Category Archives: Review

A Smart Way To Inspire Creativity In You Child! #SocialBttrflyCo

I guess I would consider myself a pretty creative person. I love trying my hand at new things, enjoy art projects, crafts, DIY and more. I would say it has rubbed off on just about all of my 5 kids in some way, shape or form. We love painting river rocks, making ornaments, tackling a new DIY project together and making all kids of things. My daughter is a champion knitter as well.  My husband joins in too and so I think all 7 of us are a creative bunch.

If you have a creative child or maybe you want to do your best to inspire some creativity, I have something great to share. Smart Art Box is a month subscription art box. Every month it arrives filled with the instruments and supplies to inspire the artist in us all!

Each month, your box will feature a range of top-shelf FULL SIZED art supplies – from acrylic paint to polymer clay – plus a project to go along with it to help teach and inspire your inner artist.

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PROJECTS FOR EVERYONE

The project’s are unique and cultural. We create projects that give a quick step by step to help those who are new, and guide those that are seasoned. We also provide tips to help new and old artists gain invaluable new skills.

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THE TOOLS YOU NEED

With each medium come the tools to manipulate it and bring out the strength that each style can achieve.

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Smart Art was created by a small group of friends, driven by the desire to see the world and experience the culture created by historical visionaries. Along the way, they found inspiration in the many mediums found everywhere, from the poorest of villages, to the most prestigious of cities. Each medium expressed the artist’s individual communities, heritage and personality. For this reason, inspired by the passion portrayed in their art, a new determination was born to pursue and discover the many exciting art mediums across the world.

Together, they are committed to ensuring artists understand art and it’s many mediums throughout time in order to create a better understanding of the world around us. Their mission is to deliver products that kindle creativity, stimulate exciting new techniques and establish a deeper connection with art for everyone.

We received our Smart Art Box and were so impressed with everything inside, full size products, everything we need and instruction to guide and inspire us. I will be updating very soon with our masterpieces. This is certainly  “Happy Mail for a family like ours and I would bet it would be for yours too!

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You can visit Smart Art on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.  Let me know if you do try Smart Art Box of if you are already receiving monthly creativity delivered to your doorstep.

 

 

I was provided with a Smart Art Box to facilitate this post as a blogger working with @SocialBttrflyCo.  As always my words and views are always 100% my own.

 


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Filed under Art, Crafts, hobby, kids, Review

Do You Know What Everyone is Screaming About? #Giveaway

Can you hear the screaming?  You can’t?  Listen close, hear it now? Can you hear me screaming? I am, and I think you are too. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! See, I knew you would hear the screams. Who doesn’t love cold, creamy, delicious ice cream? Sorry to the lactose intolerant, you might want to stop reading now. Oh wait, you can stay, what I am going to talk about works for more than ice cream. It works for sorbet, gelato, sherbet, ice milk, lemon ice and more. You can have sorbet right? No dairy in there. See, feel better?  Okay, so let’s get this ice cream truck on the road shall we?

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So whether you are serving ice cream or any other frozen delicacy, you need something to serve it with. Let’s talk about ice cream scoops for a minute. How about something functional and fabulous. A scoop with unparalleled style and performance. One that is attractively boxed and presented, you just might say it’s the whole package.

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The Belle-V Kitchen Ice Cream Scoop is a work of art! A weighted sculpted handle that is balanced to feel perfect in your hand along with an angled head that works with the natural rolling action of your wrist. This team work between your wrist and the angled head gives you the leverage you need to cut through the hardest ice cream like a hot knife through butter. The spade shaped head lets you get right into those hard-to-reach corners of ice cream containers.

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Built to last this scoop is crafted from stainless steel for strength and durability. Each Belle-V Kitchen ice cream scoop is unique because they are hand polished. Storage pouch and box are included with each scoop. To keep your scoop looking great all you need to do is hand wash with nice, warm, soapy water and dry with a soft cloth.

