Rave & Review

Are you ready to do a 180? Introducing the Shaklee 180 Healthy Blogger Competition program

Remember when I was part of the Shaklee Team #Cinchspiration?  I’m guessing you do, because I’ve gotten quite a few emails and messages asking what happened to the program, how you apply, and what Shaklee 180 is.

For all of those people, this post is for you.

Shaklee has introduced the new Shaklee 180™ program this year with new and exciting workout programs, Turnaround™ parties, DVD, online tools and even a mobile application for tracking rewards and more. 

The idea is based on 90 days to lose the weight and 90 days to learn how to keep it off to become a healthier you.  Check out MyShaklee.com for more information about the Shaklee 180™ program to see if it's right for you.

And, in case you missed it, here's the success I had with Shaklee's last program, Team #Cinchspiration

Are you a blogger who wants to join the Shaklee 180™ program?  Apply here by January 31st 2013!  Yes, that's today... hurry and sign up now!  Here are the details:

Lose it. Blog it. Win it.
 
Do you want to be healthier and to have more energy to enjoy life? Take the Shaklee 180™ Healthy Blogger challenge and turn your dreams into reality. Apply today for the opportunity to positively transform your life and for a shot at winning:
 
•    A grand prize that includes a $2,500 Visa Card, an all-expense paid trip for you and a friend for a weekend trip away, including airfare and travel to Lake Austin Spa and Resort rated as the #1 spa destination in North America, according to Conde' Nast Traveler Magazine,for a 3 night stay that includes meals, fitness classes, activities, make-over and full-photo shoot for the winner
•    An opportunity to be chosen for a Shaklee 180™ video promotion and a trip to Shaklee HQ in California.
•    For selected bloggers who participate monthly incentives, including paid Facebook advertising for your blog, workout gear, shoes, equipment, and more.


Make sure to LIKE Shaklee 180 on Facebook, and follow Shaklee 180 on Twitter to stay in the loop and hear about all their amazing opportunities to do a 180!

Disclaimer:  Results and experiences from the Shaklee 180 Program are unique for each person, so results may vary. People following the weight loss portion of the Shaklee 180 program can expect to lose 1-2 pounds a week. 

Disclaimer:  This is a sponsored post by the Shaklee Corporation. I have been compensated but my opinions are my own.

We Love the Kiddy Platter by Smarty Parents

When you’re talking gear for young children, all parents want the same thing: quality products that truly last.  Well, four years ago we reviewed something called a Piggy Platter here on the site and to this day it’s still one of our most frequently used items in our home.  Four years, people – that’s a whole lot of use! 

And, in the past four years we have used the Piggy Platter nearly every single day, and sometimes we use it numerous times each day for mealtime, craft time, and play time.  This isn’t to say we haven’t tried other similar products.  In fact, we’ve been given numerous other tray and table attachments throughout the years to try out.  But we always return to the trusty tray from Smarty Parents and end up donating the other brands. 

So, when Smarty Parents contacted us and let us know they had created a new and improved Kiddy Platter, you can bet we said yes.  With our little guy more and more interested in coming to the table, it was actually perfect timing as we needed a new tray in the next few months.  

Like the Piggy Platter, the Kiddy Platter is a dishwasher-safe, BPA-free, phthalate-free, and PVC-free rectangular 16" wide x 12" deep tray.  It has a raised edge on the top for handling small spills and for corralling crayons and pens and keeping messes contained.  Along the front of the Kiddy Platter tray is a 2” rubber spill guard made of pliable silicone to help bridge the gap between table and mouth.  To hold it all in place on the table is a sticky, anti-slip rubber gasket under the rim of the Platter that grips tabletops, counters, and even works well on tablecloths.

But, the Kiddy Platter has a few improvements in addition to the name change that make us love it even more.  The first thing they did away with was the small circle on the top of the tray that was on the old version, which I was thrilled about because it was easy for little ones to set things on there that would tip.  The other major improvement is that the tray is now two-sided and instead of having a specific top or bottom, the entire rim on both sides of the tray are now anti-slip and can go against the table.

My favorite improvement is with the detachable spill guard.  Instead of attaching to the underside of the tray {which was the only negative thing we had to say about the design back in 2009}, they designed a whole new spill guard that slips right over the bottom of the tray so it holds more securely.  Since it’s easier to remove and then replace, it also makes it easier to fit in the dishwasher. 

And, I really, really love it when “dishwasher safe” items actually fit in my standard dishwasher without taking up the whole rack sitting diagonally or blocking the spinning arms.  I appreciate that the Kiddy Platter fits nicely on any one of the 4 sides of the bottom rack with room to spare and still leaves room for a full load of dishes. 

