The Life of Rylie...and Bryce too!

Wordless Wednesday: Rylie Is Graduating From Pre-K!

2013-05-22T07:00:00.000-04:00

Caillou Bathtime With You {Review & Giveaway}

2013-05-21T22:15:00.000-04:00

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. Items for review and/or giveaway were provided by sponsor or representing PR agency at no cost.

There are a lot of shows on television for children to watch, and my kids have a few favorites. I know that when the TV is off that they will play together with their toys, so we generally don't turn on the TV until around 4PM or 5PM when I need to make dinner and get a few things done. When I found out I was going to be doing a review for a Caillou bath toy, I recorded a few shows on our DVR for the girls to watch in the evenings to see what Caillou was all about. He is a curious 4-year old that is always discovering new things!

About Caillou

Growing up is the greatest adventure and with Caillou your preschooler will learn how to manage everyday adventures like tying shoes, composting, how to be healthy and much more!

Discovery, learning, growing. In Caillou's world, these things are paramount. Being 4 years old means life is full of little challenges – and sometimes BIG ones too! Caillou meets these challenges eagerly; exploring his world, discovering new things, and often learning from his mistakes. With a focus on healthy nutrition, exercise, safety, and the environment, each "Caillou" episode is grounded in an everyday experience – one that inspires children to grow emotionally as they explore the world around them. As Caillou overcomes life's obstacles and makes healthy choices, children are inspired to do the same – making him an everyday hero!

I was sent the Caillou Bathtime With You Activity Set and a DVD to watch. When it arrived, Haley couldn't wait until bath time to play with the toy! It was a good thing I had a DVD to let her watch since it wasn't quite time for her bath yet. She liked the episode and didn't make a peep the entire time it was on. Caillou is always up for an adventure! I know she will want to watch more episodes and there are all-new ones airing on PBS and Sprout.

Just like the TV show, the Caillou Bathtime With You Activity Set is full of bright colors. It was really easy to set up and took little time to get it put together.

The bath toy has a cute net to fish the smaller Caillou out of the water, a slide for him, a green fish that moves back and forth and makes a sound, and you can use his hat to put water in his head and it comes out of his mouth. When bath time is over, there are suction cups on the back for storage. These suction cups didn't work on my tub tile at all so we just set the toy along the edge of our tub.

Haley and Kennedy both love to put water in his head and watch the water come out of his mouth and make the green wheel turn.

You can take the smaller Caillou and pull him apart and place the lifesaver on his middle and play with him in the tub. He floats on his side but the girls still like to play with him. I think he looks like he is snorkeling.

The Caillou Bathtime With You Activity Set is available at Toys R Us for $19.99. You will also find several other Caillou toys that any Caillou enthusiasts would enjoy!

Would your little one enjoy bath time with Caillou?

~*~Giveaway~*~

~*~Caillou Bathtime With You Activity Set~*~

Entry -Form

~~Winners!!!~~ Thirty-One, Mueller's And More

2013-05-20T19:00:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to last week's winners!

Thirty-One Thermal

Year's Supply of Mueller's Hidden Veggie Pasta

$25 Publix Gift Card

Motorworks Vehicle and Accessory Pack

For more chances to win cool stuff, check out our current giveaways in the sidebar!

I Took My Dog For A Run #SmoothBlogger

2013-05-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I am a Smooth Fitness Ambassador and received an elliptical machine at no cost, in order to facilitate my review (and my quest for a healthier lifestyle).

OK, well really, the dog took me for a run. I ran with her, though, and I didn't die. That's the bottom line here, folks.

I pass a veterinarian's office on my way to work every day, and the other day their billboard read "If your dog is overweight, you're not getting enough exercise." I thought about Lucy and the fact that she does have some extra pudge around her midsection, so I figured some evening walks would benefit us all.

That night after dinner, I got the whole family excited about taking Lucy for a walk, and we all hit the trail near our house. Once Lucy was on the trail, she decided that we needed to run. I ran with her...a lot...and I managed to keep up with her. I noticed that when we were done running, I wasn't out of breath and ready to pass out like I would have been a few months ago.

I have been exercising on my Elliptical Trainer from Smooth Fitness for a little over two months now, and apparently, it is helping to get me back into shape! I can tell you that there is no way I would have been able to run as much as I did with Lucy that night three months ago, and I really felt great after our little trot on the trail.

You might remember one of my first Smooth Fitness posts about being a couch potato. I had taken the fitness test on my Elliptical Trainer and received a score of only 25 - which is a "low" fitness level for someone my age. Since I had done so well running with Lucy, I decided to take it again to see if my score had improved over the last couple of months.

The test seemed much easier this time around, and I was sure I was going to score so much better. After all, I have been exercising on level 7 and above for two months, and the fitness test only got up to level 5 at the very end. I figured I would at least end up in the "average" range this time. After 12 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, I was ready to see my score...

I have to say, I was a little disappointed that it was only 2 points higher than the first test, but I was definitely glad to see that the score went up. While I'm still in the "low" range, I am getting closer to being above it, and that gave me some extra motivation to keep going. I WILL be at a "good" fitness level before this year ends. I WILL.

Not only will I continue to work out on my elliptical, we will make our walks with Lucy part of our daily routine. These walks are great for me, for Lucy, and the whole family! I really want exercise to be a way of life for Rylie and Bryce, and if we all get into this habit, I'm sure it will be.

What motivates you to keep exercising?

Energizer Flameless Wax Candles {Review & Giveaway}

2013-05-19T22:00:00.000-04:00

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. Items for review and/or giveaway were provided by sponsor or representing PR agency at no cost.

I love to light candles around my house. In fact, just last weekend, I ran up to the mall 15 minutes before it closed to grab a few candles from one of my favorite places that had them on sale. I love to light them and have the house smell really good.

Since I have had kids, I don't light candles as often as I used to. This is due to a few reasons. I am usually busy running around, and by the time the kids go to bed, I am too tired to light them and am afraid I would fall asleep with them lit. I do try to light them if someone is coming over, but I have to keep them high and out of reach of our kids. Sometimes I don't have enough time to pay attention to what they are in to, so I just don't light them because it is safer.

A great place that I could place a candle lit would be on our mantle. It is too high for either of the kids to reach and is in a central location in our house. The only problem with that location is that one of my husband's beloved flat-screen televisions is hanging on the wall above it, and I am "forbidden" to light a candle under it. I hate that he doesn't want a candle under there because a candle would look great there, but I understand that smoke from the candle could go up the TV. I hadn't really considered a flameless candle because I have owned one in the past and the batteries went out pretty quickly. I replaced them twice but it still sits upstairs unlit now that the batteries are out. I also worked in special events before I quit to stay at home, and I have seen many battery tea lights that just weren't that bright.

I received an Energizer Flameless Wax Candle to review, and I loved that when I opened the box, a warm vanilla scent was present. I didn't realize that the flameless candles came scented, so this was an unexpected surprise. I also liked how realistic the candle looked and that I couldn't really tell a difference from one of my "emergency" pillar candles.

I like that these Energizer Flameless Wax Candles are a safe alternative to use around children, pets, in small places, near curtains, furniture, or my husband's flat-screen. These flameless candles, offered in glass jars or pillars made with real wax, have an advanced 3-level timer so that you can choose it to auto shut-off at 4,6, or 8 hours. True Flame LED creates a realistic flicker pattern that does not repeat for up to 72 hours. I'm not sure who would notice that the flame flicker repeats within 72 hours but it is pretty neat that they were able to get the candle to do this. There is also a timer that turns the candle on at the same time every day! And the best part about this candle is how long it lasts - when powered with 4 AA Energizer alkaline batteries, these candles provide 800 hrs of ambiance in your home!

