviews. For instance, sometimes a product will be valuable for one group of people, but will not be for another. Example: I wrote a review for the Boon Potty Bench a while back. It is an excellent potty for girls, but the opening may be too small for some boys so I made sure to let my readers know that.

One thing that I want to stress is to not be afraid to tell a company or pr rep that you dislike the product. Some bloggers fear that the company or pr rep will stop working with them or take them off their "list". Yes, a few may get upset, but the truth is that most companies or pr reps will really appreciate your honesty. This brings me to my next point--you can avoid most of these issues by only agreeing to review a product when you truly feel that you or your readers will love it. Granted, it is hard to know 100% before you receive the product, but you can make sure to heavily screen and research the products you are pitched or that you ask to review before you say yes or write a company asking for the review. Yes, it does mean that you will have to say NO to a lot of pitches that pr reps and companies send you. That's ok. I say no to more than 75% of the pitches that I receive. I am comfortable with the words No, thank you and you should be too . Companies and pr reps are not going to stop working with you because you say no. Thank them {the company or pr rep} for the opportunity, but let them know that you will have to pass this time. Reassure them that you would like to work with them on future campaigns that are a better fit for your blog. It's as easy as that. The point is to never, ever tell your readers that you like something when you don't.

Tune in next week for more advice and tips! If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments section or you can also email me.


Friday, October 30, 2009 | 6 comments | Read more...
FREEbie Friday!

FREEbie Friday!

Thank you to Lori from Moms by Heart for sharing her Big Fat Freebies List with us! For the full list, please make sure to visit Moms by Heart and tune in every Friday for a new list of FREEbies!

FREEBIES AND SAMPLES
-Free sample Tropical Breeze Fragrance for men HERE.
-Free recipes, coupons and more from Kraft Kitchens HERE.
-Free sample Chai Tea Latte mix HERE.
-Free subscription to Sound & Vision magazine HERE.
-Enter for a chance to win free samples of Redken's Curl products HERE.
-Free Olivieri pasta recipe booklet & coupons HERE.
-Free Eden Organic recipe booklets HERE.
-Free sample Nestle Abuelita HERE.
-Free reusable bag from Chi-Chi's with purchase HERE.
-Free with purchase from Gold'n Plump chicken - Salad Bowl, recipe book and more HERE.
-Free sample Huggies Little Movers from WalMart HERE.
-Free stuff when you join the Pedigree Puppy Program HERE.
-Earn free Amazon gift cards when you sign up HERE.
-Free box Touch of Gray for Men HERE.
-Free photo gift and 50 free prints from Snapfish HERE.


Friday, October 30, 2009 | 0 comments | Read more...
Paper Locket Customized Photo Holiday Cards: Modern, Stylish Cards Designed to Impress! {Review and Giveaway}

Paper Locket Customized Photo Holiday Cards: Modern, Stylish Cards Designed to Impress! {Review and Giveaway}

I know I keep saying it, but...I cannot believe we are talking HOLIDAYS and Christmas! Next week is the start of November and if you are anything like us, we like to mail out our Christmas cards at the beginning of December. That means it's definitely time to start thinking about and ordering holiday cards. I am so excited about today's review of Paper Locket because they truly make some of the most beautiful and unique photo, holiday cards that I have personally ever seen!



What's unique about Paper Locket is that they offer more than the traditional, one photo holiday card template. Essentially, you pick out the card design that you like on the Paper Locket website and then you can add one to six of your photos onto any design. You may see a design with only one picture BUT you can add up to six to the design! Paper Locket cards also feature a two-sided design {at no extra charge} and you can request changes to the fonts, colors, and personalize the content.

