Category Archives: Holiday

November 23, 2015 · 12:04 am

Save 30% On The Perfect Music Lover’s Gift! #HolidayGiftGuide

You know what they say about dynamite coming in small packages right? You can’t dismiss something small as weak and you certainly cannot dismiss the compact triangular Audiosharp Music Eyes Speaker as anything less than dynamite! This little speaker packs a powerful punch in features and sound. It is portable, has Bluetooth wireless capabilities, allows you to answer calls right from the speaker too! The dual drive unit speakers deliver incredible sound!

The internal rechargeable 650 mA battery is good for up to 5 hours of play time and 300 hours of standby time. The built-in microphone supports hands free calls. The connection range is up to 30 feet. You can also use the 3.5mm AUX cable to connect and it is included with this speaker.

We were so impressed with this metal speaker, it is drop resistant, dust proof and comes in red and black. It easily paired with both my iPhone 6 and my husband’s Note 4 with ease. The sound is awesome and it has a phenomenal play time. The speaker has big and clear sound that is truly full range. The bass hits low and the treble pops the highs out perfectly. It is hard to believe the awesome sound is coming from this little speaker. It is in pairing mode the first time you turn it on as noted by the LED blinking blue to red. After the initial time you turn it on you need to hold the multifunction (phone handset icon) for over 6 seconds until the blue red blink starts. All functions are announced audibly when engaged. For example, to turn it on or off, simply hold the multifunction button down until it audibly announces it is on…or off then release it.

Be sure to use the supplied charge cord or you may hit the multifunction with the plug as you are inserting it. Some plugs are too large for the small area around the charge port and can press the multifunction button in when inserted causing it to turn on or enter pairing mode, etc. It charges quickly. The speaker is very stable and will not tip over or move at all due to the shape and rubber strips on the bottom. The controls are on one side with the charge and AUX ports in the center under the attached rubber dust cover door. Controls are clearly marked with “+” & “-” for volume and the “|<” & “>|” for changing the track forward or backward, and the one with a phone receiver is a 9 function multifunction button (on-off-pause-continue-answer call-hang up-refuse call-redial last number called-pair).

We think this awesome speaker is the perfect gift for the music lover in your life this holiday season or you might want it for yourself so you can have your favorite Christmas music playing anywhere you are. Audiosharp has graciously provided Mommy Ramblings’ readers with a coupon code for 30% off this unit which you can purchase on Amazon at the link at the bottom of this post. Just use the code 6TE5NWK3 and save 30% on this awesome speaker! We like the Audiosharp AS0847 Music Eyes Portable Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker so much, you will find it on Mommy Ramblings 2015 Holiday Gift Guide.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for review from Giveaway Service website. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Reference ID: pm026c7c6e91742de037b84a407076cff0

2 Comments

Filed under Christmas, Coupon, Gifts, Holiday, Holiday Gift Guide, Home, Music, Review, Special Offers

Tagged as #HolidayGiftGuide, amazon, Audiosharp, Bluetooth, coupon code, Mommy Ramblings, Music, Music Eyes, Promo Code, Save 30%, Speaker, Wireless

November 17, 2015 · 11:56 am

A Special Way To Personalize Your Gifts This Holiday Season-#HolidayGiftGuide

Are you making homemade gifts this year? If you are you can make them even more special with custom labels. From decking the halls, to wrapping presents the holiday season is the perfect time to get creative and festive.

StickerYou is your one-stop shop for creating custom stickers, labels, decals, temporary tattoos and more. These durable products are perfect for business use or to use around your home and with holiday gifting. Your friends and family will be impressed! For a very limited time, StickerYou is offering a 13% discount on your next order! Use promo code 13STICKER at checkout! Want to get started or take a look around?
CLICK HERE !

StickerYou is the only online platform in the world where you can upload your own designs or artwork to create completely custom stickers, labels, large format decals, temporary tattoos, iron-ons and magnets. Order your sticky products in any shape, any size and any quantity you wish. StickerYou has no minimum order quantity on most products so you can order the right number of stickers or labels to fit your event. StickerYou’s custom die-cut algorithm allows them to die-cut around the edge of your sticker or label design creating a unique shape. You are not limited to standard shapes.

About Label/Sticker Products:
Bottle labels are one of StickerYou’s most popular products. Use them to label your homemade goods such as jams, honey, cookies bags and more. Their premium vinyl material has great color reproduction, which means it is easy to match the color of the labels to a specific theme or color scheme. Customers have the choice between white vinyl material or clear vinyl material. StickerYou typically recommends white vinyl for bright colors or busy designs. Clear labels also look beautiful if going for a more simplistic or modern design. Their labels have a high quality shine which gives them a professional look.
The labels are photo quality so customers can even upload photos and use them on their products. The material will apply bubble free and has a strong but removable adhesive. If an error is made during application, the labels can be peeled up and replaced. The label will remove clean with no adhesive left behind.