The Energizer Flameless Wax Candles come in a variety of designs to complement any decor:

Pillar Sizes: 3x6, 3x4, or 3x3
Colors: beeswax, celery green, red, white, taupe, dark brown, teal, pumpkin orange and burgundy
Shapes: pillar or a filled glass jar with a lid
Scents: honey vanilla, driftwood, pumpkin spice, vanilla and pomegranate passion
Finishes: frosted

I was sent a 3x6 vanilla-scented, ivory pillar and 4 AA Energizer batteries to review. I think this size works great on my mantle!

Once I placed the batteries in the bottom, I selected 6 hours for my light time. I love how this looks on my mantle. I even tried it out inside one of my round candle holders.

My husband didn't come home until later that night, and he was about to open his mouth and say "you can't have candles under the TV" when he picked it up and realized it wasn't real! When we went out of town over the weekend, we had a friend let our dog out and I forgot that the candle comes on at the same time every day. She even went over to check and make sure that it was an LED candle and not a real one. That's pretty realistic looking!

These candles range in price from $4.99 to $23.99 each, which is a great price for a candle that lasts as long as these do! You can purchase these candles at many retailers, and they are now also available at Amazon. Visit Energizer online for more information about these great flameless candles.

Which of these flameless candles would you like to see glowing in your home?

~*~Giveaway~*~

~*~Energizer Flameless Wax Candle~*~

Prize: 3x4 taupe pillar with the honey vanilla scent, along with the batteries to power it!

Entry -Form

Road Rippers Keep Playtime Rollin' {Review}

2013-05-18T11:00:00.000-04:00

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. Items for review and/or giveaway were provided by sponsor or representing PR agency at no cost.

Bryce is obsessed with toys, as I imagine most little boys are. In fact, as I'm sitting here writing this, I just heard him ask Brian if they could go to Walmart. When he was asked why, he replied "Because they have toys there!" He likes action figures, superheroes, dinosaurs, trains, planes, cars and trucks.

Bryce has a small collection of Road Rippers, and he loves those vehicles. These ultra-cool cars and trucks keep playtime rollin', and Bryce especially likes the lights and sounds that make them come to life. We were recently asked to review some new vehicles in the Road Rippers line by Toy State, and of course I gladly accepted.

As soon as Bryce saw what was in the big box, he went nuts. Seriously. That's how much this kid likes new toys. He was thrilled to see the huge Monster Truck and the cool Hatchback Road Rippers, and he couldn't wait to play with them.

Thankfully, it is fairly easy to remove the Road Rippers from the packaging, and I had "DinoRoar X4" out of the box quickly. Bryce sat right down and started going through all of the buttons, and he was thrilled when he saw that the Monster Truck not only moved forward, but backwards too!

Part of the reason this Monster Truck is so cool is because it looks like a dinosaur, but the coolness definitely doesn't stop with the appearance. With the push of one of the many lights and sounds buttons on the back of the truck, DinoRoar comes to life with realistic monster truck sounds and driving tunes. He talks, too!

Initially, Bryce wasn't quite as excited about the Hatchback since it is not motorized, but as soon as I told him to lift the hatchback, he started bopping around with the cool tunes coming from the speaker bed.

What's really cool is that the Hatchbacks have a unique, rotating speaker bed, and the tunes change with each of the 3 speaker bed designs.

The best way to show you all how cool these new Road Rippers are is with a video. See for yourself how much Bryce likes his new Road Rippers...

As you can see, Bryce gives the Road Rippers his seal of toy-obsessed-kid approval! He has had hours of fun with his collection of Road Rippers, and they definitely keep playtime rollin'.

What I really like about the Road Rippers is that they are affordable, well made toys. The Monster Trucks retail for only $19.99, and the Hatchbacks for $9.99. You can't beat that price for all that these toys do! Road Rippers are available, domestically and internationally, wherever toys are sold, including Walmart, Toys "R" Us, Target and Kmart Stores.

Make sure you follow Road Rippers on Facebook to keep up with the happenings and new designs of these super cool vehicles. You can also follow Toy State on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about all of the different toys this great brand has to offer.

Do you have a toy obsessed kid? Which of these awesome Road Rippers would they love?

Weekend Win It - May 18-19 {Giveaway Linky}

2013-05-17T21:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Weekend Win It! This giveaway linky is a great way to spread the word about your giveaways, or find some great ones to enter! And remember...you don't need to be a blogger to enter these giveaways!

I have some great giveaways going on right now...

Giveaway: Little Mommy
Ends: 5/20

Prize: Bubbly Bathtime Doll

Giveaway: Eureka
Ends: 5/21

Prize: AirSpeed ONE Reach Vacuum

Giveaway: HABA
Ends: 5/23

Prize: Choice of Götz Doll

Giveaway: The Young Scientists Club
Ends: 5/28

Prize: Choice of Clifford or The Magic School Bus Science Kit

Giveaway: Publix
Ends: 5/31

Prize: $25 Publix Gift Card

Giveaway: Gymboree
Ends: 6/6

Prize: $75 Gymboree Gift Card

Here are some great giveaways that I found this week...

Giveaway: Cross Country Cafe
Blog: Thanks, Mail Carrier
Ends: 5/23

Prize: FOUR boxes of K-cups

Giveaway: Epson
Blog: A Mom's Balancing Act
Ends: 5/28

Prize: Epson Expression Premium XP-800 Printer

Giveaway: Staples
Blog: Mommy Mandy
Ends: 5/22

Prize: Keurig and a selection of K-Cups

Giveaway: K'NEX
Blog: This Mama Knows
Ends: 5/31

Prize: Lincoln Logs Horseshoe Hill Station playset

Giveaway: Blast Zone
Blog: My Silly Monkeys
Ends: 5/29

Prize: Hydro Rush Waterslide

What are you waiting for? Head over and enter these great giveaways now! And if you are hosting a family friendly giveaway (or twenty), please link them up below! I would love to find some other great giveaways to enter! Please come back and let me know if you win a giveaway that you found at Weekend Win It.

Have a great weekend!

*Please leave the end date with your giveaway. Please post the actual link to your giveaway, and no short links. People may not click if they can't see where they are going. Thanks!

Wordless Wednesday: Vampire Princess

2013-05-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

We Love Gymboree! {Review & Giveaway}

2013-05-14T23:30:00.000-04:00

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. Items for review and/or giveaway were provided by sponsor or representing PR agency at no cost.

As parents, we all have our favorite brands. There are certain brands we come to love over the years, and we are loyal to those brands. As a blogger, I get super excited when I get the opportunity to work with one of my favorite brands, and I was beyond excited when I was given the opportunity to work with Gymboree!

I honestly didn't know about Gymboree until after Rylie was born and one of my friends became pregnant. She started purchasing clothes for her son, and my addiction started when we went to the mall one day during lunch. We walked into Gymboree, and from the second I saw the adorable clothes for kids, I was hooked.

Just in case you live under a rock (like I apparently was), Gymboree carries children's clothing for newborns up to 12 years. Their clothes are super cute and the quality is exceptional! If you walk in and look at the newest lines in the front of the store, you might initially suffer from sticker shock, but don't let those price tags scare you. Gymboree always has great sales, and with events like Circle of Friends and Gymbucks, you can get some great deals!

I was given a gift certificate to shop at Gymboree, but honestly, I could have written this review without making that trip. That said, I'll take any excuse to shop at my favorite children's store, so Rylie and I headed out to get some new clothes a couple weekends ago. I had been drooling over the new Aqua Summer line, so I was hoping Rylie would choose an outfit or two from the beautiful aqua and white collection.

Unfortunately, Rylie didn't share my love for the Aqua Summer collection, and instead headed over to the wall where she saw the bright colors of the Surf Adventure collection. She already had an outfit from this line, and she decided she needed another. She chose the Surf's Up Tank and the Patchwork Bermuda Shorts.