Check out the benefits of ordering from Paper Locket:
  • 1 - 6 photos on any design
  • 2-sided designs on a flat 5x7 card
  • choose from pearl paper or smooth thick cover
  • white envelopes included
  • return address can be added for .20 each
  • proofs provided in less than 72 hours
  • delivers in 2 business days
I was offered the opportunity to personalize a complimentary set of photo holiday cards for my family as part of the review and the entire process was seamless. Wendy Morales is the owner and photo designer at Paper Locket and let me tell you she is amazing to work with and a total doll! She provided me with a proof of my card within the same day and worked with me on getting the card just right. Shipping was super fast--I had the cards within a couple of days of approving the proof! What really blew me away though was when I opened the box of cards. They are stunning. Wendy used the pearl paper, which is gorgeous. It is thick and has a slight shimmer, which is so perfect for the holidays.

To get an idea of what Paper Locket does, we chose the Crisp card. It looked like this:




We changed the colors to red, green and silver and personalized both the text and message on the card.



About Wendy Morales, owner of Paper Locket:
Owner and photo designer Wendy Morales {a mother of three kids, a wife, and a business owner} has a passion for sharing and showcasing photos. She knows that busy families long for more than an ordinary photo card template. Paper Locket offers just that, a personalized card that is made to order. A card that family and friends will treasure for years. Since childhood, Seattleite Wendy Morales' artistic forte has been arranging and displaying found treasures in a unique and stylish way. When motherhood became the forefront of her life, her treasures clearly became the photos she collected of her children. She opened Paper Locket in 1997 as a paper crafting and online scrapbooking company but soon it evolved into digital arts. Her vision and passion for photo art makes personalization of all-occasion cards, photo books, and custom wall art a simple possibility for anyone.


Want It: A set of 25 personalized cards are priced at about $62.50, which includes 2-sided printing, 1-6 photos on all designs, customize colors, fonts, and greetings, and envelopes. EARLY BIRD SPECIAL! Paper Locket is running a 20% OFF deal for all orders placed by November 15th! Plus, you get free shipping!

This contest is closed. Congratulations to the winner, Tammy!





The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by Paper Locket. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.
Friday, October 30, 2009 | 137 comments | Read more...
Sing Scene Pop: Singing Video Game {Review and Giveaway}

Sing Scene Pop: Singing Video Game {Review and Giveaway}

If you have an aspiring singer at home or a child that just loves to rock out to the hottest songs on the radio then you have to check out the Sing Scene by JAKKS Pacific! The Sing Scene is a singing video game that plugs right into your TV without a gaming console or software. Just plug in the microphone and play or I should say--SING. It really is that simple.



JAKKS Pacific sent me the Sing Scene: Pop for me to review and I can personally attest to how much fun it is! The original plan was to give this to my 9 year old niece and have her test it out, video tape her singing, and let her tell us what she thought. However, she, along with my entire family has been sick sooooooo Mike and I had to try it out. And...ahem...it is a lot of fun. You will still get video BUT not of us singing though {lol}. In the video you can see how it basically works. As soon as you plug the microphone in, you get a menu and you choose a song. Then, you can choose how many players--1 or 2. The song starts and the lyrics scroll across the bottom of the TV screen.



The Sing Scene Pop has some great songs with hits made famous by Rihanna, Fall Out Boy, Fergie, Metro Station and more, but my personal favorite is Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. After I got over my initial shock that it was Miley Cyrus and NOT Cyndi Lauper singing it (goes to show how OLD I am-lol}, I had an absolute blast singing along. What's really cool is that it is an actual game. You earn points for pitch and lyric accuracy. There's even a vocal meter at the bottom of the screen that helps you with all of that as you sing along. Mike and I had a heated spirited singing duel and as much as I would like to say that I won---I didn't. Next time.

See The Sing Scene In Action!


Priced at about $29.99, the Sing Scene would make a really fun and affordable Christmas present for a tween or pre-teen. Not only will they love to rock out at home, but because this is a plug and play game---it is simple to travel with. It's great for vacations, grandmas, or sleep overs!


Want It: The Sing Scene is available in both Pop and Country versions. They retail for $29.99 and can be purchased at major retailers across the country.

This contest is closed. Congratulations to the winner, mom2anutball!





The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by Jakks Pacific. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.
Thursday, October 29, 2009 | 345 comments | Read more...
Promote Your Giveaways! Giveaways Galore

Promote Your Giveaways! Giveaways Galore



Link up your giveaways!

