reviews

back to school… already!

Melissa

Confession: I love back to school time. Not just because it means fall fashion is coming and I love sweater coats and boots.

I have a serious, deep love for school supplies.

Who is with me on this?

Freshly sharpened pencils… A jumbo pack of Sharpies… Post-it notes in all shapes and sizes… A brand new planner…Sharpies… Binder clips… Pencil cases… Sharpies…

I love it. I seriously love it. I really have to be careful though – its easy to get carried away in the school supply section! And with three kids (and my love for folders and labels and different colored gel pens) I need to watch my budget!

But, don’t miss out!!  Back to School is a great time to stock up for the school year!

Markers: Many stores have kid’s markers and crayons for only about $1. Stock up. Buy about 20. You’ll use them all year – they make great stocking stuffers at the holidays, add them to a craft basket for a birthday gift, and donate them throughout the year. Buy your year’s worth of Sharpies now!

Labelmaker: If you want one, this is the time. And you totally want one. I use mine all. the. time. Maybe too much, if you ask my family.

Office Supplies: Many places even have grown-up supplies on sale. Stock up on return address labels for your holiday cards or even desk organizers on the cheap (with all those college sales!). If you’re in th emarket for a computer or

Home Organization: The college sales are the perfect time to buy organization supplies! The Dorm sales are prime -if you are looking for plastic bins to organize your shoes or a drawer organizer for the kids’ craft supplies this is the time.

Kids Home Decor: Has your kid been begging for a new bedspread? Or even a bean bag chair? Go for it! They are super cheap right now!

When you’re shopping, especially for those high end items like laptops, scientific calendars or sneakers, be sure to hit ! I cannot believe the deals on there right now – both my girls want Converse sneakers and I think we’ll be buying them on eBay. SO much cheaper!

I want to win some eBay gift cards – who is with me?? eBay has some fabulous contests going on right now where you can win!!

  • Is your kid heading back to school? will award daily winners a $100 eBay Gift Card to shop for their back to school essentials on eBay.com.
  • Are you or your child heading to college? eBay is holding a where one Grand Prize winner will receive a $5,000 eBay Shopping Spree toward a dorm room makeover.
  • Play the for a chance to win a $50 eBay Gift Card to do some back to school shopping. Hurry, sweeps ends August 31, 2012!
  • If you’re overwhelmed with Back to School shopping, be sure to join in the eBay Back-to-School Twitter party on 8/14 at 12-2 PST. We’ll be talking about taking the stress out of this hectic season!

Happy Back to Schooling!!!

disclosure: this post is part of a sponsored post campaign with Splash Creative Media and eBay.

bigjigs town and country rail system

Melissa

When we had a little boy, we knew what was coming. Planes, trains and automobiles!
Like any little boy, Colin is completely obsessed with trains and has been since he was two. We have picked up a few pieces at consignment sales and have received a few as gifts, but we’ve never actually invested in a full train set.

So we were thrilled to try out the BigJigs Town & Country rail system. With over 100 pieces, it had everything we needed to make a whole village!

Let me tell you, we’re in the middle of a huge heat wave and this train set was a lifesaver! All three of my kids sat and played with the Big Jig set for an entire afternoon. (Veteran parents will recognize how miraculous that is!) They had characters, storylines – it was a blast.

BigJigs train sets are very high quality, made with real wood and made not only to just survive preschoolers, but made to last for years and years. These are toys that will last through my three kids, get passed on to nieces and nephews and still have life in them! They were fully compatible with all of the other train tracks we have – you can see Colin’s electric Thomas in the picture worked just fine (which is more than I can say for some other brands of tracks we have).

We highly recommend BigJigs – it is one of my favorite toy brands. Every product we have from BigJigs has been exceptional and stands out from the masses of toys we’ve tried. These toys are classic – no fancy bells and whistles or batteries – toys that develop kids creativity and imaginations! And putting tracks together and dealing with the smaller pieces is great fine motor skill development to boot!

The Town and Country Rail System retails for $89.95 and includes 101 pieces. There are lots of other sets at many price points, starting at $16.95 for My First Train Set.

disclosure: we received this product to facilitate this post. as always, all opinions are my own.

staying connected with skype while traveling

Melissa

When my husband’s grandmother passed away earlier this year, he was given a folder of letters he had written to her over the years while he was living overseas. They were such a sweet peek into his childhood. When he was growing up a world away from his grandparents, phone calls were very rare, as they cost several dollars per minute. Even after we got married, the majority of our communication with his parents, who still live overseas, is via email. Occasionally they would call, but not often. Now the cycle continues.
Yesterday my in-laws left. They flew back to India. And won’t see then for 11 months. My kids are devastated. It is so so hard to say goodbye. Colin was crying last night because he misses Grandpa already and the girls are both so sad.  They miss their grandparents so much. Miss going to their house, miss playing games with Grandpa, miss taking knitting lessons with Grandma, miss seeing them…

But wait – we still see them.