This is good that it’s so easy to clean because in addition to using the Kiddy Platter for meals, we find all sorts of ways to make use of a dishwasher safe tray, including messy arts and crafts, Play-Doh, and school work.  And, speaking of multi-purpose, as much as we use the Kiddy Platter for snack, crafts and learning, we even use it for food prep.  Since it is dishwasher safe, it’s perfect for using as a big sanitary surface for decorating cookie and cakes as well as assembling sandwiches and meals. 


We also love that even the packaging is multi-purpose.  Smarty Parents cleverly included a cut-out alphabet learning insert as part of the packaging that fits right under the tray to transform it into a learning mat to trace your letters on, which is something my daughter loves as she’s just at the stage where she’s learning what letters make what sounds. 

When she’s mastered her letters, we can simply use the insert as a place for her to put pictures, stickers, and drawings under to customize her spot at the table.  Like before with the Piggy Platter, the insert simply rests under the tray and is not encased inside, which makes it easy to customize however you want without worry and alleviates the need to disassemble the tray for cleaning. 

Kiddy Platters are clear but they have colorful edges so you can give each kid their own color or you can coordinate with your décor.  I was initially disappointed they discontinued the white colored tray, as it matched best with our dining room, but we are happy with the green.  It ended up blending into the tablecloth and I barely even notice it anymore.  

The Kiddy Platter comes in four colors {above} and retails for $29.95 from the Smarty Parents site.  They even have a bulk discount for 6+ trays, which is perfect for daycares and preschool uses.  I know my daughter's co-op would love something like this!

Whether you are looking for a placemat, a craftmat, or a tray to protect your table and countertops, the Kiddy Platter is the way to go.  It works on any surface, it’s easy to clean, and it holds up to thousands of washes, scribbles, and spills.  With so many uses, you will never need to put it away!
A big thank you to Smarty Parents who sent their Kiddy Platter for review purposes.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Campbell's Skillet Sauces make a quick and delicious 15 minute dinner

Once upon a time, hubby and I used to enjoy cooking elaborate dinners together just to use as many fancy kitchen gadgets as possible.  Now, I’m known as “One Pan Leanne” and 75% of the meals I prepare use only one big dish, or at the most, two.  This isn’t to say that I’ve become a lazy cook or that my meals are boring, I simply put a lot of energy into planning so I can make the most delicious meal I can using the least amount of dishes possible.

Because, really, there’s nothing I hate more than excess dishes these days.  With a sinkful of dishes after breakfast, lunch, and snack time, the last thing I want to do is create extra work for myself using specialized cookware when a simple all-purpose pan and spatula will work just fine.  So, anything that helps me cut out a few steps and save a few pans from needing scrubbed is a very, very good thing.

For this reason, I love Campbell’s new Skillet Sauces that take all the work out of preparing gourmet meals.  Instead of mixing bowls and measuring spoons and cups, all the ingredients are included in one easy packet and you only need to add your protein to make a complete meal. 

Last weekend, we all walked to Albertson’s to get some fresh air and groceries and found 4 varieties of the new Campbell’s Skillet Sauces in the soup aisle.  Not only were we excited about four new delicious sauces to try, we were thrilled to find that our store had a shelf display with an awesome $2 off coupon for any fresh chicken, beef, or shrimp that got us excited about trying something new and making a special weeknight “date night”.

Really, the hardest part was deciding what flavor to choose, so we didn’t.  We added all 4 they carried – Creamy Chipotle, Toasted Sesame, Marsala, and Scampi {they were out of Thai Green Curry and Fire Roasted Tomato} – to our cart and headed over to the meat department to check out what we could get with our $2 off coupon. 

Once we were done shopping, we headed to check out and while we were ringing up, the cashier saw our cart and started raving about how great the Campbell’s Skillet Sauces were.  After that, we were even more excited to get our bags home and start cooking so all that was left was planning a few “date nights” so we could try them out. 

Luckily, we didn't have to wait long to try them out as we got a opportunity for a "date night" the very next evening and create our #Dinnerin15.  Here’s what we came up with the first night using the Creamy Chipotle Campbell’s Skillet Sauce:

We grilled up some leftover turkey, roasted peppers and onions, and then added the Creamy Chipotle Skillet Sauce.  As a side, we added some stir fry noodles, poured some wine, and dinner was served.

As much as I was excited about the sauce itself, I wasn’t sure the meal was going to all “work” together. We had taken some liberties changing the recipe last minute and we were just kind of throwing in things without knowing what the sauce tasted like, but the result was incredibly delicious. 

The turkey ended up shredding in the sauce as it cooked, kind of like pulled pork, but it tasted amazing that way and I would highly recommend trying it if you have turkey.  The Chipotle itself had a little bit of a kick, but it wasn’t too hot by any means, even for kiddos.  When served with roasted peppers and onions over noodles, the mix of flavors was perfect and it really tasted like I had spent hours cooking when the truth is I whipped it up in about 10 minutes total.     