Please make sure to link directly to the giveaway and list the name of the giveaway along with the expiration date. Don't forget to stop by Go Graham Go to link up over there as well!



Thursday, October 29, 2009 | 8 comments | Read more...
The Ninja Kitchen Master Prep Review: Food Processor, Blender, Do Everything Kitchen Appliance!

The Ninja Kitchen Master Prep Review: Food Processor, Blender, Do Everything Kitchen Appliance!

You guys may remember the trip I recently took to NYC for the launch of The Ninja Kitchen Master Prep by Euro-Pro. Well, I have had the opportunity to test out The Master Prep for several weeks and I can honestly say that it is one and of the coolest, most useful small kitchen appliances I have come across in a long time. It can literally replace a blender, food processor, smoothie/drink maker, and mini food chopper. Oh, and I almost forgot--it can even make ice cream and sorbets. It pretty much does everything.



First let me tell you about the features:
  • Ninja Blade technology has unique processing power for uniform cutting and ice crushing action.
  • Large 48oz pitcher has an easy flip pour spout and no slip bottom.
  • 2 – cup bowl with Ninja Blades and Splash Guard
  • The interchangeable motor head allows you to prep appetizers in the processor and quickly switch to activate the party pitcher for drinks, entertaining at its best!
  • Ergonomic operation with one touch pulsing creates an easy to use and safe product.
  • Dishwasher and microwave safe parts.
Besides the interchangeable motor head, 48 oz pitcher, and 2 cup bowl, The Master Prep also comes with storage lids for both the pitcher and bowl, a recipe book, and quick start guide.

As soon as I received The Master Prep, I had to try it out immediately. The first thing that I did was make snow. Yes---The Master Prep really will pulverize entire ice cubes into snow. Within seconds. Just watch the video at the end of this post. That is not a company video--that is me in the video making snow with The Master Prep. Too bad it's cold outside because I see lots of snow cones in our future. Lucas is going to love them! Mike and I have been enjoying some yummy iced coffee drinks made with the Master Prep.



The truth is that I have an expensive food processor, which I unfortunately never use {unless I'm making a pie crust or other pastry dough} because it is a pain to lug out and clean after each use. Plus, it is so big that it can't handle the small chopping jobs for a typical weeknight meal. It either turns the food into mush or it just flat out doesn't chop everything up. What should be a time saver ends up being not worth the hassle and energy.

The Master Prep, however, is truly a real time saver in the kitchen. Mike and I use it several times per week and we love it. The difference is really huge. One, the blade is unlike anything I have seen used on food processors and blenders. It has a dual blade, which will chop anything and everything it comes into contact with in seconds. Seriously. You have to pay close attention when pulsing or you will go too far. Usually you only need a few pulses and you are done. Amazingly, it also manages to chop everything up pretty uniformly. The other thing is that the way the unit functions--with the interchangeable motor head--allows you to go from job to job within seconds and without washing the entire unit. If you have extra bowls and pitchers, this can really save you time in the kitchen--especially if preparing a meal for a large crowd! You can line everything up like an assembly line and go from meal prep job to job within minutes. When you're done, you can even pop the lids on the containers and store them in the refrigerator until your ready to use the food. You can even microwave the containers! And...I know what all moms like me are thinking "do the bowls have bpa?" No, they do not! They are made from a non-polycarbonate plastic, which is dishwasher, microwave, and freezer safe.



Last, but certainly not least, The Master Prep is not just a food processor--it is also a blender. An amazing blender at that. You know the infamous "blender shake"? That's when you shake the blender back and forth to make sure that your smoothie or milkshake actually gets blended {lol}. Mike is notorious for doing that and inevitably breaking or cracking the blender. You don't have to shake The Master Prep to blend your drinks. The dual blade ensures that drinks get blended uniformly every time. It makes snow for goodness sake. It can blend some ice cream and milk! Seriously though, you can make everything with The Master Prep! Salsa, milkshakes, smoothies, any dip you can imagine, chop, dice, and mince veggies, grind coffee and nuts, make nut butters, baby food, even ice cream and sorbets and so. much. more. Until you use it--it's actually kind of unbelievable.