StickerYou’s labels are durable! They are waterproof, dishwasher safe, microwave safe, heat resistant, fade resistant and will stand up to mild abrasion. Their website has tons of templates. So if you want to make your own labels but are not so skilled making your own graphics, this will be perfect! You will still get a great look that you created yourself because the templates are totally customizable.

So take some time to browse all they have and don’t forget the great discount code! You can find StickerYou on Mommy Ramblings’ 2015 Holiday Gift Guide!

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Filed under Christmas, Holiday, Holiday Gift Guide, Sale, USFG

Tagged as #HolidayGiftGuide, Christmas, coupon code, discount, Gifts, holiday, Labels, Mommy Ramblings, Personalize, Promo Code, Save, StickerYou

November 15, 2015 · 8:23 pm

The Best Way To Cook Soups & Stews! #HolidayGiftGuide #Giveaway

The days are getting chilly and soup and stew weather is upon us. There is something about this time of year that makes it more comforting than any other time to enjoy a savory stew, flavorful soup or even a hearty chili.

I love to cook stews and soups this time of year. One of my very favorites that I grew up with, is Pasta Fagioli which means pasta with beans in Italian. It is a warm-you-up, stick-to-your-ribs, bowl of deliciousness.

This weekend I cooked a huge batch of it in my brand new Emile & Henry Stewpot. I love this huge 7 quart, red covered stewpot. It is big and that is good because being Italian we never cook a little bit of anything. I believe it had to be an Italian that coined the phrase “Go Big or Go Home”. We just always have enough for anyone that stops by. I have a big family, but stews and soups are so good the next day and even to freeze.

This huge stewpot is an entirely natural cooking vessel. This stewpot is part of Emile & Henry’s Flame® product line and can be used direct on heat (gas, electric or halogen), in the oven, the microwave, even on the barbecue. The cookware is highly resistant to thermal shocks and you can take it from the freezer and put right in a hot oven.

The cookware itself retains heat so your food stays hot longer. The cookware is wonderful for cooking simmered dishes like stews and soups but recommended by word renown chefs to use when cooking caramel due to its even heat diffusion. This stewpot makes caramel quickly and easily. We are going to try that out as my husband has been going on about wanting to make a sea-salt caramel.

Flame® Cookware is produced using raw materials directly from nature like non-treated clay, sand, filtered water and mineral oxides for the colorful glazes. So you know you are cooking in total safety. There is no lead, cadmium or nickel in them cookware and so no risk of contamination when cooking. The cookware is made in France from high fired Burgundy clay.

Since it is such an excellent heat diffuser as opposed to metallic cookware, it diffuses heat and does not conduct it. The cooking process is gentle and food does not burn, so you are left with the flavors of your food intact. Since it is such a great diffuser it performs well on lower temperatures. So very high temperatures are unnecessary and it is advised to start with low heat.

The cookware is very sturdy and resistant to mechanical shocks that make it a great choice in restaurants. The glazes used are very resistant to the dishwasher and the most aggressive of detergents

While my Pasta Fagioli was simmering I made a nice crusty round bread in my Emile & Henry Bread Cloche. You may remember when I showed you those last year. They are still one of my favorite kitchen items and the only way I make bread now!

When my Pasta Fagioli was done I served it with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and the fresh sliced bread. It was the perfect weekend dinner on a cold night for this family.

We think the Emile & Henry Stewpot makes a gift that will delight any cooking enthusiast on your gift list. You will find it on Mommy Ramblings 2015 Holiday Gift Guide!

Emile & Henry is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win their own 7 quart Emile & Henry Stewpot ($240 ARV) . Thank you to Emile & Henry for this gorgeous stewpot and for sponsoring this awesome and extremely generous giveaway for our readers at Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.

Emile & Henry 7 Quart Stewpot Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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Filed under Cooking, Giveaway, Holiday, Holiday Gift Guide, Home, Home & Garden, Kitchen, Review

Tagged as #HolidayGiftGuide, cooking, Cookware, Dutch Oven, Emile Henry, France, giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Mommy Ramblings, Natural, safe, Soup, Stew, Stewpot

November 10, 2015 · 1:53 am

Diffusing Essential Oils In Your Home-Giveaway #HolidayGiftGuide

I really love using essential oil diffusers throughout my house on a daily basis. I think there are real benefits in using the oils. I love diffusing Peppermint in the morning and throughout my day as it is very energizing and makes me feel invigorated. I like many blends and making my own but one thing for sure, you need a good diffuser. I wanted a mid size diffuser and I saw the ZAQ Galaxy. It is a large mid size diffuser and hold 200 ml of water with an 8 hour run time. It has auto shut off and it works amazing well and is very quiet.

