erinjeany

As Seen on WBFF Fox 45: TopCashBack.com Gifts for Dads

2017-06-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Father's Day!

If you're here after seeing me on this morning's segment about gifts for Dad on Baltimore's WBFF Fox 45 I want to take a moment to welcome you and say how honored I was to represent one of my favorite websites, TopCashBack.com and share these products with you!

TopCashBack.com is an awesome way to earn cash back on your purchases that I highly recommend and support. They have the highest payouts and best customer service ensuring your experience with them is always perfect! I love getting money back on my online purchases and so will you!

About TopCashBack.com

TopCashback has partnered with a wide range of stores to offer discounts on your online shopping. When you shop via their partner stores, they will pay a commission for your purchases. Your TopCashback account will be credited and so long as you don't return the goods they will be able to pass this commission onto you as 'cashback', Easy!

Perks!

Free to join.
Get a bonus on your cashback rebate when requesting payout by Amazon.com Gift Card or American Express® Rewards Card.
Free payouts through ACH, PayPal, Amazon.com Gift Card and American Express® Rewards Card.
Be paid whenever you choose. No minimum pay-out threshold.
Stack the savings with cashback + coupons.
Over 4,121 Online Stores.
Invite your friends and earn $10 for each.

Incase you missed here, here are the products featured!

If Dad is in the market for a new laptop, HP has some amazing offers on new desktops, laptops, smart devices and more. Check out the HP Chromebook, which is great if you need something for both home and office-use at an affordable price! This HP 14" Chromebook comes with an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB Memory and 16GB eMMC Flash Memory. Best part, it's only $249 at Walmart.com and you will earn 3% cash back!

Looking for another device? TopCashBack also has tons of opportunities to earn cash back on your electronic purchases from Best Buy, Amazon, Target, Dell, and more!

K55 Father’s Day Bundle is perfect for every coffee loving Dad! Comes with a coffee maker, green mountain variety pack, a k-cup reusable filter and a travel mug; this specific bundle can only be purchased through TopCashBack.com earning up to 8% cashback at Keurig.com Price: $114.99 (savings of over $40!) Other Keurig machines can be purchased via TopCashback at Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohls and Walmart!

KettlePizza Gas Pro is a must have accessory for those pizza loving Dads out there. The KettlePizza transform grills into high heat pizza ovens. Easy to use, no assembly required. Fits most gas grills with 3 or more burners. Price varies, can be purchased online at KettlePizza, Walmart and Amazon. Starts at $200 for different models. If you purchase it at TopCashBack.com through Walmart.com you will earn 3% back on this purchase!

The products I showcased today are just a few of the THOUSANDS of products you could earn cash back on through over 4,000 retailers!

Happy Shopping!

Products featured were complimentary for testing purposes. This post contains affiliate links.

Love it! Super Cute Kawaii Anime Style Girls Digital Watch #Aposon

2017-03-17T20:37:00.001-04:00

We LOVE everything we can find that is super cute and kawaii so of course we loved these watches right away! With the press of a button the time pops up or can easily be pushed back down to protect it. Setting the time is as simple as two buttons on the side of the pop up!

Made of quality rubber and plastic these watches are fun and durable for girls of any age! It just as easily fits me as it fits my 2 year old! Available in Pink and Purple both have the same adorable girl design, anime style cat on the band and clear easy to read pop up digital clock. I also LOVE that they come in frustration free packaging! It made opening them super easy when you have an impatient toddler that cannot wait to see what came in the mail for her! I can't wait to both wear one and match! Such a cute Mommy and Me idea! I let her pick which one she wanted, and she decided on the pink for her and the purple for me!

Get the PINK one here!

Get the PURPLE one here!

Right now they are both priced at only $9.99 and they both ship FREE with Prime!

Disclosure: Both were bought with an incredibly deep discount in exchange for sharing. If you purchase through my affiliate links I may earn a few cents from the sale that goes to the upkeep of this website!

Baltimore Orioles Opening Day 2017 Date

2017-03-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

LET'S GO O's! Excited for another season?

The Orioles 2017 home opener is April 3

against the Toronto Blue Jays!

Family days spent at the ballpark are always a great time!

Right click the image to save this official schedule to your computer for reference or to print later!

You can also visit these links to the Official Orioles site to see more information on:

If you have children who love baseball as much as mine make sure to also inquire at the ticket office about the dugout club! For less than $30 your child gets tickets to a certain amount of predetermined games, special giveaways at those games and a package mailed to your house FULL of awesome Orioles swag! Last year Elijah got a messenger bag, a hat, a lanyard, sunglasses and more! It's totally way more value then what you pay!

FREE Baltimore Family Event: 62nd Saint Patrick Parade & Shamrock 5K Race - Sunday, March 12, 2017

2017-03-06T22:01:00.000-05:00

Picture Via Baltimore.org

This Sunday, March 12, 2017 head downtown for the 62nd Annual Baltimore Saint Patrick Parade and the Shamrock 5K Race. Join tens of thousands of marchers, runners, and spectators celebrating and a day of family fun. The Shamrock 5K Race kicks off at 1:15pm at Charles and Franklin Streets and the Saint Patrick Parade at 2:00pm from the staging area by the Washington Monument, proceeding south on Charles Street. Official Parade Mass at 10:45am at the Baltimore Basilica.

For full details, parking information and street closures please visit Baltimore.org

Also upcoming in March (though not free):

New Adorable Beauty and the Beast Build-A-Bear!

2017-02-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

I have been super excited to see with the new live action Beauty and the Beast how much new and adorable merchandise has been released! These new Build-A-Bear characters are definitely one of my favorite things so far!

