One of our family’s favorite traditions during the holiday season is to go around and visit the different holiday light displays around town and even in neighboring towns. I know how much our family loves this and I bet your family does too…so I thought I’d share a few of the best holiday light displays in Northern Kentucky and Southern Ohio! If you know of a place not on the list, please share it in the comment section! Happy Holidays!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Lil Man and Lil Diva have been sleeping in the same room as my husband and I since they were babies and it’s been an issue that I’ve been trying to find a solution to for the longest time now. 
Lil Man has been co-sleeping with my husband and I since he was a little over a year old (he’s 4 now) and it has been a nightmare. I know that a lot of parents advocate co-sleeping, but honestly it has not been a pleasant experience for my husband and I and it is not a decision that I would ever make again—if I were crazy enough to ever have another baby—and I am SO not!
Lil Man has been co-sleeping with my husband and I since he was a little over a year old (he’s 4 now) and it has been a nightmare. I know that a lot of parents advocate co-sleeping, but honestly it has not been a pleasant experience for my husband and I and it is not a decision that I would ever make again—if I were crazy enough to ever have another baby—and I am SO not!
We have winners…LOVE it! Since I used Rafflecopter for these giveaways the announcement is gonna look a lil different than it normally does! All winner have already been emailed and have 48 hours to claim their prizes!
First up is the winner of the Carmex giveaway!
Next up is the winner of our Chick-fil-a giveaway!
Up next is the MyBabyClothes.com giveaway!
Congrats to our winners and thanks to everyone who entered! Make sure you check out our Current Giveaways listed on our sidebar for more chances to win!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Everyone loves the Muppets…right? Have y’all seen the movie? If so (and even if you haven’t) I thought y’all might want to check out some fun facts about The Muppets movie!
BY THE NUMBERS
LUCKY NUMBER SEVEN -- Disney’s “The Muppets” is the 7th feature film featuring the Muppets.
MANY MUPPETS -- More than 120 Muppets appear in the film.
STEPPIN’ OUT – The film tapped 60 dancers to perform with Jason Segel and Amy Adams for the “Everything’s Great” opening musical performance.
· Hollywood Blvd. was shut down for two evenings to record the finale dance scene of the reprise of “Everything’s Great,” featuring 100 dancers.
PRETTY PIG -- A total of 12 different costumes were made for Miss Piggy—more costume changes than any other actor in the film.
SO BIG -- The largest Muppet, Thog, stands over 9.5 feet tall and is 4 feet wide.
TOP TEACHER – Amy Adam’s character Mary is a teacher with 16 students. Thus, no less than 16 perfect apples sit on the edge of the stellar teacher’s desk.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE ACCESSORIES
HIGH FASHION -- Miss Piggy had shoes made for her by Christian Louboutin and a dress by Zac Posen, which she wears in the finale scene.
FANCY DUDS -- Kermit had a suit made for him by Brooks Brothers for the scene where he walks through the streets of Paris with Miss Piggy.
TIME WILL TELL -- Walter wears a Kermit watch in the film.
TICKLING THE IVORIES -- Rowlf’s original piano is back—incorporated into the Muppet Show orchestra.
STRUMMING THE SAME STRINGS -- Kermit uses the banjo from 1979’s “The Muppet Movie” during the “Rainbow Connection” performance in Disney’s “The Muppets.”
RIBET – Kermit the Frog first appeared on “Afternoon, Footlight Theater” and “Sam and Friends” in 1955.
· A balloon of Kermit appears annually in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.
· Kermit has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
· Kermit celebrated his 50th Anniversary in Kermit, Texas, in 2005 and received a key to the city.
PROMINENT PIG – Miss Piggy first appeared in the chorus on “The Herb Alpert Special” in 1974.
· She appeared as 1st Sow in the “Return to the Planet of The Pigs” bit on “The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence” in 1975 (which was, in effect, the pilot for “The Muppet Show”).
· She was also a chorus pig in the first season of “The Muppet Show.” Her break-out performance was in a number called “Temptation” on the Juliet Prowse episode.
· The confident character was called Miss Piggy for the first time on “The Muppet Show” in 1976.
I may have mentioned a couple of times here on Misadventures that my hometown is small—like super small—it’s actually a village—yeah, it’s that small!
Anyway this teeny, tiny town that I live in has some of the absolute worst water quality anyway and for the past several years the powers that be in our town have been arguing over what to do about it. Last year the council raised water prices and installed water meters—the meters were a step in the right direction, but fast forward nearly 6 months later and the residents of the village are finally told that the majority of the water meters were installed incorrectly and as a result the meters have not been working correctly since installation—seriously? It took them 6 months to figure this one out—they definitely should have inquired about the services Vivint provides…I’m just saying it would have made sense to hire a company that actually knows how to install the water meters in the first place..right?
This all has a point…I promise!
So yesterday I was minding my business getting ready to start a load of dishes when I noticed that my water was brown and not just brown, but it had pieces of what looked like rock floating in it. The first thing that came to mind was two years ago when the water quality was so bad that the EPA had to come to town not once, not twice, but at least once a week for months to try to fix the problem. It was seriously 3 months of cooking, cleaning, and bathing with bottled water—it was not a good time…at all! Thankfully the problem was finally cleared up and the issue of dirty water was one that hadn’t come up since, so naturally when I saw the brown water I panicked! I’m happy to report that the water cleared up rather quickly and I haven’t noticed any problems since—and I’d like to keep it that way! I don’t think it would be asking for too much from the powers that be to take a look at some of the Vivint reviews so that maybe they’ll think twice before hiring the wrong company to install the new water meters that are supposed to be installed sometime within the next year or so…God help us all, I better start hoarding water now!