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We love this scoop and it has become our go-to ice cream scoop. My husband and kids don’t go a night without ice cream. They are active and fit so it is their dessert of choice in the evening. Needless to say our scoop gets its own evening workout and rises to the challenge again and again. This scoop goes the extra gallon and never lets us down. They even have a left-handed scoop too and I think we need it with 3 left-handers in our family of 7!

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Giveaway

Belle-V Kitchen is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!  One lucky blog reader will win a Right Handed Belle-V Kitchen Ice Cream Scoop. Thank you to Belle-V Kitchen for the review product and for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!!  Open to US residents.

Belle-V Kitchen Ice Cream Scoop Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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

bele v ice cream scoop

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Things To Consider When Choosing An Essential Oil Diffuser #Giveaway

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I love using essential oil diffusers in my home. They are so beneficial in numerous ways. I love the aromatherapy effects that the diffused oil produces. There are so many diffusers on the market and you may be confused with all the choices. Like anything you have the subjective factors like one’s taste and preferences. Some like  diffusers that have multiple LED light options, others do not, some like larger diffusers, others prefer smaller ones,  some like the gently bubbling sounds and others are bothered by the sound. You also need to consider where you want to place it in your home or office.

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I can speak to you about my preferences and taste. I love large volume diffusers. I adore the LED lights that change or remain fixed. To me they are very soothing and relaxing. I like a diffuser that has a very good mist output. I have found all that and more in my newest aroma ultrasonic diffuser from Aiho. You can see my video below.

 

This diffuser has awesome features. It has a huge 500 ml capacity! This diffuser will run for hours without needing to be refilled. Large volume diffusers like this are great to run overnight or all day without having to be refilled. There are 2 mist settings-low and high, the diffuser of course will run longer on low. The lights are so nice and can be set to change colors or stay fixed on one color. There are seven light colors but each one has 2 shades of intensity. The lights can also be turned off. There are timed run options starting at one hour and going up in increments. It also has a constant on until empty when the unit will shut itself automatically when the water tank is empty.

Aiho in actions

This diffuser has nice clear markings so you can add the amount of water you desire from 100 ml to 500 ml. It also has a gentle and soothing bubbling sound as the ultrasonic diffuser works to push the oil through the water volume and into the air. The cord on the plug is nice and long and allows you to have a lot of flexibility on the placement of the unit. I truly love this diffuser. If you are looking for a high-capacity diffuser with great LED lights, choice of mist speeds and run time options, you should check this out. It is available right on Amazon.

Save 20% Now!

Mommy Ramblings’ readers can save 20% now when you use this coupon code YY62AQCW  when you purchase the diffuser on Amazon! Click HERE to Redeem!

 

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Giveaway

Aiho is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!  One lucky blog reader will win their own Aiho 500 ml Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser (Model AD-P1). Thank you to Aiho for the review product and for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!!  Open to US residents.

Aiho, Aromatherapy Essential Oil 500 ml Ultrasonic Diffuser Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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

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Filed under Giveaway, Health, Home, Home & Garden, Review

How To Give Your Dog A Bath Without Getting A Bath!

I have 3 white dogs, never realized just how crazy that was and no, it was not planned. They are definitely different shapes, sizes and breeds. We have a huge, muscular purebred American Bulldog, a medium West Highland White Terrier and a tiny Maltese. They all have extremely different coat types too. The bulldog has a short, straight coat that sheds. The Westie has a wiry non-shedding coat that does not have an undercoat. The Maltese has a thick double coat of silky non- shedding fur.

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Living up in the mountains, we  do not have a ready supply of dog groomers, nor do we have any mobile grooming vans. I take care of the grooming. We even put a huge farmhouse sink in our laundry room with an awesome faucet to bathe the two smaller and messier ones. I am very lucky because they like their baths and do not mind at all clipping, scissoring, brushing and combing.

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The worst part of the bath is that dreaded shake. You know what I mean, the one that happens just as you are trying to find a towel. The one that leaves you wet from head to toe. Ugh, I hate that, but I have good news. I no longer have to search for the perfect towel. I have the perfect drying towel now and it is so super large and absorbent I can use it on both these hairy beasts and still use it for the bulldog without issue.