The next date night, we created this with the Scampi Campbell’s Skillet Sauce:

The only change we made to the recipe was adding some fresh red, orange and yellow peppers at the beginning of cooking, and I think it was a really good choice.  I'm normally a bit scared of cooking shrimp, so the Scampi Skillet Sauce was the perfect solution as it gave me a foolproof sauce to build upon, and I think I've somewhat overcome my fear. 

We served the shrimp scampi over plain spaghetti noodles and the result was perfection.  By adding in a French baguette and some wine, date night was on.  And, it was delicious.

You can see more about the meals we created by checking out our Google+ album here.

Even though our date nights were days ago, both hubby and I are still talking about how amazing our Campbell’s creations were.  Since we ended up at another Albertson’s later in the week to pick up a few grocery necessities, we actually picked up the Campbell’s Skillet Sauce Thai Green Curry as well to take advantage of the amazing $2 off coupon again.  It’s not often that you can get deals on meat and seafood, so a $2 off coupon is like gold to me and I didn’t want to pass it up. 

And, after seeing how versatile the Campbell’s Skillet Sauces are for making a quick dinner something special, they have now become my go-to meal inspiration.  I will definitely keep a variety of Skillet Sauce flavors on hand for impromptu date nights and easy weeknight dinners.  You really can’t beat a good one pan meal with minimal cleanup that has us raving about it days later!  

Need more inspiration for cooking with Campbell's?  Check out their recipe section at Campbell's Kitchen for cooking tips, ideas for entertaining a crowd, and recommendations for when you just don't feel like meal planning.

You can also connect with Campbell's Skillet Sauces on Facebook for a coupon you can use to make them even more affordable and be sure to check for the awesome $2 off meat and seafood coupon at your local store. 

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Campbell’s.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours. #cbias #SocialFabric

Shari's Berries for Valentine's Day

I don’t know about you, but as soon as I think February, all I can think of is chocolate.  I’m not really a Valentine’s Day person in general as I prefer to do something romantic on a random day when hubby least expects it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like gourmet Valentine’s Day chocolate. 

And, when that gourmet chocolate happens to be covering my favorite food in the whole world, I am in heaven.  This is precisely what happened when Shari’s Berries delivered this to my front door.

The two full dozen gourmet dipped swizzled strawberries may have arrived on a random Wednesday afternoon, but all of a sudden we were having a party to celebrate.  We invited over my sister’s family for dinner and we saved the berries for dessert.  The dinner was good, but all anyone was thinking of was the chocolate covered strawberries waiting for us after.

And, at the first bite it was clear Shari’s Berries are definitely worth waiting for.  Using perfectly ripe HUGE strawberries that are bigger than anything I’ve ever seen in retail, these are the kinds of berries you can cut up and eat or even share {that is, if you share better than me}.

Covered in a thick chocolate – white, milk, and dark – the strawberries are then finished with sprinkles or swizzles, or both, and packed as if they were precious jewels.  This might have seemed like overkill, except for the fact that these are so delicious that they really do seem like precious cargo.

Young and old, er semi-young, gathered around the island and devoured a dozen of these beauties between the 7 of us.  We all sampled each flavor, picked our favorites, and then still had plenty left for a party the next day after dinner. 

And, after trying them all I really feel like it’s impossible to describe how much we all loved the Shari's Berries strawberries.  There’s only so many times you can use the words “delectable” and “delicious” and there are absolutely no words to describe the perfection that happens when you combine two things that on their own are perfect.  

Whether you are looking for hand dipped gourmet berries to decadent cookies and combo packs, Shari's Berries has you covered for Valentine's Day.  And, now ordering from Shari's Berries is even sweeter by shopping off their coupon page!  Simply visit berries.com or connect with Shari's Berries on Faceboook and keep up with discounts and promotions

Start shopping for gourmet Valentine's Day treats now!

A big thank you to Shari's Berries for sending some treats to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Walgreens 24/7 Pharmacy Chat and Mobile App to Keep Your Family Happy and Healthy

My kiddos never fall ill in the morning, mid-day, or even in the afternoon when I could pop them in a car and head to the pediatrician.  No, if they are going to get sick, it will undoubtedly happen in the middle of the night while the rest of the world is sleeping.  I don’t know about you, but my math and reasoning skills don’t work during the wee hours of the night when I’m struggling with laundry, sick kids, and lack of sleep, which makes these nighttime illnesses all the more annoying. 

Was it 3 tablespoons or 3 teaspoons?  Is it feed a cold, starve a fever?  And, at what point is it a real emergency?  These are the things my husband and I all of a sudden can’t remember and we spend our time digging for that first aid book we got during our childbirth classes in a panic, re-reading medicine labels, and stressing that our little ones need better care than we can provide in our hazy state. 