The outer portion of the diffuser is a white ceramic designed to resemble outer space. It is a very tranquil diffuser that has colorful changing LED lighting or can be used without the lighting effects. I have been using my diffuser every day and it works so well, is easy to keep clean and is just such a great addition to my home. ZAQ diffusers have a 1 year limited warranty and they have awesome customer service if you ever need it.

We think the ZAQ diffusers like the Galaxy make a great gift this holiday season so we are adding it to our 2015 Holiday Gift Guide here at Mommy Ramblings.

ZAQ is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win a ZAQ Galaxy Diffuser! Thank you ZAQ for the review product and for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.

ZAQ Galaxy Essential Oil Diffuser Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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20 Comments

Filed under Christmas, Gifts, Giveaway, Holiday, Holiday Gift Guide, Home, Review

Tagged as #HolidayGiftGuide, Aromatherapy, Diffuser, Essential Oils, giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Mommy Ramblings, ZAQ

November 7, 2015 · 4:24 pm

Enjoy Cocoa, Cookies & Christmas Carols As You Cruise Through The City The Never Sleeps!

If you are looking for a fun way to take in the sites of New York City and celebrate the holidays, you have to hear this! How does a warm and cozy cruise tailored for friends and family sound? Step inside Manhattan’s toasty solarium which is decked out in holiday decor for a 90 minute cruise to see the lights of New York City! Of course delicious hot cocoa, cookies and treats for all guests are included. Then join in on 20 to 30 minutes of live holiday carols or enjoy 2 live Jazz Trio Sets!

Aboard the 1920’s style yacht, you can relax on the heated back deck salon to enjoy the gorgeous view of the island. Take in picturesque views from the glassed-in observatory.

Along the way you will see:

The Yacht Manhattan in Full Holiday Decor!
Cocoa, Cookies & some sing-along Holiday Carols or live Holiday Jazz!
Battery Park, South Street Seaport & the Financial District
Governor’s Island, The Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
Parts of Brooklyn & Queens & the NYC skyline
The Williamsburg, Manhattan & Brooklyn Bridges of the East River

A complimentary beer, wine, spiked hot cocoa or champagne from the bar is offered on all trips. Mixed drinks are available for purchase. For more information to see cruise schedule please click HERE! Receive 15% off each ticket purchased at www.sail-nyc.com using ONLINE promo code 15COCOA – Valid for any Cocoa & Carols Cruise aboard Yacht Manhattan II!

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Filed under Holiday, Review, Special Offers, Travel

Tagged as Carols, Christmas, Cocoa, cookies, Cruise, discount, Festive, Harbor Line, holiday, Mommy Ramblings, Music, NY, NYC, Promo Code, Tickets

October 5, 2015 · 5:11 pm

Make Halloween A Day Full of #Treats4All

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #Treats4All #CollectiveBias

With our busy lives some days can feel like we are running in circles, scrambling to get things done. When we have extra things to do, it can make doing the everyday things even harder. With Halloween approaching you may be stressed about how to coordinate dinner, trick or treating, answering your own door etc. I am here to help and offer some suggestions. Make it easy on yourself this year! Use paper products for dinner so you have one less thing to worry about and take a few short cuts that won’t be short on taste for your family.

I was in Walmart the other day and picked up some STOUFFER’S® Family Size Entrées. There is a nice assortment to choose from including vegetarian dishes, chicken dishes, pasta and more. I chose Italiano Lasagna and Stuffed Peppers.

TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Cookie Dough lets us get to the best part of making cookies even faster-eating them! This refrigerated cookie dough is all ready to go right onto a cookie sheet straight out of the package. Now you can easily bake hot, fresh cookies in minutes with no mess! These cookies are great for dessert, class parties and more. You can find Halloween Chocolate Chip or Harvest Apple varieties out now! Of course I could not forget the candy.

The NESTLE® Jumbo Assorted Fun Size Candy was a great price for a lot of candy. Plenty to have on hand for all the little ghosts and goblins that will be heading to your door.

You can use paper products and the STOUFFER’S® Family Size Entrées can be cooked and served right in their own container so that saves lots of time. Add a salad and some garlic bread and you have a dinner your whole family will love!

