Wednesday, October 31, 2018

We Celebrated the New Thomas & Friends Glow-in-the-Dark Track Pack and Minis with a Fun Glow Party Today!

Disclosure:  I was provided with promotional product in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.



Today I gave my girls a day off from homeschool, which is unheard of if you ask them. :-)  Usually we homeschool year round and take time off around Christmas time or when the girls are sick.  But, I thought today would be a fun surprise day off as they wait for it to get dark and go trick-or-treating.  I didn't tell the girls until this AM after they had breakfast and they were starting to get their table ready for school.  I then pulled the curtains to make the living room dark, and cracked some glow sticks.  I turned the glow sticks into bracelets, necklaces and silly glasses, and gave them to the girls.  



They had no idea what they were learning in school that they would need to be in the dark and use glow sticks. Then, I sprung the day off for Halloween and they were all happy.  But, the fun didn't stop with the glow sticks.  I took out the new  Glow-in-the-Dark Track Pack and mini Thomas & Friends toy trains we were recently sent for the girls to help me review.

Thomas and Friends


Check out what was inside this box...

  


Everything we needed for a fun glow in the dark Thomas & Friends party today!

The girls saw the new new Glow-in-the-Dark Track Pack and the Thomas & Friends™ TrackMaster™ Track Bucket the other day when we went to the store.  

Thomas & Friends™ TrackMaster™ Track Bucket

My youngest was first to point it out and thought it was cool. She liked how it came in a sturdy tub that you could store your tracks and Thomas  & Friends trains in, and that the lid was part of the track.  I told her to remember to add this to this wish list for Santa, which she did.  So, when the girls saw the new Glow-in-the-Dark Track Pack and the mini Glow-in-the-Dark Thomas & Friends toy trains, they thought Santa had come early. :-)  




To celebrate our impromptu no school day, I told the girls we were going to have a fun glow party, with music provided by Mattel and Spotify.  I started playing the “Tidmouth Sheds After Dark” playlist, and the girls dumped the box of track pieces and trains out onto the living room floor.  






And for most of the day, the girls and I put together different tracks for Thomas & Friends trains both light up and minis (which also glow) could go around on.  









The girls thought the glow in the dark trains and tracks were the coolest thing, and made playing in the dark much more fun! :-)

Image for TM GLOWING TRACK PACK from Mattel

The girls can't wait until their Daddy comes home so that they can shut the lights and crack him a glow stick, so that he can join them on the living room floor, to play with their new glow-in-the-dark Thomas & Friends minis and the new Glow-in-the-Dark track pack, which are all now available in stores.  These new glow-in-the-dark train sets and minis would make for a great gift idea for fans of Thomas & Friends this holiday season, and I see them flying off the shelves, based on how much my girls really enjoyed playing with the sets today, and how now more girls are getting into Thomas & Friends, thanks to the additional of girl trains.



To learn more about the new Thomas & Friends Glow-in-the-Dark Track Pack and Minis head on over to www.fisher.price.com/thomasandfriends and www.thomasandfriends.com.

Disclosure:  I was provided with promotional product in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

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Bumbleberry Farms Honey Cream Spreads Are Perfect Additions to Care Packages and Foodie Gift Baskets You Put Together This Holiday Season (Review)

Disclosure:  I was sent samples from the vendor in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.




I turned on the car this AM and was greeted by holiday music playing on a new Hallmark channel on Sirius.  From now until the holidays, we will get to enjoy some of the best holiday music from movies shown on Hallmark as well as classic songs we all love. :-)  It was fitting to have this music playing as I defrosted the thin layer of frost that had formed overnight on my windshield.  Any day now the snow will start to fall and blanket the ground and trees, followed by Santa's arrival.  As we gear up for the holidays, I have already started to pull together recipes to make with the girls for upcoming family dinners and parties we have been invited.  And, this year, the girls want to make homemade treats to bring, so that people can enjoy and fill their tummies with delicious food that will remind them of the girls. :-)  I guess that is their Italian side showing -- reminds me of my Italian Nana who filled the table with food and made everyone eat, eat and eat.  She wasn't happy until we were full. And, if there were any leftovers, it was wrapped up for us to bring home.