Belle and Beast bears both are super adorable and detailed. The foot pads are special designs with the Beauty and the Beast logo on one and a special image to represent the character on the other. The collection also includes two different Belle dresses, her heels, a Beast ballroom outfit, and even the enchanted rose!

I can't wait to take Ariel to get her a Belle!

See the collection at your local Build-A-Bear or on their website!

While you're waiting for the new movie you can also buy the original on Amazon Instant Video right now for only $14.99!

This post contains amazon affiliate links. If you buy through my link I may earn a few cents from your purchase that I use for the upkeep of this website.

Roku users: Watch Superbowl 51 FREE on Sunday!

2017-02-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

If you have a Roku streaming device instead of cable and are bummed about missing out getting to watch the Super Bowl you are in luck! Tomorrow, Sunday, February 5th, you can stream Super Bowl 51 for FREE in real time! The FOX Sports Go channel typically needs a TV provider log-in, but tomorrow only the channel will be unlocked for you to enjoy the big game!!!

Streamers in the FOX Sports GO channel will have live FREE access to:

The pre-game show featuring the NFL on FOX crew starting at 2pm ET until kick off
The FIELD PASS stream to check out the sights and sounds in the stadium (you’ll feel like you’re on the field in Houston for warm ups!)
The highly anticipated game between the Patriots and Falcons starting at 6:30pm ET
The entertaining Halftime show with Lady Gaga!!!
The can’t-miss commercials

Check out Roku's official post about it here.

Easy Scrapbooking: Scrap your event program! Example using Kotoricon 2017 Program

2017-02-03T23:45:00.001-05:00

When I am talking to people who want to scrapbook but don't their biggest reasons why are usually time and money. Since I have been doing this forever I have found so many creative ways that take under an hour and basically follow the "use what you have" mantra to quickly capture your time at an event. Today I am going to show you a quick and easy event scrapbook made using the actual events program.

In January Mike and I went to New Jersey for a little anime convention we had never been to, Kotoricon. KotoriCon, the "little anime con with a big heart" is hosted by the Japanese Anime Guild at Rowan College at Gloucester County. We had a blast and highly recommend it. It was small, but packed full of all the wonderful things we look for in a good anime convention. Wonderful voice actor guests with no lines for free autographs and selfies, informative and fun panels as well as tons of great artists and vendors in the dealers room. The parking was free and the registration was very affordable making this a great 'day trip' con that will not break the bank.

One of my favorite parts of going to the anime conventions is that we get to meet the voice actors and get autographs and photos, the problem is we go to so many I needed to come up with a creative and fast way to showcase a quick overview of what we did there before I forget all the fun little details. The best way I have found is using the events programs!

For Kotoricon I was thrilled to see their program is just perfect for this! Good quality and good sized I knew right away that it would be perfect inside of one of my Smashbook pockets so I sat down with some supplies and got to work. Supplies used for this scrapbook:

1 Kotoricon Program
1 K&Company Smash Folder Pocket
Washi Tape (the skinny orange and yellow is from this rainbow pack that's under $3)
Glue Stick
Scissors
Stickers
Printer
Full Page Photo Paper
A few Project Life cards for journaling (or you could use colored cardstock and make your own!)

The first thing I did was the pocket. I used a glue stick and attached a large Project Life card to the front and then went around the border with some washi, adding some stripes to the corners. Then I added two stickers from one of my Happy Planner sticker books and wrote a little intro of what the event is.

Next I took my project life cards and a piece of paper and made a small envelope to hold them and covered it with matching washi. I didn't do a lot of journaling, just basic bits and pieces. Since I am using the program itself I didn't feel the need to document who we met and what we did, since it can be found inside!

I loved how simple it all was yet how cute. It really came together fast, under a half hour up to this point. The only thing left to do was the photos! I went through and chose our favorite photos, especially a good one of each of us with each guest and some of them autographing our stuff. I also added in some photos of our travel and the snow and of course of our sushi lunch! I did some very basic editing for color and then hit print on the folder so that it would bring up the options to arrange all the photos on one sheet for printing. I chose to print them all on 2 pages of photo paper using the "9 Wallets" layout, with fit to frame so they were all uniform sized and small enough to fit into the program. I then cut them out leaving a small white edge around each. I attached each one using only a single piece of washi at the top, allowing the photos to be flipped up to see the information below them.

That's it! Simple scrapbook using the event program in under an hour with minimal supplies! I hope this inspires you to make some simple scrap events of your own! If you do, share them with me by tagging me on twitter or instagram at @erinjeany! Happy Scrapping!

#wordnesswednesday My Christmas babies!

2017-01-04T20:43:00.000-05:00

My handsome Christmas man!
A photo posted by Erin Mcallister (@erinjeany) on Dec 25, 2016 at 1:12pm PST

Baby Girl is so tired from opening presents! look at that face! 😍😘 #christmas
A photo posted by Erin Mcallister (@erinjeany) on Dec 25, 2016 at 1:10pm PST

My 2017 Happy Planner Overview/ Weekly Spread/ Planner Clips #planner

2017-01-03T21:25:00.000-05:00

Hello there and Happy 2017!!!

I've been keeping paper planners, compositions book journals and scrapbooks since the early 90s so even though this seems like the newest fad for most people it's something that has been old news to me for a long time. But since the online planner community is growing so large the last couple years I thought it was a good idea to start sharing mine on my blog as well!

