Tag Archives: Mommy Ramblings

Get a 3 Month Subscription to Bulu Box for only $10!!!

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If you are looking for a quick, easy, inexpensive gift you can get a 3 month subscription to Bulu Box for someone or yourself for only $10!  The regular price for the 3 month subscription is $30 so that is a nice savings and you will be giving a gift that will keep giving for 3 months.  Bulu Box is the perfect partner in the pursuit of a healthier you. Bulu Box is like having a personal trainer and a nutritionist as a best friend. Each month, a box of healthy discoveries is shipped right to your door for just $10.

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You learn about that month’s 4-5 premium samples, try each one and see what fits into your individual healthy lifestyle. For sharing your opinions on each month’s samples through a quick survey, we will give you 50 Rewards Points (that’s $5!) to use in their shop to get more of your favorites. 3 Month Subscription for just $10 (regularly $30)! at Bulu Box – Use code WOWZA HERE
@usfg @bulubox

 


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Safari Ltd® Educational Toys That Teach & Giveaway!!! #HolidayGiftGuide

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My seven-year old is so interested in planets and the solar system and his little brother is full of questions about the size of the sun and which planets are hot or cold.  I think it’s wonderful when I can find toys that let us expand on those topics with tactile objects that will let them really see and understand the world around them.  Safari Ltd.  has been  a leader in producing “Toys that Teach” since 1982. Their mission is to teach children the importance of nature and conservation through the joy of imaginative play.

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Safari Ltd® TOOBS® are collections of hand painted figures.  There are so many collections to choose from like Ancient Rome, NYC, Sea Life, Babies, Dinosaurs, Ancient Egypt, Around The World, Coral Reef, Deep Sea Creatures, Butterflies, Arctic, Trains and so much more.  TOOBS® are great to use for kids projects, for teaching, sharing, playing, collecting and so much more. TOOBS® are perfectly sized to make awesome stocking stuffers.   My kids loved the Trains and NYC TOOBS® and I thought the babies TOOBS® were perfect for using in miniature scenes and especially in doll houses.

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The Solar System Set from the Safariology® collection was a huge hit, my boys loved handling he planets and seeing where they were in relation to the sun and other planets.  The tray has a cover that holds the planets in place when they are done so that everything stays right where it belongs.
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This set includes 8 planets and the sun, all hand-painted for detail and accuracy using the latest information from astronomers. Also includes an acetate tray for display, and a blister card with educational information in English, Spanish, French, and German.

For when my guys go exploring the  Safariology® Luminoculars  have them covered.  Made of durable ABS plastic with 3.5x magnification, a light beam that shines up to 100 feet, and a built-in compass. Now explorers can discover more, see farther away, and still find their way home! Luminoculars are available in translucent red, translucent blue, and camouflage.

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You can find Safari Ltd® Toys on our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide!

Safari Ltd® is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!  One lucky blog reader will win their choice of a regular  TOOBS® set or one figure (subject to availability)!  Thank you Safari Ltd® for the review products and for sponsoring this awesome giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!!  Open to US residents.

Safari Ltd® Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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

 

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Filed under Christmas, Giveaway, Holiday, Main Page Post, Mommy Ramblings, Review, Toys

Our Evening With The Original Harlem Globetrotters!!! #PTPAGlobies

As a PTPA Blogaholic I was provided with tickets to this event for myself and my family.  All views and opinions are as always, 100% my own.

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We recently attending an Original Harlem Globetrotters event at the Webster Bank Arena in Connecticut.  We took our little boys ages 5 and 7 and it was their first time seeing the Globetrotters.  The evening started with a VIP meet and greet with some of the players.  This was very exciting and we saw close up how tall Stretch was, he is very tall!

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Check out our instagram for more meet and greet photos.

 

After that we stopped to get food and headed to our seats.  The show started and it was filled with all kinds of antics, feats of skill and fun.  The Washington Generals were there along with their elderly coach and that whole scenario was the premise for lots of jokes and laughs.

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People were pulled out throughout the show and thrust into character themselves.  Big Easy was hysterical with his comical interaction with the crowd.  Taken a ladies purse, drinking a kids soda, dancing with the husband of the woman who he stole the purse from and so much more.

