When I was younger, I would forsake warmth for the latest trend. Yes, I was that stupid girl running around in an unlined leather jacket with no hat and no scarf. I would wear mittens, but only if they were cute. Luckily, I grew up and came to my senses. I still love cute mittens, but I have grown to appreciate classic styles, like that of this Quilted Down Parka from Lands' End. This warm hip-length winter coat comes in seven colors to fit every taste. Red is my favorite color, but how many red coats can a girl have? I decided to go with the Dark Chocolate instead.
This coat is available in Regular (XS-XL), Petite (XS-XL), and Plus Size (1X-3X). Because I have a tummy and a non-existent chest, I opted to order the 1X in the plus size. The main difference is the extra room in the body. I think I made the perfect choice. I definitely have enough room to wear a thick sweater underneath.
There are lots of features on this parka that help to keep me warm during the New England winters. In addition to being down-filled, as well as wind and water-resistant, there is a toggle drawstring to cinch the waist to help keep the cold air out. The hood is adjustable and detachable and also has a toggle drawstring to make it snug around your face. I tend to always leave the hood attached because it's easier than carrying a hat with me.
Another feature, which I just love, are the fleece-lined side pockets to warm my hands. It is much easier than taking the time to put on mittens or gloves sometimes.
This Lands' End down parka retails for $99.50 to $109.50, depending on the size you need. You can order it on LandsEnd.com or find it locally in the Lands' End shop inside your local Sears store. You can visit Lands' End on Facebook or sign up for email updates to keep track of the most current promotional offers. It is difficult to find a coat that is both warm and flattering. This parka is both and would make a great gift for any woman who lives in a cold climate.
Thank you to Lands' End for sending us a complimentary product sample to base this review upon.
Last week, we missed Thanksgiving dinner with my relatives because our 3 year old son contracted an eye infection. Still, we prepared a modest dinner for just our family to enjoy together. While we were eating, I asked each of the children what they were thankful for this year. Our oldest listed out everything his teacher taught him to be thankful for in school (i.e. his brother, his sister, his mom, his dad, etc . . . ). Our 3 year daughter could not come up with an answer. Our 3 year old son also struggled with coming up with an answer. After awhile, his little face lit up and he said, "Mickey Mouse!"
If you have a Silly Monkey Story to share, sign Mr. Linky below with the link to your blog post (not the link to your main blog page). Please do not forget to visit the other participants and leave them comments to let them know you stopped by!
These beautiful Lindt Chocolate Truffle favor boxes were sitting at each of our place settings, when I and six other bloggers attended an event for BJ's Wholesale Club earlier this month. These were just one of many examples of gifty goodies we had the pleasure of sampling. Look for more photos of this event coming later this week.
If you'd like to see more Ruby Tuesday photos, go visit Mary at Work of the Poet!
I chose this Melissa and Doug Pretend Play Workbench from Gummy Lump, one of the leading online retailers of wooden toys, to feature as a "TWINtuitive Product" because this toy promotes cooperation and collaboration between more than one child through pretend play. Although the work surface is ample for two children, our twins still needed to share the tools and some of the parts. One social skill they both need to work on is teamwork. Usually they each want to make their own creation and will not tolerate anyone else contributing to their project. This toys allows both twins to build something wonderful together and gives each the opportunity to support the other's ideas. Nothing pleases me more than to hear one twin say to the other, "That's a great idea!" or "Wow! You did a great job!"
This workbench by Melissa & Doug was packed very well. It does require adult assembly and each piece was individually wrapped. My husband assembled our workbench without any assistance in approximately 20 minutes. The only complaint I have is that the stickers labeling each part were difficult to remove. You may need to resort to using some Goo Gone.
This set comes with all the wooden tools and hardware your child needs to build many creations. If your child needs a little help with some project ideas, there is an included booklet with step-by-step instructions to build things, such as various vehicles.
This toy not only appeals to our nearly 4 year old twins, but also to our nearly 7 year old son. His favorite thing about this workbench is the working vise.
Since this toy was assembled, all three of our children have played with it daily. It is a great toy to keep anxious hands busy and is sturdy enough to endure endless hours of play. If you happen to be prone to headaches, you may want to hide the hammer . . . just for a day or two.
For a limited time, the Melissa & Doug Wooden Workbench toy is on sale for $79.99 (regularly $99.99) on GummyLump.com with Free UPS Ground Shipping on orders over $50.
Thank you to Gummy Lump for sending us a complimentary product sample to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our contest prize.
This giveaway is open toU.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.