If there’s one Disney movie that I adore, besides Cinderella because that is my absolute all-time favorite animated movie ever, it’s Beauty and the Beast! When I found out that Disney was re-releasing Beauty and the Beast in 3D January 13., 2012 I could barely contain my excitement—getting to take my girls to see this movie is theatres is just thoroughly awesome!
Wanna take a sneak peak at the Beauty and the Beast 3D trailer? I thought so…check it out below!
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ magical classic “Beauty and the Beast” returns to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™, introducing a whole new generation to the Disney classic with stunning new 3D imagery. The film captures the fantastic journey of Belle (voice of Paige O’Hara), a bright and beautiful young woman who’s taken prisoner by a hideous beast (voice of Robby Benson) in his castle. Despite her precarious situation, Belle befriends the castle’s enchanted staff—a teapot, a candelabra and a mantel clock, among others—and ultimately learns to see beneath the Beast’s exterior to discover the heart and soul of a prince.
Featuring unforgettable music by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, and an enormously talented vocal ensemble, “Beauty and the Beast” was the first animated feature to receive a Best Picture nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Notes:
The film was nominated for six Academy Awards®, winning Oscars® for Best Song, by the renowned Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, and Best Original Score (Menken).
“Beauty and the Beast” was the first animated feature to cross the $100 million plateau in its initial release.
I don’t know about y’all, but I can’t wait to hit theatres in January to see this Disney classic!
Wanna take a sneak peak at the Beauty and the Beast 3D trailer? I thought so…check it out below!
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ magical classic “Beauty and the Beast” returns to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™, introducing a whole new generation to the Disney classic with stunning new 3D imagery. The film captures the fantastic journey of Belle (voice of Paige O’Hara), a bright and beautiful young woman who’s taken prisoner by a hideous beast (voice of Robby Benson) in his castle. Despite her precarious situation, Belle befriends the castle’s enchanted staff—a teapot, a candelabra and a mantel clock, among others—and ultimately learns to see beneath the Beast’s exterior to discover the heart and soul of a prince.
Featuring unforgettable music by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, and an enormously talented vocal ensemble, “Beauty and the Beast” was the first animated feature to receive a Best Picture nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Notes:
The film was nominated for six Academy Awards®, winning Oscars® for Best Song, by the renowned Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, and Best Original Score (Menken).
“Beauty and the Beast” was the first animated feature to cross the $100 million plateau in its initial release.
- Alan Menken has been nominated by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 15 times with seven wins. Prior to his death in 1991, Howard Ashman received six Oscar® nominations with two wins.
- Three years after the film’s debut, “Beauty and the Beast” hit Broadway. The musical opened at the Palace Theatre and ran in New York for 5,464 performances between 1994 and 2007, becoming the eighth-longest running production. It has played in 13 countries and 115 cities and continues to enchant audiences worldwide.
I don’t know about y’all, but I can’t wait to hit theatres in January to see this Disney classic!
Alright so I’m going to say this right up front so that the haters, with all of their nasty comments, don’t get too upset…
I love The Twilight franchise—big puffy heart love—and I adore Edward Cullen, but (and this is where it gets messy folks) I don’t really care for Robert Pattinson!
Now before you rush to judgment and start sharpening your pitch forks--hear me out.
OK, so, I decided to watch David Letterman last night (Monday November 28th) for the sole purpose of seeing Robert Pattinson (because honestly David Letterman is just not my cup of tea) and by the end of the Robert segment I found myself questioning if I cared for Robert Pattinson at all.
I’ve seen plenty of interviews with Robert Pattinson (hello, a year ago, I discovered Twilight and I’m not completely embarrassed to admit that I, like every other
My sudden epiphany gave way to even more questions and even more doubt; and I found myself wondering why I hung on Edward’s every word and would have rather listened to the Letterman interview with the TV on mute? Or why Edward was just so gorgeous that it should be completely illegal and Robert was just a little too…how do I say this nicely—Seattle grunge for my taste. And then I began wondering if the wine I had after dinner hadn’t been laced with something because I was starting to sound like one of the haters.
I was starting to freak out with the possibility that I could be turning into a hater—because the like, sparkly vampire haters are the worst—or so my 12 year old says. So I turned to Travis, the only other adult in the room, ( and yeah, I know if you’re actually familiar with Travis or “HotSizzle” as he prefers to be called, you’re probably beginning to wonder if the wine wasn’t laced twice) and this is how the conversation went down…
Me: Trav is it just me or is Robert Pattinson kinda boring? And not really as cute as he is when he’s Edward? And really all that funny either? (beginning to feel like I drank Haterade instead of wine, after dinner)
Travis: Yeah he talks funny!
Me: (looking at him wondering what the hell his accent had to do with anything) Um, that’s not really what I said.
Travis: Yeah I don’t like him either—he talks like Britain.
Me: Um, you mean he’s British? (realizing that Travis was the one who spiked the Haterade, I mean wine)
Travis: Yeah, he’s like from British or something right?
Me: Dude, seriously—like WTF?
And it only went downhill from there so I’ll spare you the play by play of the rest of our conversation, but it appeared that even Travis (in his own completely messed up way) agreed with me. But I couldn't really adore Robert Pattinson when he was the sparkly, gorgeous, way too young for me, Edward Cullen and dislike Robert Pattinson when he was boring, completely unfunny, greasy, still way too young for me, Robert Pattinson...could I? I made a little graphic to help you decide if you agree--or if I'm a just a lil' tipsy from the Haterade (yeah, I'm full-on admitting it now).
Maybe it's just me, but I kind of feel like Robert Pattinson will just never live up to the Edward Cullen character he made famous and that's a little disappointing. Now don't get me wrong I am totally contributing my $12 to the Breaking Dawn pot this weekend...because, duh, it's Edward Cullen.
