Celebrate World Tea Party Day Today Along with the Release of Itty Bitty Prettys from ZURU #ittybittypretties (Review)

 Disclosure: I was provided with samples thanks to the folks at ZURU, in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

"You are cordially invited to the most EPIC tea party ever.

Whether you're a rockin' rebel or a dazzling diva, there's always room at the table with the Itty Bitty Prettys. 

Join us and some very special friends on August 8th for World Tea Party Day, a celebration of fun, friends, fashion and always finding a reason to par-tea!"

My girls have been counting down the days until today as they couldn't wait to have a virtual tea party with some of their friends, and also celebrate the new release of the Itty Bitty Prettys from ZURU Toys.  A couple weeks ago we got a sneak peak of the new toy line, and my girls were over the moon excited when they saw the oversized plastic tea pot, and the small tea cup.  

First, let me say that I am loving the packaging of the new Itty Bitty Prettys.  I loved how the I couldn't believe reading the label that the teacup playset, that retails for $29.99, had 25 surprises inside.  Yes, you read that right -- 25 surprises to unveil and enjoy.  

And, with this new toy line, there are 13 super cute dolls to collect. But, I have to say the best part next to the amount of goodies you get in the teacup playset is the unboxing of all the accessories and the two stylish surprise Itty Bitty Pretty dolls found inside.

My girls were all smiles as they read along with me all that was included in the teacup playset...

"Inside your stylish teacup playset, you'll find: 1 Giant Expandable Teacup Playset, 2 Surprise Itty Bitty Pretty Dolls, 1 Convertible Table Top, 1 Teapot, 1 Teacup, 1 Spoon, 1 Hairbrush, 2 Saucers/Doll Stands, 2 Magic Teabags, 2 Fizzing Cubes, 2 Swappable Outfits, 2 Sets of Stylish Accessories (including shoes, jewelry, eyewear and more), 3 Packets of Cotton Candy Dough, 1 Mini Teapot, 2 Mini Teacups, 1 Set Tableware, 2 Sets of Treat Decorations, 2 Surprise Itty Bitty Pets and 1 Collector's Guide."

Buy now at Target - https://www.target.com/p/itty-bitty-prettys-tea-party-series-1-big-tea-cup/-/A-79140657

Buy now at Walmart - https://www.walmart.com/ip/Itty-Bitty-Prettys-Tea-Party-Teacup-Dolls-Playset-With-Over-25-Surprises-by-Zuru/506758110

That's a lot of stuff, right?  I kept snapping photos as the girls were so excited to show off all the goodies they were getting with the two new Itty Bitty Prettys sets with you all.  They really had a blast showing off all the goodies that were included in the Teacup Playset. 

It felt like every time they reached into the oversized teacup, they were pulling out more and more surprises. 

They really enjoyed the fizzing cubes that reminded them of sugar cubes you put in your tea, as well as the magic teabags that dissolve in water to reveal a surprise.  

Can you see how excited my girls were for the new Itty Bitty Prettys line from ZURU?  I loved watching them show off everything, and then use the cotton candy dough to make desserts and treats so that they could have a tea party with their new Itty Bitty Prettys dolls and Itty Bitty Pets. :-)

Like I mentioned above, we were sent the Itty Bitty Prettys samples from ZURU a couple weeks ago, and since receiving, my girls haven't stopped playing with the dolls and their accessories. They really like the expandable teacup playset, as it adds a fun to interact and play with the dolls. When they are not hosting a tea party, they get to have their Itty Bitty Prettys dolls hanging out in their rooms in the teacup playset. And, when they are done playing, everything stores in the playset and it closed, so you don't have to worry about losing the tiny accessories or dolls and pets.  I know parents will like this two in one playset, being a playset and also used to store all your kids' Itty Bitty Prettys. :-)

Both of my girls love tea parties, and usually have them with their friends in our backyard, but with the Covid pandemic we have been social distancing, which means no backyard tea parties this summer, which was a bummer for my girls.  But, thanks to Zoom, they have found a new way to enjoy their tea parties, by hosting virtual tea parties, which they will be having later today -- crossing fingers the rain in the forecast holds off.  To prep for today's big day, World Tea Party Day, my oldest daughter hosted a tea party in our backyard the other day with her favorite stuffed teddy bear, and her puppy plush toys.  She dressed up in one of her princess costumes and even dawned an English-inspired hat, which we dropped off in advance of today's tea party, for all the girls to wear and feel even more connected.  Here are some photos I took of Savannah having noon time tea...