My 2017 setup is a Mambi (Me and My Big Ideas) Create 365: The Big Happy Planner in Rainbow Foil. One of my best friends, Meredith, saw the design the day it came out and just knew it would be the one I wanted. Originally I wasn't completely sold on it being a horizontal layout, but eventually I wanted the design more than the layout. I bought the box kit from Michaels using a 50% off one item coupon back in November so I was able to get it for twenty- something dollars. You can also buy Happy Planners on Amazon and Hobby Lobby, as well as other various stores but I find the sales at Michaels and the coupons usually work out to be a better price. If you put the Michael's App on your phone and sign up for a rewards account (both which are free) you will get special coupons all the time such as 50% off any regularly priced item or 20% off your entire purchase, helping you to save tons of money

So back to the planner. Happy planner are disc ring planners so they are not compatible with 3 or 6 hole punch accessories. They are compatible though with the Staples Arc product line. The big happy planner is 11 disks and pages are full size, which is great for what I am using it for this year. In previous years I have kept my journaling and planning seperate, using two smaller A5 or personal sized planners/comp books, but this year with the horizontal layout I decided to combine both into one, so I am using my monthly layouts more for planning and my weekly layouts more for journaling and memories. This is going to mean my planner is a little more crowded but overall I think I will be much happier (and organized) with this double use planner.

So the first thing I did was a little bit of customization adding some cute keychains to the top disc using some ribbon I love. I could not be happier with my little fuzzy ball fox and that is definitely my favorite now!

Owning this #kawaii #pink #sparkly #fuzzy #ball #fox #keychain was #lifegoals. I can now die happy. ❤💎🦄
A photo posted by Erin Mcallister (@erinjeany) on Dec 19, 2016 at 1:45pm PST

I also have a cute vinyl Tsum Tsum stack and a adorable Hallmark felt Ariel ornament, both that I found at Target. Then I added my name using adorable purple bling glitter alphas.
I had bought this really awesome set of 48 gel pens earlier in the year so I am excited to use them with it. I also am seriously excited to use tons of my K&CompanySmash accessories. I have some left over from previous Smashbooks, but I also have a ton I was able to pickup during a Birthday shopping haul at Tuesday Morning where they had the supplies from .49 to 2.99. That was amazing!

Each month starts with a little monthly fill in sheet and I decided to use mine a little different, keeping track of not only what my current interests are, but also both children. I kind of just quickly filled it out but next month I will come up with a better way to arrange it. I also need to put in my fitness goal info so I can track that monthly. I think reorganizing this page so I can use it to keep track of monthly info better will be really helpful using this as my planner and journal together.

So far before the pen I have a Tsum Tsum theme for January's Monthly Layout and decided to use the left sidebar this month for my shows. I will definitely use it for something else in later months or even possibly cover over it this month, but I haven't decided for what yet and the white space was bothering me. I used packaging from tsum stuff I had bought, official tsum stickers that came with a Tsum stationery pack from Target's $1 spot, and Victoria Thatcher's Tsum Tsum kit.

My weekly layout this week uses a combination of CDB Planner Prints New Years 2017 Gold Kit and Victoria Thatcher's Gratitude kit. I love the gold and pink together and thought the start of the new year was a great time to stop and think of all I have and everything to be grateful for. I will journal each day with a little of what I did and what the kids are up to. If we attend an event or something exciting I want to share, I will either add a scrapbook layout page into my planner or I will create a new scrapbook for the year. I haven't decided.

I also have been busy making planner clips for myself and that I will be listing on my Etsy Shop this week.

Here's just a few of the adorable K&CompanySmash accessories I have started to use on my planner for this year! How cute are they! I also have a really adorable unicorn slider I will be adding this week!

So far I like this year's planner and look forward to sharing more about it. Stop back in weekly to see my newest layouts. Follow me on instagram for daily updates @erinjeany and don't forget to subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email to keep up with all my posts!

This post contains amazon affiliate links, anything bought from amazon using my link gives me a few cents commision on qualifying sales towards buying my children something new they want. So please consider using my links and thank you!

#MusicMonday : OneRepublic - I lived

2017-01-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

I thought this was the perfect song to start off the new year. If you haven't heard it, I have included the lyrics below.

I hope you are blessed and take the time to really LIVE in 2017! I hope you do it all!- Erin

Hope when you take that jump

You don't feel the fall

Hope when the water rises

You built a wall

Hope when the crowd screams out

It's screaming your name

Hope if everybody runs

You choose to stay

Hope that you fall in love

And it hurts so bad

The only way you can know

You give it all you have

And I hope that you don't suffer

But take the pain...

Hope when the moment comes

You'll say

I...I did it all

I owned every second that this world could give

I saw so many places

The things that I did

Yeah, with every broken bone

I swear I lived

Hope that you spend your days

But they all add up

And when that sun goes down

Hope you raise your cup

Oh, oh

I wish that I could witness

All your joy and all your pain

But until my moment comes

I'll say

I...I did it all

I owned every second that this world could give

I saw so many places

The things that I did

Yeah, with every broken bone

I swear I lived

Oh whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh

With every broken bone

I swear I lived

With every broken bone

I swear I

I...I did it all

I owned every second that this world could give

I saw so many places

The things that I did

Yeah, with every broken bone

I swear I lived

Oh whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh

I swear I lived

Oh whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh

This post contains an Amazon affiliate link, I earn a few cents from every purchase towards buying my children new things they want. Thanks!

Demo and Review: MorphPen 3D Printing Pen #trymorphpen

2016-11-26T21:30:00.003-05:00

3D printing pens have become all the rage lately, and with good reason. They are fun, educational and finally are affordable for your average households. I have looked forward to getting one and trying it out so I was thrilled when I was able to play with one of the best starter pens on the market, the MorphPen.

Before you think you have no use for a 3D Printing Pen, think again. They have way more uses than you realize.

Build models and prototypes
Enhance 2D artwork with color and texture
Create jewelry and accessories
Make clothing
Create plastic parts and accessories for dolls or toys
Make magnets
Add a real-life dimension to learning
Encourage your creativity
Help your children look at art in a whole new way

They are just as fun for me as an adult as they are for my 8 year old son. Once the plastic hardens back it makes a super sturdy, durable creation! I didn't expect that! The MorphPen comes in a nice, sturdy, box with a magnetic closure. It's really handy because everything can be packed back up and stored away right in the box it comes in.