Isn’t that amazing?!?!? With Skype, the kids can video chat live with their grandparents who are on the complete other side of the world! If it wasn’t for that pesky 12-hour time difference, we could share even more – school events, concerts and such. I love the ability to live stream a dance performance or piano recital to all our family who can’t be there via the Skype app on my iPhone.

And its great for when you’re traveling!! We used Skype in Jamaica to share our time there with family… with no expensive roaming charges! We put or phones in ‘airplane’ mode and logged into the hotel’s wi-fi to use Skype. It saves us so much money! We are always video chatting when my husband or I travel for work – its a great way to help the kids deal with us being gone and for us to feel connected to what is going on here.  And the group chat is by FAR the easiest way to plan a family vacation without having to fill everyone’s email boxes with 8,635 emails about what to pack!

And I’m not alone – moms everywhere are discovering how valuable Skype is in making deeper connections:

I highly recommend the Skype app. That app has been so valuable to me. I use it daily personally, to chat with family and friends, but it is amazing professionally. I’ve video chatted via Skype while on vacation with my family and been able to work with clients while sitting at my kid’s swim lessons. Its a great way to stay connected and get work done – while still prioritizing and protecting my family time!


disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Skype. I received Skype credits to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

saved by skype

Melissa 1 Comment

Recently, my son and I were at the airport in Montego Bay waiting to fly home from Jamaica. We got to the airport in plenty of time, ate a nice $30 lunch at Wendy’s (note to self: pack a sandwich next time) and we were waiting by our gate for the flight.
We heard rumblings… The flight was delayed.
We heard more rumblings… Our flight was really, really delayed!
I went up to talk to the ticket agent. And was told that there was a very good chance my son and I would miss our connection to Philly. And that they would not be providing a hotel for us, as this was considered an “act of God” and not their fault. Thus, I would be spending the night in Miami airport with a travel-weary 4-year-old and all our luggage.
I didn’t know what to do. My husband and girls were on separate flights, on their way to Philly excepting us home later that night. My cell phone didn’t work in Jamaica and I didn’t know what to do.
Then it hit me… SKYPE! I had wireless at the airport and I could call my husband via Skype!
Luckily I had downloaded some Skype credits into my account in preparation for my Skype Ambassador program. Thank goodness!!
(Everyone go online right now and add a few dollars to your Skype account for emergencies. Go ahead. I’ll wait. Did you do it? Good.)
Skype saved me that day! I was able to call my husband and he helped us figure out what to do. And we did not end up sleeping on the floor of Miami airport! Thank goodness!

Skype is a part of my daily life – I’m always chatting with my sisters or friends! But the video chat is something new that has become part of our routine. And my kids have fallen in love with video chat. They chat with me or my husband when we are traveling for work (or just upstairs – its not unusual for me to get a video call from my family room… and its my kids asking to watch one more show!). They chat with their aunties, their friends, their grandma – even their great grandma and grandpa!

We use Skype video chat to share so much with our loved ones who are far away. I can instantly stream my daughter’s school program or dance show to my family via video chat. (Mute your phone so you don’t disturb other people.) Even the smallest moments can be shared and families and friends can be that much closer to you with Skype.

Now I’m hooked on Skype calling! Its so easy, cheap and perfect for calling our relatives and friends who live overseas! I encourage you to give it a try – it is an absolute shame not to use such amazing technology. Moms today are more tech-savvy than ever before! Almost all my friend shave smart phones, text and use Facebook and twitter almost daily. But so many don’t Skype. I’m always telling them, “You have to try this!!” Mom Central Consulting just surveyed 1,200 moms for their views on technology in their daily lives:

I’m so glad Moms know about Skype and are starting to use it! If you’re not on Skype, check it out and let me know what you think! And friend me so we can chat – my Skype name is Girlymama!

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Skype. I received Skype credits to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.”

southwestern breakfast burrito

Melissa

We were perusing the Sargento website looking for a recipe we wanted to try using Sargento Ultra Thin Cheese.

The kids immediately picked these Bacon, Egg & Swiss Wraps, saying “Yay! Breakfast burritos!”We like burritos of all kinds here in our house.

We adapted the recipe to make it our own, swapping out cheddar for Swiss to give it a southwest-y taste, and it was a huge hit! YUM!