I can't possibly be alone in this--am I? I mean, is Robert Pattinson as completely stalk worthy as Edward Cullen would be? Come on all you Twihards...let me have it! I kinda did ask for it!
Hey y’all! I have a real quick winner’s announcement to post and then it’s back to working on more reviews and holiday gift guide items that I’ll be sharing with all of you very soon!
This is for the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 2 DVD giveaway!
Winning number is:
And our lucky winner is:
network blog follower xferriza2 danielle b
ferriza2(at)yahoo(dot)com 2
I know the number on the comment says 98, but again my comment numbering starts at 1 again after 200 so I assure you that this is comment number 298!
Congrats to our winner and thanks to everyone who entered! Don’t forget to check out MIBR 2011 Holiday Gift Guide and enter all of our current giveaways (on the sidebar)! Until next time!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
I thought I’d save you from the dreaded “hand cramp” and do a quick rundown on some of the best Cyber Monday Deals—you can think me in Twizzlers!
Toys “R” Us Cyber Monday Deals!
FREE SHIPPING on Everything (when you spend $49 or More)! PLUS—Earn 10% back with Rewards “R” Us!
ONLINE ONLY! Monday November 21, 2011 CyberSale! Up to 25% OFF selected items including Step 2, Razor, Beyblade, learning toys, video games and more!
Save up to 70% with Clearance Blowout, Toys “R” Us layaway, and more!
Melissa & Doug Cyber Monday is Giveaway Monday event on their Facebook Fan Page!
The fun begins @ 8 am with the first giveaway for a train table and continues every hour on the hour until Midnight!
All shoppers save 15% OFF @ checkout at MelissaandDoug.com with Melissa and Doug promo code NSAVE15
Or shoppers can use the promo code FREESHIPZERO for free shipping on any purchase no minimum purchase required!
Hayneedle.com Cyber Monday Deals!
For 24 hours save an additional 15% off orders $150 or more OR take an additional 12% off orders under $150.00 PLUS free shipping on almost anything. Use promo code PRESENT at checkout. Exclusions found here.
Fisher Price Cyber Monday Deals!
20% OFF your total merchandise purchase!
FREES SHIPPING on orders $75+ and make sure to check out their Deal-0f-the-Day!
Make sure you check out these great Cyber Monday Deals too!
Pampered Chef Cyber Monday Deals!
November 28, 2011 Only FREE SHIPPING with $75 online purchase at Pampered Chef!
LuLu.com Cyber Monday!
30% OFF any order with promo code CYBERMONDAY305
or
35% OFF any order $750 or more with promo code MORECYBERMONDAY305
Skin Free Skincare Cyber Monday Deals!
Cyber Monday BOGO for you. For everyone who has really dry skin, we are offering a Buy One Get One Free on all purchases of SF Super Moisture Body Balm and After Shower Moisture Spritz
You don't need to do anything, but order. Everytime we see those items on your list, we will put an extra one in your box.
The Thanksgiving Special is still on throught the end of the month, so this is a really great BOGO. Remember the BOGO is for one day only! So don't forget to shop on Cyber Monday. Just enter the discount code-- THANKFUL -- in the shopping cart when you make your purchase to receive your 40% discount.
You will also get Free Shippingfor orders over $50.00
Nature’s Notebook (an item from MIBR 2010 Holiday Gift Guide—we love this!)
Nature's Notebook SALE 32 % Off ENTIRE ORDER!
Enter Code: HOHOHO
Buy any item on Nature's Notebook and receive a Free Gift! YES COMPLETELY FREE! (The Free Gift is a sand dollar holiday ornament)
If you buy 3 items you get 4th FREE (Must be of equal or less value)
HOW TO ENSURE YOU GET YOUR FREE ITEM:
If you place an order for 3 items, put exactly what you want for your FREE ITEM in the "Comment" section of the orders.
MyBabyClothes.com Cyber Monday Offers!
You will get 15% off of your purchase of $50 or more plus FREE SHIPPING on every order! Use the code: CYBERMONDAY at checkout.
11/28 CyberMonday: 12am – 12pm
40% off: CM40
11/28 Cyber Monday: 12pm – 12am
30% off: CM30
I’ve said before how thoroughly particular I am when it comes to lotion—seriously I cannot think of another beauty item that I am as picky about as my lotion—so when I say I love one…you can bet it’s the best!
Curel has been my go-to lotion for years, winter’s here in Ohio are just plain nasty and having a good lotion to help you get through that rough winter weather is just essential! And Curel has enlisted the help of Katie Brown(whom I also adore) on the Curél®Facebook Fan page to bring you exclusive tips and videos straight from Katie. Whether you need help perfecting that ginger bread recipe or a budget-friendly tip on holiday decorating, Katie has you covered!
I had the chance to check out a couple of Curel’s best lotions, their Ultra Healing (which I use everyday) and the Skin Nourishing lotions recently wait till you see what we have to say about the healing powers of Curel!
I’ve been a fan of Curel’s Ultra Healing lotion for a while now; it’s safe to say that I have Curel with me no matter where I am from the bottle that sits on my desk to the travel size bottle that goes everywhere with me in my purse—I always have some Curel close at hand! While there really are a number of reasons why I choose Curel over other lotions time and again, the number one reason is because it works! I can’t tell you how many lotions claim to be “ultra healing” and promise to “help cure even the driest skin”, only to underperform again and again! Curel on the other hand, works every time—it’s non-greasy and soaks into your skin quickly leaving your skin feeling soft and silky and not greasy and goopy—something this super-picky mom can appreciate!
What I love about Curel Ultra Healing Lotion!