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A wonderful time with the mascots Globe (Globee) and Big G who were a  hit with kids and adults alike.  When Big G who was full of air kept falling on his face with a splat it was absolutely hilarious.

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We had a wonderful time and if the Original Harlem Globetrotters make their way nearby to you during their tour, you should plan to go see them for a night of side-splitting fun on the court.  You can go HERE to check dates, locations and purchase tickets.

 

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The boys went home with some loot.  We bought them tee shirts and basketballs so they can always remember the first time they saw the Original Harlem Globetrotters.  I am sure it won’t be the last time.

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For more game shots and video of our trip just check out our Instagram.


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Filed under Attractions, Entertainment, Exclusive, Family, Family Fun, Main Page Post, Mommy Ramblings

Let K-Y® Yours + Mine Help You Spice Up Date Night This Holiday Season!!! #YoursandMine

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

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Thanksgiving is over and I’m  a passenger on a speeding train, destination Christmas.  Do you feel like that too?  With everything I have to do, it can be overwhelming.  The decorating, shopping, cooking, baking and wrapping, added to my already jam-packed schedule, leaves me feeling like I can barely breathe.

I have come to the conclusion that I really need to remember that if I let all this stress get to me and  start neglecting the relationships in my life that no amount of decorating or cookies will make it okay.  I can get so caught up  with all the ideas on Pinterest and social media that make me feel if I don’t  have every corner of our home decked with picture perfect perfection,  more than 30 different kinds of homemade cookies in the freezer and every gift wrapped with handcrafted wrap, ribbons and tags that my family will need extensive therapy in the future.  In fact the exact opposite is true, when I remove the unrealistic expectations, I feel better and my family will remember the way we had fun together and not that I didn’t have 4 different trees up when they look back.  Who wants their family’s memories to be of an expertly decorated home and a mother who was short with everyone, lost her temper and never had time to relax and spend time with the family.

This season I am pulling the emergency stop on the train and getting off and leaving all my baggage on board.  I am going to focus on what I can do to enjoy the holidays with my family and not let stress, other people, the media or anything else make me think I am failing.  I am going to play in the snow and read with my kids and spend quality time with my husband.

In fact, I have a special K-Y® date night planned for us.  After the kids are in bed, we are going to unplug from our computers, smart phones and tablets and I am going to make us some gourmet hot chocolate, some decadent chocolate cake and bring our one of our favorite word games.   In front of a roaring fire on a cold December evening we will have time to laugh and play and connect.  I can find just what I need at Walmart and I am good to go. Check out the date night pack available at Walmart HERE!

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 #YoursandMine #Collective Bias

Of course I will beat the pants off my husband but don’t let him know that.  When that happens I have another special surprise up my sleeve, K-Y® Yours + Mine. With K-Y® Yours + Mine the fun and games won’t end with our board game but will continue long after, upstairs in our bedroom.  I am sure you get the idea and I won’t give you any more details.  A night like that will allow us to focus on our relationship, the foundation of our family.

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If we put our relationship on the back burner, we are not doing our marriage or our kids any favors.  Taking the time will only make our relationship stronger which has a ripple effect through our home and family.  So when I say we intend to spice things up this season, I mean more than baking gingerbread cookies.

K-Y® Yours + Mine will be shipping new product to stores in January 2015 that will include a free meal for 2, delivered to you door from PEACHDISH.com and a $5 VUDU Movie Credit that streams right into your home ($50 Value).  Given that January leaves most people feeling depressed that the holidays are over and with a mountain of bills to pay, this could be just what is needed to rise above the post holiday blues.  For more information visit K-Y.com.

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Excuse me I need to go, my train just stopped and I am off light as a feather leaving all that heavy baggage behind.  Want to join me?  Just pull the emergency stop cord and get off!

 


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Shop World Vision #GiftCatalog For Gifts That Give Back & Giveaway!!!