While we usually purchase matching hair accessories, she didn't pick anything out to go with this outfit. She had a blue headband that my friend made for her, so she wanted to wear that one with it.

We can't forget the shoes, though! Gymboree has the cutest shoes that are always perfectly coordinated with the different collections. She chose the Corsage Flower Sandal to compliment her outfit.

When I sat down to write this post, I was planning to make a collage of all of the kids' Gymboree clothes over the years, but there were just way too many photos. Remember how I said I had an addiction? I decided to go back through my photos just through March and show you some of our latest Gymboree purchases...

First we have Rylie in a beautiful poppy dress from the Blooming Nautical collection. That was one of her "fancy" dresses during our last cruise. Then she was a little party girl in a pleated top from Daffodil Garden. Notice the coordinating headbands in both photos, and the super cute flip flops in the second.

Finally, here is Rylie in two of the newer collections - Preppy Peach and Surf Adventure (again).

She absolutely loves the Glitter Flower Headband and Flip Flops and wears them with everything!

Rylie picked out a dress and a headband from the colorful Rainbow Cabana collection, and even though I don't seem to have a picture of her in the dress, I can definitely show you the headband. Why? Because she wears it with everything! Literally. If she is wearing a shirt that has one of the colors of that headband, it is on her head.

The cuteness doesn't stop with the girls, though. In fact, there have been times when I thought that the boys' clothes at Gymboree were even cuter than the collections for girls. I love the plaid shorts with the coordinating tops, and I can always find something for my little man when I go shopping.

Bryce's newest outfit is from the Jungle Explorer Collection. He loves the little tree frog hanging from his shirt, which looks great with the patchwork shorts.

One of my favorite collections this spring was the East Coast Harbor collection. I love the blues and greens in these clothes, and Bryce thinks the airplanes are cool.

The newer Gone Surfin' Collection is a fun way to get ready for the beach days of summer! With surfboards and sea turtles on t-shirts and coordinating plaid shorts, my little surfer is ready for the waves!

There is one collection I look forward to every spring, and that is the baseball themed line. This years' Baseball Champ collection didn't disappoint!

I could go on and on about how much my whole family loves the clothes from Gymboree, but if you have read this entire post, then I think you get it. The clothes are cute, comfortable, and they wash well. I wash and dry most of my kids' clothes, and we don't have problems with anything falling apart.

The clothes from Gymboree do run a bit big, so if you're ordering online and you're trying to decide between two sizes, I would suggest going with the smaller size. Rylie wears a 5 in most other brands, and she is still easily in a 4 at Gymboree...and even some 3s! Bryce wears a 3T in most brands, and his Gymboree clothes are mostly 2Ts, and some of his shorts are even 18-24 months. One thing I would love to see is the adjustable waists in the smaller sizes. The bigger sizes do usually have the elastic adjustments inside the shorts and pants, but the small sizes don't. I have skinny kids and we need them!

Gymboree seems to come out with a new line at least once a month, and when I was gathering information for this post, I saw the new collections that are available now - Island Lily for the girls and Shark Patrol for the boys. I guess I know where I'll be this weekend! Shhhh. Don't tell my husband!

Make sure you follow Gymboree on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date with their new collections, and find out about sales and other events!

With all of the adorable clothes available at Gymboree, what will you purchase next?

~*~Giveaway~*~

~*~$75 Gymboree Gift Card~*~

Entry -Form

Running Out? Run In To Publix And Save {Giveaway}

2013-05-13T22:15:00.000-04:00

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. The prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills and Publix® through MyBlogSpark.

It's almost time for another Running Out? Run In. event at Publix! I love these promotions because we are always running out of something in our house, and quick trips to Publix happen many times each week. Whether we're running out of Charmin toilet paper, Bounty paper towels or Crest toothpaste, we always seem to need something. During these events, we can save big on those items we're constantly running out of.

From May 15th through May 22nd, look for the "Running Out? Run In." event at Publix to take advantage of great savings on some of your favorite brands from General Mills and Procter & Gamble. Plus, if you buy $30 of participating products* from May 15th through May 31st, you can mail in to receive a $10 Publix gift card to use on your next shopping trip!

*Participating products: Wheaties®, Cascadian Farm®, Honey Nut Cheerios® Medley Crunch and Total® Whole Grain Cereal (assorted varieties); Hamburger Helper® and Suddenly Salad® (assorted varieties); Totino’s® Party Pizza (assorted varieties); Totino’s® Pizza Rolls (40ct, assorted varieties); Yoplait® Light Yogurt with Granola (assorted varieties); Yoplait® Go-Gurt (8ct pkg 2.25oz, assorted varieties); Gain Laundry Detergent (100oz, assorted varieties); Dawn® Dish Detergent (20-24oz bottle, assorted varieties); Charmin® Basic Bathroom Tissue (12 double roll pkg, assorted varieties); Bounty® Dura Towel and Bounty® Paper Towels (1 King Roll, 1 Big Roll); Crest® Toothpaste (8.2 oz) + Oral-B Indicator & Complete Manual Brush (1ct) assorted varieties; Herbal Essences® (6.0 -10.7oz, assorted varieties) and Vidal Sassoon Shampoo/Conditioner (12oz, assorted varieties).

If your family is like mine and you are always Running Out of things you need during the week, you will definitely want to Run In. to Publix during this event. For more information and to download your rebate form, visit runningoutrunin.com.

What grocery item(s) does your family constantly run out of?

~*~Giveaway~*~

~*~$25 Publix Gift Card~*~

Entry -Form

~~Winners!!!~~ Trash Pack, Silver Dolphin, Bamba

2013-05-13T19:00:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to last week's winners!

The Trash Pack Toys

Silver Dolphin PLAY DOH Books

iPad Mini from Bamba

For more chances to win cool stuff, check out our current giveaways in the sidebar!

Contours Options LT Tandem Stroller {Silent Auction}

2013-05-13T12:00:00.000-04:00

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. Items for review and/or giveaway were provided by sponsor or representing PR agency at no cost.

***Important*** If you bid on the stroller by leaving a comment on this post, PLEASE leave your email address! I will delete any bids left by bidders who I cannot contact at the end of the auction.

A few weeks ago, Raina posted her review of this awesome Contours Options LT Tandem Stroller. If you want to know what makes it so awesome, you'll have to go read the review. This stroller has so many features, with the best being the different seating options.

When that review was posted, we ran a silent auction for one of these great strollers to benefit Kids in Distressed Situations. We had a few bids, but unfortunately, no one left an email address with their bids. I attempted to contact the highest bidders through my Facebook page, but I had no luck.

Since this was such an awesome opportunity for one of you to get this stroller at a fraction of the $270 price tag, while helping a great organization, we have decided to run this silent auction again. The auction will run for the week, and end on Sunday, May 19th. If you are looking for a great tandem stroller for your family, you will definitely want to get your bid in!

~*~Silent Auction~*~

~*~Contours Options LT Tandem Stroller~*~

All proceeds will go directly to KIDS - Kids in Distressed Situations. Kolcraft strongly believes in giving back to the community and this silent auction will not only benefit moms and children in disadvantaged situations, but will also give the winner a great product at a fraction of the retail cost.

Rules of participation:

Entrants must be 18 or older and located in the US only.
Starting bid is $50, and all subsequent bids must be in $5 increments.
To bid, leave a comment* on this post with the amount of your bid and your email address.
The auction will end on May 19, 2013 at 4:00PM EST. The highest bid at that time wins, and the winner will be emailed.
Winner must make a donation to KIDS within 48 hours of notification email. Verification instructions will be included in winner notification.
If the winner fails to make their donation within 48 hours, the bidder with the next highest bid will be declared the winner and notified.
Once the winner's donation has been verified, sponsor will send a Contours Options LT Tandem Stroller.