While we plan to make some tasty treats this year, the girls and I have also decided to put together little care packages for family and friends who will not be able to visit for the holidays. While it is hard to send baked goods in the mail, we will instead send along some tasty honey spreads that family can enjoy on toast, in oatmeal, over fruit, drizzled over ice cream or pancakes, or even added to your coffee and tea.  What type of honey cream spread am I talking about that can be used in so many ways, to add more flavor to your favorite foods/treats?  Bumbleberry Farms has a line of honey cream spreads that come in different flavors, shown below, which you can purchase through their website or in retail stores for only $12.50 a jar. 


My girls have been having so much fun trying out the different spreads on their foods to find ways to incorporate the sweet honey cream flavors...and, I am loving that my two picky eaters have found more things they like, and that these spreads are making them get creative in the kitchen coming up with fun variations on foods they eat.

Last night, my youngest made a fruit smoothie with strawberries and bananas and drizzled in the Molten Lava deep chocolate fudge spice.  I couldn't believe the different flavor profile just a little of this spread gave to her smoothie drink.  It tasted like we were eating chocolate covered fruits.  And, being a chocolate lover, I had to go back for a refill. :-)

Here is more about the four different honey cream spreads from Bumbleberry Farms, which would make a for a great addition to care packages and gift baskets you may be putting together this holiday season for family and friends....


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"Is there anything better than honey or caramel? Maybe…if you combine the two. Our Lovers’ Leap Sea Salt Caramel honey cream practically demands (lovingly, of course) to be poured over popcorn or spooned into your morning coffee."



"The title says it all, but in case you need further enticement, let us draw your attention to the possibilities of this molten lava spiced chocolate. You can use it as a spread for your morning toast, a drizzle for your popcorn snack or even as part of a marinade or sauce for your favorite fish or chicken dinner. This honey cream is the perfect ingredient for any meal."



"Our Squirrel Crazy Maple honey cream will make you want to hoard jars away just like the squirrels store their nuts. This cream is a delicious accompaniment for your morning breakfast—drizzled over pancakes or biscuits—or as a sweet addition to your lunch or dinner meal."



"The smell of cinnamon buns baking oozes a nostalgia that’s equal to the sticky, sweet icing that gets messily drizzled on top of buns fresh from the oven. Our Sticky Buns Cinnamon honey cream gives a delicious nod back to mornings at Grandma’s house, with sleepy conversations over endless cinnamon buns."

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My youngest wanted you to see how the honey cream spread looks...but, be warned, if looking on an empty belly, you find yourself with a growling belly, wishing you had a jar. :-)


This is the maple flavored honey cream spread.


She loves having toast in the AM with this spread all over it.  And, on cold, cold mornings, I make the girls old fashioned oatmeal and they mix a spoonful of this spread in, along with some warm milk. Yum!


In addition to these delicious and oh so versatile hone cream spreads, Bumbleberry Farms also offers flavored honey jars, hard honey candies, and my personal favorite, honey straws which come in handy during cold/flue season to add to teas to soothe a sore throat.  My girls also grab the honey straws and snip the top and just enjoy when they want a sweet pick me up or honey fix. :-)

I am so happy I was introduced to Bumbleberry Farms and got to try a sampling of their honey cream spreads and clover heritage select honey, as my family is now hooked on these honey products, and now my holiday shopping is going to be easy as these products would make for great gifts for foodies, and those who we send care packages to each year.  

Bumbleberry Farms, is a woman owned business that is transforming honey cultivation


To learn more about these honey products, and to place your order, without having to rush near the holidays and being disappointed the products are sold out, head on over to Bumbleberry Farms today.  


Once you try these spreads you will find yourself looking for ways to incorporate into dishes you make and foods you enjoy, as it adds just the right about of sweetness that will put a smile on your face with every bite. :-)

And, if you need recipe inspiration, be sure to check out their recipes section on their website here.