How to Gain Entries:
Browse the selection of wooden toys offered by Gummy Lump. Then leave a comment telling me the name of one toy you would love to give as a gift to a child in your life.You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.
Extra Entries:
1)For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.
2)
For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.
3)For 10 extra entries, make a purchase on GummyLump.com. Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with your order number.
5)For 1 extra entry each, follow Gummy Lump on Twitter and/or "Like" Gummy Lump on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment for each with the link to your Twitter or Facebook profile.
6)
Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.
7)
Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.
8)
Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.
Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.
(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)
Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed onMonday, December 13th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.
The Rubik’s Slide is a new game from the makers of the Rubik’s Cube. It combines the puzzle of a Rubik’s Cube into and electronic game. The object is to make the colored lights on the face of the electronic Rubik’s Cube match a specified set. You must twist, push, and pull the face of the game to move the lights, as seen in the video below.
I am a Rubik’s Cube-aholic, so I was thrilled to get to try this game. It is fun, entertaining, engaging, and hours of entertainment for anyone age five years through adult. Avery, my nine year old, has had a blast with this game too, almost as much fun as I’ve had. You can play this game in two modes, timed and free play. In timed mode, you try to solve as many puzzles as you can in an alloted time. In free play, you are free to play as many of the 10,000 possible puzzles as you like. You can also play as a one-player game or battle in a two or more player game. It is conveniently travel-sized, and made for tons of entertainment for Avery on a recent road trip of ours. It does require two “AA” batteries to operate, but those come installed.
The Rubik's Slide in action . . .
This would make an excellent Christmas gift for any puzzle-lover in your life and is a perfect size for a stocking stuffer. You can learn more about Rubik’s Slide and see videos on their website, www.rubiksslide.com . You can purchase Rubik’s Slide at most major retailers including Target, Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, JCPenney, Amazon.com, and more. It retails for approximately $17.99.
Thank you to Techno source for sending us a complimentary product sample to base this review upon and for providing a second product as our contest prize.
What you can win: One lucky reader will receivea Rubik's Slide.
Limitations:
This giveaway is open toU.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.
How to Gain Entries:
Leave a comment telling me who would receive the Rubik's Slide if you won this contest.You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.
Extra Entries:
1)For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.
2)
For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.
3)For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post ANDRubik's Slide. Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.
Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.
7)
Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.
8)
Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.
Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.
(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)
Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed onMonday, December 13th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.
Where I live, it costs $14 to $16 to buy an 8" cake from the supermarket's bakery. Although I very much enjoy bringing those cakes to every dinner or gathering my family is invited to, the cost adds up quickly during the holiday season when such gatherings become more frequent. That is why I want to share with you a new discovery from Duncan Hines . . . the new Amazing Cake Glazes and Decadent Cake Mixes. After trying these two products, I doubt I will ever go back to the old standard cake mixes ever again.
Of the 3 new Decadent Duncan Hines Cake Mixes, I tried the Apple Caramel and the Triple Chocolate along with the Vanilla and the Chocolate Amazing Glazes.
Although the Triple Chocolate cake was my and my children's favorite, my husband raved about the Apple Caramel cake. I served it while the cake and the apple filling was still warm with a fresh drizzling of the also warm vanilla glaze.
Applying the glaze to the whole cake makes a beautiful presentation for any gathering. If you are serving the cake at home, I highly recommend adding the glaze to each individual serving. That way, you can tailor the flavor and quantity of the glaze to each person's taste. To use the glaze, you only need to microwave it with the bottle opened according the package instructions. Then you can refrigerate the unused portion to reheat and use later.
The Triple Chocolate Cake is amazing! It has a chocolate filling that is just delicious especially when the cake is served warm. It tastes just as good as any chocolate lava cake you would order off a restaurant's dessert menu. Do you think you would be one to drench your cake in glaze or would you likely be a "drizzler" like me?
The 20oz box of Duncan Hines Decadent Cake Mixes retail for $2.99 each and the 10oz bottles of Duncan Hines Amazing Glazes retail for just $2.49 each. Throw in 3 eggs, some vegetable oil, and water and you have yourself a delicious cake for what it would cost you to order one slice of cake in a restaurant. A cake from a bakery would cost you 3 or 4 times as much. If this sounds like a delicious way to save money to you, then look for these new Duncan Hines products in your supermarket's baking aisle. For a limited time, click on this link to receive a $1.00 off coupon for Duncan Hines Amazing Glazes.
This article was written for the Family Review Network & Duncan Hines who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.