It comes with everything you need to get started:

MorphPen
Manual
Power Supply
USB cord
Tools
Extra Nozzle
5 ABS filaments in red, orange, yellow, green and blue

The manual is very easy to read and broken down to understand every part of care, maintenance and use of your pen. I recommend fully reading the manual before you even plug in your MorphPen.

Use is also very easy to understand. It does take a few moments to get it loaded at first, but once you know what you are doing it is a smooth process to load and unload the pen with new filaments. The speed adjustment is very useful for helping you control the pen. The longer you use it the more you will get used to what speed works best for you and your designs. This would make the perfect gift for older children and teenagers on your christmas list. I highly recommend it!

Bonus! After you buy you can get a FREE stencil book with over 50 templates!

Bottom Line: I really like it and give it 4 out of 5 stars.
Would I recommend it to my family and friends? YES!
Would I buy it myself based on my experiences with this review? YES!

Check it out on MorphPen's Website!

This post is part of Maryland Mommy's 2016 Holiday Gift Guide and recommended as a great holiday gift idea!

Are you a company that want your products featured as part of our Holiday Gift Guide? Check out our Contact page asap to be featured!

Disclosure: I was provided the product complimentary for testing purposes in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion. No monetary compensation was received.

45 Retailers Closed on Thanksgiving Day #shopping #blackfriday

2016-11-07T19:59:00.001-05:00

For the last couple years Thanksgiving Day has become more and more about shopping early and less and less about time with family. Last year stores boasted sales that began earlier than 4pm on Thanksgiving Day, forcing even more shoppers that want to get a good deal to end festivities with their families early and the employees of these locations to give up having any time with family at all. For years working retail I missed Thanksgiving with Elijah and I hate the thought that other people have to miss their children and families just so others can get a good deal on blurays. This year quite many stores have begun saying enough and are closing completely on Thanksgiving Day.

Here are 45 retailers that have announced so far they will be closed on Thanksgiving Day:
AAFES
A.C. Moore
Academy Sports
American Girl
Barnes & Noble
Bed Bath & Beyond
BJ’s Wholesale Club
Blains Farm & Fleet
Burlington
Cabela’s
Christmas Tree Shops
Christopher and Banks
Costco
Crate & Barrel
Dillard’s
DSW
Fred Meyers
Game Stop
Guitar Center
Half Price Books
Hobby Lobby
Home Depot
Home Goods
IKEA
Jo-Ann Fabrics & Craft Stores
Lowe’s
Marshalls
Menards
Neiman Marcus
Nordstrom
Nordstrom Rack
Office Depot & OfficeMax
P.C.Richard & Son
Patagonia
Petco
PetSmart
Pier 1 Imports
Publix
Raymour & Flannigan
REI
Sam’s Club
Sierra Trading Post
Staples
The Container Store
T.J.Maxx

Starbucks Share Event is back! FREE drinks! #free #starbucks

2016-11-07T16:07:00.000-05:00

November 10-14th, 2-5pm visit your local participating Starbucks, buy one drink and get one of equal or lesser value FREE!

See the Official Facebook Event Page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/907116699422927/

or visit Starbucks.com to find your nearest location

Review: Police Thin Blue Line US Flag by YardExpert #policeflag #youshouldhavelikedthepost

2016-11-01T22:36:00.001-04:00

What I love: We are huge supporter of the Police. We have quite a few officers in our family and friends so showing our support is always very important to us! The Police Thin Blue Line US Flag by YardExpert is a great way for anyone to show their support of our brothers and sisters in blue!

Made of durable polyester, with quality stitching, this flag is great for use decorating indoors or in semi-covered places outdoors (not for use during high winds or strong natural elements). This flag comes ready to hang with metal grommets already attached giving you more options than just normal hang from a flagpole. This makes a beautiful wall hanging, especially at it's large 5 by 3 feet. It comes folded up so you will have to hang it for a while to let the fold wrinkles fall out.

I love how this flag looks displayed and know it will be great to use for years to come!

Bottom Line:
I really love it and give it 5 out of 5 stars.
Would I recommend it to my family and friends? YES!
Would I buy it myself based on my experiences with this review? YES!

Check it out on Amazon!

Disclosure: I was provided the product complimentary for testing purposes in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion. No monetary compensation was received.

Our afternoon at Kenilworth Halloween Spooktacular and Collectors Corner Halloween Comic Fest!

2016-10-29T22:33:00.000-04:00

I took the kids out for a little Halloween fun today! They looked so cute in their costumes. Elijah is Freddy Fazbear from Five Nights At Freddys and Ariel is a cute little pumpkin!

First stop was The Shops at Kenilworth in Towson for the Halloween Spooktacular! They had a great time! They painted pumpkins, played games, won prizes, colored, got delicious cupcakes, fake tattoos and even got to trick or treat and go on a costume parade past every store on both floors of the mall!

They made out pretty good I would say! Just look at this loot! They even ate some of the candy already!

Next stop was Collectors Corner on Harford Road for Halloween Comic Fest! They had free Halloween Comics for both children and adults, grab bags for the kids, food and drinks and more! Elijah colored a picture for a chance to win himself a $10 gift card.

Here are the comics the kids and I picked out and below is some of the stuff from their grab bags!

Pretty cool, right?

They had a great day! Though we are all tired, mostly Mommy! haha

Review: Covertly record audio anywhere with the new WEEFUN Wristband Recorder!

2016-10-28T02:29:00.002-04:00

What I love: Do you wish you could covertly record any audio, anywhere? You can with the new updated WEEFUN Recorder Wristband. Looks like an activity band but records high quality audio anywhere you want to! I have one and I love it! I have worn it to concerts, meetings, anywhere I want to remember and listen again!