She had a blast and even decided to bring her new Itty Bitty Prettys to the tea party, too!  And, based on the photos I took, I knew my daughter was having a blast, as she kept coming in asking for a refill of her teapot.  I guess her and bear were very thirsty and were having great conversation that she didn't want to end. :-)

In addition to the oversized Itty Bitty Prettys Teacup Playset from ZURU, we were also send their small teacup set.  

Even though this is teacup is not a playset like the teacup playset, it does contain a good amount of surprises, 12 in total for kids to unbox.  Just look at what you get with the Itty Bitty Prettys Small Teacup, which retails for only $9.99...

"Grow your Itty Bitty Prettys world with the super cute Itty Bitty Prettys teacup! Inside you'll find: 1 Teacup, 1 Surprise Itty Bitty Pretty Doll, 1 Magic Teabag, 1 Fizzing Cube, 1 Swappable Outfit, 1 Set Stylish Accessories (including shoes, jewelry, eyewear and more), 1 Saucer/Doll Stand, 1 Mini Teapot, 1 Mini Teacup, 1 Packet Cotton Candy Dough, 1 Set Treat Decorations and 1 Collector's Guide."

Buy now at Target - https://www.target.com/p/itty-bitty-prettys-tea-party-series-1-small-tea-cup/-/A-79140656

Buy now at Walmart - https://www.walmart.com/ip/Itty-Bitty-Prettys-Tea-Party-Little-Teacup-Doll-Includes-12-Surprises-by-ZURU/522968887

My girls loved the small teacup and how you can buy them and try and collect all 13 dolls in the series, as well as being able to add more teacups for them to use with their tea parties for them and their friends to use, once they are able to meet up.

We had a blast previewing the new Itty Bitty Prettys line from ZURU, and made a special Target run last night hoping to find Itty Bitty Prettys on the shelves.  We had been to Walmart earlier in the day and one of the workers told us they flew off the shelves as soon as they put them out.  I guess my girls weren't the only ones who were in the know about this new toy line from ZURU.  We got lucky when we got to Target, as my girls spotted 1 Teacup Playset tucked behind some toys, and then stumbled upon the Small Teacup alone on a shelf. It was like the toys were meant for them to find. :-)  

We grabbed a few treats and decorations for our virtual party for today, and had to grab the last remaining Itty Bitty Prettys, so that the girls could do another unveiling with their friends.  

I could go on and on about how much fun the new Itty Bitty Prettys from ZURU are, but you can see from the photos I shared above that they are a hit with kids. My girls are 8.5 and 10 years old and can't get enough of these super fun and stylish Itty Bitty Prettys. And, now they are hoping to collect all 13 fabulous dolls to complete their set.  :-)  I know what my youngest will be asking for her upcoming November birthday -- lots and lots of Itty Bitty Prettys small teacups and another Teacup Playset. She is hoping to find a few more Teacup Playsets, to make a little village of apartments for her Itty Bitty Prettys.

If you are looking for something fun to do with your kids today, why not dress up and have a tea party outside, or even in the living on a blanket. Let your kids invite their favorite stuffies and use real porcelain tea cups or their pretend tea party sets. However you choose to set up your tea party, join my girls and so many other kids all over the globe as we celebrate World Tea Party Day and the new release of the Itty Bitty Prettys line from ZURU, now available at Target and Walmart stores nationwide.

Cheers! :-)

Stay up-to-date on all the new toys news and releases from ZURU 

by following their social media channels below...