Are you finding yourself crazy busy now that the holidays have arrived? Well, I am. I have already finished 99% of my Christmas shopping and have 80% of the gifts wrapped and still feel like my plate is too full. I suppose it doesn't help that I have 3 birthdays to plan for coming up in January.
Here are a couple of photos to remind you (and me) to stop and enjoy the sweet things in life, even if it's only for a few minutes . . .
"Sweet!"
"Sweeter!"
Thank you for taking the time to view my photos this week! If you'd like to play along or see more great photos, stop by to see Lotus a.k.a. Sarcastic Mom.
I have always spent lots of money buying bows and hair clips for my daughter from online boutiques since she was an infant. I am pretty much just kicking myself that I did not know about the Mini Bowdabra and the Bowdabra Hair Bow Tool sooner. Since my daughter is under 4 years old, I did not do this project with her, but you can certainly make this into a fun activity for you and your grade school-aged child. Since this project has so many possibilities, you do not need to use the same materials I show in my examples below. You can use any type and size of ribbon that will fit in the Mini Bowdabra, as well as tulle, stems of artificial flowers, and more. You can use these basic concepts to create hair clips, headbands, and ponytail holders.
Today's Project: 2-Color Bow Hair Clip
Ask you child to create a bow hair clip that she would love to wear with her favorite outfit.
6) Metal alligator pinch clip (your choice of size)
(Click any image to enlarge)
Step 1.Cut a piece of bow wire approximately 16" long. Fold the wire in half. Then slide the wire into the Mini Bowdabra's slot and then wrap/tuck the ends around and under the Bowdabra.
Step 2.Take the solid sheer ribbon and fold it back and forth in the Mini Bowdabra. The size of the loops and the number of loops is up to you. Use the Bowdabra Wand to scrunch down the sheer ribbon at the center.
Tip #1: For best results, make sure you have the same number of loops on both the left and right sides of your bow.
Step 3.Take the printed ribbon and place it into the Mini Bowdabra print side down. Create loops that are shorter with this ribbon so that you can see the sheer ribbon loops underneath. Twist the printed ribbon in the center (as shown above) for each loop you make. This ensures that the bow is more 3-dimensional and that the print is always on the outside (if your ribbon is only printed on one side). Use the Bowdabra Wand to scrunch down the printed ribbon at the center.
Step 4. Pick up the two ends of the bow wire. You should have one side with two cut ends and another side that is a loop. Pull the two cut ends through the loop and continue to pull until the ribbon bow is securely cinched at the center by the bow wire.
Step 5.Remove the bow from the Mini Bowdabra. Then separate the two cut ends of the bow wire and bring them both around to the back of the bow. Then tie it twice to double knot the wire.
Step 6.Slide the metal alligator clip through the tied off bow wire at the back of the bow.
Tip #2: For smaller bows, I found that it is difficult to use a 2-prong alligator clip. It would be much easier to insert a smaller single-prong clip.
Step 7.Fluff and shape the loops of your bow.
Here is the result of our project . . .
Below are some alternative projects utilizing the same principles as above . . .
The project below uses a double-sided 3/8" satin ribbon that is a different color on each side. I cut 8 pieces of ribbon all the same length and dovetailed all the ends. Then I placed them in the Mini Bowdabra with a twist at the center, after inserting my folded bow wire, making sure to alternate the colors.
The project below combines all the techniques in the above two projects to create a headband. I only needed to insert a thin headband into the Mini Bowdabra on top of my folded bow wire.
Tip #3: If you are using ribbon that has a repeating design on it, for best results, try to show the design evenly on both the left and right side of the bow.
Thanks to the Mini Bowdabra, I think I did pretty well considering this was my first attempt ever at making hair bows. The Mini Bowdabra retails for just $14.99 and the Hair Bow Tool, which includes a CD on how to make 70 different bow projects, retails for just $12.99. The price to buy 7 or 8 little hair bows would easily cost as much as both products put together. You can purchase these products and various bow-making supplies online at RibbonsAndThingsStore.com and locally at major craft stores, such as A.C. Moore, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Michael's, and even Wal-Mart.
Thank you to Bowdabra for sending us complimentary product samples and supplies to utilize in this article.
When I was younger, I would forsake warmth for the latest trend. Yes, I was that stupid girl running around in an unlined leather jacket with no hat and no scarf. I would wear mittens, but only if they were cute. Luckily, I grew up and came to my senses. I still love cute mittens, but I have grown to appreciate classic styles, like that of this Quilted Down Parka from Lands' End. This warm hip-length winter coat comes in seven colors to fit every taste. Red is my favorite color, but how many red coats can a girl have? I decided to go with the Dark Chocolate instead.