*By commenting below with a bid amount, you agree to make a donation to KIDS. Please leave an email address, or your bid will be deleted.

Good luck!

Jewel Of The Seas Western Caribbean Cruise - Day 3

2013-05-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

We were in Cozumel on Day 3 of our Western Caribbean Cruise on Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas, and we were ready to hit the beach! We got up early and headed to the dining room for breakfast before we departed the ship, and I was yet again disappointed in the food. My eggs were undercooked, my hash browns were burnt, and I didn't get my toast. Thank goodness for the corned beef hash I ordered, or else I would have gone hungry.

The clouds were rolling in as we got off the ship, and I was hoping the sun would come out a little more before we arrived at the beach.

I noticed that we were docked next to another (much larger) Royal Caribbean ship - The Navigator of the Seas. The Jewel looked like a little tugboat next to that ginormous vessel, and I quickly added the Navigator to my list of future cruises.

We had looked through the list of excursions in Cozumel before we set sail, and I didn't really see anything that both of the kids would want to do. The kids were too little for most of the physical activities, and I knew Bryce wouldn't like the dolphin encounter that we participated in during our last cruise. We decided to just hang out at the beach and booked the "Beach Break" at Playa Mia.

Our fee for the beach break included admission to the park, several activities, and free drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). There was so much to do at Playa Mia, and I knew we would all have a great time. The first thing that the kids noticed, of course, was the huge Water Park. It had a large play area for the little kids...

...and water slides for the bigger kids.

Rylie and Bryce played around in the splash area for a long time, and then Bryce wanted to go in the pool. He swam around with Brian, and had fun going under the tunnel.

We got lucky and were able to get a table right by the water park, so the adults chilled out there and had a couple of tropical drinks while the kids played...and danced.

After a while of playing and swimming, we headed down to the beach to see what types of activities they had going on. They had a big slide out in the middle of the ocean, paddle boats, and kayaks, all which were included in our admission. We thought it would be fun to take the kids out in the paddle boats, so we all put on life jackets and got our instructions.

As you can see, I was already thinking that I had made a huge mistake. "You mean I actually have to pedal this thing?" I figured that it couldn't be all that hard, so away we went....

OH.MY.GOD. Hard is an understatement. After paddling for a few minutes, I realized that the current had picked us up and we were well outside of the roped off area we had been told to stay in. Brian and Bryce were too. When I finally realized just how far we were out, I turned around and attempted to pedal us back in...against the current. I pedaled with all my might and even had to switch off and use my hands from time to time, but we weren't getting any closer to shore. I saw a boat with one of the park attendants, and I swear that every time I looked at him, he laughed at me. I think he finally realized that we just weren't going to make it, so he towed us back in. After we were in, he went back out for Brian and Bryce. He didn't bring them all the way back, though. Apparently he thought it would be funny to make Brian pedal that dang boat just a little more.

After we turned those boats in and I got the feeling back in my legs, we started walking back towards our table in the pool area. (Our waiter was saving it for us, he was beyond awesome. Or wait, maybe it was the $20 bill I gave him when we arrived.) Anyway, as we were walking along the beach, Rylie saw a guy carrying around a huge iguana and she just HAD to hold it. Yes, folks, my daughter is crazy brave. I didn't get within 20 feet of that thing! And after the iguana, she had two HUGE birds perched on her arm. We weren't allowed to take our own pictures, but of course they were more than happy to sell us the pictures they took.

All of the pedaling of the paddle boats made us hungry, so we went back to the pool area and ordered a pizza. It was THE BEST pizza I think I have ever had! The cheese was a yellow color, rather than the normal mozzarella cheese we are used to, and whatever it was, it was GOOD! I want to go back just for more pizza.

After lunch, Rylie wanted to go play on the swing set/play structure out on the beach, so we went back out to the beach while the boys swam and my mom relaxed by the pool. She made a new friend and had a great time. We then went over and had her hair braided. It was just two braids down the sides this time, and she looked so cute.

The kids played for a while longer in the pool and the water park area. They had so much fun!

After everyone had enough sun and fun, we packed up and headed back to the ship. Of course we had to stop in the little marketplace and get some souvenirs first. Once we were back on the ship, we went straight up to the pool deck and Rylie was right back in the "hot pool" - her favorite place on the ship.

The kids had so much fun partying out by the pool that we totally missed dinner. There was no way we all had time to shower and get ready, so we decided to eat in the Windjammer Cafe that night. Rylie and Bryce had a quick snack and then they wanted to go to the Kids Club for a bit, so we dropped them off and then Brian, my mom and I grazed at the buffet for a while. The food was surprisingly good for a buffet!

The kids had a fun time at the Kids Club that night. They were having a "Little People Birthday Party", so they got to make cupcakes with a play doh like clay, and got a little goodie box to bring back with them.

When we got back to our room, our towel monkeys were hanging out waiting for us. Since our towel monkey was wearing my sunglasses, I borrowed Bryce's for my "usual" photo.

There was a pool party going on that night, so we mustered what was left of our energy and headed up to Deck 11. Bryce didn't last very long, so Brian ended up taking him back to our room, but Mama and I hung out with Rylie while she danced the night away.

We stayed at the dance party for a bit, and then headed back to our staterooms for a good night's sleep. We had an awesome day!

Related Posts:
Jewel of the Seas Western Caribbean Cruise - Day 1
Jewel of the Seas Western Caribbean Cruise - Day 2

Happy Mother's Day!

2013-05-12T22:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful moms out there, and especially to my mom! My family is so lucky to have the mom and grandma that we have!

I got to sleep in a little bit this morning and when I finally got out of bed, I had flowers waiting for me. Now, these weren't just any flowers. These two cute vases from my kids contain little flowers with messages about why they love me.

I'm supposed to pick a flower every day to see one of the many reasons that they love me.

And this is one of the many reasons that I love my mom. She is so thoughtful and creative and always comes up with cute little ideas such as this. Rylie actually wrote all of her messages herself, and Bryce dictated what he wanted his to say. Each time he gave my mom a reason that he loves me, he would say "OK now write that right now!"

My mom came over this afternoon and then we all went to Kobe Japanese Steakhouse for dinner. We hadn't been there in a while, and I thought that the kids would enjoy the experience. As we were waiting for our table, I tried to get a photo of all of us, but my kids were hungry and in no mood for pictures, so this was the best I could get...

I was concerned about Rylie's nut allergy so Brian called the restaurant yesterday and found out that they only nut products they used were peanuts in the lettuce wraps, so we were good to go. What I didn't think about, though, was the fact that they cook shellfish right on the grill with the other food, and my kids hadn't yet been exposed to shellfish. Since Rylie already has a food allergy, I'm too afraid to find out about a new one, so until she is tested, I keep her away from all shellfish. I spoke with the chef and he said he would cook all of the seafood after my kids had their food. I LOVE when restaurants are so wonderfully accommodating to people with food allergies!

As we waited for the chef to get started preparing our dinners, Rylie and Bryce had fun eating the lemons that came in the water. Their silly sour faces always amuse us!

To my surprise, Rylie tried everything she was served! She is one of the pickiest kids ever, so when she started scarfing down the soup, then the noodles, and then her steak, I was absolutely amazed. She said that she loved Kobe and wants to go there every Friday night.

Bryce, on the other hand, didn't touch his food. He had a great time watching the chef light the onion tower on fire and flip the food around, but he didn't want to eat. He was extremely whiny today, so I'm hoping that he isn't getting sick. ::knock on wood::

The rest of us had a great meal, and we had a great evening together.