Cookies are easy with TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Cookie Dough and the Halloween Chocolate Chip are festive and fun! Right out of the package just put on your cookie sheet and bake.

nestle 3

Perfect to pack in boxes to send to school class parties or give as gifts!

We can’t forget the candy treats. NESTLE® Jumbo Assorted Fun Size Candy has you covered so you don’t run out of treats this Halloween!

Eye can see you looking at that candy. Looks good doesn’t it?

Don’t get stuck this year feeling stuck with the Tricks, make your Halloween easy and fun. Let NESTLE® and STOUFFER’S® help you have a day that is filled with Treats For All of you! Do you have any great time saving tricks to make Halloween a treat? If you do, please share them in the comments.

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Filed under Family, Holiday, Life, Shoppertunity

Tagged as #Treats4All, Dinner, Easy, Fast, halloween, Nestle, Stouffer's, Trick or Treat

March 30, 2015 · 10:21 pm

Easter Burlap Bunnies Craft Ideas Even Young Children Can Help With

My kids are on spring break this week and we are still experiencing single digit temperatures at night! It sure doesn’t feel anything close to spring. Believe me when I say, we’re looking for all of the spring crafts we can do to hopefully bring spring our way. Easter is next Sunday and I want to share some cute burlap bunny crafts you can sew and your kids can help decorate and paint. Below is a supply list of what you need to make the bunnies.

Burlap Bunnies Supply List

Let me share what we have made so far.

I purchased a roll of burlap, cut two pieces and folded them in half

The pieces are folded in half and look deceivingly smaller in these photos than the actual size.

Next you cut a V in the middle.

Then I trimmed the tops to look more like rabbit ears.

Next, I just took it to my sewing machine and sewed each side up to right under the ear.

Turned it right side out.

Then I stuffed it with fiberfill. If you want you could also used dried beans.

Off to the sewing machine where I sewed around the ears and in between to securely hold the filling.

You then tie with a ribbon of your choice. Next, you can paint, color with markers or paint pens the inside of the ears and make a face. I added buttons for cuteness, you can really have fun here and the kids love to help! You can add a white cotton ball tail to the back side of the bunnies. These make adorable country inspired decorations or you can make one for everyone with their name as place holders for dinner. There are so many great ways to use them and they are simple to make.

Next, I wanted to make a bunny to hang on the door. This nearly turned to a Pinterest Fail but I turned it around. I just found a basic bunny template online and printed it out. I had to extend it because it was too large for the paper. I pinned and cut the pattern out of the burlap.

Then off to the sewing machine to sew around the bunny. Leave a part open so you stuff it.

After you stuff it, just sew the opening close and trim your threads.

Here is the almost Pinterest fail. We had wanted to put polka dots on the natural burlap with the spouncer brushes but it did not go as planned. LOL

Back to the drawing board and we painted the bunny purple, leaving the edge natural and adding pink polka dots.

Then you want to find a ribbon to hang it with.

We decided to continue the polka dot theme.

I attached the ends of the ribbon to the bunny some machine stitches.

You can add a ribbon around the neck or other embellishments. I chose to keep ours plain country simple for the side door. Let me know if you try some burlap bunnies and how they turn out. If you want to make things really easy they have burlap already printed with polka dots or you could make egg shapes and use with multi color burlap or chevron stripe. Happy Easter! Please if you are in a warm part of the country would you send some spring our way! Let me know what you think and if you tried any of these crafts.

Easy Easter Treats To Make With Kids

Is it wrong to dip tender, sweet marshmallow Peeps in melted chocolate? If it is…I’m guilty! I wanted to share how much fun we had with colorful Peep Bunnies and Chicks, some sticks, sprinkles, decors and our imagination. There are so many fun things you can do with Peeps but making Peeps Pops has to be near the top of the list.

So easy and you can decorate and make a nice centerpiece for a dessert buffet with them. Just melt your chocolate and put your Peep on a stick and let your imagination run. You can dip them totally and sprinkle with decors and sprinkles or you can dip just the bottom of the chicks so it looks like a nest.

Whatever you decided this is a fun and tasty Easter project the whole family can take part in! So grab some Peeps and get read for some dipping and sprinkling in the kitchen festivities. With Peeps, chocolate and sprinkles…you can’t go wrong. Later Peeps (sorry couldn’t resist).

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Filed under Holiday, Kitchen

Tagged as candy, Chocolate, Easter, Mommy Ramblings, Peep, Peeps, pops, Sweet, Treats

March 8, 2015 · 2:32 pm

24 Great Retro, Body Slimming, Figure Flattering Swimsuits For Every Body Type!

Whether you planning to take a trip or cruise to a warm destination or just dreaming of summer, beaches,Ujena will have you looking like a movie star with their retro, figure flattering, shape enhancing swimsuits. Ujena has a huge line of swimwear, cover-ups, dresses and more to flatter any body type.