Southwestern Breakfast Burrito

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 Tbsp. canola oil or butter
  • 1/2 cup diced red or green bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/8 tsp. each: salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 slices bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled
  • 2 (8-inch) flour tortillas
  • 4 slices Sargento® Ultra Thin Sliced Mild Cheddar Cheese

DIRECTIONS

  • Heat oil or melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper and onion; sauté 5 minutes. Stir eggs, salt and pepper into vegetables in skillet; cook just until eggs are soft set. Remove from heat; stir in bacon.
  • Warm tortillas according to package directions. Immediately layer cheese over tortillas; top with egg mixture and roll up.

WIN IT!

Girlymama is giving away a pack of coupons for FREE Sargento Ultra-Thin Cheese!

To enter, tell me your favorite type of cheese!!!

Additional entries:
(please leave an additional comment for each entry completed)

2. Follow Sargento on Twitter.

3. Follow Girlymama on Twitter.

4. Subscribe to Girlymama daily updates either through your favorite RSS Reader or via email.

One winner will be selected at random using the WordPress plug-in And The Winner Is… and will be notified by email. Please have a U.S. Mailing address. For other contest rules, see my giveaway policies page.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post to let you know about Sargento Ultra Thin Sliced Cheese. As always, all opinions are my own.

skyping the day away

Melissa 1 Comment

Every time I open my computer or turn on my phone, Skype automatically is open and the conversations are zooming. It is probably the only thing on my computer and phone that I use every single day, without fail.

I love the ability to have private conversations on Skype. I have so many rooms open chatting with people that I’ve lost count. I have rooms where I ask for advise from fellow bloggers or ask for a quick retweet or like on Facebook. I have a room with my bust buddies where we talk about everything under the sun. (“What happens in the Skype room, STAYS in the Skype room”) I have a room with my sisters, I have a room with my BFF, I even have a room with my daughter where I can remind her to do her homework.

And the video chat feature is AMAZING. We love to video chat with my husband when he is traveling for work.  We even had a “Skype Christmas” with my family this year when we couldn’t make it home. Last week, I was at Disney World without my kiddos, so one night when I was watching the Main Street Electrical Parade, I video called my daughters on Skype and they were able to watch teh parade with me at home! SO amazing!

So I am really excited to be a Skype Ambassador! Over the next few months I will be doing some fun Skype experiments and sharing them with you – I will win you over to how awesome Skype is!

A status update or tweet is great for keeping up with someone’s life. A phone call is even better for connecting! Nothing replaces face-to-face contact. And with Mother’s Day coming up, why not send your mom a video greeting! Wouldn’t your mom LOVE a rocking greeting from Skype’s “Mom’s You Rock” Facebook app. It is a fun way to let your mom know how much she means to you. And the best part is, with every video created Skype will donate $1, Save The Children. Go make your video to mom today!

 

disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Skype. I received Skype credits to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

what to expect when you’re expecting *giveaway*

Melissa 28 Comments

When I found out I was pregnant with my first baby, the first thing I did – that very same day – was run out and buy What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Isn’t that just what you’re supposed to do? I poured over it, marking off the milestones of pregnancy and it was even in my overnight bag I took to the hospital with me (packed with the packing for the hospital list they have in the book.)

My first pregnancy was what my doctor called “A Textbook Pregnancy.” Everything was just as it was supposed to be, right on schedule, just like the book said it would be. Then I got pregnant again.

My second pregnancy was nothing like the first. Actually, it was the exact opposite. Everything that wasn’t supposed to happen did. Nothing was on schedule. I had no morning sickness with my first, sick as a dog with my second. I gained weight differently, I had different cravings, I was soooooo exhausted – I was a mess. The baby was even born an entire month early – talk about not according to plan! The only thing that was the same was the fact that it resulted in a baby!

On May 14, Centrum Specialist® PreNatal will host expecting and new mothers in at a special advance screening of the highly anticipated movie, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, by Lionsgate. Personally, I can’t wait to see it!! The stars… The story… It just looks totally hysterical! Want to come see it with me? I’ll be seeing it at an advanced screening on Monday at 7:30 with one of my best mommy buddies thanks to Centrum Specialist Prenatal and I get to bring 5 winners (and a friend) with me!

WIN IT!

Centrum Specialist Prenatal is on the look-out for soon-to-be or new moms! And want YOU to win two tickets to an advanced screening of the feature film What to Expect When You’re Expecting Monday, May 14th, at 7:30 in King of Prussia, PA!

To Enter: Leave a comment sharing how your pregnancies were “What you were expecting?” (or how they weren’t!) Centrum Specialist Prenatal wants to know.

Additional entries:
(please leave an additional comment for each entry completed)

2. Like Centrum Specialist Prenatal on Facebook.

3. Like Girlymama on Facebook.

4. Follow me on Twitter.

5. Subscribe to Girlymama daily updates either through your favorite RSS Reader or via email.

One winner will be selected at random using Random.org and will be notified by email. If I do not hear from you in 12 hours, I will be choosing a new winner. For other contest rules, see my giveaway policies page.

disclosure: I am participating in a sponsored campaign hosted by Centrum Specialist® Prenatal multivitamins. I received compensation for this post. While all opinions stated are my own, I make no claims about Centrum Specialist® Prenatal as a product or its effectiveness.