After dinner, the kids wanted to feed the huge fish in the little ponds at the restaurant, so Mama got them some fish food and they had fun feeding the hungry fish.

I had a wonderful Mother's Day celebrating with my mom, and the amazing kids that made me a mom! I hope you all enjoyed your celebrations with your families too!

Wordless Wednesday: Don't Turn Your Back On This Kid!

2013-05-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

Kitchen Science With Clifford {Review & Giveaway}

2013-05-07T22:15:00.000-04:00

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. Items for review and/or giveaway were provided by sponsor or representing PR agency at no cost.

Over the last year or so, Rylie has really shown an interest in learning. She excels in math (just like her parents) and is always asking us to give her math problems, which she does in her head and then returns the correct answer. She is constantly asking questions about how things work, and if there is ever an opportunity to perform an experiment, she will take it.

When I was approached to review one of the new science kits from The Young Scientists Club, I knew I couldn't pass that one up. With Rylie possessing such a thirst for knowledge lately, I knew she would have a great time with one of the new kits that feature two characters who kids love - Clifford The Big Red Dog and Mrs. Frizzle.

With choices like nature, bubbles, rainbows, or experiments by the kitchen sink, it was a tough decision trying to figure out which kit she would have the most fun with. However, when I saw that the Kitchen Science Kit included an exploding volcano experiment, I knew that was the one we needed to have. Rylie is fascinated with "hot lava" and thinks explosions are cool, so I knew there would be plenty of experiments in this kit to help my little girl learn how things work.

Clifford and his friends love exploring the world around them and with this exciting kit they are learning all about KITCHEN SCIENCE! Emily Elizabeth, the narrator in the colorful 20-page manual, guides young scientists through captivating experiments with catchy titles such as test tube explosion, making slime, crystal star, crystal art, milk glue, colored celery, waking up fungus, fungus eats bananas, fungus in a tube, sticky ice, upside down trick, crystal garden, and exploding volcano. Young Scientists will feel like real scientists when they use the included colorful lab tray, measuring cup, test tubes, and funnel to perform their experiments! Join Clifford and his friends on an adventure into the world of science! (Ages 3 and up)

I opened the kit to find several supplies for performing the experiments, and figured we would need to add some things that are generally found in the kitchen. Of course my not-so-well-stocked kitchen didn't have the things we needed for most of the experiments, so while Rylie flipped through the manual to figure out which experiment she wanted to perform first, I ran to the store for some cornstarch, baking soda, vinegar and food coloring.

While I thought Rylie would want to make a volcano explode first, she heard the word "slime" and that is where we began. Yep, my princess doesn't mind getting slimy or sticky, and she was ready to get started.

It turns out that making slime is quite simple. All you do is mix cornstarch and water together until it is almost a liquid consistency, and then you add food coloring to make it colorful.

When the mixture is squeezed, it feels solid, but then turns to ooze when released. What is really neat about the manual is that each experiment gives you an explanation so you can explain how it really works. "The slime mixture that was created is a special mixture because it has millions of tiny solid particles of the cornstarch suspended in the water and, therefore, it behaves like both a solid and a liquid."

Rylie had so much fun with her homemade slime and she didn't want to part with it, so we scooped it all out into a zip lock bag for storage. (Which, by the way, started getting moldy after a couple of days. Hey! Another experiment!) I thought that the huge mess she made would be difficult to clean up, but all I had to do was wipe the table off with a wet paper towel, and it was gone.

A few days later Rylie was ready for some more experimentation, so we set out to make an exploding volcano. Along with some supplies needed from the kit, we also had to use baking soda, vinegar, food coloring and dish soap.

I love that these experiments are simple enough that the kids can do most of the steps without assistance. First Rylie poured the vinegar into the test tube. Then she mixed baking soda, water, food coloring, and dish soap in the measuring cup, which fit right down inside of the volcano. The last step was pouring the vinegar into the measuring cup mixture, and then...

...the volcano erupted! It was so cool that Bryce even ran over to see the "hot lava" flow from Rylie's volcano. We then explained that "when baking soda and vinegar mix, carbon dioxide (a gas) is formed."

Since the kids were all excited about the volcano explosion, we decided to perform one more "explosive" experiment called "Test Tube Explosion". This was nothing more than mixing vinegar and baking soda in the test tubes, but the kids had fun pouring the baking soda in....

...and then adding vinegar to make the explosion happen.

"That was cool! Can I do it again?" Hey, I won't pass up an opportunity to let my kids have fun while they learn!

After we were done with all of the explosions, Rylie wanted to show her dad how to make slime since he wasn't home when we made it first. This time they decided to forgo the lab tray and just make it right on the table. Luckily it was easy to clean up...

We have had so much fun with this kit already, and there are several other experiments still left to do! I'm sure we'll be experimenting with Kitchen Science often.

Retailing for only $19.99, this is a great price for the hours of educational fun your kids will have! The Clifford and Magic School Bus Kits (along with many others) are available directly from The Young Scientists Club, and several other retailers.

Which of these fun kits would your little scientist love to experiment with?

~*~Giveaway~*~

~*~Clifford or The Magic School Bus Science Kit~*~

Winner's choice of Bubble Science, Rainbow Science, Kitchen Science or The Wonders of Nature.

Entry -Form

~~Winners!!!~~ Talking Ginger, Big G/Target And More

2013-05-06T21:00:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to last week's winners!

Talking Ginger Prize Pack

Big G Cereals/Target Prize Pack

Angry Birds Star Wars AT-AT Attack Battle Game

Kivelli Baby Bracelet/Gift Certificates

For more chances to win cool stuff, check out our current giveaways in the sidebar!

Weekend Win It - May 4-5 {Giveaway Linky}

2013-05-03T21:00:00.000-04:00

Giveaway: Bamba Burger
Ends: 5/9

Prize: iPad Mini, 16GB Wi-Fi ***NOT a group giveaway!***

Giveaway: Kivelli Baby
Ends: 5/4

Prize: Bracelet of Choice

Giveaway: The Trash Pack
Ends: 5/7

Prize: Series 3 Ooze Pack & Street Sweeper

Giveaway: Silver Dolphin Books
Ends: 5/8

Prize: Mama's Little Ducklings (a lift-the-flap board book), Counting Bunnies (from the First Concept series), My First Words (a padded board book), Let's Get Creative (a jumbo sticker book), and two cans of PLAY-DOH

Giveaway: Thirty-One
Ends: 5/12

Prize: Winner's choice of ANY Thirty-One Thermal

Giveaway: Mueller's
Ends: 5/13

Prize: Year's Supply of Mueller's Hidden Veggie Pasta

Giveaway: Publix
Ends: 5/16

Prize: $25 Publix Gift Card

Giveaway: Motorworks by Manhattan Toy
Ends: 5/16

Prize: Choice of Motorworks Vehicle and Accessory Pack

Giveaway: Little Mommy
Ends: 5/20

Prize: Bubbly Bathtime Doll

Giveaway: Eureka
Ends: 5/21

Prize: AirSpeed ONE Reach Vacuum

Giveaway: HABA
Ends: 5/23

Prize: Choice of Götz Doll

Here are some great giveaways that I found this week...

Giveaway: Honeywell
Blog: Thanks, Mail Carrier
Ends: 5/22

Prize: Honeywell with Febreze Freshness Cool & Refresh Fan

Giveaway: Mega Bloks Barbie
Blog: Kiddies Corner Deals
Ends: 5/5

Prize: Choice of a Mega Bloks Barbie Play Set (2 winners!)