Browse the super sale section with some suits as much as 50-75% off regular price! You can also design your own suit just the way you want it. There are mix and match pieces too so you can create a look you want and that works for your body type. Check out the great sampling of looks below, on the site you will find multiple views and a video of each suit so you can see how it looks from every angle! Ujena carries a large array of sizes including plus sizes, long torso etc. Right now when you head over to Ujena and use promo code 1671 at checkout you can take $10.00 off your purchase.


Vintage Floral Tankini	Casa Blanca Bikini	1950’s Marilyn Tankini	La Gabrielle

Polka Dot Underwire Plus	Red Hot Vintage Shaper	White Monroe Long Torso 1-PC	La Noir Gabrielle 1-PC

Brazilian Jungle	Sheer Zebra Fatale	Honeymoon Halter	Hourglass Skirted

Canary Islands Tankini Plus	Summer Blossom Ruffle Tankini	Marilyn Ruffle Tankini	Spanish Swim Dress

Canary Islands Minimizer	Sicilian Swim Dress	American Vintage Tankini Plus	Vintage Sailor Stripes

Calypso Banded Bikini	Moroccan Banded Bikini	Navy Monroe	Sheer Zebra Open-Back Tankini

5 Comments

Filed under Fashion, Fitness, Holiday, Mommy Ramblings, Sale

Tagged as beach, Body-Slimming, Cover-Up, Cruise, Figure Flattering, Full Coverage, Full Figure, Long Torso, Looks, Marilyn Monroe, Mommy Ramblings, Pin-Up, Plus Sizes, Pool, Promo Code, Retro, Save $10, Ujena, Vacation, Vintage

January 7, 2015 · 5:47 pm

How To Survive Winter Travel With Kids & Safety 1st, Advance SE 65 Air + Convertible Car Seat Giveaway!!!

The holidays may be over but Winter travel is in full swing. As the temps get colder many families decide to motor south for some fun in the sun and escape the winter chill. Schools seem to know this too and many have a winter break carved out for families to do just this.

I thought this post from Safety 1st Consumer Safety Experts on “How to Survive The Holiday With Kids?” would be applicable for any kind of family getaway this winter season. After reading, be sure and enter the giveaway to win a Safety 1st, Advance SE 65 Air + Convertible Car Seat!

According to AAA last year 94.5 million people were on the roads, train tracks or in the skies during the holiday season. That’s a lot of people! Then add your own kids into the mix of congestion and for some it can mean holiday headaches. However, Safety 1^st has some tips to help fight some of those headaches this season.

1. Avoid peak travel days –Try not to fly or drive the days immediately before and after the actual holiday. Those are the busiest travel days. However, if you fly or take a train you might save money by traveling on the actual holiday, the roads are less congested too.

2. Prepare your child for the trip – Holiday parties can be overwhelming with sensory overload. Especially for young children it’s good to talk about the upcoming trip days even weeks in advance. This will help him or her get excited about the journey. Show photos of family members or friends your child has not met yet, this way the new face might be a little familiar on arrival.

3. “Are we there yet?” – To help avoid that dreaded phrase an hour into your six-hour trip reserve a bag just for the kids, include books, toys, diapers a change of clothes and snacks. Pre-load a tablet or smartphone with kid friendly apps or games. If you are driving keep all necessary items such as wipes, hand sanitizer or tissues easy to reach in a second – there are times you may not want to be digging through the bottom of a bag for such items. The Safety 1^st Car Door Sanitation Station is a great solution.

4. Car Seats – If you are flying check to make sure your car seat is FAA certified. If it’s not clearly labeled contact the manufacture. For parents with older children the Safety 1^st BoostAPack can double as a kid survival kit, it’s FAA certified, and will fit in the plane overhead bin.

If you are driving make sure your car seat is installed correctly. If it’s been awhile since you visited a car seat check, it’s recommended to check your seat with a Certified Child Safety Technician in advance of your trip. Safercar.gov is a great resource.

5. Prepare the guest room – If your child will be sleeping in a Play Yard during the trip, use that for bed or nap time the entire week before. This will help him or her get used to a new sleep environment. Also if your infant or child sleeps better in a dark room or tends to wake up early with the morning light, bring garbage bags or dark fabric to tape over windows.

Safety 1st is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win an Advance SE 65 Air + Convertible Car Seat! . Thank you for the review product and for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!! Open to US residents.