Next time, though, all we will have to do is snuggle our babies and grab our cell phones to find all the answers we need.  With the new Walgreen’s 24/7 Pharmacy Chat you can talk directly with a pharmacist to get the answers you need - day or night.  You simply register on their site with your Balance Rewards card and you can access things like pharmacy orders and more, and when you're done you can print the transcript so you don't have to remember every little detail.  My 3am self thanks you in advance, Walgreens.


Not only do they have online chat, they also have an app that can help you manage your family’s prescriptions easily.  You can order prescriptions through the app by scanning your old medication, manage doses, schedule reminders and more that will ensure that everyone gets the medicine they need, when they need it.  Do you remember the days when you had to make a trip in to see your doctor to get a slip of paper with your prescription, drive to your pharmacy, and then return home?  Then remember how excited you were when doctor’s offices started faxing orders?  Their auto-fill and express refills via their app are like that, only 10x more exciting and a million times quicker when you’re sick. 

In addition to managing your pharmacy orders, you can also shop via the app, order photos {seriously! From your phone!}, browse their weekly ad, and even find emergency clinics near you.  My husband and I both have this downloaded on our phones {iPhone and Windows} so we can manage our prescriptions, so no matter who ends up doing the wellness run they will have all the information they need.

Last week, my son and I did a quick run to the corner of Happy & Healthy, AKA our local Walgreens.  While the purpose of the trip was to pick up a prescription refill, while we were there I wanted to restock our children’s medicine after our awful bout with the flu late last year, as well as get a new addition to our first aid kit, the EarCheck that my doctor recommended since my son is prone to ear infections. 

We did some shopping for items for my daughter’s snack day at school, got some wellness items to prepare for cold and flu season,  and when we were done, our prescription was there waiting for us at the back counter.  With our items all ready, our coupons clipped, and prescription, we headed to the register to purchase. 

We had a slight glitch with their Balance Rewards program when their till locked up and they weren’t able to select my name off their computer, but they hooked me up with a shiny new Balance Reward card so I don’t have to look it up each time, and we were all set.  If you don’t have one yet, you should!  It’s free to sign up online or in-store and you can earn rewards on the items you buy the most so you can at least save money during your late-night medicine run. And, now is a great time to sign up for the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club because new members get a $15 bonus! 

See our whole shopping trip and #HappyHeathy Wellness Kit here.

I headed home and updated our #HappyHealthy “wellness kit” and admired my amazing preparation skills.  I even reorganized our locking linen closet to make room for our two Crane humidifiers, checked expiration dates on old medicines, and did a general clean sweep to make sure we were stocked and ready. 

Then, because I love new toys, I had to check out the new EarCheck.  My son was nice enough to sit still long enough for me to try it on him and it turns out he loves it.  He kept saying “more scan” and then giggling.  I love that it seems very reliable {even with a low battery warning} as the ear that is prone to infection came back as “monitor” and the other one said “fluid unlikely”.  While I haven’t had a chance to test it out with an actual ear infection {knock on wood}, I feel better prepared for the next round of illness knowing I have it. 

I’m hoping Murphy’s Law doesn't prevail and that being this prepared makes us less likely to fall ill this year.  But even if that doesn’t work out, we now have one place to go when looking for supplies in the middle of the night and professional backup available 24/7 via Walgreen’s pharmacy chat.  And, we also have my secret weapon: cure-all, homemade turkey soup with heart-shaped carrots. 

Connect with Walgreens via Facebook, Twitter, and download iPhone App, or download Android App

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and Walgreens #cbias #SocialFabric #HappyHealthy.  All opinions are 100% ours.

One of a kind keepsake and handwriting jewelry from Lauren Nicole Gifts {Giveaway}

You know those adorable things your kiddos write or draw that make you think, “I wish I could preserve this forever”?  For me, that is every time my daughter writes a letter “E” as it has three extra adorable squiggles.  My dad tells me it’s because she’s so emphatic, and I can’t help but agree. 

Of course I save all of her sweet notes she signs with “love” with her emphatic E, but most of those are done on napkins or shreds of paper my daughter finds around the house.  This makes it hard to frame or display them in any functional way, which means they end up in a pile or in her scrapbook box, which makes them hard to actually enjoy. 

So, for Christmas I told my husband that all I wanted was her handwriting on a necklace, something I thought I was making up at the time.  But, as it turns out, handwriting jewelry is a very real thing and is one of my new obsessions. 

Lauren Nicole Gifts, the company my friends and I order our hand stamped jewelry from, makes a whole collection of handwriting jewelry and they are more gorgeous than I had imagined.  Seriously, just look at how gorgeous these handwriting jewelry pieces are.