--BUY NOW--



You can find Bumbleberry Farms products in the following stores, as well as order online at https://www.bumbleberryfarms.com/shoppe/.





Disclosure:  I was sent samples from the vendor in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

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The New Smithsonian Exploration Station World Atlas and Human Body Sets Will Make Learning Fun - Includes 3-D Models to Make, Stickers and More! (Review)

Disclosure: I was sent samples from the vendor in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.


If you follow my blog, then you know that I homeschool my two girls. I am always looking for fun, yet educational products to share with them, and gift during the holidays.  One brand that I find myself gravitating towards when deciding on hands-ons learning kits for school each year is Smithsonian.  My girls have enjoyed the 3-D models and kits that I have purchased and use to make learning about things like the human body and space that much more fun.

And, this holiday season, Smithsonian is back at it with a wonderful selection of Exploration Station kits that would make for great gift ideas for kids of all ages, especially for families like mine that homeschool and prefer educational toys and products over other toys that kids will play with a few times and then put down.

Recently, the folks at Smithsonian sent their Human Body and World Atlas kits from their Exploration Station series for review.  




"Head off on a globetrotting adventure in this interactive atlas! Learn about the diverse cultures, customs, wildlife, and natural beauty that form our world through informative text and full-color photograph. Children will love the hands-on aspect to learning as they blow up their inflatable globe and build the cardstock models of some of the wonders of the world. Smithsonian Exploration Station: World Atlas (ISBN: 978-1626867208) is the perfect way to engage kids in the amazing world around them!"

Includes:



56-page fact book
30 stickers
1 inflatable globe
3 cardstock models to assemble: the Eiffel Tower, the Taj Mahal, and a Mayan pyramid




"Discover what makes your blood pump and your muscles stretch in this hands-on learning experience! With fascinating facts, full-color photographs, a plastic model skeleton, and 25 fact cards, Smithsonian Exploration Station: Human Body (ISBN: 978-1626867215) is a fun, engaging way to learn about the inner workings of the complex systems that make the human body. "

Includes:

56-page fact book
30 stickers
1 plastic model skeleton (13 pieces)
25 fact cards
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We are covering World Geography this year, so the World Atlas kit was well received by my girls, as they loved how it came with stickers, an inflatable globe, a wall poster and three 3-D model kits. My youngest is all about France so she was all smiles when she saw the Eiffel Tower model.  My oldest called the Chichen Itza as her model to do, and together we will work on the Taj Mahal, as they both thought it could be a little tricky with all the little piece to add -- but, it ended up being easy to make, and the favorite of my two girls. :-)

As a homeschooling parent, I really like the setup of the Smithsonian World Atlas book that is included with the set.  It is broken up by regions and includes full-color photographs from each area studying, as well as maps.  The chapters are a few pages in length and chock full of information about each region including popular landmarks and fun Did you know? facts.

Next to the cardstock 3-D models, the next favorite thing from this set was the wall poster.  The girls liked how they could apply what they learned and locate places on the map and add the corresponding stickers that are included in the set to each location.  This is a great review for kids to see if they know where the historical landmarks of places are including the Statue of Liberty, Machu Picchu, Gateway Arch, Denali, and so many more -- 60 stickers to be exact, all of which you can remove and re-stick in case you don't match up places correctly, or want to use as a weekly review with school.

The Smithsonian Exploration Station Human Body is just like the World Atlas one.  It includes a 56-page full color guide to teach kids of all ages about the human body and each parts function, 41 reusable stickers that kids can apply to a 13"x18" poster of the human body, as well as 25 full-color fact cards about the major systems and body parts found in the human body. And, just like with the World Atlas set, the Human Body set comes with a fun 12" human skeleton model for kids to make and use with their studies. 

We have been covering the Human Body for the past couple years in our schooling, so the girls had a background on the the different systems and where everything is located within the body. But, they both agreed that this kit really helped them understand the human body better, and made learning about it much more fun than basic textbooks or shows.