Giveaway: Mamarazzi Giveaway
Blog: The Shopping Mama
Ends: 5/15

Prize: Epiphanie Camera Bag, Printstagram Framed Print, Plak That Custom Print, Shutterfly Photo Gifts

Giveaway: Millstone Coffee
Blog: The Mama Report
Ends: 5/11

Prize: Millstone Coffee Bean to Cup Tasting Kit - includes Keurig Elite Brewing System (ARV $250)

Giveaway: Subway
Blog: A Nut in a Nutshell
Ends: 5/5

Prize: $40 Subway Gift Card

Five Question Friday - May 3rd

2013-05-03T11:00:00.000-04:00

1. What is your next home improvement goal?

Oh the list is so long! On the outside of the house we need a new fence and we need to re-do our landscaping in the front and back yards. As for the inside, well, we need a complete overhaul. I'll spare you the details here (feel free to read that post if you really need to know), but basically we need to declutter, BIG TIME.

I know this isn't really "home improvement", but our next task is going to be moving Bryce's room upstairs. Rylie hates being upstairs alone, and I think having Bryce upstairs with her will help alleviate some of her nighttime fears.

2. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be? No religious texts (ie Bible, Quran, Torah, etc, etc)...

You guys, I haven't read a book in SO LONG. In fact, when I thought about a book I really enjoyed, I think I read it while I was in high school. That was Steven King's Misery. So yeah, I guess I'll go with that one.

3. What is on top of your refrigerator?

Dust! Along with all of the toys we don't want the kids playing with unsupervised - Play Doh, paints, etc.

4. What are your favorite or most used phone apps?

My most used phone apps are Facebook and Tweetcaster. My favorite is probably Cozi. I like being able to add groceries to the list that Brian and I both see. That way if one of us is out shopping, we can quickly see what we need.

5. What's the one thing you hate most about your spouse's job?

I hate that Brian gets to wear shorts and t-shirts to work, but that's only because I'm jealous. There really isn't anything I hate about his job. Well, except that he has been in Switzerland for two weeks now. He doesn't travel often, though, so I really don't even hate that. He's got a pretty awesome job!

Just Call Me Super Woman

2013-05-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

"You guys, if I can make it through this week, I'm going to come out of this feeling like friggin Super Woman!"

That is what I posted on Facebook Monday morning. Here we are on Friday, and I made it through the week! So go ahead, just call me Super Woman.

I've posted a couple of times about how Brian has been in Switzerland for two weeks, and today is my last day as a single parent! WOO FREAKING HOO! To all the single moms (and dads!) out there, I seriously don't know how you do it. Thank goodness I have had my mom as backup, because I don't know what I would have done without her. It hasn't been THAT bad, honestly, but between my kids, my job and my blog, I've been busy.

Last Saturday we went to Mia's first birthday party. (Mia is the daughter of my best friend (and sometimes contributor) Melissa, who blogs over at Life at Chez K.) Since Rylie had dance Saturday morning, we had to be packed up and ready to leave the house by 9, and we actually made it! My friend Jenn took Rylie into dance while I sat in the car with Bryce and Lucy, and then we headed over to the West Coast. We had such a great time celebrating Mia's special day!

Mia had a zoo safari themed birthday, and her cakes were awesome! Bryce especially enjoyed gnawing on one of the fondant zoo animals.

Mia loved the bounce house just as much as the older kids (and big kids at heart) did.

After the party, I decided I was way too tired to make the two hour drive home, so after a quick (yet expensive) trip to Target for pajamas and other "essentials", we bunked at Melissa's house. Of course, I stayed up way too late chatting with my friends, so I was almost just as tired on Sunday. We finally made it home Sunday afternoon, and needless to say, I didn't get my day of rest like I had planned on getting when I posted last Friday. We had a great weekend, though, and that's all that matters.

We found out last week that Lucy suffers from horrible separation anxiety, so her destruction over the last two weeks has just added to the madness here. After she destroyed her bed, her crate pan, and even my carpet, I listened to the recommendations from my friends and bought her a ThunderShirt, along with a DAP Diffuser. When I leave in the morning I move her towel-lined crate to the kitchen (where there is no carpet!), leave the TV on, put her ThunderShirt on, and plug the diffuser in. She is like a different dog. When my mom comes to pick her up in the afternoon, she is just sitting nicely in her crate...and nothing is destroyed!

On Wednesday, I registered Rylie for KINDERGARTEN! I can't believe I'm going to have a kindergartner in just a few months. I'm so excited, though. I saw a bunch of Facebook posts from my friends last week saying how sad they were as they registered their children, but I'm the exact opposite. I love seeing my kids grow up! Each year gets more fun, not to mention, much easier. I'm sure there will come a time when I want them to stop growing up, but right now, I love it!

And last, Wednesday was my birthday. I went to lunch with some friends from work, and then we had a little party with cake and the Edible Arrangement that Melissa sent. That evening I went over to my mom's house for my birthday party with pizza and cake (thanks to Bryce's request). They had a little table all decorated for me when I arrived...

My kids get so excited about birthdays - even ones that aren't theirs. We had a great time eating pizza and cupcakes and the kids, my mom and my aunt sang Happy Birthday to me.

Of course Rylie and Bryce had to help me blow out the candles on the little mini-cupcake flower they fashioned for me.

And just in case you're wondering what the deal is with the plastic frogs - my family thinks my fear of frogs is hilarious. Rylie cracks up when I see one outside and freak out. So yeah, they thought I needed a frog themed party. Of course my gift was also a frog...

Even though it has been hectic, we really had a good week. I did end up getting beyond exhausted and hit my breaking point Wednesday night after Rylie decided to spray the Poo-Pourri all over the bathroom like an air freshener...after my cleaning lady had just been here! After I cleaned the blue spray from the stool, the toilet and the floor, I pretty much lost my crap on her and acted like a raving lunatic. Let's just say it's a good thing that I'm not the beating type...I just yell a lot. Of course I felt horrible afterwards (and I still kinda do), but I was at my limit. Sigh.

Rylie and Bryce have both received "good notes" all week at school so far, so I am planning to pick them up early after I get my hair done this afternoon and I think we'll brave Monkey Joes. I want to have some fun with them. Saturday is dance, and then we need to go to the mall for a couple of things. They just opened this build-your-own-bear place in our mall and they've been begging to do it, so I will probably use that as a bribe for good behavior. And then...

BRIAN GETS HOME SATURDAY NIGHT!!!

Ohmygod I have missed him so much! Seriously, you single parents get all the props. This is hard work! I'm not saying that I'm the busiest person ever, but it is definitely easier when you have someone on your team. These last two weeks have been trying, to say the least, but at least I didn't completely lose my mind.

I hope everyone had a great week, and that you all have a great weekend! Is anyone doing anything fun?

Götz Dolls From HABA {Review & Giveaway}

2013-05-02T21:00:00.000-04:00

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. Items for review and/or giveaway were provided by sponsor or representing PR agency at no cost.

Haley and Kennedy both love to play with baby dolls. Besides pushing their dolls around in strollers, they now have a play kitchen, and they love to make meals for the dolls and then push them around the house. Today Kennedy said "baby" for the first time, and as with any new trick, it was the word of the day. I smiled all day hearing her say "baby" "baby" "baby" over and over. And every time I would coax her to say it, she would start looking around for one of their babies. I just love the irony of my baby playing with babies.

I love hearing about new baby dolls and accessories that are on the market and the different characteristics that each doll has. My girls love all dolls and we have a variety in the house. I received a Götz doll to review, and I have to admit that I wasn't that familiar with the brand. After researching some online, I was able to find out some information on this wonderful doll company:

Götz, the beloved luxury German doll maker, is coming back to U.S. shores with the most extensive assortment of Götz dolls and accessories ever seen in the U.S., all courtesy of HABA! The history of this fantastic brand is as storied and rich as HABA's own. In 1950, Marianne Götz handcrafted beautiful dolls while her husband, Franz Götz, would sell them from a wagon he pulled with his bike. Six decades later, the second generation of Götz family members is still running the show; and these two prominent companies have come together to sell their adored doll line to American children ages 3 and up. For generations, the magic of a Götz doll was its extraordinary hair, sculptured face, trendy clothing and its soft fabric or vinyl body. Their superior quality and design still remains a favorite of doll lovers and collectors today.