See The Master Prep In Action:




Want It: The Master Prep retails for $59.98 on The Ninja Kitchen website. However, you can get it from QVC for $58.46 PLUS you get double the containers and lids! Also, QVC has two colors available--blue or platinum.



The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by Euro-Pro. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 | 8 comments | Read more...
Wordless Wednesday: Fun with Pumpkins
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 | 36 comments | Read more...
Come In Georgia Readers: Choo Choo! Thomas the Train is in Town! {Family Tickets Giveaway}

Come In Georgia Readers: Choo Choo! Thomas the Train is in Town! {Family Tickets Giveaway}

Thomas the Tank Engine is coming to save the day! Thomas, the beloved and courageous storybook engine, has rolled into SAM Shortline Train at GA Veterans State Park location. The Day Out With Thomas™ 2009: The Hero of the Rails Tour is presented by HIT Entertainment, a worldwide leader in children’s entertainment, and sponsored by The LEGO Group. This fun-filled event offers preschoolers and their families the opportunity to take a ride with a 15-ton replica of Thomas the Tank Engine, star of the popular Thomas & Friends™ series. Children will ride along with their favorite hero on his latest adventure.

I've never been to Day Out With Thomas, but I've heard about it before and it looks like a ton of fun and I'm sure that kids must flip out at seeing Thomas and getting to ride the train! Cordele, GA is about 2 hours from Atlanta so this would make a great little day trip for families living in the Metro area.

The tour, now in its 14th year, will make stops in more than 40 US cities and is expected to welcome more than one million passengers in 2009!


WHO: Thomas the Tank Engine

WHAT:
• A 25-minute (approximate) ride with Thomas the Tank Engine
• An opportunity to meet Sir Topham Hatt, Controller of The Railway
• Activities for the whole family, including arts & crafts, storytelling, video viewing, live music, hay bale maze, temporary tattoo’s, inflatable bounce houses and more.
• Exclusive commemorative merchandise including a 2009 Day Out With Thomas passenger car, as well as a t-shirts, engineer caps, pennants, and more items.

WHEN: October 23, 24, 25, 30, 31 and November 1, 2009

TIME:
10 am until 1 pm on Fridays
10 am until 4 pm on Saturdays
10 am until 3 pm on Sundays

WHERE:
Georgia Veterans State Park
2459 Hwy. 280 West
Cordele, GA 31015
229-276-0755


Want It: Tickets for Day Out With Thomas 2009: The Hero of the Rails Tour are on sale now and available by calling Ticketweb toll-free 866-468-7630, or by visiting www.ticketweb.com/thomas or www.samshortline.com. Ticket prices are $18 plus tax for ages 2 and up (service charges and fee may apply). Donation suggestion of $5. for parking and shuttle ride.

This contest is closed. Congratulations to the winner, AStarrA!




Tuesday, October 27, 2009 | 15 comments | Read more...
UPDATE: Alpha Sherpa Backpack Giveaway Opened Up To Canadian Entries!

UPDATE: Alpha Sherpa Backpack Giveaway Opened Up To Canadian Entries!




Just wanted to let my Canadian readers that I just opened up the Alpha Sherpa Giveaway to Canadian entries as well!

To enter, click HERE.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 | 0 comments | Read more...
Huge Savings at Shutterfly! Coupons Available for Photo Books & Prints

Huge Savings at Shutterfly! Coupons Available for Photo Books & Prints

I don't know if you noticed the Juicebox Widget on my sidebar, but there are some pretty huge savings at Shutterfly!



  • 10/26-10/28 Buy one, save 50% on one additional photo book, click HERE.
  • 10/29-11/4 Save 50% on 7X9 photo books, click HERE.
  • 10/29 - 11/6 Halloween Share Offer: Share your Halloween memories. Earn up to 60 free prints when you create a free share site, click HERE.