I am so happy I was able to check these two Exploration Station kits out firsthand with my girls. They really enjoyed them and have learned a lot.  It is always nice when you stumble upon products that make teaching a subject in homeschooling fun and enjoyable, while also keeping the educational aspects needed for a complete lesson, and these kits do just that.  They are perfect for hands on learners like my girls, and will grow with your kids, and be used time and again in your schooling.






To learn more about the Exploration Station products from Smithsonian head on over to Silver Dolphin Books today.  With the holidays fast approaching, why not consider picking up one or more to gift to your child, and give them the gift of learning this holiday season -- while also having fun at the same time!

Disclosure: I was sent samples from the vendor in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.
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The New Pokémon Power Action Pikachu from Wicked Cool Toys is a Must Have for Pikachu Fans This Holiday Season! (Review)

Disclosure:  I was sent a sample from the vendor in exchange for an honest review.  All views shared are mine and mine alone.





Do you have a Pokemon Pikachu fan in your life? If you do and are trying to figure out what to get them this holiday season, look no further than Wicked Cool Toys brand new Pokémon Power Action Pikachu with interactive features!





My youngest daughter is all about Pokemon, and is having a Pokemon themed party this weekend for her birthday.  So, when she saw the new Pokémon Power Action Pikachu  arrive at our door the other day, she was all smiles, and asked if it was November yet, as she likes to celebrate her birthday all month long.  I guess that is a new thing with kids nowadays. :-)  


Features:



"Pika Pika Pika Chuuuu! This super soft and cuddly 10-inch Pikachu plush isn’t just for snuggling! Launch Pikachu into battle action and watch its tail and cheeks light up! 




With a truly interactive design, he reacts differently depending on how he lands, what direction he’s facing, and other cool factors. Plus, the more you play with him the more dynamic reactions you’ll see! Press either of Pikachu’s hands for awesome light and sound effects! 




Features realistic embroidered details that make this iconic Pokémon a must-have addition to your Pokémon team. Gotta Catch ‘Em All™! Suitable for ages 4 years and up."


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Even though my oldest daughter is not a fan of Pokemon, as soon as she saw my youngest daughter having a blast playing with the interactive Pikachu plush toy, she had to get in on the fun.  And, for the past week, my youngest has been schooling my oldest daughter on Pokemon and all the characters, so they can pretend to battle.  I love seeing the girls get into toys and use their imaginations, and have found this is always the case with toys from Wicked Cook Toys, which also has a great line of Cabbage Patch Kids (my personal favorite from my childhood...and today!).  


My girls have been running all through the house playing catch with Pikachu and giggling and smiling when he lights up -- either his tail, his cheeks. He even lets out a zzzaappp sound which always has the girls giggling and trying to toss away to each other like hot potato.  And, if the light up features of the new Pokemon plush wasn't enough, the toy also talks saying the infamous "Pika Pika Pika Chuu".

When my girls aren't playing with the plush, my youngest daughter now has a new snuggle buddy at bedtime.  She loves being comforted and says Pikachu is really snuggly and soft, making him the perfect cuddle buddy.  


And, he is also a great travel companion as Pikachu has been racking up travel miles with us on our day to day travels to classes and places.  My daughter takes him everywhere we go, and loves showing him off to fans of popular Pokemon series, both young and old.  Just the other day my husband brought her to a comic book store downtown and the adults all went crazy for it.  My daughter was all smiles as she passed around her beloved Pokémon Power Action Pikachu for all to try out, and loved hearing them say they had to get one for themselves.  She couldn't agree more...this is definitely a must have toy/collectible item for Pokemon fans.

To learn more about the new Pokémon Power Action Pikachu  and other Pokemon products available from Wicked Cool Toys, that would make great gifts this holiday season, head on over to https://www.wickedcooltoys.com/ today.


Disclosure:  I was sent a sample from the vendor in exchange for an honest review.  All views shared are mine and mine alone.