Official Website: www.ZURU.com

ZURU on Twitter - https://twitter.com/ZURUToys

ZURU on Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/ZURUToys

ZURU on Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/zuru.toys/

 Disclosure: I was provided with samples thanks to the folks at ZURU, in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

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Camp Warner Bros. - Week 7- Tom & Jerry Movie: The Fast & The Furry + Make Your Drive-In Movie Cars #CampWarnerBros

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

I can't believe that Camp Warner Bros. virtual camp is almost over -- just one more week. :-(  But, it seems as the weeks have gone on the movies and activities have gotten even more fun, and have really engaged every member of the family.  For this week, week seven, we screened Tom & Jerry Movie: The Fast & The Furry, and made our very own drive-in movie cars using large cardboard boxes we had (thanks to the toilet paper and paper towel orders I placed at the start of the pandemic.  Before I share how your kids can make their own drive-in movie cars complete with headlights and other fun printable accessories to add to their boxes, I wanted to share more about the movie, which I know everyone in your house will love.  

About Tom & Jerry Movie: The Fast & The Furry

"Tom and Jerry enter an extreme car race competition called the "Super Race" in order to win the grand prize of a beautiful, dream mansion! Driving suped-up hot rods that can adapt to any environment (land, sea or air), they compete in this wild race around the world, encountering famous landmarks along the way and leaving chaos in their wake."

We watched Tom & Jerry Movie: The Fast & The Furry for the first time Sunday, and loved it so much we watched it again Monday night and then again this evening.  I grew up watching Tom & Jerry cartoons on television, so it was like a blast from the past seeing them on the television in a fun movie.  As the movie title suggests, this movie is all about racing, think Fast and Furious movies, but for kids and with everyone's favorite cat and mouse duo, Tom and Jerry.

From start to finish this movie was entertaining and fun.  We kept laughing throughout and found ourselves cheering them on in hopes of one of them winning the mansion.  Don't worry, I will not spoil the ending for those who haven't seen the movie.  I will say, though, that if you are looking for a fun family friendly movie that everyone in the house will enjoy, I highly recommend this one.  Adults will love seeing their favorite childhood cartoon characters in a fun new movie, and kids will be saying, "This movie is so cool! Let's watch it again!"

Like I mentioned at the start of this post, I wanted to share how you and your kids can made a super cool drive in movie car that they can sit in and watch the movie inside or outside (for a real drive in feel)

Here is a link that you can print all the pieces to cut out and add to your drive in movie car -  https://warnerbros.ent.box.com/v/TomAndJeryFastAndFurryBoxCar/file/698354208220

All you need for your drive in car is a large cardboard box, scissors, box tape, glue, pencil, box cutter (optional) and paint and paintbrush (optional)

It was so easy after we printed out the pieces and glued and taped them all around the cardboard box.  And, once the drive in cars were done, my girls couldn't wait to hop in them and pretend to be racing all around like Tom and Jerry.  This activity really make for a more fun family movie night. And, now whenever we have movies the girls said they need their cardboard drive in cars to sit in. I know that once your kids make their own cars like my girls and sit in them, they will say the same thing.

I could go on and on about just how much fun we have been having for Week 7 of Camp Warner Bros. camp watching the Tom & Jerry movie and making our very own drive in cars. But, why watch this movie (available on digital, Blu-ray and DVD), and make your own drive-in cars with your kids, and you will experience all the fun to be had.

And, be sure to check out my post next week as we wrap up our 8-week virtual Camp Warner Bros. with another oldie but goody that kids and adults will love. :-)  See you soon!

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

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Tips To Help Avoid A Common Cold

The common cold is something we often fall victim to at certain times of the year. Our bodies can get run down, and it only takes that one occasion where your body is struggling to fight off the bacteria, and you start getting the sniffles, a cough, or sore throat. It’s important to look after yourself all year round, and when you get a cold, it can be quite debilitating when you’re trying to work or just do your daily chores. Here are some tips to help avoid a common cold. 

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Wash Your Hands Often

Washing your hands is the most important thing to do when you’re out and about. Bacteria is everywhere, and it’s also something that you can pick up very easily if you’re not careful. With that in mind, it’s always good to try and wash your hands as regularly as you can. You should be washing your hands with a disinfectant, like soap and warm water. Make sure you’re lathering it up in your hands first before immediately running it under the tap. That’s only going to wash away the soap suds before you’ve even begun. Make sure you get in there, in between the fingers, the palms, and the backs of your hands. Washing your hands before eating a meal or snack is essential and try to do it several times a day, using hand cream to ensure your hands stay super soft and moisturized at the same time. 