Curel’s Skin Nourishing Lotion is is a blend of shea butter, honey and vanilla extracts that are specially formulated for a non-greasy lotion that intensely moisturizes and deeply conditions to smooth away dry, rough skin.
I’ve got a surprise for one awesome MIBR reader! One of you is going to win some of Curel’s Skin Nourising Lotion to help fight dry skin this winter! Details on how you can enter are below! And don’t forget to check out Curel’s Facebook Fan Page for lots of holiday tips from Katie Brown!
I hope y'all are ready for some more amazing holiday gift guide finds! If you have a tween/teen girl on your list then you definitely want to check this out!
I’ve always been interested in the spiritual—I think I was born to live in Salem, Massachusetts—it’s just so interesting and very telling! While I’ve never had my cards read it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, and thanks to Cinnamon Crow the author of Teen Oracle and The Chakra Zodiac Healing Oracle you and your tween/teen can learn to give accurate readings in the first day!
The Chakra Zodiac Healing Oracle
This is the only divination system that combines the Zodiac and the Chakra systems. It is a deck for all skill levels. It is easy enough for the beginner and has new ideas for those already familiar with both both systems. As a beginner, you will learn the basic functions of the chakras, characteristics of the Zodiac signs and the ruling planets and their functions. As one already familiar with these two systems, you will learn the ruling planets of the chakras and how to channel planetary energies into specific areas for maximum healing and balance.
The benefit: you will be able to harness the energy of the planets for healing.
Teen Oracle
Teen Oracle It is an oracle deck designed for teens and preteens. This is the only deck on the market for kids. With this deck, kids learn basic spiritual principles and concepts in easy to understand terms. kids learn how to make a real apology, what it means to listen rather than to hear, the negative mental and spiritual effects of gossip, the value of having a positive attitude and perspective and much more. Teen oracle is a 44 card deck with a booklet to explain card meanings.
I have to say I was excited to receive these decks to review and even more excited to attempt my first reading! I talked Travis (my BIL for those of you not in the know) into letting me read his cards (with the Chakra Zodiac Healing Oracle Deck) and for my first time I was surprised by how easy the deck was the read and how telling the cards were given the situations and circumstances in his life right now—it was a little eerie that the cards seemed to know!
If you have a tween or teen on your holiday list that you are compleley stumped by what to buy—I’m one of y’all…tween girls are impossible to shop for—then you have to check out Teen Oracle!
BUY IT!
You can check out The Chakra Zodiac Healing Oracle and Teen Oracle at Barnes& Noble.com!
Make sure you check out MIBR 2011 Holiday Gift Guide for more great holiday gift ideas for everyone on your list!
Friday, November 25, 2011
Forgive me for not posting winners sooner, blame it on the massive turkey hangover I’ve had since yesterday! So without further delay here are the winners of the Scentsy giveaway and the Custard ‘n Jelly giveaway! Good luck everyone!
First up is the winning number for the Scentsy giveaway!
Winning number is:
And our lucky winner is:
follow on GFC as mistysunrise
itsjustme62613 at gmail.com
#1
I know the # says 54, but for some reason my numbers reset to 1 after 200 so I assure you this is comment 254!
Next up is the winning number in the Custard ‘n Jelly giveaway!
Winning number is:
And our lucky winner is:
tweet
https://twitter.com/#!/jenzen69/status/138088769218805761
jenzen69atyahoodotcom
Congrats to both winners and thanks to everyone who entered! Make sure you check out the rest of our current giveaways on the right-hand sidebar! Until next time y’all…
Do you know what time it is? Time for more hot holiday gift guide items…duh! We have a couple of really cool gift ideas today so make sure you check them out and don’t forget that you can check out all of MIBR holiday gift guide finds in our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide!
I told y’all last week about putting up my tree way early (the weekend before Thanksgiving) and even though it’s completely decorated I discovered something awesome that I just had to add to my already gorgeous tree—ScentSicles!
If you’ve never heard of ScentSicles you are definitely in for a treat—seriously these are cool! ScentSicles are fragrance-infused ornaments for your holiday tree and they are seriously awesome! ScentSicles help you bring the holidays to life with the smell of fresh-cut trees and cinnamon sticks!
We all have scents that trigger the holiday spirit in all of us—mine is the smell of hot from the oven sugar cookies (yummo)—ScentSicles provide an under-the-radar holiday cheer evoking scent day in and day out throughout the holiday season! ScentSicles can be hung from tree boughs, tucked into wreaths and garlands, or discreetly hidden throughout the house to provide the nostalgic scent of fresh0cut Christmas trees or the welcoming aroma of cinnamon!
We recently received ScentSicles fragrance-infused ornaments in Fresh-cut Fir to review and I couldn’t wait to give them a try! I’ve had a fake Christmas tree since I moved out on my own nearly 13 years ago, but growing up my mom and dad made sure that having a real tree was always a top priority each Christmas. Needless to say, I’ve been longing for a real tree and the amazing scents that it fills the house with, for years! So when I discovered ScentSicles I was eager to see if they trick my senses into believing that my fake tree was the real deal!
As soon as I opened the container of ScentSicles I was instantly transformed back to my childhood and those beautiful smelling Christmas trees that my mother insisted on having every year—it was amazing! The real test though would come later when my children got home—seriously they can smell a cookie crumb from a mile away! True to form, as soon as Taylor and Savanna walked in the door after school the first words they uttered were, “Mom what’s that smell?” and “Did you go get a tree without us?” I ‘m pretty sure that means that ScentSicles work just like they should! Since I’ve added the ScentSicles to our tree I’ve gotten so many compliments from visitors about how great they smell and how much the scent reminds them of a real Christmas tree!