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Give the Gift of an All-Natural, Made in the USA Deodorant This Holiday Season with Humble Brands - Makes a Great Stocking Stuffer! #NOTHINGBADHERE @HUMBLEBRANDS (Review)

Disclosure:  I was sent samples from the vendor in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.


Humble Brands

Ever since being diagnosed and treated for cancer back in 2008, I have made changes in personal care products and household cleaners, and have switched to using only natural products.  Especially with young children, it is important to me to limit their exposure to unnecessary chemical exposure in the air with products I use throughout the house, or with my family.

One product that I found the hardest to find just the right product was deodorant.  You would think that this would easy to find an all-natural product, but it really isn't.  There are so many "so called" all natural products including ones with charcoal, or homeopathic products, but they don't offer the coverage a busy mom like me needs.  Studies have shown deodorants have been linked to breast cancer, and after fighting a rare cancer myself, I do not wan to chance getting another one, just to keep dry on the perspiration front. So, I make sure to research and look at the different deodorant outs there.  After being disappointed with a deodorant I had been using, which recently changed up their ingredients, I found myself looking online for an alternative, and that search led me to Humble Brands Natural Deodorants.




Here is more about the Humble Brands line of all-natural deodorants, available for purchase online at https://humblebrands.com/.


Deodorant Subscription


"Unlike other all-natural deodorants, Humble leaves you dry and smelling fresh but incorporates only 4 to 5 simple ingredients that are natural, organic and harmless to our skin and bodies. In addition, we are busy formulating in our test kitchen and will soon be launching new products with the same philosophy of using simple, all-natural ingredients in place of those laden with nasty and potentially harmful chemicals."

The kind folks at Humble Brands sent along a sampling of their deodorants for me to, and I enlisted the help of my husband to help me review, so that we could compare our experience with perspiration coverage.  He loves working out and needs a strong deodorant that will last throughout the day at work, and then at the gym.  While I am just a busy mom always on the go and carrying everything except the kitchen sink around from place to place, so I get in my own workout of sorts that leaves me sweating and with wet armpits.  So, we both need a deodorant that provides exceptional coverage, that is also all-natural -- a hard thing to come by if you have been in the market for all-natural deodorants lately.  But, after reading rave reviews from others about Humble Brands deodorants, I couldn't wait to put their products to the test.

My husband and I have been using Humble Brands natural deodorants for a few weeks now, and I have to say that I don't have to worry about packing an extra shirt to change throughout the day due to wet armpits from sweating.  I have found that I can put on the Humble deodorant in the AM after I get out of the shower, and it keeps me dry all day long -- even on the crazy days that I find myself hopping from place to place with my girls.  My husband also reported back the same findings in that he didn't have wet spots under his arm pit area, and he didn't smell body odor after a long day at the office.  He couldn't believe how well the deodorants worked and that scents on the fragrant deodorants were subtle and not overpowering, which he liked.  I used the two different essential lavender  deodorants (one was just lavender, and the other was lavender with holy basil), and loved the lavender scent.  It is such a relaxing fragrance and is perfect addition to this all natural deodorant.

I can finally stop searching for the "perfect" all-natural deodorant, as I have found it with Humble Brands.  And, the price is just right, too, at only $9.95 including free shipping (there is also a subscription program that brings the price down $1) . With the holidays fast approaching, why not pick up Humble deodorants to add to your family's stockings.  It is perfect for tweens, teens and adults needing all day deodorant coverage, without worrying what ingredients are used in the product that could be harmful.  When you choose Humble you don't have to worry about this, as they only use 5 simple ingredients, and produce their products in small batches in Taos, NM, so this is a USA-made product!

To learn more about Humble Brands all-natural deodorants and to purchase for you and your family, head on over to https://humblebrands.com/ today.  You have the option of buying individual deodorants, or signing up for their subscription program, so you don't have to worry about running out of deodorant again.


Disclosure:  I was sent samples from the vendor in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.


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