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I don’t know if you ventured out on Black Friday today, but I sure didn’t. I’m so glad too after seeing some of the craziness on the news tonight.  If you are looking for a  meaningful gift that truly depicts the sentiment, “it  is better to give than to receive”, you should check out the World Vision Gift Catalog.  The Catalog is filled with over 250 poverty-fighting gifts starting at just $10.  When you choose to give where it is needed most, you can receive a handcrafted gift for your generosity.

Choose from handcrafted gifts like Cinnamon Boxes, Serving Spoons, Beaded Necklaces, gorgeous Cuff Bracelets and more that you can keep or give to loved ones this season. It may seem odd to give the gift of a goat, chicken or clean water but it could mean life for someone living in poverty.    Take a look at the 2014 World Vision Gift Catalog and consider giving a life changing gift this holiday season.

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To order from World Vision’s Gift Catalog, visit www.worldvisiongifts.org or call 855-WV-GIFTS.  You can visit with World Vision on Facebook and Twitter. Since it began in 1996, the World Vision Gift Catalog has grown in popularity as a gift-giving alternative; more than 844,000 people helped someone through the Catalog in the last fiscal year alone.

Look at these gorgeous hand crafted serving spoons from Kenya.  These are just one of the many gifts available when you give and they are perfect for entertaining or giving to someone who does.

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Would you like to have a chance to win a set of serving spoons.  If so, just enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

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Filed under cause, Christmas, Giveaway, Holiday, Main Page Post, Mommy Ramblings

Lakeshore Learning Beginner’s Science Lab Review & Giveaway!!! #HolidayGiftGuide

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Are you looking for gifts for the kids on your holiday gift list that are as much fun as they are educational?  If so, you should check out Lakeshore Learning.  They have a full inventory of educational and fun toys for all ages and many are on sale.  You can view their Holiday Flyer and see for yourself the wide selection and great prices.  Click HERE for a coupon that will save you 20% on any regularly priced item.  There is also an additional coupon you can use in store and online on the back of the digital flyer!

We picked the Beginner’s Science Lab from the Holiday Flyer for our budding scientists.

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The boys were thrilled to see the huge box filled with all kinds of science equipment and materials.

 

Building a volcano was the first project.  It was very simple, there is a non-toxic paper mache mixture that you just add water to and mix with your hands.  Then on some wax paper you mold into a volcano shape and form the opening.  It must dry for a couple of days before you can have an eruption.  Ours is drying but we will take a video and update this post in a couple of days.

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Another great experiment, is the liquid layers, using pancake syrup, cooking oil and colored water, the boys observed how the colored water formed a ball that actually passed through the oil layer into the water layer.  They thought that was really neat.  We have some more experiments lined up for today and they are really looking forward to it.

 

 

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We love this Beginner’s Science Lab so much we are adding it to our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide.  Would you like a chance to win one?  Great!  Just enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.  Good Luck!!!  Open to US Residents.  Many thanks to Lakeshore Learning for the review kit and for this awesome giveaway!!!

Lakeshore Learning Beginner’s Science Lab Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings:

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Filed under Christmas, Education, Entertainment, Family, Giveaway, Holiday, Holiday Gift Guide, Main Page Post, Mommy Ramblings, Review, Sale, Shopping, Special Offers, Toys

Fit Evolution, Steel Strong DVD-15 Minute Workouts-6 Week Program & Giveaway!!! #HolidayGiftGuide

Too busy to workout?  Not any more?  I just received the 6 week program  STEEL STRONG with Reaghan Hayden on DVD.  It contains 12 workouts all less than 15 minutes.  We all have 15 minutes right?  You can do that anytime and anywhere because there is no equipment needed.  Anyone from beginner to advanced can do this workout.  Filled with motivational quotes to keep you moving!  Are you ready to EVOLVE?  The next six weeks are going to pass anyway.  Do you want to do something for just 15 minutes a workout that will tighten, tone, firm and boost your metabolism?  I’m in are you?  Let’s compare notes in 6 weeks.  Mommy Ramblings thinks that the Fit Evolution Steel Strong DVD makes a great gift this holiday season so you can find it on our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide!!!