When it came to the actual designing of my necklace, I knew I wanted my daughter writing “love” as the main feature that I could wear close to my heart.  But, what I didn’t expect was that she would bust out this beautiful masterpiece the week before we ordered:

I know, right?  Since 99% of the drawings my daughter does require paragraphs of explanation, I was thrilled that not only does this look just like a mama bird on her nest, it actually looks like something I would buy at a store.  I wasn’t even sure if Lauren Nicole Gifts could do children's artwork like this, but I thought it was worth a shot to email it to them and see what they could do. 

Imagine my surprise when the necklace came back to me with “love” on one side and the bird on the other.  Leave it to Lauren Nicole Gifts to wow me yet again and offer things I didn't even think could be done! 

Let me tell you, it was better than getting a fancy piece of jewelry, better than a custom piece of art, and better than receiving a sweet handwritten note from my little sweetheart, because it was all of those rolled into one.  How could I not melt when I get to look at this every single day?

And, it isn’t just sentiment that makes this my new favorite jewelry piece, the Lauren Nicole handwriting necklace is truly gorgeous in its own right.  Although it looks dainty and feminine, I was initially surprised by how thick and hefty the polished silver charm is.  This isn’t the type of thing you can simply pick up at a craft store and make your own jewelry out of, this is a thick and sturdy piece that can hold up to anything. 

Now I love macaroni necklaces as much as the next person, but being able to see the same glow of pride in my daughter’s eyes when I wear my Lauren Nicole charm that she designed is a much better deal for both of us.  Plus, it matches my style just a bit more, and as you might imagine it’s much more durable.  That's mother's jewelry I can really get behind. 

In addition to being a special necklace that means so much to my daughter and me, it’s also a great conversation starter and I get tons of compliments on it even before they know it’s my daughter’s art and handwritten “love”.  And, I love that I’m doing my part to further the handwriting jewelry trend as everyone that hears about or sees my special necklace now wants one of their own. 

Whether you want to show off your kid’s sweet first letters, a love note from your hubby, or a bit of inspiration from a beloved grandparent, handwriting jewelry is the way to do it.  What better way to preserve the sentiment and the person than with their own handwriting you can wear forever? 

With Valentine’s Day just a few weeks away, now is the perfect time to surprise a loved one with priceless one-of-a-kind jewelry from Lauren Nicole.  Whatever design you choose, it's sure to make their day, and will definitely be the first thing they reach for in their jewelry box. 

One lucky Rave & Review reader will win $50 to spend at Lauren Nicole Gifts so you can create your own one of a kind jewelry.

To Enter: simply like Lauren Nicole Gifts on Facebook and let me know in the comments below {mandatory}

And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}

2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about this awesome Lauren Nicole Gifts giveaway {http://tinyurl.com/a5wzqwo} with extra credit if you tag Lauren Nicole Gifts and Rave & Review

2 Extra Entries {per method} - Follow Rave & Review! Subscribe by RSS feed, Subscribe by email, become a fan of R&R on Facebook or add R&R to your blogroll or sidebar.

1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter.  Retweet this tweet

1 Extra Entry - Like @RaveAndReview and @LaurenNicoleLLC on Twitter

4 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus. Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup

1 Extra Entry - Comment love on any post, just leave a comment here as well.

On February 1st at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 24 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who entered and congrats to:

#147 Karen said...daily tweet:
https://twitter.com/raveandreview/status/292164706909696000
THanks, Karen

A big thank you to Lauren Nicole for creating a special piece just for me and offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers. As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

Meet American Girl Saige, 2013 Girl of the Year

If you have a doll age child, chances are you are a huge American Girl fan.  With two doll age children at our house and an American Girl store just minutes away, the Seattle store has become our unofficial hangout, our reward system for a perfect chore chart, and our special mommy-and-me tea party paradise. 

If you remember, we even did up a gift guide entirely of American Girl products for last season because we love the brand so much.  So, you can imagine our excitement when “our” store gets new dolls in, especially one as pretty as this:

Meet Saige, the Girl of the Year for 2013.  Saige is a 9 year old little girl from Albuquerque who has an amazing trained horse named Picasso, a Border collie, a hot air balloon {seriously!}, and loves art as much as our family does.  Admit it, you’re excited, too.


Saige Copeland loves painting and horseback riding on her grandma’s ranch.  But, when budget cuts force her school to stop offering art class and her favorite horse might be sold, Saige decides to do something about it and mobilize others to make a difference instead of just being sad.  I really love this message as I truly believe one person can make a difference, and Saige's story is a great example of this for young girls. 