Look Out For Early Symptoms

There are early symptoms that you should be looking out for when it comes to a common cold. The most common is that run-down feeling that a lot of us can get and that isn’t usually fixable once you’ve got into that infected stage. If you are feeling a little under the weather, try to sleep it off and take some painkillers to see if that makes a difference. Otherwise, you might start to notice that you feel slightly warmer than usual. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on your temperature and to know what your body temperature should normally be at. When you’re temperature goes up, it often means that your body is fighting something and trying to kill it off. The early symptoms can help you to stop the cold progression to the full-blown flu. These baby congestion symptoms are handy to know for those youngest in the family.

 

Avoid Touching The Face

Bacteria are picked up everywhere and can be easily transferred from object to person and vice versa. The best thing you can do to avoid contaminating yourself with any cold is to avoid touching your face. When you are picking bacteria up on your hands, the first thing you tend to do is touch your face. Whether it’s to scratch an itch or whether you have a habit of touching a specific part of your face. It’s important to recognize when you do this normally and to try and kick the habit if possible. Sometimes, you might not even be aware that you’re doing it, but by then it’s too late. It’s worth having some hand sanitizer in your bag so that you can sanitize your hands if you know you’re not going to be touching anything in public and need to touch your face.

Keep Household Surfaces Sanitized

At home, the spread of bacteria once a member of the household had got it can be quite quick. If you’re sharing crockery and touching door handles and the banister of a staircase, for example, that common cold could soon be making its way around the home. As a way of making sure it doesn’t spread further, you should be keeping your household surfaces are fully sanitized. There’s plenty of products out there that are worth using around the home in order to keep everything clean and tidy. Wiping down kitchen surfaces and door handles on the daily can definitely help to keep bacteria levels down and to help with reducing the chances of you getting ill. 

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Use Tissues For Sneezing

Trying to control the bacteria, whether you’re inside or out in public is difficult either way. However, one of the big things that can help with reducing cross-contamination is to make sure you are using tissues for sneezing. A lot of people might simply sneeze into their hands and continue on with their day, contaminating other areas in such a short space of time. Sneezing into your elbow might be easier, but it’s certainly not going to be as effective as sneezing into a tissue. Having a pack of tissues on your person for those sudden sneezes can certainly help and you’ll be showing consideration from those around you if it ends up happening on public transport in a general public setting. 

Maintain Healthy Eating Habits

It’s no surprise that what we eat can end up contributing to our overall health and wellbeing. It’s important to maintain a healthy diet, you want to be enjoying the food that you put into your mouth. That can sometimes be hard when you might not like everything that’s out there, or you haven’t expanded your palette to other cuisines and foods you’ve not tried before. With that being said, it’s a good idea to look at what you’re eating and how you could possibly make it healthier. Think about portion sizes and how much you eat per meal. It could be that you need to work on incorporating more vegetables or perhaps more fruit as snacks, rather than having something like chocolate to stave off your hunger. There are lots of changes that you can make and just being a little more open to trying new things, might help you reduce the chances of getting sick.

Get Plenty Of Sleep

Sleep is essential, and it’s something we’ll often sacrifice for getting up early for things or staying up late to watch that next episode of your favorite television series. However, it’s important you’re having several hours of sleep per night so that you’re feeling refreshed and ready to go. It can also help to repair your body and to recover from anything that might be attacking your immune system. That’s why when we’re ill, we’d usually try to get as much rest and sleep as possible, in order to feel better. Getting a good night’s rest is certainly needed, so try to get a good night’s sleep as often as possible.

Reduce Your Stress Levels 

Reducing your stress levels can do a lot more than you think it can do when it comes to your immune system. If you’re working too hard at work and burning the candle at both ends at home and getting very little sleep, you’re going to get ill. It’s important to try and reduce your stress levels where you can in order to help feel better in yourself. A lot of ill-health conditions can come from stress, so there’s certainly a lot that you can do in both your personal and work life to help with your general wellbeing. Look at what’s causing stress in your life and what you can control. The more you can help yourself get less stressed out, the better.

Sometimes a common cold is inevitable, and there’s no stopping it. However, you should always be getting plenty of rest, drinking plenty of water and eating healthily in order to avoid or get rid of a cold. The more on top you stay when it comes to your health, the better.

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