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The e-cloth For Pets, Large Drying & Cleaning Towel is so large it absolutely surrounds my Maltese many times over. She loves that part after a bath where I wrap her in the towel and then dry her. By the time I take it off she is nearly dry. The bigger Westie who is always second for baths gets wrapped up after her and the towel still has so much absorption power that her wiry coat is barely damp after I am done. Whether you have one or multiple dogs this towel is a must. It will keep you dry, get your dogs dry and is built to last.

Large Drying Cloth

  • Quickly removes and locks away dirt, mud and bacteria
  • Absorbs twice as much moisture as a conventional towel and dries four times more quickly
  • Soft to touch and encourages pets to cuddle into
  • Guaranteed for 300 machine washes
  • size: 59.1″ x 31.5″

Print

e-cloth is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!  One lucky blog reader will win the e-cloth Large Pet Drying & Cleaning Towel. Thank you to e-cloth for the review product and for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!!  Open to US residents.

e-cloth For Pets, Large Drying & Cleaning Towel Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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

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Filed under Giveaway, Home, Home & Garden, Pets, Review

Our Plan For More Family Movie Nights! #DataAndAMovie

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Walmart Family Mobile. All opinions are mine alone. #DataAndAMovie #CollectiveBias

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With a husband, 5 kids and an insanely busy life, I truly do not know how I would do all I do without technology. Our family is seriously “connected”. I love what technology has done for us, the doors it has opened, the lives we can touch and the lives that can touch us because of it. I can earn a living without leaving my home, no commute to some cubicle in corporate America. I have the ability to build my own dream and put my ideas in motion. The possibilities are truly endless. Technology not only opened those doors but it helps us all stay connected and on track. Smartphones are a given but with them we need a great data plan. What good is having a Smartphone if you are getting charged out the you-know-what whenever you use or go over you data plan.

I was at Walmart the other day and saw the newly lunched Walmart Family Mobile Plus Plan. This is a great new service plan that features Unlimited Talk, Text & Data; 10GB 4G LTE. Oh and to further sweeten the deal this new plan includes one free VUDU move per month per line.  All of that for only $49.88 a month! With a family like mine that can mean 5  free VUDU movies every month! Disclaimer: All prices for phones and plans included in this post are accurate as of the date of posting; however, these prices are subject to change. Please refer to this INFORMATION or your local Walmart for current pricing.

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Our son Ethan has been bugging us for a phone and frankly it is something we have been considering as he is getting more involved with extracurricular activities and playing on sports teams. As he gets older, there will be more sports and activities. It will make Mom and Dad feel better knowing we have a way to let him know if we are running late or a way he can call or text us with anything. When I was at Walmart and saw the great price they had on the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime, I picked it up. It was an amazing deal!

The phone is great, touch screen is very responsive, call sound is clear and crisp, phone is large enough to view recipes or photos in a good resolution. Music sounds great, could not be happier with it.

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With  all that data, I can do more and save more! When I am out shopping one of my favorite apps is Price Match.  That app lets me scan the UPC code of any product and in seconds tells me who has the cheapest price. Since most stores match prices, that app alone has saved me hundreds of dollars.  It really helps to have a plan like this because I use my phone so much.

I am always texting my husband a list of things to pick up at the store, texting my older kids, checking the weather when traveling, looking up  phone numbers, finding restaurants or stores when traveling and on vacation and so much more! There are so many uses for data and so a plan like this is so awesome! The free VUDU  movies, they are the icing on the data cake! A time to unwind and sit down for a family movie night is always a good plan. Oh and one rule-phones off!

We love the time to disconnect from our phones and spend that time connecting with each other and sharing a special movie together. We make a night of it with popcorn and movie theater candy. Hey I have even been checking out some great movie night treats on this Samsung Galaxy Grand via a Food App.

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Let me know if you are going to check out this great plan. If you do, feel free to let me know about any great movies you watched. With 5 free movies a month I can use those recommendations!