Made of plastic and rubber this recorder wristband looks like your average fitness band, but contained inside is actually an 8GB hard drive that is ready to record everything around you with the flip of a switch. The band is super comfortable and it's virtually unrecognizable as a recorder.

Using it couldn't be more simple. Flip the switch to ON and a small LED will flash indicating recording has started. The device contains advanced noise cancellation so you are sure to get the best quality no matter if you are recording yourself or another person talking, a lecture in a large classroom or even a concert! Once you are done recording switch the wristband to OFF to save your recording.

Want to listen right away? No problem, just plug in your earbuds and turn it on. The buttons on the side allow you to select the file you want to listen to and control the volume. You can even hook it to the computer and backup the files or add your own MP3s to listen to your own music or audio anywhere you go!

You can use it with the included earbuds which are really comfortable with good sound or any 3.5mm jack headphones, earbuds or speaker. That makes this even more versatile.

All my recordings came out clear! I was amazed to see the difference between recording a rock concert on my cell phone and on the wristband. My phone uses a compressed audio format and was really hard to understand and full of static and background noise, but the wristband uses uncompressed high quality WAV format and sounded almost exactly as I had heard it myself! I was totally sold hearing the difference between the two!

The hard drive in the wristband is formatted FAT32 so it will easily read on both a PC and a MAC. The only issue I have heard is that people may need to update their chipset USB drivers before use, just like any USB accessory. If you need help with this WEEFUN Customer Service is happy to assist you! That's actually one of the things I like best about WEEFUN products, is their new updated manuals. They are really thorough with explaining every part of the recorder, unlike other models on the market. And they have amazing customer service! Just contact them at their customer service email and they are happy to go out of their way to help you solve any issues you may have with their products.

WEEFUN is an awesome company. I give their products and their customer service both a 5 out of 5 and highly recommend them!

Bottom Line:
I really love it and give it 5 out of 5 stars.
Would I recommend it to my family and friends? YES!
Would I buy it myself based on my experiences with this review? YES!

Check it out on Amazon!

Disclosure: I was provided the product complimentary for testing purposes in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion. No monetary compensation was received.

Eli's Five Nights At Freddy's Jack-O-Lantern #WordlessWednesday #FNAF #FiveNightsAtFreddys #Pumpkin #Halloween

2016-10-19T22:33:00.000-04:00

Eli made his very own Freddy Fazbear from Five Nights At Freddy's tonight with his Dad. He sent me the photos earlier to share and I think it turned out awesome! He wants to see if anyone else has done some cool FNAF themed Jack-O-Lanterns.

Love it! Playtex Diaper Genie Expressions Pail #Review #DiaperGenie

2016-10-17T18:10:00.000-04:00

With Elijah I never owned a diaper pail, I just put poop diapers in a diaper disposal bag and took the trash bag out once or twice a day. With Ariel I'm not sure if she is just a stinker baby or this house is just smaller so smells linger longer but I knew I needed one. There are so many options on the market that I wasn't sure which one I wanted but I had used a Diaper Genie a few times while using the baby changing room at Toys R Us and I really liked their design. I also liked the idea of putting it by the trashcan by the back door in the kitchen since we spend the majority of our time on the first floor so I knew I wanted something that blended in and didn't scream dirty diapers.

That's when I was introduced to about the NEW Playtex Diaper Genie Expressions and knew that was the one!

What I love: The Diaper Genie Expressions is the first customizable Diaper Genie pail. Diaper Genie Expressions has a push-n-lock clamp system that traps in the odors and bags that hold well over a days worth of diaper that allows you less time taking diapers outside without the smells. The unit comes completely assembled and ready to go out of the box, all you have to do is insert the bag. This is a huge plus for busy parents!

When you first use the diaper bag insert you just follow the instructions on the side of the bags. It shows you how to pull the bag out just a bit (not all the way) and pull through, tie and insert. I keep my bag pulled really short, just enough for 6 or 7 diapers so I can cut and tie every evening. Emptying is really easy. The can has a built in cutter for the bags so you only use what you need, cut and tie and are ready to go again. Since it works so good trapping all the odors inside the unit, just be prepared when you do open it to change the bag it is going to be strong. I carry my unit (which is super light weight) out on the back deck and do it there on days I know she had a lot of dirty diapers. It really does a great job keeping the smells inside the diaper pail and not in your house!

The best part of the Diaper Genie Expression is the customizable part. There are 6 different sleeves available to match any room and any decor, Pink Starburst, Pink and Grey, Grey Clovers, Blue Knit, and Blue Tile. The designer sleeves slide easily on and off to change whenever you want and they are made of high quality fabric, which means you can throw them right in the washing machine to clean!

I love the function and look of the Diaper Genie Expressions and feel it has really worked well for our family.

At only $29.99 for the unit, $9.99 for each cover and $5.99 for bag refills (that hold up to 270 diapers) it's also very affordable. You can find Diaper Genie Expressions at Babies R Us and Target!

UPDATE: Right now at Target the Diaper Genie Expressions is only $24.99 and Babies R Us is $25.49!!!

Bottom Line:
I really love it and give it 5 out of 5 stars.
Would I recommend it to my family and friends? YES!
Would I buy it myself based on my experiences with this review? YES!

This post is part of Maryland Mommy's 2016 Holiday Gift Guide and recommended as a great holiday gift idea!

Are you a company that want your products featured as part of our Holiday Gift Guide? Check out our Contact page asap to be featured!

Disclosure: I was provided the product complimentary for testing purposes in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion. No monetary compensation was received.

After blogging 18 years lots of things have changed.