A little more about ScentSicles:
Infused with pure fragrance
Lasts up to 30 days
Hooks included
Made of natural fibers from sustainable resources
Scents Include:
Fresh-Cut Fir
Fresh-Cut Pine
Fresh-Cut Spruce
Cinnamon Stick
BUY IT!
ScentSicles are available seasonally at Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Lowes, Michaels, and a variety of other mass retailers and stores nationwide. ScentSicles are also available online at ScentSicles.com and on Amazon! Suggested retail price: $6.99 for 6 ScentSicles.
Disclosure: I received the product mentioned above from the company or representing PR firm to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and were not influenced by the sponsor.
I hope you are all ready for some more great holiday gift ideas! This time it’s all about the girls—Moxie Girlz that is!
If your daughter’s are like mine then they are all about their electronic devices—like 24/7! And if your daughter/granddaughter/niece has a Nintendo DS then she probably spends a considerable amount of time playing it—I know my girls do! Until very recently finding video games for girls has been quite challenging, that’s why I’m so glad that I discovered Moxie Girlz for Nintendo DS!
If you have a young lady in your life then chances are pretty good that you’ve heard all about Moxie Girlz, but did you know that they now have a Moxie Girlz video game for Nintendo DS? It’s true and it’s all about good times and lots of girl power!
Moxie Girlz for Nintendo DS provides hours of fun with thousands of art options and creations awaiting your lil ones perfect touch! Players can customize their Moxie Girlz character and express their creativity in Fashion Play mode with dozens of hair styles, accessories and more. Players can also share their deepest secrets and get los in Journal and Diary modes—two modes that are very popular with my girls! Players can also take Moxie Girlz quizzes to see which character they are most like!
Some of Moxie Girlz key features include:
*Customization: Pick which Moxie Girlz character you want to be or even upload a picture of yourself
*Variety of Modes: Art Play, Fashion Play, Journal and Diary Modes, Games and more!
*Personality Quizzes: Discover the Moxie Girlz character that most resembles you.
*Picture Fun: Use DSi functionality for picture taking and puzzle games—mix and match!
*Send a positive message to girls: All modes and gameplay focus on the positive Moxie Girlz message—Be true! Be You!
BUY IT!
You can pick up Moxie Girlz for Nintendo DS wherever video games are sold—you can also find Moxie Girlz
Thursday, November 24, 2011
I hope everyone is over their turkey hangovers, because we have holiday gift guide items to talk about—and I’m all about that!
If there’s one toy brand that I feel like I know and trust a little more than the rest, it’s Mattel! Mattel has been making an appearance on my holiday list since I can remember; first with me when I was a little girl with visions of Barbie dancing in my head on Christmas Eve and now with my own children as they hope against hope for all kinds of Mattel goodies—and nothing is in as high demand around here as Monster High!
I know you’ve seen the Monster High dolls, if your little ones are like mine they ooh and aah over them every single time we head down that particular isle in the store, and if I’m telling the truth, there’s something very cute about those adorably scary Monster High ghouls!
My daughter Savanna has been infatuated with Monster High since the very first time she laid eyes on one of the dolls in the toy isle, I do have to admit I was a little frightened at first by the dolls’ appearance, but quickly realized that they were just about the cutest monsters I’d ever seen. Savanna definitely agrees and her favorite by far just so happens to be Frankie Stein (how fitting is the name)?
We received the Monster High Frankie Stein doll from Mattel to include in our holiday gift guide and we couldn’t have been more excited! First, I just have to say that Frankie Stein is actually not as scary as her name may suggest and she is far from anything that you would associate with her famous poppa Frankenstein! 
What We LOVE About Frankie Stein:
Her sense of style: How can you look at the Monster High dolls and not totally think that their styles rock hardcore? Seriously, Frankie and her friends are the coolest ghouls at their school for a reason—and that reason is their killer fashion sense!
She’s just like any other ghoul: Frankie may be the klutzy new kid at Monster High but that’s just one of the many things that make her so loveable—she’s just like any other girl!
BUY IT:
If your little girl likes Monster High then she will love Frankie Stein! Frankie comes with scary-cute pet, diary and accessory for $17.99!
Disclosure: We received the product listed above from the company or PR to facilitate our review. All opinions are our own and were not influenced by the sponsor.
Turkey Day may be over, but the holiday season just officially got started and you know what that means? Holiday Gift Guide time! Of course, Misadventures in Baby Raising has the scoop on all of the hottest gift ideas for every member of the family—so be sure to check out our MIBR Holiday Gift Guide for even more great gift ideas!
One of Lil’ Man and Lil’ Diva’s favorite shows is Pocoyo—they seriously watch that show barely moving a muscle. Pocoyo is a fun—loving preschooler who laughs, plays and shares good times with his animal friends Elly (the elephant), Pato (the duck) and Loula (the dog). Pocoyo and his friends teach preschoolers through music, dance and humor, encouraging them to learn through laughter. The series originated in Spain and has been inspiring American toddlers on Nick Jr., PBS and Univision and Bandi toys has translated the fun and laughter of Pocoyo into an awesome collection of toys that your toddler will adore!
We recently had the chance to check out Pocoyo’s Bath Fun 3-pack! Featuring Pocoyo, Elly and Pato, this Bathtime Fun pack makes bath time a blast! Your little one will love how Pocoyo and Elly squirt water and Pato floats around the tub! Lil’ Man and Lil’ Diva have spent hours playing with Pocoyo and his friends in the tub—definitely a great stocking stuffer for the lil’ Pocoyo lover at your house!
BUY IT!