If you can't tell, we're already huge fans of Saige and we've only just become acquainted.  At the Seattle store this past weekend they were having a Saige event and we were lucky enough to catch most of it so we could finally see Saige in person.  The kids made some adorable arts and crafts at different booths, got their pictures taken in a large hot air balloon, and learned all about the new doll and her horse.  We got a personal demonstration of the new posable pony that moves his head and front foot to do tricks and the employee even got Saige doll down for a minute so my daughter could see her. 

Since we enjoyed visiting Saige and her pony, Picasso, at the store so much, I’m excited to read the book Saige by Jessie Haas that arrived last month introducing the new doll.  My daughter and I are starting the book together and she’s currently working on a perfect chore chart so she can earn some of Saige’s adorable accessories before they are retired at the end of the year.

Because Saige will only be around for a year, I’d advise you to shop early as she appears to be very popular and selling very well.  Just during the 30 minutes we were visiting during the Saige event we saw quite a few little girls going home with a Saige doll or a Picasso Horse.      

If you’re an American Girl fan, you already know that the dolls are only part of what makes them so awesome.  To get the full experience, I highly recommend checking out the American Girl site where you can learn about each doll, their unique story, download free apps, and even print off some awesome Parent and Teacher Curriculum exercises that help start educational discussions with your little American Girl fans. 

For all you Saige fans, you will be happy to know that there will even be a Saige movie released in 2013 and I will definitely post more about that as I get it.  And, until April 1st you can even enter to win one of 10 Saige prize packages on the American Girl site that includes Saige and her hot air balloon.

But, something I’m even more excited about with the release of Saige is the Elevate the Arts with American Girl that will award $45,000 in School Art Grants to preserve arts programs in U.S. schools.  Your school could win up to $10,000!

I received a press kit about Saige 2013 Girl of the Year but was not asked to post about it, I just wanted to share the details with you since I know so many of you are fans.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.   

LEGO Star Wars ZipBin Death Star Transforming Toybox {Review}

Oh, Christmas, why’d you have to go and leave me with a huge mess of stuff?  Mounds of wrapping paper, boxes, and a million little toy pieces with nowhere to go now litter my living room waiting for a place to call home and it’s driving me nuts. 

While it might be tempting to simply scoop up the mess and dump it in the toybox that we just cleared out, I know that is not really a solution.  If we did that, all the little toy pieces would simply line the bottom of the toy box never to be recovered again.  But, worse is that the kiddos would be left with a whole bunch of incomplete toys that would never get played with. 

Thank goodness ZipBin yet again came to the rescue to save my sanity and help organize the kiddos’ mess of stuff.  While last time around we reviewed the Barbie ZipBin Dream House, this time I was looking for something to corral all my son’s little items and was thrilled when I saw this:

While we don’t let my son play with little LEGOs on his own since he is still so young, he’s very into building stuff and just got his first few sets of LEGOs Star Wars.  So, it was perfect timing to find the perfect way to store all the little pieces and keep it up out of the way unless he was playing supervised with all the little pieces. 

The LEGO ZipBin Death Star was perfect for storing the first few LEGO sets he has collected, as well as providing a great place to play when we bring them out to keep them from being spread all around the house.  I love that you can even separate the little figures from the blocks as they have their own elasticized holders on the perimeter of the Death Star, which we like to call “pods”. 

With a LEGO Star Wars inspired interior, it’s easy to pretend that our LEGO characters have boarded the Death Star and are on their way to some exotic Star Wars locale.  Whether they are manning the controls, locking down the corridors, or fighting storm troopers in the secured areas, there’s a place for everyone and the bin itself adds a storyline, which I love. 

Then, when we’re done playing, it’s a simple zip and everything is all in one place and easy to put up on the shelf for the next play time.  I love that the ZipBin is completely enclosed and even if it falls over or gets jostled, the contents stay put rather than ending up all over the floor in a colossal mess.  

It’s lightweight enough for my son to carry on his own and has an easy wipe-down surface, which makes it perfect for the day he insists upon taking it with us everywhere we go.  But the fact that it is soft sided and weighs almost nothing means it’s also great for storing little toys up high as I’m not worried about it falling off the shelf and hurting anyone.  

But, as I've raved before, what’s really wonderful about ZipBins is that putting toys away is fun when the container is a toy in itself.  You know the old adage that no matter how cool the toy is, they will still end up playing with the box?  Well, I figure I might as well make it a cool box. 

The LEGO Star Wars ZipBin Death Star is only 12x2.5x12.75" zipped, but it can hold a whopping 1000 LEGO bricks and keep them neat and organized.  When unzipped, it creates a nice 12x27" play area to keep the little ones building and playing for hours.  Have more bricks than this and need some major storage?  Check out the whole line of LEGO Star Wars ZipBin products to see everything from a TIE FIghter and the Millenium Falcon to a large toy box to house all your blocks. 