2016-10-15T21:21:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I attended Mom's Meet Wow Summit and something happened...I remembered WHY I started blogging and WHY I have continued blogging all these years.

It all started during the opening when I won an award for 18 years blogging.

For having over 18 years experience blogging, the longest of anyone here, I won a prize. Thank you #momsmeet #WOWsummit. I am honored. #bloggerlife
A photo posted by Erin Mcallister (@erinjeany) on Oct 7, 2016 at 10:55am PDT

Now a normal person would have been all over the place excited, but as we all know, I am not a normal person. I am an (almost) 32 year old female who has aspergers and social anxiety and was terrified to be on the spot. I looked around to see I was standing alone and people were applauding... for ME and for MY accomplishment of 18 years. As I looked down at my sister Amber in horror to be the only one left standing and the center of attention, she assured me, and I took a deep breath and spoke quickly, answering the questions about how long I have been blogging and where I started and accepted my prize. It was not until after I spit out my words, still in shock and sat back down that I really thought about the years.

I started writing in paper journals and diaries when I was 5. It never occurred to me when I started my very first digital journal on live journal and an Angelfire website way back in 1998 that blogging would become and stay my life. A lot has happened since I started. Life, school, relationships, family, children, jobs. I have re-branded 5 times, change domains 6 times and hosting 3 times. I never realized how much knowledge I would acquire and experience that I didn't even know I knew. Coding my HTML, writing my own scripts, doing my graphics in Photoshop... I've always built my sites from the ground up, all by myself. The one constant was that I never stopped telling my story.

Doing an on camera interview about my experience here at the #MomsMeet #WowSummit!
A photo posted by Erin Mcallister (@erinjeany) on Oct 8, 2016 at 12:38pm PDT

Sometime while I was on bed rest and I was re-branding into a 'Mom Blog' the mom blogger world exploded and it became a thing. I met so many amazing women online. Twitter was born. Myspace died. Facebook was born. and Instagram wasn't even thought of yet. It was a suddenly a different world when it came to blogging. I went from 300 monthly page views to 30,000 seemingly overnight. Google changed the algorithm so blogs started coming in news results higher. Newspapers and TV stations started hiring bloggers for journalism and amazing opportunities arose. Brands started working directly with bloggers to put more product in our hands to get more "real world" marketing opportunities. Our blogs became our BUSINESS. We started to make money. Social Media marketing was born. My friend Amy at Resourceful Mommy created Twitter Parties. My friend Jyl created Mommy Gossip which turned into MomItForward and #GNO, a girls night out all hosted on twitter where women from around the world could chat and support each other. It was stuff like that that got me through bed rest, that got me through being a first time mom, that got me through the good times and the bad. I couldn't have done it without them. Without Tara from Feels Like Home or Cori from Everyday Cori or Tonya from Create - Celebrate - Explore I NEVER could have made it through. These women were there for me even though they were hundreds or thousands of miles away. They got me through sleepless nights, breastfeeding issues, postpartum depression, sickness. They celebrated with me at all the milestones and happy tears. It changed my life. Though as life has a way of doing, things changed, we talked less, and that's when the blog change happened.

More people I knew in real life started finding my blog and reading it and wanting to nitpick and judge things I had shared. Things strangers from all over the world were supportive of, people I knew right here were me tearing down for. It was tough to be bullied basically into silence. It was so bad about 70% of my old posts are actually hidden from the archive search right now just so they would leave me alone.

It gradually was less story and more product. and more sponsors. and more coupons and deals. and week after week, month after month it became more impersonal content and more BUY THIS. It was more content writing for other sites, ghost writing for brands and forgetting my blog was even here. Somehow on the way of building my business I forgot it didn't start out as a business, it started as my passion.

I miss Wordless Wednesday. I miss sharing the little quirks of being a parent. I miss sharing stupid rants on today's pop culture. I miss my notable newness posts where I shared everything that happened that week online and off. I miss being me and saying whatever it is that comes to mind. I miss the connection, the support and the love that comes from our amazing blogging community.

Later in the summit as I sat and cried my eyes out while I listened to Rachel Martin, one of my favorite inspirational mamas, I made a promise to myself to write this post and go back to being me. The sharing will outweigh the holding back no matter what the topic, "Because in speaking there is freedom."

Listening to the amazing Rachel Martin @finding_joy speaking about why being a just a Mom is enough. ❤ #momsmeet #WOWsummit
A photo posted by Erin Mcallister (@erinjeany) on Oct 8, 2016 at 9:55am PDT

I still deal with my severe chronic medical issues, depression, relationship issues, and there's always that worry that I'm "a mom who feels like she’s not good enough." and yes, I'm sure many people I know in real life will see the posts and go back to the way they were. I'll just have to cross that bridge when I get to it.

Yes I still have a ton of amazing products and brands to share with you, especially the awesome ones I just met at Mom's Meet. But I want the STORY to once again outweigh the commercials. The photos of happy children will outweigh the photos of products. The lists of what I did RIGHT today will outweigh the bad and MAYBE just maybe I will start to feel like myself again. Like I am doing something good again. Sharing our food and our crafts. Sharing our tears and our laughs.

All the cool kids hang out with the gingerbread man! Lol #gingerbreadman #MomsMeet #WowSummit
A photo posted by Erin Mcallister (@erinjeany) on Oct 8, 2016 at 12:54pm PDT

No, I didn't mean to rhyme. I'm glad I did though because that's the silly type of posts I miss.
I don't always have professional looking pictures. I sometimes make grammatical errors. My blog design needs updated super bad and my aspergers makes me ramble on and on and on...

But that's okay. Because there are thousands of Moms out there that are the same way and those are the ones I'm looking forward to connecting with the most. CONNECTING. Not pitching products to. CONNECTING. As humans.

