I love the trend of adorable animals that have been showing up on hats, coats, boots and more for kids. I love how in some cases this trend has carried over into adult products because I find animal gloves much cuter than regular gloves too, so why not make them in adult size? I recently got a chance to check out two pairs of adorable animal gloves for women from D&Y. D&Y stands for david and young accessories, where you can find hats, scarves and gloves for women and hats for men. The critter kingdom animal gloves come in panda, penguin, lion, moose, mouse, monkey and deer designs. There is also a very similar line of gloves that are bears that have several colors to choose from. For my review I was sent the moose and panda gloves. I have big hands for a woman and often find that women’s gloves are too small for me, so I was pleasantly surprised that I could get these gloves on. They are 50% acrylic and 50% Viscose. I’m not really familiar with the material but they feel fairly firm when wearing them, however they were a bit tight when I first put them on and after a few wears they had stretched to fit comfortably. They can be worn as fingerless gloves or as mittens. When you want to wear them as fingerless gloves, you can pull the mitten portion onto the back of your hand, where a button is found that allows you to hook the mitten to the backside of your hand, so it stays in place. I’ve worn these adorable animal gloves for a few weeks now and I love how I can use them in fingerless glove mode when I need to grasp something or work on something small. Yet, if we take off to the store last minute and don’t warm the car up, I can slip them into mitten mode to warm my fingers up quickly. I think they will be great for springtime as well because when worn in glove mode they provide some warmth but they aren’t going to make your hands too warm because the tips are exposed to the air. For me, my hands are the coldest part of my body at any given time so I will appreciate being able to use these well into spring as well. I’ve gotten lots of comments about how cute these are from cashiers and other people in town and I have to agree that they are just too cute.

Buy it: You can purchase d&e products online at the david and young accessories website. Their critter gloves are $24.00.

Lucky Puppy is a playful line of onesies, hoodies, and t-shirts. The name Lucky Puppy fits the company very well. Lucky Puppy graciously donates a percentage of their proceeds to different animal organizations to help make more “Lucky Puppies”.

Lucky Puppy founder Sandi Hochman is by nature very giving. After adopting her dog Maddie, Sandi found a passion for helping dogs in need. She wanted to create a line of Children’s clothing that would help them show love for their pets. Sandi also wanted the line to be able to help pets so, that’s when the idea of donating a percentage of the proceeds came to her. At this time, Lucky Puppy is teaming up with The Grey Muzzle organization. Grey Muzzle helps homeless senior dogs.  Nationwide, they help fulfill different needs of shelters, rescue organizations, sanctuaries and other non-profit agencies.

For our review we received Lucky Puppies Pink Raglan t-shirt and Dark Pink Burnout t-shirt. These shirts are adorable and the girls love them.

Lucky Puppy has “struck a chord” with me. Nine months ago, we lost our beloved golden lab, Colt. Colt was in no way homeless but, he was a senior dog with some issues. It breaks my heart to think of him or any other dog (of any age) being alone. Purchasing from Lucky
Puppy is a WIN/WIN, you get fun shirts and you help a dog in need.

To learn more about Lucky Puppy or see all of their products go to their website, Facebook, or twitter pages.

GIVEAWAY: One lucky winner will win their choice of onesies or t-shirt.

To enter: MANDATORY: Visit the Lucky Puppy website and tell me one other item that you’d like to own, or something you learned.

Additional entries: Only count if the mandatory entry is completed. Leave each entry in its own comment. Leave proof of your entry
whenever possible.

Entries:

1) Follow me by Google+, email, Facebook or Twitter. 1 entry for each way.

2) Display my button on your blog. 2 entries.

3) Tweet about this giveaway using the green retweet button. 1 entry. You can tweet once daily.

4) Vote for me on the fence (right sidebar). 1 entry. Can be done daily

5) Follow the sponsor on Facebook or twitter. 1 entry.

This giveaway is open to the continental US and will end February 9th at 11:59 pm EST. Winner will be chosen via random.org and will have 48 hours to reply to the winning notification email to claim their prize before a new winner will be selected.

Have you been able to keep up with your new years resolutions so far? Most people make new years resolutions every year to lose weight and get healthy. Of course, changing old eating habits and getting used to exercising regularly are big changes that are difficult if you struggle to find healthier food that still tastes good to you. Tropicana has their trop50 line that has 50% less calories, sugar while having no artificial sweeteners. This sounded too good to be true, but Ryan likes Tropicana orange juice so I thought it was worth a shot. When we went to the store we picked up some trop50 for review and I didn’t explain to Ryan that trop50 gets it’s name based on how ti has 50% less calories and sugar. After he had tried a glass I asked him what he thought and he said “what do you mean, it’s good..it’s just orange juice” so I explained that it has less calories and sugar. He was pleasantly surprised at how it tasted fine, unlike how most diet or healthy foods have a difference in taste. I personally don’t care for orange juice at all so I can’t give my opinion, but even my 5 year old niece drank trop50 without mentioning that it tasted any different, so trop50 definitely gets two thumbs up from us.