When the doll arrived and I opened it, I was immediately impressed with the quality. The face looked like that of a delicate porcelain doll, yet it was plastic and able to be played with.

Meet "Muffin", our 13" adorable baby! I love how her clothes are old-fashioned, and so sweet. Since the last baby doll we received was designated to Haley, I designated this doll to be Kennedy's. Of course we share them all here, but at least this way, Kennedy doesn't always have a hand-me-down doll. After I opened the package, I let Kennedy see and hold her first. Sounds just like we are at a real hospital, doesn't it?

Kennedy is really into a kissing phase these days, so everyone and every thing she loves to kiss. Our new baby Muffin was no exception!

This is the only baby doll we have ever had that opens and closes its eyes as you lay it down. Kennedy noticed immediately, set her down, and started touching her eyes to inspect them. I love the curiosity of a child, and I loved that she immediately picked up on the fact that the baby's eyes moved.

As with any new baby, we had to have the inaugural push in the baby stroller. The 2 strollers we usually play with were downstairs, but we have 1 upstairs too.

The only reason Kennedy was allowed to play uninterrupted with her new doll was that I assured Haley that Kennedy was headed to bed soon and she could have the doll all to herself while her sister napped.

After the girls went to bed that night, I was able to examine the doll a little more closely. I thought that the beanie cap, which hadn't been removed all day by either one of them, was glued on. That turned out not to be the case. It just fits snug so that it doesn't fall off constantly. I put it back on that night and it has been a few days and they still haven't taken her beanie off. She has even gone to bed with Haley the past 2 nights and it has stayed on in her bed. I love that!

Also, the body of the doll isn't filled with traditional fiber-fill type of materials; she is filled with small beads that make her weigh a little more, and I think it adds to how realistic she is. She is such great quality, and even her clothes show that. Those beads are what makes the best feature of her - all Götz dolls (with the exception of the standing dolls) are made to be machine washable! With all of the kissing going on around here, I am sure we will be washing her often! Directions for washing the dolls are to place them in a pillow case, turn the water to cold, delicate cycle, then let the doll lie, belly down, until dry. It is that easy! I love that they have a doll that can be cleaned. Haley has a slight cold right now, and I tend to go on wash overload when either one of them gets sick and try to get all the germs out of their toys.

Another great feature about Götz dolls is that the ones that have hair, the hair is able to be styled! You can comb it, wash it, and even use a curling iron on the low setting and style the hair. I know when the girls get a little older and are into styling hair we will have to buy one of the larger Götz dolls just so they can style the hair.

There are so many great Götz dolls to choose from, and it is hard to pick a favorite. The 13" Muffin doll with no hair that we received retails for $44.99, which is a fair price to pay for such a quality, collectible doll!

Which of these beautiful dolls is your favorite?

~*~Giveaway~*~

~*~Götz Doll~*~

Winner's choice! Standing dolls not included.

Entry -Form

Wordless Wednesday: Lucy The Destroyer

2013-05-01T07:00:00.000-04:00

If you don't know who Lucy is, you can meet her here.

The Eureka AirSpeed ONE Reach Proves That Size Isn't Everything {Review & Giveaway}

2013-04-30T23:00:00.000-04:00

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. Items for review and/or giveaway were provided by sponsor or representing PR agency at no cost.

I think I have a small obsession with tools to clean my floor. Don't get confused, I don't actually clean my floor that often, but every time I see a commercial with the latest product on the market, I start thinking that maybe if I purchase that item, my floors will be clean all of the time. So far, it hasn't happened. I do have a lightweight vacuum that is OK to use, so I do it more often than I used to, though. The vacuum that I currently own doesn't have attachments of any kind, it is just a "basic" model that vacuums floors. I thought when I convinced my husband we needed a new vacuum that I didn't need any attachments. I didn't realize how much I would miss them.

I recently learned about a new campaign from Eureka called "Size isn't everything. Power Is", which is centered around their new AirSpeed ONE Reach lightweight vacuum. This vacuum cleaner not only has attachments, but features a 40 foot reach system, weighs less than 7lbs, and is proven to clean carpets better than the number one selling bagless upright. I was intrigued.

It is so hard to find a lightweight vacuum that is also powerful. I have a stick vacuum that is for tile floors, and it doesn't seem to work that great after the first few times I used it. I have stairs and it is such a hassle to lug a vacuum up and down them to clean and to vacuum upstairs. Usually I just vacuum downstairs and call it a day.

While I had a hard time believing that something so lightweight could perform like a heavier vacuum, I started thinking of all the small things in my life that are powerful. My children are small, but yet they can be louder and more energetic than most adults I know! I also own a Magic Bullet, which is the best little blender for smoothies and making baby food. My chihuahua, Hershey, has a pretty loud bark for only being 6lbs too. My smart phone is tiny, but the Internet speed on it is a lot faster than the Internet I have at home. I could go on, but you get the point. I guess small can mean powerful when you think about it!

When I received the Eureka AirSpeed ONE Reach vacuum, I was definitely impressed at how light it was! I was also impressed with the attachments. I started looking around at things that I needed an attachment for and started getting excited. Yes, excited. Attachments with a vacuum beat a wet paper towel any day! I love how the vacuum has a clear canister so that I can see that it is working, and then be disgusted by how dirty my house is. Ha!

A quick survey of a few areas that needed cleaning with the attachments and I decided to clean the window sills behind my couch, a corner of the living room that has a trunk and there are always those tiny little spiders, the bottom of my stairs behind the baby gate, and the sides of my stairs.

Not only did the vacuum take care of the mess quickly, but I am in love with how long the hose is on the vacuum for reaching! And it has several attachments that snap in together to extend even further!

It comes with a great stair attachment (above) for cleaning stairs. The stair attachment spun really fast, but I found that I wasn't patient enough on my big staircase, so I ended up just using the upright part of the vacuum.

All of the areas that I cleaned with the attachments came clean instantly!

I have had a few vacuums in the past that have been so heavy to push that vacuuming really bothered my back. Not with this lightweight vacuum! It was super light to push, and didn't take any effort at all. There are several "levels" of flooring to choose from. I did all of my carpet, rugs, and tile on the 2nd setting, which was just above "bare floor".

I also love how easy it is to switch from the "floor" mode to the attachment mode. Most vacuums that I have owned require you to put the hose into a suction hole on top of the vacuum. This vacuum you just turn a dial to whichever mode you wish to use!

OK, so if you promise not to judge me too harshly - and if you are one of my friends that visit, you still have to visit because I promise my floor isn't THAT dirty (is it?!) - I will show you a photo of the canister after I finished the downstairs area of flooring and using the attachments.

It is hard to see, but the dust goes all the way up under that sticker next to the filter. Gross, right? I think I vacuum pretty regularly too. When you have proof like that, you can see how this small lightweight vacuum is a powerful cleaning tool! Right?

The powerful Eureka AirSpeed ONE Reach is available at Target for $69.99, and at the time of this review, it was currently on sale for $65.00! It comes with a 2-year warranty, and for this powerful, affordable, lightweight vacuum, that is awesome!

What little thing has made a powerful difference in your life?

~*~Giveaway~*~

~*~Eureka AirSpeed ONE Reach Vacuum~*~

Entry -Form

Exercise Is A Great Stress Relief #SmoothBlogger

2013-04-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I am a Smooth Fitness Ambassador and received an elliptical machine at no cost, in order to facilitate my review (and my quest for a healthier lifestyle).