Tuesday, October 27, 2009 | 0 comments | Read more...
New Puddlefoot T-shirt Designs and Sizes! {Review and Giveaway}

New Puddlefoot T-shirt Designs and Sizes! {Review and Giveaway}

Many of you may remember Puddlefoot Tees, which I reviewed a few months ago. They are the sweetest t-shirts for babies so I was very happy to find out that they now come in bigger sizes for toddlers! If you haven't heard of Puddlefoot Tees--they are the sweet creation of mom and artist, Suzi MacDougall. A lifetime of sketching was reinvigorated after the birth of her son and soon Puddlefoot was born.



At Puddlefoot, you will find originally designed, screen printed t-shirts for babies & toddlers. Every tee is made from 100% combed ringspun cotton and printed with water-based, non-PVC, Phthalate free inks. All these details ensure a tee that is soft and stretchy with a wonderful vintage feel! Plus, each of the t-shirts depicts a different veggie that is sure to make everyone smile!

Suzi sent Lucas a new Puddlefoot t-shirt from the larger, toddler line and it is just as cute and as soft as the one I reviewed before. Suzi has even added some new veggie characters and an entire line of more affordable baby lap t-shirts! Like one of my new favorites--butta'nut. So cute. These are not organic cotton like the baby t-shirts I reviewed before, but don't worry Puddlefoot still carries the organic line as well.

This contest is closed. Congratulations to the winner, Kim!





The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by Puddlefoot Tees. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 | 138 comments | Read more...
Family Friendly Halloween Events Around the Country

Family Friendly Halloween Events Around the Country

Nickelodeon’s ParentsConnect Local, the premiere online destination for weekly calendar events and a complete listing of family-friendly resources, reveals some of the best ‘unknown’ activities this Halloween season. If you're looking for new and fun things to do with the kids on Halloween, then you must check them out! They have picked events from all over the country--from Lancaster, PA to Alameda, CA and everywhere in between.

Here's a few of the events they have listed:

What: Monster Bash on the USS Hornet Museum
Where: Alameda, CA
Description: The ship’s annual Halloween party takes place onboard the historic aircraft carrier with costume contests, dancing, and haunted happenings. The family event features 60s, 70s, and 80s dance music by The Cocktail Monkeys.
When: October 31 from 8 pm to 12 pm

What: Happy Hauntings: A Kingdom for Kids! at the Dutch Wonderland Family Entertainment Complex
Where: Lancaster, PA
Description: Dutch Wonderland hosts non-scary Halloween activities including themed rides and attractions, trick-or-treating throughout the park, magic shows, ghoulish games, storytelling by the Princess and Knight of Dutch Wonderland, and more.
When: On weekends in October from 3 pm to 9 pm

What: Halloween Sleepover at the Pacific Science Center
Where: Seattle, WA
Description: Costumes are encouraged for the science center’s annual Halloween Sleepover, during which kids can enjoy treats and games and explore eerie science marvels, including spider webs and the amazing power of a full moon.
When: From 7 pm on October 30 to 9 am on October 31

What: No-Scare Children’s Trail at Peterson Park
Where: Chicago, IL
Description: A spell has been cast over Peterson Park, transforming it into a No-Scare Children’s Trail, designed with little ones in mind. Enjoy a live, creepy critter show, a wacky hat art project station, treats, and instruction for learning the Thriller dance are on the schedule. Costumes are encouraged.
When: October 24, 10 am to 1 pm

What: Old Town haunt
Where: Pasadena, CA
Description: Housed in the basement of the century-old Union Savings Bank in Old Town Pasadena, this haunted house winds through the catacombs and vaults of the bank. The evening version is pretty darn scary; a less-frightening children's matinee is available.
When: October 9 to October 25 – Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 7 pm to 12 am; Matinee available October 17, 24, 25 and 31 from 12 pm to 4 pm

To see what spooky Halloween events are available in your city, click HERE!