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Fit Evolution Steel Strong is revolutionizing the fitness industry. This is a 6 week program that offers 12 workouts all less than 15 minutes in length. All the workouts can be completed with no equipment and practically no space needed. This program can be done anywhere, anytime and best of all it creates lean muscle which is your bodies natural fat burner. So when you body is at rest, it is still burning sufficient calories.

This program does not just offer you a workout. Your instructor and creator, Reaghan, believes in building confidence and motivation in each person. So you will find great motivational boosts throughout the Fit Evolution Program to keep you going and keep you wanting to come back for more! You won’t find another program like this. Or another trainer like Reaghan. So take this program anywhere you wish, travel, vacation, living room, beach, you name it this program can be done. Well maybe not an airplane bathroom, that might be too small.

Reaghan has been working in the fitness business for 6 years. She is an ACE certified Group Fitness Instructor, with continuing education in pre and postnatal exercise along with women over 50 fitness. But it has been more than 6 years ago when her passion for fitness became apparent to her. As a child in her neighborhood growing up, she dreamed of teaching a fitness class, in fact, she wanted to train the moms in the neighborhood, right on their neighborhood beach. She never did get that opportunity then, but she is making up for it now! Reaghan is the creator of Fit Evolution! A 6 week fitness program that was created in a hotel room! This program is a fitness program that can be done anywhere! No gym, equipment, or fancy footwork needed! Reaghan wanted to create a program that was short, sweet, and to the point. That is just what Fit Evolution Fitness DVD is. Twelve, 15 minute workouts that will leave you feeling stronger, more confident and best of all…its leaves you with you most natural fat fighter, lean muscle.

Reaghan is the mother of 3 children, ages 7,3, and 9 months. She vowed to herself after baby number 3 that she would get herself back into better shape then she has ever been. After a surprise C-section took her off guard, she stopped at nothing to get her body back and she did just that in only 9 months. Reaghan is a United States Navy EOD wife, she has been through many deployments, she has fought her own battles with depression and addiction. Reaghan truly understands what it is like coming from your lowest point and rising up to any challenge that comes her way. She is a real person, she truly cares about you. She wants to share what fitness has done for her, she wants you to reach your full potential as a person. Reaghan knows that if you are not happy on the inside, nothing can happen on the outside. She is a true believer in taking care of yourself first! She speaks from experience.

 

Would you like to win the Fit Evolution Steel Strong 6 Week Program DVD?  Just enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.  Good Luck!!!  Open to US Residents.

 

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Safety 1st- 30 Years Of Keeping Children Safe Anniversary Car Seat Giveaway!!! #EveryoneOnBoard

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How crazy is it that Safety-1st recently celebrated  the 30th Anniversary of the  Baby on Board sign?  Since the sign’s launch in 1984, some of the original generation of babies on board are now young parents with children of their own. Over the years, Safety 1st has continued its commitment to leadership in child Safety with product offerings including car seats, strollers and home safety equipment. Safety 1st Car Seats are better than ever with unparalleled safety through unique features like side impact protection, a 5-point harness system and a new 4-point base for easy adjustment.  Safety 1st is getting #EveryoneOnBoard for safety!!!

My first child was born a few years after the Baby on Board sign made its debut and so it’s something as a mom I am very aware of.  I had one of the first signs on my minivan along with my first three children and now I have a brand new sign and can you believe I still have 2 little ones in car seats.  Talk about moms through the generations!  With five kids, Safety 1st has always been a brand I trust and their staying power throughout the years makes them have even greater appeal for me.  Take the Diamond Pledge for Children’s Safety on their Facebook Page HERE

Safety 1st Air Protect Car Seats are so comfortable and roomy.  I think they look more comfortable than the adult seats in the car.  I cannot believe how much room my kids have in their Advance SE 65 Air + Convertible Car Seats.  We recently took a very long road trip to see the Harlem Globetrotters and my boys were so comfy they slept soundly almost the entire way up and half the way back.  The air side protection is really nice when they are sleeping because it supports their heads so they are not flopping over or crunched up.  The cup holder is handy and the seats are easy to clean and look great.