When I first started spreading the word that I was a Smooth Fitness Ambassador, someone made a comment to me about how my new elliptical would be "a great place to hang clothes". I chuckled a little because I knew exactly what they meant. We had a weight bench once, and it made a great place to stack stuff that we had no place for. We eventually got rid of that "storage area", and we haven't had any fitness equipment in our house since then. Well, until now, that is.

I actually USE my Smooth Fitness elliptical trainer, so you won't ever find clothes hanging from it. In fact, Brian draped his jacket over it when he was packing up to go on his trip and I was like "you better get that off of there!" My elliptical still sits in my room today with nothing hanging on it.

Now, I'm not saying that I exercise every single day, because unfortunately, I can't. Between my family, my job, and this blog, there are some nights that I just do not have that 30 minutes. I try to use it at least 3 times a week, though, and hopefully one of these days, I'll be able to get that number up to 5. In just a couple of short months, I have experienced several benefits from exercising regularly, and I hope to make this a lifestyle change and keep it up.

I wanted to start exercising to tone up my flab. That was the main reason. While that is a slow-going process, I can already feel the muscles in my legs getting stronger, and my pants get a tiny bit looser every week. I'm not yet ready to go down to that next size, but I will be soon, I'm sure.

Through this last couple of months, I have also noticed that I have more energy in general. Especially right after a workout. I feel energized, and I really feel great.

The main benefit for me right now, though, is stress relief. There are some evenings when I come home a bundle of nerves after working all day, and the last thing I want to do is exercise. I'm angry, I'm irritated, and I'm just tired. But I found that if I force myself to get on my elliptical machine for 30 minutes, the stress goes away. The endorphins get pumping through my body, and by the time my workout is finished, I am in a much better mood. Work is so stressful right now, so I definitely NEED something to relieve the stress.

There are so many benefits to exercise, and I'm so fortunate that I was selected to test out the Smooth CE 7.4 Elliptical Trainer. Not only did I get a great machine to work out on, but I am improving my life in ways that I hadn't imagined!

Why do you exercise? Have you experienced benefits from exercising that you hadn't expected?

Angry Birds Star Wars AT-AT Attack Battle Game {Review & Quick Giveaway}

2013-04-29T22:00:00.000-04:00

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. Items for review and/or giveaway were provided by sponsor or representing PR agency at no cost.

It's almost time for Star Wars Day! As a kid, I was a big fan of the Star Wars movies, but had no idea that a Star Wars Day even existed. It does, though, and it is coming up on May the Fourth (...be with you). Fans all over the world will be celebrating our favorite sci-fi saga in just a few days, and this year, Hasbro wants you to feel the force with toys and games based on the wildly popular Angry Birds Star Wars mobile game from Rovio Entertainment.

These innovative Angry Birds Star Wars toys and games bring the app off the screen, where kids of all ages can have fun launching and destroying in physical form. With games like the AT-AT Attack Battle Game, Jabba's Place and the Emperor's Throne, your favorite Star Wars characters are re-imagined as high-flying Angry Birds and Villainous Pigs.

We received the Angry Birds Star Wars AT-AT Attack Battle Game and a Darth Vader Pig Foam Flyer for review. While Bryce doesn't yet know what Star Wars is, he definitely knows the Angry Birds, and as soon as he saw the label on the box that pictured the different birds, he wanted it open so he could see what was in it. He was so excited and couldn't wait to play!

When I saw the note on the box that adult assembly was required, I sat down in Bryce's room to get everything set up. The AT-AT Attack Battle Game includes 21 blocks to create the massive, signature AT-AT, a Lightsaber launcher and 12 Angry Birds Star Wars figures - including two that are exclusive to this set!

While I was setting up the AT-AT, Bryce practiced launching the Angry Birds. They have small holes on the back that fit over the peg in the launcher, and then you simply pull back and let go. Bryce figured this out almost instantly, and had a great time shooting the Angry Birds around his room.

Notice the green bird flying in front of his face in the second photo!

Now, when the box said that some adult assembly was required, they should have said that an adult with a super steady hand would be needed to assemble the AT-AT, with no kids in the room. While the base of the structure is sturdy, stacking those small blocks was not easy, especially when you have Angry Birds zooming by every couple of seconds. It took me several tries to get all the pieces in place, but after a few minutes, we were ready to go.

At this time, Rylie came in to join the fun, and the kids took turns launching the Angry Birds at the AT-AT. They had them flying, but their aim wasn't so great at first.

If you look closely, you'll see another flying bird just off the side of the AT-AT in the second photo.

After several tries, Bryce managed to make contact with the structure and knocked a few pieces down, along with some of the Star Wars "pigs". He was beyond thrilled!

He then decided that he should use the Darth Vader Pig Foam Flyer to knock the rest of it down. The Foam Flyers are 3.5 inch soft foam characters available in Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, Darth Vader and Stormtrooper. The are super soft, so they're great for little ones to throw around! When Bryce threw his Foam Flyer at the AT-AT, maximum destruction was achieved!

This game is a lot of fun for everyone! It is recommended for kids ages 5 and up, but 3 year old Bryce had no problems launching those birds. Once he perfects his aim, I imagine I'll spend plenty of time setting the AT-AT up again and again.

The Angry Birds Star Wars games and toys are available at HasbroToyShop.com, and other major retailers. The AT-AT Attack Battle Game retails for $39.99 and the Foam Flyer for $9.99. At first I thought the game was a little pricey for what it was, but after playing with it and seeing how much fun my kids had with it, I would definitely pay that amount for it. It really is a great game!

Which of the fun Angry Birds Star Wars products would the sci-fi fans (or Angry Birds fans) in your family like to play with first?

~*~Giveaway~*~

~*~Angry Birds Star Wars AT-AT Attack Battle Game~*~

Entry -Form

The Life of Rylie...and Bryce too!

Wordless Wednesday: Rylie Is Graduating From Pre-K!

Caillou Bathtime With You {Review & Giveaway}

~*~Winners!!!~*~ Thirty-One, Mueller's And More

I Took My Dog For A Run #SmoothBlogger

Energizer Flameless Wax Candles {Review & Giveaway}

Road Rippers Keep Playtime Rollin' {Review}

Weekend Win It - May 18-19 {Giveaway Linky}

Wordless Wednesday: Vampire Princess

We Love Gymboree! {Review & Giveaway}

Running Out? Run In To Publix And Save {Giveaway}

~*~Winners!!!~*~ Trash Pack, Silver Dolphin, Bamba

Contours Options LT Tandem Stroller {Silent Auction}

Jewel Of The Seas Western Caribbean Cruise - Day 3

Happy Mother's Day!

Wordless Wednesday: Don't Turn Your Back On This Kid!

Kitchen Science With Clifford {Review & Giveaway}

~*~Winners!!!~*~ Talking Ginger, Big G/Target And More

Weekend Win It - May 4-5 {Giveaway Linky}

Five Question Friday - May 3rd

Just Call Me Super Woman

Götz Dolls From HABA {Review & Giveaway}

Wordless Wednesday: Lucy The Destroyer

The Eureka AirSpeed ONE Reach Proves That Size Isn't Everything {Review & Giveaway}

Exercise Is A Great Stress Relief #SmoothBlogger

Angry Birds Star Wars AT-AT Attack Battle Game {Review & *Quick* Giveaway}

~~Winners!!!~~ Thirty-One, Mueller's And More

~~Winners!!!~~ Trash Pack, Silver Dolphin, Bamba

~~Winners!!!~~ Talking Ginger, Big G/Target And More

Angry Birds Star Wars AT-AT Attack Battle Game {Review & Quick Giveaway}