You can pick up the Pocoyo Bath Fun 3-Pack for $7.99 wherever Pocoyo toys are sold! Make sure you check out the rest of the toys in the Pocoyo line!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
It’s getting closer to Turkey Day, and you know what that means, it’s getting closer to Christmas! And Misadventures in Baby Raising has the hook up on all of the best gift ideas for everyone from grandma and grandpa to the youngest member of the family!
In 2011 it’s all about electronics—kids today are so tech savvy that electronic toys are a part of their lives even before they can walk! Needless to say, it’s rather difficult to find toys that your children love, are interesting enough to keep their attention and don’t light up, speak 3 languages and come equipped with touchscreen controls! That’s why I am always so thrilled when I find a toy that my children love that requires more than the touch of a button to operate—like PERPLEXUS!
You’re probably wondering, “Um, what’s a PERPLEXUS?”…right? Well, that’s a good question and the best way I can describe PERPLEXUS is by saying that it’s a big ball of fun—no batteries required!
PERPLEXUS is a game where players must maneuver a small marble around a maze inside a transparent sphere. PERPLEXUS takes everything you love about traditional flat mazes and turns it on its head because unlike traditional mazes with one path, PERPLEXUS contains of maze of challenging tracks with 100 barriers, providing players with an endless supply of mazes and barriers to try! Players can choose their track and must then use gravity to shift, flip and twist the sphere to guide the marble to its destination!
PERPLEXUS is also a great tool to assist in child development allowing children to practice their fine motor skills, dexterity and hand-eye coordination! It’s size makes it super portable and it doesn’t require batteries—now that, is every mother’s dream toy!
When I found out that I had the chance to feature PERPLEXUS in our holiday gift guide I was super excited, because this toy (it’s actually more of a game than a toy) is beyond awesome! And though the PERPLEXUS totally kicks enough butt that your kids will LOVE it you better buy two (at around $20 that’s definitely doable) because you are going to want to play this and your children are not going to share!
Top 3 Reasons To Add PERPLEXUS to your holiday list!!!
3. It’s great for all ages from 6 to 96 (and beyond)!
2. It provides hours upon hours of fun! This is not a toy that you’ll figure out (or be able to get cheats for) easily, it’s one that requires lots of patience, concentration and time to master!
1. Don’t your children already have enough battery operated toys on their holiday list? Because seriously the PERPLEXUS runs on kid power—gotta love that!
Want to know more about PERPLEXUS? Check out the PERPLEXUS website (which is one of the coolest ever by the way) and get PERPLEXED! Or you can “Like” them on Facebook and see what other PERPLEXUS fans are saying about this toys! Facebook not your thing? Then Follow PERPLEXUS on Twitter or check out their YouTube channel for lots of great PERPLEXUS videos!
BUY IT!
Check out the PERPLEXUS website to find out where you can get a PERPLEXUS of your own!
Disclosure: I received the item mentioned above from the company or PR firm to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and were not influenced by the sponsor.
Did you know that today is National Espresso Day? Well it is and I have a great contest to tell you about—you could win a KRUPS XP5220 Precise Tamp Espresso Machine! You can check out all of the contest details below!
KRUPS - leading manufacturer of coffee and espresso machines, is hosting a Facebook and Twitter giveaway for a KRUPS XP5220 Precise Tamp Espresso Machine for their fans in honor of National Espresso Day!
Celebrate your love for coffee by entering to win this new coffee machine. Starting Monday, November 21st and ending Friday, November 25th at 5 PM EST, tell KRUPS why you’re thankful for coffee on our Facebook wall - KRUPS USA http://www.facebook.com/KrupsUSA or Twitter page - http://twitter.com/Krupsusa to enter for a chance to win.
About the KRUPS XP5220 Pump Espresso Machine ($240)
· Tamping Consistency: Patented KRUPS Precise Tamp System compresses the coffee grounds perfectly providing an optimal ground coffee tamp that produces uniform results every time.
· Fast Heat-up: Lightweight powerful thermoblockfor faster preheating and reduced limescale buildup.
· Easy to Clean: No mess cake ejection. Simply press the button and out pops the espresso grounds „cake‟.
· 15 Bar Pump.
· Universal filter holder with no mess cake ejection system. Compatible with ground coffee (1 or 2 cups) and all types of pods.
· Multi directional frothing nozzle creates delicious cappuccinos and lattes.
· Redesigned frothing nozzle locks in place and is easier to maintain.
Removable water tank,
So what are you waiting for? Hurry over to Krups Facebook and/or Twitter pages to enter now!
Alright ladies and gents, it’s time to announce the winner of the $15 Crazy Dog T Shirts giveaway!
Winning number is:
And our lucky winner is:
pugs not drugs crystletellerday@yahoo.com
Congrats to our winner!
Didn’t win? No worries we have lots more giveaways going on right now (check out our Current Giveaways on sidebar) and more to come!
With the big day only 2 days away, I thought we’d talk about some of the dos and don’t of choosing, cooking and serving the star of your Thanksgiving dinner—the turkey!
I happened to be watching the Hallmark channel this morning (I am a closet Martha Stewart fan—love her) and I just happened to catch Emeril’s Table and he just happened to be talking about turkey. He had so many great tips and tricks for choosing and preparing the perfect turkey that I couldn’t help but share them with all of you!
Several years ago when I was a new wife preparing my first ever Thanksgiving dinner, I had absolutely new idea what I was doing; thankfully my mom (who I’m convinced knows absolutely everything there is to know about absolutely everything—just don’t tell her I said that) was only a phone call away. For those of you who don’t have the luxury of calling in help I thought these tips, courtesy of one of the best chef’s ever Emeril Lagasse, might come in handy!
This Thanksgiving an estimated 46 million turkey’s will end up on dinner tables—that’s a lot of turkey people! And with all of that turkey comes lots and lots of “how do I do…” questions!