It's time to get back to sharing my story. I'm nervous but I am excited.

To those of you that have been with me at all the last 8 years here on my mom blog, whether it was Lovin' the Belly, Mom Loves Today, Pyle of Love or now as Maryland Mommy, thank you from the bottom of my heart for following my journey.

To the very select few of you that were around before that on the original erinjeany, even before it had a dot com, you are the real MVPs. Its been a long road and it's about to get even longer. I'm really thankful you have stuck it out and I cant even put into words what it means that you are still here.

After 18 years blogging lots of things have changed and they will keep changing, this time though they will be changing for the better! I can't wait to share where life leads us next.

Winix Smart Wi-Fi Air Purifiers #WinixAmerica #MomsMeet #WowSummit

2016-10-07T23:51:00.001-04:00

With me having auto-immune disorders and Elijah having asthma, air quality is a huge deal for us. HEPA filters can clear the air of all kinds of dangerous pollutants such as dust, pollen, pet dander, smoke and almost all other pollutants present in the air. Air purifiers work to clean the air around us by removing microns of 0.3 and larger size to render it 99.9 percent dust free. Purifiers free the air of all kinds of particles causing allergies and breathing trouble so this is a must-have for households like ours.

Winix purifiers are made for all sorts of rooms in your house, living room, bedrooms, nurseries and more! I had been looking into purchasing a new one and was super excited to hear Winix is going to be here with me at the Mom's Meet WOW Summit and I will finally get to see the brand new Winix Smart Wi-Fi enabled 4 and 5 stage air purifiers in person tomorrow.

Made for the home, the new HR1000 and the NK105 models both feature Wi-Fi, which allows you to control every aspect oft the purifiers right from your device. Smart sensors allow you to continuously monitor air quality, and an air quality indicator alerts you to the status of the air quality. Set and forget fan speed that adjusts to your environment and even a filter change notification is available on the unit to keep you informed about your air quality! Each Winx unit features a True HEPA filter for removing allergens and bacteria once and for all. I don't know about you, but that sounds like the simplest way to ensure my family is breathing healthy! I can't wait to see their purifiers tomorrow and how much more they could help my household to breathe easy!

Visit their website for more information

www.winixamerica.com

Connect with Winix on Twitter @Winixamerica

Disclosure: This post is an entry through Moms Meet to win a Winix Air Purifier. No monetary compensation was received.

DEAL: Shopkins S5 Mega Pack only $10!!! Includes 20 Shopkins! #deal #sale #shopkins

2016-10-06T23:36:00.003-04:00

Shopkins are so SUPER CUTE! If your children are as in love with Shopkins as my kids and every other child I know you will LOVE this deal. Right now the Shopkins S5 Mega Packs are only $10!!! This awesome pack contains 20 Shopkins, 4 Petkin Backpacks and a Collector's Guide!

If you are a prime member they are delivered free with next day shipping. For non-prime it ships free on orders over $35!

See The Deal

This post is part of Maryland Mommy's 2016 Holiday Gift Guide and recommended as a great holiday gift idea!

Are you a company that want your products featured as part of our Holiday Gift Guide? Check out our Contact page asap to be featured!

Disclosure: This post is NOT sponsored. However, it does contain an affiliate link. A few cents from any purchase goes into an account for my children.

Review: Happy Platypus Couple Tea Infusers #platypusinfuserteastrainer

2016-09-27T23:53:00.001-04:00

What I love: I thought these Happy Platypus Couple Tea Infusers were super adorable from the moment I saw them! I love to drink tea, mostly decaf but also the loose herb teas. There are so many loose teas that just have such a better flavor than the bagged. Nothing like a good cup of tea. For years I used different types of infusers but I moved and was looking for better ones to replace my old ones. That's when I started to see all the cute animals and different ones they have on amazon and found these. After sitting in my wishlist for a few months I finally saw a good deal on them and couldn't resist.

This adorable platypus couple is made of FDA-approved, non toxic, BPA free silicone so you have no worry of anything weird getting in your drink. The little grey belly part pushes out allowing you to fill the tea leaves, and then you can press it right back in place. They are just the right size to hold loose tea for 6, 8 or even 12 oz cups of tea. I have only tried those sizes so far but if you wanted to do a bigger pot you could always put some in both and use them together. I also find that you can grind up some fresh mint, orange or other things and use in the second one to flavor your tea. They are even microwave safe so you can put them in your teacup if you want to microwave your water to steep it faster.

One of the best parts is they are dishwasher safe so when you are done you can just throw them on a rung or in a accessory basket and they are ready for the next cup! They seem really high quality so far and I have had no issues at all!

Bottom Line: I really love it and give it 5 out of 5 stars.
Would I recommend it to my family and friends? YES!
Would I buy it myself based on my experiences with this review? YES!

Check it out on Amazon!

Disclosure: I was provided the product complimentary for testing purposes in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion. No monetary compensation was received.

Unique Kitchen Tools Under $20 That Are CUTE and Functional #GiftGuide

2016-09-24T20:11:00.000-04:00

Plant Multi Kitchen Tool Set $16.99

Happy Platypus Couple Tea Infusers $11.99

(I got these recently and they are so cute! Review to follow soon!)

Snail Tea Bag Holders $1.63

R2D2 Measuring Cup Set $14.89(There's also a super cute R2D2 Bento Box!)

Loch Ness Monster Nessie Ladles $5.99

Hello Kitty Peeler and Knife $7.99

Pastasaurus Pasta Server $5.99

4pcs Squirrel and 1 Fish Shaped Non-Stick Rice Spoon $8.77

Deep Sea Critter Lid Lifters $10.92

Flower Spaghetti Portion Guide $12.99

This post was part of Maryland Mommy's 2016 Holiday Gift Guide!