Are you celebrating January Storage Month by finally tackling your playroom?  If so, you're in luck, because Neat-Oh! has a variety of different bins, boxes, and playmats that can organize even the most disorganized spaces!

A big thank you to ZipBin for sending their LEGO Star Wars Death Star for us to play with.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

My Wonderful Walls: Forest Friends Wall Mural Stencil Kit {Review, Discount & Giveaway}

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I was insistent that we finish the nursery before she arrived.  I spent hours moving around furniture, planning the décor, and finally, painting a mural in her room with my sister.  Unfortunately, my daughter arrived over 3 weeks early and we barely had time to get the mural started before my sister had to leave for Spain a few weeks later. 

When she returned from Spain 8 months later, I had a 9 month old and our creative time was very limited, so we never actually fully finished the forest mural we had intended and instead had more of a bare landscape with two large trees.  And, while it was beautiful, it always looked like it wasn’t quite finished. 

I had always pictured forest animals frolicking under the trees, birds soaring through the skies, and cattails swaying in the breeze, and was hoping to one day make that happen.  But, with two little ones under 4, I’m sure you can imagine how much time I have for painting murals, so I was thrilled to find out My Wonderful Walls was going to give me the push I needed to make my finished wall mural a reality. 

With their easy wall mural stencil kits, you can simply stick, paint, and then reuse their self-adhesive stencils over and over again to create beautiful murals quickly and easily.  Since all that’s left in our mural are the details, I knew the My Wonderful Walls was the perfect solution to finishing the room up before my daughter moves out for college in 15 years. 

After perusing all the many stencil kits, I finally decided on the Forest Friends Wall Mural Stencil Kit from My Wonderful Walls.  Not only did it have all the animals and details I had been hoping to add to our mural, it also had many more I hadn’t even thought of, but was excited to add to the room.  Just look at all these adorable animals and more that could make our mural amazing: 

After I chose the perfect stencil kit, I was really thrilled to see that they offered paint options as well so you can order literally everything you need right from the site.  As someone who has done numerous murals before, I always feel like we’re missing vital colors when it’s time to paint, so I love that you can order all the various shades and hues with one easy click and know you have everything you need ahead of time.  After taking a day to decide between the girl colors or the boy colors in my daughter’s room, we finally chose the girl paints and I placed my order.

Once the kit arrived, I couldn’t wait to get started.  The only hangup was that we are currently moving our daughter to her first “real” bed and getting her mattress off the floor, and I didn’t want all my hard work hidden behind the big four poster bed frame we are restoring, so I decided I would start on her opposite wall instead where her smaller tree is located.  Since this area is in between the door and the closet it’s a nice open spot that I know won’t get covered in furniture, so I decided this would be where many of the forest friends lived on her wall so they would be visible.  

I quickly looked over the kit instructions, selected a stencil I loved, and merely stuck it to the wall, paying close attention that all the edges were firmly pressed down so paint wouldn’t sneak underneath.  Since our walls are textured, I was worried the self-adhesive stencils wouldn’t stick that well, but was pleasantly surprised.  Once I was sure it was stuck down good, all that was left was the fun part – painting!

And, that’s where My Wonderful Walls truly thought of everything.  Everyone knows that the character of a painted animal lies almost entirely in the eyes, but in most stencils, you are left filling in all the details blindly, positioning the eyes where you think they look best and then just going for it, but with My Wonderful Walls, they even made this process as simple as possible with their special transfer paper that you merely trace onto your walls so you get the eyes exactly as they were intended.

Once you get all the details exactly as you want, you simply lift off the stencil and then you can reuse that again and again around the room, helping to make quick work of any mural.  And, again, as someone who paints murals for others, I really appreciate how much time and energy this saved me as I didn’t have to dream up each character in her forest and then research pictures online, draw it out on the wall, and then start painting – it was just as simple as sticking the adhesive and painting. 

In just a few short hours, we went from bland to magical and I had forest friends hiding around the base of our tree and playing in the meadows around the door.  Side note: this set actually comes with a tree so even if you have zero artistic ability, you can still create an amazing mural that you can be proud of.  Since I was using an existing tree and shelving system, I only needed a few animals and accessories to make it look complete, but I could have easily gone crazy and done the whole kit and it would have looked adorable.

Worried that you don’t even have enough artistic ability for stenciling or decorating a room that you can’t paint?  You will be happy to know that My Wonderful Walls has a whole line of self-adhesive vinyl wall decals you can merely peel and stick around your room.   

Whether you’re decorating a nursery or simply sprucing up a bedroom or playroom with a little color, My Wonderful Walls is the place to go for quality wall decals, stencils and wall art. You can shop by category or theme and there are great tips and videos on how to use the decals and stencil kits. When you're ready to buy, remember to use the code NGJ713 at check out for 15% off your order! 