What kind of turkey should I buy?
Organic vs. Natural
Organic turkey is free-range and contains no pesticides, but it also has to be cooked a little differently than your average run-of-the-mill turkey! OrganicAuthority.com has some great tips for cooking the perfect organic turkey! Also keep in mind that it’s not organic unless it’s stamped organic! Natural turkey is cheaper than organic and includes no artificial flavors or chemicals.
Fresh vs. Frozen
According to Emeril there’s not much difference between fresh and frozen when it comes to supermarket brands! Fresh will inevitably cost you more (and it definitely saves you the trouble of worrying about your turkey defrosting in time) but it doesn’t really offer much more for your money—it’s more about convenience!
One of the most agonizing questions for me every single year (and I’m sure many of you as well) is how much turkey do I need and how many people will the turkey that I bought feed? Emeril also had some great tips for helping us figure this out!
According to Emeril, you should allow 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person (on average), if you want leftovers the next day (and seriously who doesn’t) then you should allow 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds per person!
One more quick tip from Emeril on seasoning your turkey! Emeril made a compound butter (which is just a fancy way of saying he added a few herbs to the butter) using thyme, rosemary, and garlic. Just rough chop the herbs and incorporate into softened butter. Loosen the skin from the turkey breast and rub butter mixture under the skin to add a ton of flavor!
I hope some of these tips help you out if you’re in a pinch, but just in case you need a little more help you can check out the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line (I have used this countless times) it’s free and available November through December and it’s a lifesaver! You can call the 800 number:
1-800-BUTTERBALL or email the Turkey Talk-Line at talkline@butterball.com!
Good luck and have a great Turkey Day y’all!
Monday, November 21, 2011
It might be getting closer to Turkey day, but here at Misadventures we’ve been talking about the hottest gifts this holiday season! I have another great gift idea for those of you who have a little (or big) gamer on your list!
Lil Man loves video games; seriously I’ve never seen a four year old reduce his father to tears over a football game (true story people). While I don’t like for my son to play video games that often, my mother always told my sister and I that video games “rot your brain”—that’s probably why my children have every game console known to man (sorry mom 
) , I don’t mind for him to play every once in a while. And when he’s not beating his father at football, he’s all about racing cars—that’s why I knew he would love NASCAR Unleashed!
About NASCAR Unleashed…
In NASCAR Unleashed, racers break free from the track and take over everything else (the pavement, beaches and off-road areas of some of NASCAR’s most beloved tracks! The thrill of racing in a new, yet familiar environment is what makes NASCAR Unleashed so exciting and tons of fun!
Key Features:
* All-Star Pack: 15 of NASCAR’s biggest and best drivers including; Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, and many more!
* Racetrack Déjà vu: Player race on real life NASCAR tracks with a bit of a twist. Players make their way across familiar parts of the track and burst into brand new areas that they never expected! Tracks include: Daytona International Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Martinsville Speedway Talladega Speedway.
* Bumper to Bumper: Bumping and grinding is the name of the game as players have to fight their way up to pole position. Opponents don’t make it easy though as they’ll be every bit as ruthless as you on their quest to be the best!
* Arcade Action: Racing is wild, fast and crazy as players drift around corners and hit massive jumps while trying to avoid being wrecked.
* Unlockables Unleashed: After winning events, players will be rewarded with fun and goofy upgrades that can be used to customize their cars into something unique and outrageous!
I’ve also got the inside track of some of the best tips and tricks to help get you started!
1. Randomly throughout the race a challenge car will pop up in the top right corner…Complete these challenges for more boost!
2. The more points you gain the faster you can unlock new paint schemes for your car.
3. Always stay behind a car in traffic to draft them! If you’re doing it right you’ll see wind passing around your car. You can do one of two things from here: slingshot your car around them (you’ll use the extra speed of the drat to pass them) or continue drafting. If you continue to draft, your bottom right boost meter will continue to build. Once it’s filled unleash your boost!
4. If you lose yourself in a corner, press the drift button and try to recover with finesse.
5. The pits are your friend! If you get beat-up during a race, going into the pits fixes your car and gives you a boost.
And there ya go—5 very helpful tricks for NASCAR Unleashed—nothing like a few kinda/sorta video game cheats to put a lil’ pep in your step!
If you have a video game fan on your holiday gift list then NASCAR Unleashed is definitely a great choice! You can check out NASCAR Unleashed on Amazon!
And while you’re checking out the game make sure you check out “Battle of the NASCAR® Kids” championship tournament held last weekend for charity!
BUY IT!
NASCAR Unleashed is available November 1 for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ system from Nintendo and the Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system at $39.99. Check out NASCAR Unleashed: Arcade
Remember back this summer when I was so super excited about my new car? Well, it turns out that my excitement was very short lived and that super, awesome car that I loved a few short months ago is now not my most favorite thing!
When my husband decided to trade in my gas guzzling Expedition I ‘m pretty sure I shed a tear and when he brought home it’s replacement, a very uncool minivan, I cried for days. It’s not that I have anything against minivans, it’s just that they are a definite sign that you have surpassed your carefree, petal to the metal, music blasting with the windows down glory days and stumbled into the “oh my gosh, I’m a soccer mom—I’m officially less than uncool!” days. So when my minivan suddenly began acting funny (and I’m not saying I did anything to it—it was just good timing) my husband finally had to admit that he was wrong (yes ladies, they do sometimes do that) and find me a new car asap!
When I found my new SUV it was really love at first sight; I instantly loved everything about it—the color, the size, the power…it was perfect! And then about a month ago I had it in the shop—the first time—vehicle was less than 3 months old, I should have realized then that it could only get worse from there! Eight hours and $1000 (that was thankfully covered 100% by our warranty) later I knew it was time to start looking for a replacement for our replacement! 