Rules for Prenatal “What to Expect” Screening Tickets Blog Posts:

  • NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY. PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
  • Must be 18 or older and a legal resident of the 50 United States and DC to enter. Not eligible: employees of selected bloggers posting the giveaways, Ketchum, Wyeth LLC (“sponsor”), and each of their parent, affiliate or related companies (“Sweepstakes Entities”), or their immediate family or persons living in the same household.
  • Enter by submitting the required information, specified by the host blogger. Use of automated or scripted programs to submit entries are prohibited.
  • Five winners will be randomly selected by the blogger to win two advance screening tickets of the feature film What to Expect When You’re Expecting!; each winner gets two tickets (one for themselves and one for a friend.)
  • Host Blogger will choose winners from all eligible entries at random. The winner will be contacted via email by blogger. If a winner does not respond within 24 hours, the blogger will select another prize winner. All decisions are final.
  • Winner must respond with a preferred t-shirt size for themselves and their guest (ranging from S-XL maternity size.)
  • All winners are requested to wear their t-shirts on the day of the advance screening.
  • Odds of winning depend on the number and timing of the entries provided. Failure trespond to prize notification or provide required information may result in forfeiture of the prize and award.
  • Except where prohibited, winners agree that the Sweepstakes Entities have the right to use their name, city and town and likeness in any advertising and marketing material, without compensation or any right to review and approve.
  • Sponsor: Wyeth LLC, 5 Giralda Farms, Madison, New Jersey, 07940

best flower buds

Melissa

Time for the latest from Jay at Play (maker of the adorable Happy Nappers and Little Miss Muffins. Meet Best Flower Buds! Gracie absolutely loves it!

Gracie will show you how it works.

Best Flower Buds are priced between $4.99 -$19.99 (depending on the size of the doll). A variety of blooms/colors are available like violet or iris or daisy, so you can get your little one’s favorite! Available at Toys R Us. So cute – these are going to be as big as Little Miss Muffin!!

disclosure: we received this product to facilitate this post. we ere not compensated financially and all opinions are my own.

happy nappers

Melissa 2 Comments

Colin is totally in love with his new Happy Napper!

It is so super cute! He is using it all the time. It is just perfect for traveling – it goes from toy to pillow in just a second. We love it –

Check out the whole line of Happy Nappers on their website.

disclosure: we received a happy napper to facilitate our review. we were not compensated and all opinions are mine and colin’s.

preserving my treasures with guardsman

Melissa

You know how they ask, “If your house was on fire, what would you grab on the way out?” My list is probably pretty typical. My kids (obviously), my cats, and my piano.
Okay, ‘piano’ is probably not typical.

But my piano is one of my most treasured possessions.

It looks like a regular piano, but its irreplaceable to me. Because of this:

That’s my grandpa! My piano was hand-built by my grandfather. I will never be able to replace this heirloom. I love having it in my home. My father found it, drove it down from Connecticut  and gave it to us for Christmas a few years ago. I was so surprised!  I love listening to my daughter practice her piano lessons on it every morning. I love telling people the story behind it.  Its the centerpiece of our living room. It holds the tublas that my brother-in-law gave us as a wedding gift. Under the bench is the antique oriental carpet we got from my husband’s grandmother.

This whole area of our home is special. And I want to preserve it. I’ve been using Guardsman Revitalizing Wood Furniture Polish for a few weeks and its had an amazing effect on the piano! The wood had been looking really dull, but now it is shining! LOVE it! Its even making the scratches in the bench less noticeable. I really feel like the wood is getting mositurized with Guardsman and preserved better than with just the microfiber cloth I’ve been using.

Guardsman is launching the Stop Cleaning, Start Caring campaign, to encourage us to stop just cleaning our furniture. It’s more than dusting and polishing, it’s about nourishing, revitalizing and bringing out furniture’s inner beauty. If I just cleaned my piano, it wouldn’t last! I need to care for this treasured piece, preserving it for my children. Guardsman has a whole arsenal of products to allow you to preserve your furniture. To kick off the campaign,  Guardsman is donating $25,000 to Habitat for Humanity!! How awesome is that? You can share your favorite furniture story on Guardsman.com and TV Design Star Tracy Hutson will select one lucky winner to receive a personal design session in their home. This includes a $1500 room re-accessorizing and shopping experience, plus a suite of Guardsman products! You can enter here!

Good luck!
disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Guardsman Furniture Care and received a Guardsman product and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.