Are you a company that want your products featured as part of our Holiday Gift Guide? Check out our Contact page asap to be featured!

This post was not sponsored, however it does contain affiliate links!

Join me at the MomsMeet #WOWsummit for a weekend of fun and connecting! #Moms #Bloggers #WashingtonDC

2016-09-09T03:37:00.000-04:00

In 2008 I was pregnant with Elijah and on bedrest; it was a happy but scary time becoming a first time mom with a high risk pregnancy. I had always enjoyed blogging for a long time so it was then I started my very first "mom blog" as a way to not only document my pregnancy but as a way to interact with other women who understood what I was going through. I quickly met so many fabulous ladies between my blog and twitter, which at the time was still pretty new. I was suddenly interacting with thousands of blog posts, tweets, and status updates from all over the world. I met some amazing friends and best of all I was able to share and be heard and know that I was not alone in my new journey into motherhood. As the years have passed I have continued blogging and sharing in this amazing community of women (and some men) and been blessed with unconditional support, knowledge and friendship. Three blogs later, this one going through 3 different names, three pregnancies, two children, a lot has happened in the last 8 years; breastfeeding and pumping, potty training, school, tantrums, health, entertainment, there's pretty much not a single topic that we have not discussed. There's just one thing I've somehow never done... a blogger conference. I've always wanted to go and for one reason or another I just have never been able to. This all finally changes next month.

I am BEYOND EXCITED to share that on October 7th and 8th, 2016 I will be in National Harbor, MD at the beautiful Gaylord Hotel attending the annual MomsMeet WOW Summit! This amazing conference promises to create an fun and educational experience for everyone attending. Two full days of seminars, workshops and networking with other Moms and Bloggers, not to mention getting to network and sample amazing products by some of the most awesome brands our family uses. Check out this video to see a little more about the summit!

The thing I am most looking forward is getting to be with over 100 supportive women who all have the same goal in mind, to gain knowledge and empowerment that we can take home and use to better ourselves, our families and our online presence.

Friday is all about blogging! Workshops, building your brand, social media, speed networking with bloggers and brands and ending the day with an awesome comedy and cocktail party!

Saturday is all about empowering like-minded Moms on keeping their families happy and healthy! Learn and connect with panels featuring guest speakers, educational workshops, and sample tons of free products in the exhibitor room. Plus each attendee will walk away with an awesome goody bag at the end of the summit! Who doesn't love trying new and exciting products with their families!

Solgar, National Geographic Kids, Tasty Bite and Mary’s Gone Crackers are just a few of the great sponsors of the event. With my lactose intolerance, Ariel's gluten sensitivity and Elijah's preservative allergies we are always looking for healthier brands so I am super excited to get to sample and interact with more brands. Baby Mum Mum, N'Circle Entertainment, So Delicious, and Earth's Best Organic are other favorites of ours that are going to be there so I'm excited to get to share our story with them and our love for their companies.

Check out the Wow Summit website to learn more!

Want to join me for a weekend of fun and networking?

Register by clicking here and use promo code POL15 for 15% off your passes!

Disclosure: I am being sponsored to attend MomsMeet WOW Summit 16. All opinions are that of my own.

E-Z Grip Ball by Tucker Toys #TuckerToys #Toys #Review

2016-09-06T01:15:00.000-04:00

Tucker Toys E-Z Grip Ball is perfect for all ages, but especially perfect for young children or special needs children learning to grip a ball. Each ball has a strong textured outer web made of a strong rubber that's easy to grip with one hand, even for Ariel at 20 months old. Inside is a durable, inflatable inner ball. The combination allows kids to get a great grip and hold on tight yet when it's thrown it can bounce high or be caught easily. These balls work great in any condition, even sand, mud and water. We were even able to get our football to "skip" across the entire length of water in a pool. Elijah at almost 8 years old loves playing catch with me and it's an instant favorite ball. Each one comes in a great eye catching color combination that is easy to see even outside; ours came in the black and yellow color variation and we have no problem seeing it in the grass.

We love our E-Z Grip Football so far and know you will love their balls too!

"E-Z Grip Play Ball is the ultimate ball offering high bounce and super grip. It features a soft but tough outer web that makes catching it easy for any hands. Its high bounce delivers on any surface from grass to a street, even sand, and water! The durable inner ball and E-Z Grip’s outer web deliver unmatched performance for playing everything from catch to dodgeball to kickball and more. The E-Z Grip Ball has received Best of Show – Toy Fair NY, National Parenting Center Seal of Approval, Mom’s Choice Gold Award, the Tillywig Top Fun Award and Special Needs Approval from Lekotek/AblePlay!"
"E-Z Grip Junior packs endless possibilities into a 4.25-inch ball! It fits in any backpack, bookbag or purse and can bounce on any surface wherever you take it."
"E-Z Grip Football is perfect for one-handed catches in any weather, in the pool or on the muddy field. It’s also great for teaching young, new wide receivers how to master the catch!"E-
"E-Z Grip Soccer Ball is a dream on the field and a sure thing for goalies. The super bounce makes the ball travel down the field like it was being chased! For goalies, catching the soccer ball with the special high-grip outer web means saving the game!"

Buy your own E-Z Grip Balls:

All Products: Tuckertoys.com

E-Z Grip Playground Ball on Amazon

Connect with Tucker Toys:

http://facebook.com/tuckertoys

http://twitter.com/tuckertoys

http://www.pinterest.com/tuckertoys

https://www.youtube.com/user/TuckerToysInc

Bottom Line: I really love it and give it 5 out of 5 stars.
Would I recommend it to my family and friends? YES!
Would I buy it myself based on my experiences with this review? YES!

Disclosure: I was provided the product complimentary for testing purposes in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion. No monetary compensation was received.