Though I hated the thought of trading in our new vehicle for another new vehicle I knew it was necessary as we’ve had our SUV back in the shop two more times since then and the diagnosis only gets worse with each visit—seriously without bad luck I would have none! This time I decided to take the task of finding another vehicle into my own hands and began looking online at several different dealers and was immediately impressed by a Chrysler dealer who had an amazing selection of vehicles priced very reasonably. Of course, as soon as my husband caught wind of what I was doing he insisted on helping—and ladies you know that only spells trouble!
I was sure that my husband would have picked some souped up muscle car (like the one he’s been talking about for the past seven years) as a matter of fact, I would have bet the house on it, but to my surprise he called me over to the computer last night and showed me his top pick at a Jeep dealer he had found online—shocked does not begin to explain how I felt! My husband's pick, a Jeep Compass, was everything I wanted and everything that we needed all in one!
Though I’m kind of sad that my new vehicle is probably going to have to be traded in; I am so glad to know that my husband and I can agree on what kind of vehicle works best for our family when the time comes to purchase again…Jeep Compass here we come (soon…I hope)!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
I know it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, but this past weekend I managed to talk my husband into putting up our Christmas tree—am I crazy?
I’ve been trying to talk my husband into putting up our Christmas tree for weeks now—yes, sadly since right after Trick-or-Treat—like literally we came home, checked candy and I was like, “So Jamie, feel like getting out the tree?”
Of course he looked at me like I had three heads, and I didn’t get my tree up that night, but I was on a mission to get it up—before Thanksgiving!
So, last night was THE night, I finally talked him into helping (I hate putting the tree up myself—I actually just set back and direct the others on what to do). So naturally like every other second of my life, I posted about it on Facebook, and while for the most part the response was positive (lots of likes) my best guy friend decided to let me know that I was showing Thanksgiving no respect. Hmmm, I hadn’t really thought of it like that before.
Am I majorly disrespecting Thanksgiving by having my tree up before turkey day? I really don’t think so as we celebrate Thanksgiving as happily with the tree (maybe even a lil happier) as we do without it.
What do y’all think? When is it too early to put up the Christmas decorations? When do you put up your tree? And just in case you’re totally against putting up the tree before Thanksgiving…just look at how cute Lil’ Man and Lil’ Diva are hanging ornaments—that’s reason enough for me!
If there’s one thing I love more than anything else about the holiday season it’s the willingness of others to be charitable! There’s nothing more heartwarming than knowing that you’ve done your part, no matter how small, in helping someone else have a brighter day!
When I decided to do this year’s gift guide I knew that I wanted to include companies who gave back and I couldn’t do that without including World Vision!
If you’re not familiar with World Vision I encourage you to take a look at the World Vision Gift Catalog, they have some amazingly beautiful gifts and the best part--the two-for-one benefit they provide: 1) a meaningful and affordable gift for a loved one; 2) proceeds that make a difference in the lives of children and families living in poverty in the U.S. and around the world!
Last year more than 800,000 people around the world were impacted by gifts through the World Vision Gift Catalog—and these gifts didn’t come decorated with paper and ribbon. With a financial contribution, the gift giver selects one of 36 items from the World Vision Gift Catalog that can be given to someone on a holiday gift list and at the same time help a person in need—that’s truly a win-win! World Vision’s Gift Catalog offers more than 250 gifts online ranging in price from $16 to $39,000 and the gifts can be purchased in the name of a family member, teacher, co-worker, or even a child. There are many gifts to choose from (many are very affordable at under $50) some of the gift items include:
* Goats($75): One of the most popular gift items because its milk provides protein for children and the surplus can be sold. More than 20,000 goats were purchased last year alone!
* Feed a family in the US for a Day ($16): Here in the US, 1 in 5 children lives in poverty. Gift givers can help restore hope to families that have been struck by disaster, homelessness, or job loss.
* A child’s education ($32): Supplying school fees, textbooks, paper and pencils will help a child reach their full potential.
And the list of amazing gifts goes on and on! I don’t know how you feel about it, but I think this is an amazing way to be charitable during the holidays and an excellent way to get your children to start thinking about the importance of giving to charity! And while the list of gift items above are amazing and so badly needed there are also an array of more traditional gifts that you can receive as well with a simple donation to the Maximum Impact Fund--which provides for the unique needs of children and families worldwide!
I received one of the FREE gifts from the catalogue and I can’t wait to show you all how gorgeous it is! I received the Christmas Ornament Set (FREE with a $150 donation to the Maximum Impact Fund). The set of three handmade Zakale wire & bead ornaments from Nairobi are amazing and will add the perfect touch to every tree this Christmas. Meaning "reuse" Zakale crafts are made from recycled materials by a group of Kenyan artisans reclaiming their own lives from poverty. They really are gorgeous and they simply make my tree look stunning!
They truly are beautiful and knowing that the donation that came along with these ornaments was going to help families in need is just the icing on the cake!
I also wanted to tell you about a really cool project that World Vision has going on next month—the “The True Spirit of Christmas Tour” which you can access through their Facebook page! Through “The True Spirit of Christmas Tour” for the third consecutive year, World Vision staff will be traveling across the world this December to see the impact that goats, sheep and other gifts have on families and children. You can also check out this video on YouTube that explains how the World Vision Gift Catalog works!
If you’re looking for a unique gift for someone on your list this holiday season I definitely recommend checking out the World Vision Gift Catalog and give the gift of giving!
Disclosure: I received the items mentioned above from the company of PR firm to facilitate my review—all opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced by the sponsor.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