To celebrate trop50, we have a 50.00 spa and wellness gift card to giveaway.

To enter: Complete any of the tasks below. No mandatory entry for this one.

Additional entries: Leave each entry in its own comment. Leave proof of your entry whenever possible.

Entries:

1) Follow me by Google+, email, Facebook or Twitter. 1 entry for each way.

2) Display my button on your blog. 2 entries.

3) Tweet about this giveaway using the green retweet button. 1 entry. You can tweet once daily.

4) Vote for me on the fence (right sidebar). 1 entry. Can be done daily

5) Follow the sponsor on Facebook. 1 entry.

This giveaway is open to the US and will end 2/7 at 11:59 pm est. Winner will be chosen via random.org and will have 48 hours to reply to my email and claim their prize before a new winner will be selected.

I tend to avoid politics or controversial topics here on my blog. Vaccines are a controversial topic for many parents and in some cases I understand why. When I was asked to help spread the word about the dangers of infant meningitis I couldn’t say no. In my view, it’s great that parents are looking into the details and weighing the pro’s and con’s for each individual vaccine. Perhaps in some cases, the affects of the disease or illness aren’t as serious as the potential side effects or reactions to the vaccine. Other times, the disease that the vaccine protects against is extremely serious. Meningitis is a disease that, when caught by infants will end in death for one out of every 16 babies. Of those who survive, many will have seizures, require amputations, or suffer from learning disabilities as a result of the disease. Currently, vaccines are available for adults and recommended for those who are parents or who work with babies. Right now, a vaccine is being made that hopefully will be a approved soon, so that the vaccine will be available to be given directly to infants. That way, they can be protected without having to require every adult around them to be protected just to keep them safe. Below you can watch a video about infant meningitis. There is also a protect infants now petition that you can sign if you’d like to ask the cdc to recommend the meningitis vaccine for infants.

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central andMeningitis Angels. This campaign was made possible in part through support provided by Novartis Vaccines. A small donation to a charity of my choice was made in my name from Mom Central as a thank-you for participating. All opinions in this posting are 100% my own.

“What Children Need to Learn to Read” is a wonderful book full of helpful tips, different teaching techniques, playful activities, amusing games, and silly songs that help make learning to read fun. This book is a wonderful resource for parents. It helps guide you through the challenges you may face when teaching kids to read.

Author Michelle Vallene is President and founder of Learners Lane. Created in 2000, Learners Lane was developed to help parents teach their kids to read. Learners Lane offers a variety of educational books and games.

With a 5 year old and a 2.5 year old this is the perfect time for us to read “What Children Need to Learn to Read.” Both of my girls really enjoy reading. Savannah has been reading the early reader books on her own for a year now. Cheyenne is starting to sound out her letters and is trying to put words together. I am so thankful that they enjoy reading because at their age, I did not.

I enjoyed reading this book, we really like the games. One of our favorites is “Go Fish Sight Words. To play, you write two sets of sight words on note cards. Then just like the regular go fish game, players must ask opponents for their desired card. If the opponent has your matching card, you keep going. If they don’t have your matching card, the next player gets a chance. Whoever collects the most matched sight word cards wins! The girls just love playing this game.

I think this book is a great tool. I wish I had gotten it when Savannah was a toddler. I suggest it for any parent but, especially for parents who have kids struggling with reading.

You can find “What Children Need to Learn to Read” on the Learners Lane website, Amazon, Facebook, or twitter.

COCOA Energy Restore – #201 shirley pebbles

On Toby’s Terms – #181 Kristi L. 24  NW Homesteader 116 tammy dodson , 15 Janet F 120 Erin Cash

Eraslets – #76 Nicole Hopkins

Santa Clause Is Comin’ To Town - Jennifer Marie

I don’t know about you but my purse becomes a huge cave in which I can never find what I am looking for.  I can never seem to find that pen I know I dropped in there, the spare change that I need to get ride of because it makes the purse crazy heavy or just the keys because it is cold outside her in Michigan and I just want to get into my car and get going.  Well, I am happy to share with you today the perfect solution to this problem and that is the Glitz See Purse Light.