And, a lucky Noise Girls fan will have a chance to win one of four room packages valued at up to $169.99 each during the My Wonderful Walls Giveaway Event! 



a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to the Noise Girls and to My Wonderful Walls for sending their Wall Mural Stencil Kit to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours.

My New Year’s Resolution: More “Us” Time

I’m going to brag for a moment: I have the best husband.  Ever. 

We met when I was in high school, during those awkward teen years when you’re still trying to figure everything out and it feels like you will never, ever become an adult.  It was a stage in which I wore flannel almost every day, was trying to grow my hair out after I had accidentally dyed it black trying to fix a previous dye job, listened to Nirvana like it held the key to surviving teenage-dom, and was still shuttling back and forth between my parent’s houses with no clear place to call home. 

And even though the teen love odds were definitely against us, we’re still together after all these years.  This year we’re looking forward to celebrating our 9th wedding anniversary and our 16th year we’ve been together and it dawned on me that this year also marks the point that we’ve been together exactly half of my life.  Yes, I know, right?

So, instead of just celebrating on the day we started dating {which we then subsequently got married on}, I feel like a bigger celebration is in order.  Perhaps an entire-year celebration? 

While we wish we could go on a year-long sabbatical or even a month-long vacation to celebrate, we can barely squeeze in date night these days with our little ones, so we have to think a little smaller.  Like coffee.  Our dates happen when the kiddos fall asleep while we’re driving, are cuddled up in the stroller as we walk, or are upstairs napping… and they almost always involve coffee.

As coffee-loving Seattleites, it’s probably not surprising that we’re fans of Starbucks, but what would probably surprise you is that we’re almost entirely brand loyal.  Yes, I realize Seattle has a coffee house or mocha box on every corner, but it was Starbucks that originally made coffee drinkers out of us after our daughter was born and now it is our tradition for our mini “dates”.

So, to get in the spirit of celebrating 2013 as the year of our mini dates, we recently went to Walmart to pick up some of the Starbucks Coffee Holiday Blend.  The trip had two purposes: 1) to try the Holiday Blend which we had heard was amazing and 2) to start to brew some Starbucks here at home for when our mini dates happen when the kiddos are napping upstairs and we’re housebound.  But, while we were there, we developed a third purpose: to find some fun treats from the bakery at Walmart that would go well with the Holiday Blend coffee to kick off our first coffee date of the year.

And, what do you know, but there’s actually a whole system for pairing foods with coffee to enhance the flavors of both.  Starbucks appropriately calls these “delicious pairings” and they even have displays throughout the US at many Walmart stores to showcase their many pairing suggestions.  Since we had already grabbed the Starbucks Holiday Blend coffee, we just had to figure out what we wanted with it, and we quickly figured it out – The Bakery at Walmart cinnamon rolls with white icing. 

We walked around the bakery at Walmart a bit until we were good and convinced cinnamon rolls were our perfect pairing, which gave us time to get some mini donuts for a late Christmas celebration that same day as well as see what other delicious treats we wanted to try for our next bakery run.  And, just look at all this deliciousness!

We got a chance to have our first coffee date at home on a gorgeous but frigid New Year’s Day when the kiddos went down for an afternoon nap and we seized the moment.  I mean, I couldn't stare at this for weeks, could I?

I though it fitting that we should get a start on our resolution on the first day of the year by curling up by the fire with coffee and cinnamon rolls.  Not only was it a fun end to the hectic holiday season, it gave us the perfect time to reflect on the year ahead.

With the awesome smell of fresh brewed coffee filling the air, we first sipped the coffee together.  It proved to be the perfect afternoon pick-me-up with its smooth dark roast and hints of spicy and sweet. It’s the perfect complement to holiday treats with cinnamon and spice like rolls, gingerbread, and my favorite, pumpkin scones.  Since I love Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes more than any other beverage, it’s really no surprise that I loved the Holiday Blend, even on its own. 

But, paired with the deliciously ooey gooey warmed cinnamon rolls from The Bakery at Walmart, the combination was simply heavenly.  The perfect balance of sweet and spice, it was amazingly decadent and flavorful without being too much of a good thing.  Before we knew it, our plates and mugs were empty and we were chatting about our plans for the New Year.   

In searching for ways to make 2013 the year with more “us” time, the key is to really make that time together count and our #DeliciousPairings was a great way to get started.  Instead of thinking about it as coffee and instead regarding it as a whole year of mini dates, snuck in during naps and days out with the family, it’s going to be a whole lot easier to actually make it happen and not abandon our resolution mid-January.

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™.  #CBias #SocialFabric #DeliciousParings As always, all opinions are 100% ours.