 


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Filed under #FamilyMobile, Home, Home & Garden, Life, Life Stages, Movies, Review, Rewards, Shoppertunity, Shopping, Special Offers

Sweet Gift For Kids This Valentine’s Day That’s Not Bad For Their Teeth!

Would you like to get your kids a sweet gift this Valentine’s Day that won’t hurt their teeth. How about one that won’t have them bouncing off the ceiling from a sugar high? Well, I have a great suggestion. The new Sweet Scented Pillow Pets are an awesome choice that will thrill your kids with their softness, adorable looks and sweet, yummy smell.

Pillow Pet PUppy

There are 3 New Sweet Pets available:

GummiPup

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GummiPup’s fruity scent of the favorite colorful gummy candy is enhanced with a fun, playful pattern of gummy bears dotting the colorful and soft belly.  This pup is a treat for all of the senses!

Pupcake

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Pupcake has a scent just like fresh baked cupcakes hot from the oven.

 

CookiePup

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CookiePup  smells like a yummy delicious chocolate chip cookie! Yummy puppy!

We recently had the chance to see for ourselves just what these sweet, cuddly cuties are like. CookiePup arrived at our house and was instantly showered with cuddles. He smells so good and of course, just as all the pillow pets, is cuddly soft and the perfect place for my little guy to rest his head. He could not wait to test him out. We love pillow pets in this house and my boys have several that have remained favorite sleepy time buddies. This sweet pup is so cute and so yummy smelling! He fits right in like he has always been one of our Pillow Pet family members.

If you are looking for a sweet gift that will be around long after Valentine’s Day, take a look at the Sweet Scented Pets. They are adorably delicious folding plush with subtle scent patches that remind you of childhood favorite treats!  Huggable and definitely lovable, these stuffed animals are perfect as a gift, room décor, travel buddy or overnight friend. Perfect for playtime, sleep time, or anytime, Sweet Scented Pillow Pets are surface washable and feature subtle, long-lasting scent patches

Giveaway-Enter For A Chance To Win CookiePup:

Pillow Pets is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!  One lucky blog reader will win a CookiePup Sweet Scented Pet . Thank you to Pillow Pets for the review product and for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!!  Open to US residents.

Pillow Pets, Sweet Scented Pet Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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

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Filed under Giveaway, Holiday, Review

Outdoor Fun For All Ages!!!

Are your kids daring? Do you they love a challenge? Are they happiest when they are active and expending lots of energy?  If so, and you are in or will be visiting Orange Beach, AL, you might want to check out Sharky’s Family Adventure Park. It’s closed right now but they reopen for the season on February 13th! Sharky’s Family Adventure Park is a great  place to have family outings, birthdays and group parties.

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Sharky’s Family Adventure Park features a 32-foot tall, 2 level ropes course complete with 48 exciting elements including zig-zag beams, cargo nets, angled rope ladders, crisscross walks and more. Participants choose their own path through the elements and go at their own pace. The ropes course also has 2 Sky Rail zip line connections over 70′ long. Participants soar down the length of the ropes course on a self-guided zipping experience and over and over. Don’t forget the 18-hole mini-golf course! For young adventurers, there’s a specially designed Sky Tykes ropes course for kids ages 2-7.

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Mommy Ramblings’ Readers SAVE with this current COUPON – #SkyTrail @usfg. Let me know if you are planning a trip there.

 


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Filed under Attractions, Entertainment, Family, Family Fun, recreation, Review, Sale, Travel

Do You Want To Receive Free Product In Exchange For An Honest Review?

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If you think being able to get free or deeply discounted products in exchange for your honest opinion sounds great, keep reading. If you have Amazon Prime, already have at least 10 product reviews written there, like testing and evaluating new products in exchange for leaving a well written review with original photos, you are in luck. Visit Reviews 4 Success and click on the reviewer tab in the menu. Then sign up to be a reviewer. You will then be contacted and sent an email with a link to our review panel. It is extremely fun, rewarding and addicting. Are you ready?