 

#EveryoneOnBoard 1st-- Advance 65 Air+ Convertible Car Seat features Air Protect + to keep children from 5-65 pounds safer in the car.

#EveryoneOnBoard-Safety 1st– Advance 65 Air+ Convertible Car Seat features Air Protect + to keep children from 5-65 pounds safer in the car.

 

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Safety 1st introduces the latest seat featuring Air Protect + technology: Positively the safest choice in full body protection.

The Advance 65 Air+ Convertible Car Seat features Air Protect + to keep children from 5-65 pounds safer in the car. Air Protect + combines the advanced protection of the Air Protect® cushion system with patented GCell HX™ foam designed with hexagonal shapes for superior protection around the torso. TOGETHER they provide full body side impact protection.

In addition to Air Protect +, the Advance 65 Air + uses a steel-reinforced metal frame for extra stability and includes a 4-position recline for an optimal fit to your vehicle. We’ve also included color-coded belt paths and installation labels to help you install it quickly and correctly, which means less time getting it into your car and more time to enjoy the ride.

  • Super-extended weight range
  • Rear-facing 5-40 pounds
  • Forward-facing 22-65 pounds
  • Featuring Air Protect +
  • Air Protect® advanced cushion system protects your child’s head, where it’s needed most
  • GCell HX™ patented foam with hexagonal shapes inside the seat provides superior body protection
  • TOGETHER they provide full body side impact protection
  • Easy to identify color-coded belt paths and installation labels
  • Steel reinforced metal frame
  • 10-position headrest grows with your child
  • No re-thread harness
  • 4-position recline for optimal fit to your car
  • LATCH equipped
  • Integrated cup holder
  • Meets or exceeds Federal and ASTM Safety Standards

 

Would you like a chance to win a  Safety 1st Advance SE 65 Air + Convertible Car Seat? Now how did I know you would say YES?  Just enter below using the Rafflecopter widget.  Thank you to Safety 1st for the review seats and for sponsoring this spectacular 30th anniversary giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!!  Good Luck!!!  Open to US residents.

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Touch Screen Friendly Glider Gloves Review & Giveaway!!! #HolidayGiftGuide

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Most of the country has been hit with record-breaking low temperatures in an Arctic blast that is hitting far too soon, since it is still officially autumn.  If you are in one of those areas your hands are going to need protection when you go out.  If you have a smart phone, you do not want to have to remove your gloves to use your phone, but sometimes you have to because your phone is not responsive.  Well, no need for frosty fingers, you can have your gloves and your smart phone too.

Glider Gloves are touch screen friendly and are made with  special conductive micro-fibers woven into the liner, they are able to bridge the conductive gap your gloves create between you and your device. The result? Amazing touch response along your entire hand and fingers and allows for precise control and unparalleled touch response of your touchscreen device – no matter which part of the glove you use.

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Available in Urban or the thicker, warmer Winter the gloves make a great gift this holiday season.  You will find Glider Gloves on our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide.

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I tried out a pair of the Winter and they are toasty warm and I am still able to expertly navigate my iPhone 6.  The gloves are comfortable and stretch nicely giving you a great range of motion with your hands.

Glider Gloves is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!  One lucky blog reader will win a pair of Touch Screen Friendly Glider Gloves!  Thank you to Glider Gloves for the review gloves and for sponsoring this awesome giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!!  Open to US residents.

Touch Screen Friendly Glider Gloves Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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

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Filed under Christmas, Fashion, Giveaway, Main Page Post, Mommy Ramblings, Review

The Three Dogateers DVD Giveaway!!! #TheThreeDogateers

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Three pampered pooches left to guard the house on Christmas Eve become fearless DOGATEERS when thieves break in and steal every present, every ornament—even the yuletide tree! Vowing to save Christmas, the three canines set out in search of Santa, the only one who can help them on their quest.

The Three Dogateers is Dove “Family-Approved”!

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The Three Dogateers DVD Giveaway Rules:
Each household is only eligible to win One (1) The Three Dogateers DVD via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below.  Good Luck!!!

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Filed under Christmas, Dogs, Entertainment, Giveaway, Main Page Post, Mommy Ramblings, Review