Monday, October 26, 2009 | 0 comments | Read more...
Set Your DVRs! Dora Saves the Crystal Kingdom Premieres on November 1st

Set Your DVRs! Dora Saves the Crystal Kingdom Premieres on November 1st

I just reviewed and hosted a giveaway for Dora Saves the Crystal Kingdom on DVD, but I wanted to let you guys know that the hour long special will actually be premiering Sunday, Nov. 1, at 8:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon!



If by chance you missed my review, here is the synopsis:
In “Dora Saves the Crystal Kingdom,” Dora continues her magical storybook adventure from last fall (“Dora Saves the Snow Princess”), when the magic crystal that the Snow Princess gave her brings to life another character in her storybook – Allie of the Crystal Kingdom. A greedy king has stolen the crystals that give Allie’s kingdom color and Dora and Boots must help Allie locate the crystals and turn the pale gray kingdom back into a colorful wonderland before it’s too late. Along the way, the trio gain help from a British knight, a giant caterpillar and a magician who give Dora three gifts – a shield, butterfly wings and a magic wand – to aid in her journey. Using these presents, Dora attempts to defeat the greedy king and restore color to the kingdom.
For my full review of the DVD, click HERE.


Monday, October 26, 2009 | 0 comments | Read more...
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who on Blu-ray DVD

Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who on Blu-ray DVD

Okay, what kid doesn’t love Dr. Seuss? Scratch that. What person--young or old--doesn’t love Dr. Seuss? We have a big book that has about 10-15 Dr. Seuss classics in it and we love reading it to Lucas. So naturally a classic Dr. Seuss story like Horton Hears a Who as a movie and on DVD (if you knew my husband you would understand), is a must have in this household.



Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears A Who! is a classic Dr Seuss tale brought to you on Blu-ray DVD (it also comes with a regular DVD version). This is a story about Horton, a kind and caring elephant, who comes to find a tiny planet of Whos living on a speck of dust. He goes on a crazy adventure doing everything in his power to protect the Whos, all while no one in the jungle believes him and does everything to get in his way. This film, as do all of Dr. Seuss’ classic tales, teaches us a lesson that we are all important, no matter how small, and what it means to be a true friend. I figure that if my son is going to spend some of his time in front of the T.V. I can make sure he is watching something that is fun, but that also teaches him something important. This is a great film that everyone will enjoy.

Product Details

* Actors: Hans Conreid
* Format: AC-3, Animated, Color, Dolby, Original recording remastered, Subtitled
* Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
* Subtitles: English
* Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
* Number of discs: 1
* Rating: NR (Not Rated)
* Studio: Warner Home Video
* DVD Release Date: October 6, 2009
* Run Time: 26 minutes

Want It: Horton Hears a Who on Blu-ray DVD is available on Amazon.com for $19.99 and free shipping.




The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.
Monday, October 26, 2009 | 0 comments | Read more...
Winners!

Winners!

I have drawn winners for the following giveaways:

Dora's Christmas CD
Giant Evolution Timeline Playmat
Dora Saves the Crystal Kingdom DVD



Click on the links above to see if you won!

Congratulations to all of the winners! As always, all of the winners have been emailed and have 48 hours to contact me to claim their prize.


Sunday, October 25, 2009 | 2 comments | Read more...
Too Many Treats? How about a Trick or Tater Instead?! {Review}

Too Many Treats? How about a Trick or Tater Instead?! {Review}

OK, so the other day the cutest thing arrived on my doorstep. Meet the Trick or Tater Mr. Potato Head! Oh man. This little guy is just so cute.



He comes with a fabric ghost costume {YES a ghost costume! lol}, a pair of glow-in-the-dark eyes, shoes, two vampire ears, two arms, a set of fangs, nose, pumpkin basket and hat.



Priced at only $6.99 at Toys R Us, the Trick or Tater is the perfect {and affordable} alternative to a "treat" for your kids! He would make such a cute Halloween gift for a child and he will be played with long after the chocolate and candy is gone. And, the bonus? No belly ache!




The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by Hasbro. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.
Saturday, October 24, 2009 | 6 comments | Read more...