As you can see this pretty little jewel is a nice addition to your purse because it is pretty.  It has a little switch that you turn on and then all you have to do is shake it and on pops the light.  The light lasts about 20 seconds from what I am able to determine.  In most situations, one shake is all I need to find that lost cell phone as it rings away deep in the cave that is my purse.

My biggest question about the Glitz See Purse Light was if it was going to be able to product enough light that I would actually be able to find what I was looking for.  I was extremely pleased with the amount of light that it gives off.  And it is not a super harsh light either.  It is pleasing to the eye and yet bright enough to find what you are looking for.  I even found that I was able to use it to read some directions when I was stopped at a stop light and trying to figure out where I was going.  To me that was a huge plus.  Now that I think about it, this would be something that would be great to put on a key chain so that you have a light when you are trying to get the key in the lock at night.  Also, great to give to a child who walks to school in the early hours or just needs a little light some times.  Please be sure to stop by GlitzSee’s website and check out the other colors this product comes in.

 The Meerkat Wars is an interesting tale of a ordinary house cat vacationing with its owners who come across some odd animals that kind of remind him of normal house cats in some way and totally not in others.  The ideas of these similarities and difference starts the great conversations that will eventually prepare this simple house cat for the wild terrain in Africa and the lives that there meerkats live.

My favorite part of H.S. Toshack’s writing style is that he took the time to ensure that the manner in which the story is written is though and accurate but yet also not written too dumbed down.  This is a personal pet peeve of mine and I was thrilled to find that H.S. Toshack took to the time to write the story in this fashion.  It is evident that a lot of research hours went into the writing of this story.  I for one was not sure what a Meerkat even was before starting this book and now I know more than I every thought that I would.  This book was very educational without being overly textbookie.

I found when I left this book laying on the dining room table one evening that it mysteriously disappeared.  Now while it would not surprise me to find my ten year old, who is an avid reader sitting on his bed reading it, I was very surprised when it was my eleven year old who had picked it up to read.  This is the child that will find anything possible to but read because it is difficult for him.  This is was what he had to say:  I really liked the there was not only words but some nice pictures to go along with it.  I was able to picture what the cat and meerkats were doing and what they might look like.  It has some tough topics like getting hurt and dying but I thought that it was cool that the cat was willing to help to trying to bring all the meerkats together.  I don’t know if most animals would do that.  I think that this is a book that some of my friends might like. This is a pretty high compliment coming from a kid who really struggles to make it though the simplest of books.  You can purchase The Meerkat Wars through Amazon.

KinderGlo are cool, kid friendly, LED night lights from a company called Blue Moon Lites. Blue Moon Lites design multifunctional products; they use current technology and standards to make products that fulfill the desires and requests of their customers.

KinderGlo night lights currently come in eight playful characters- tyrannosaurus, angel, moon, moose, hippo, brontosaurus, bear, and elephant. They are always cool to the touch and provide a soft glow that helps your little one feel safe and secure. Each character is made of pliable and resilient nontoxic materials. Kiddos can choose between red, blue, or green light and a 30 minute or all night glows. Each charge will last for 8 to 10 hours.

For our review, Savannah received the KinderGlo Hippo. Hippo is 5.25″ x 4.5″ x 3″. She is BPA and lead free! Savannah just loves her new Hippo night light. She has named her Pinky the Hippo. Pinky helps Savannah read in bed without disturbing her little sister sleeping across the room. Many times, Savannah has fallen asleep while reading to Pinky.

As a parent, I love knowing that Pinky is a safe and kid friendly product. I don’t have to worry about it getting to hot or little hands playing with outlets. It’s a win/win!

KingerGlo is kindly offering a $5 off code for night lights purchased on their website, just use coupon code XF0IOWVDZWB1

You can find all the KinderGlo night lights on their website, Facebook, and twitter pages.

GIVEAWAY: One lucky winner will win a KinderGlo night light of their choice.

To enter: MANDATORY: Visit the KinderGlo website and tell me one other item that you’d like to own, or something you learned.

Additional entries: Only count if the mandatory entry is completed. Leave each entry in its own comment. Leave proof of your entry
whenever possible.

Entries:

1) Follow me by Google+, email, Facebook or Twitter. 1 entry for each way.

2) Display my button on your blog. 2 entries.

3) Tweet about this giveaway using the green retweet button. 1 entry. You can tweet once daily.

4) Vote for me on the fence (right sidebar). 1 entry. Can be done daily.

5) Follow the sponsor on Facebook or twitter. 1 entry.

This giveaway is open to the continental US and Canada, it will end February 3rd at 11:59 pm EST. Winner will be chosen via random.org and will have 48 hours to reply to the winning notification email to claim their prize before a new winner will be selected.

Forget The Resolutions Giveaway Hop