 


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Filed under Mommy Ramblings, Review, Reviews, Rewards

How To Relieve Cold and Flu Symptoms

Tis the season for colds and flu. My poor little guys were hit hard with a marathon fever virus that was going around. They literally had fever for over a week and they were not alone. Our pediatrician said it is hitting the area hard. It then turned into strep throat and our youngest missed many days of school leading up to Christmas vacation. They are still not 100% but there are some things we are doing to keep them more comfortable.

One of the things that can make already sore throats feel worse is breathing dry, stuffy air. A cool mist humidifier and make the air much more comfortable. I love this one from Safety 1st, the Ultrasonic 360° Humidifier helps to ease cold symptoms and reduce dry skin and itchy eyes.

safety 1st humidifer

Safety 1st humidifier

Some features that make this my go-to humidifier are that it has 2 fully rotating mist outlets which let me control the direction of the mist and is perfect if you have 2 children who share a room. The other thing I am stoked about is that it requires no filters, so no expensive filters to replace!

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It operates very quietly so it works well in the bedroom without making noise that might be frightening or keep children awake. It has a super large tan so you do not have to fill it up as much as one tank lasts about 36 hours. When it is time to refill the unit it will shut off automatically and light up to let me know.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children get an average of 8 to 10 colds every year. In the U.S., the flu is most common between October and May, and peaks in January, February, and March. Parents everywhere should be ready to tackle this season.

If you are looking for other ways to help ease your baby or child’s discomfort when they are sick, Safety 1st has many products besides the humidifier above to help you do that. Check out their extensive selection of thermometers, nasal aspirators, medicine spoons/dispensers and more.

What are some ways you keep your child comfortable when sick. Let me know in the comments, I would love to hear your suggestions. Stay healthy!

I was provided with the above product for free to facilitate my post. As always my words and views are 100% my own.

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Filed under Health, kids, Review

“Disney Princess: A Magical Pop-Up World” Book Plus Giveaway! #HolidayGiftGuide

I had some pop up books like this when I was a child and they were from Disney. I think I still have them somewhere in this house of mine and they were always a favorite. I can clearly remember buying them with my mom. Over the years as a child I never tired of them and they were among my favorites of all time. Given my experience, when I saw this new Disney Princess: A Magical Pop-Up World Book, it brought back lots of great memories.

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Starring the timeless characters that have made the Disney Princess films a treasured part of pop culture and animation history, this visually stunning volume is packed with intricately designed pop-ups, transformative scenes, and many other surprises. Constructed with state-of-the-art paper engineering and beautifully rendered illustrations, Disney Princess: A Magical Pop-Up World brings these castles and characters brilliantly to life, capturing the magical worlds that have enthralled audiences for decades.

This collectible piece of Disney Princess magic spans eleven films and princesses, including fan-favorites such as Belle, Snow White, Ariel, and Rapunzel. Through twenty-seven pop-ups and transformative scenes, the key moments from these beloved films leap from the page, and the accompanying text makes this book a wonderful interactive reading experience that families will treasure.disney pop up 2

I think Disney Princess fans and Disney fans in general will love this book because it truly is magical! The pages seem to come to life as they pop up into some of our favorite scenes.  Join Cinderella as she transforms for the ball, Jasmine as she embarks on a magic carpet ride, Aurora as she pricks her finger on Maleficent’s spinning wheel and is saved by her prince, and Merida as she bravely fights to decide her own destiny.

Kids and Collectors alike with treasure this book. Mommy Ramblings has added it to our 2015 Holiday Gift Guide. We are also giving away a copy so make sure to enter the giveaway below.

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Disney princess book mine

Insight Editions and Mommy Ramblings are sponsoring a giveaway!  One lucky blog reader will win their own copy of Disney Princess: A Magical Pop-Up World Book! We hope you think this giveaway is awesome as we do! Thank you to Insight Editions for the review and giveaway books. The giveaway is open to US resident

Disney Princess: A Magical Pop-Up World Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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Filed under Books, Disney, Family, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, kids, Review