Holiday Shopping at Shop.com
December 5, 2008
I have to admit that I LOVE to shop! Now that my son is a toddler it isn’t so easy to take him to the mall. He’d much rather go to the park and play! Gone are the days of leisurely browsing for that perfect gift at just the right price. We were in Nashville over the weekend and it was the first time I had stepped inside a mall in months! Between the craziness of Black Friday at Toys R Us and the mall, I have decided that shopping online is so much more convenient. The ability to research products and pricing is priceless. Having products shipped to my house (for free!) makes shopping stress-free!
Shop.com is a comparison shopping site with over 2,000 stores on one site. There are tons of ways to save including hot deals (daily and weekly) and coupons, free shipping deals, sale pages and more. Surprisingly, the site is easy to search. The layout is very user-friendly and one click gives you access to over 20 million products! Wow! You never have to visit another site again. What’s nice about the site is that you can either buy everything at once with their universal shopping cart or you can click over to partner stores to make purchases.
Shop.com has a variety of shopping tools that will help you pick out that perfect gift including buying guides, best holiday gadget gifts, and 50 Holiday Home Gifts under $50. My favorite aspect of the site is their Green Shop. Not only will you find the latest in ec0-friendly products like this energy-saving Whirpool Front Loading Washer or a super luxe organic cotton crib mattress, you’ll get tips for saving and living green.
This holiday season, check out Shop.com. Thanks Mom Central for giving us 411!
Wreaths Direct Blog Tour
December 2, 2008
Christmas is my favorite holiday. Now that we’re in our own home, I can finally get excited about decorating! I’m dreaming of a real Christmas tree, but with a toddler in the house I’m not sure that is a good idea. So while I won’t be smelling the fresh, evergreen scent of a live Christmas tree, I’m hoping some of that lovely smell wafts in through my front door! Why you ask? I have my very first fresh, evergreen, holiday wreath thanks to Grandma D’s Tree & Wreath Farm.
Grandma D’s Tree and Wreath Farm is a fifth generation, family-owned business located in the Silverton Hills of southeast Salem Oregon. What began as strawberry fields has evolved into a picturesque scene of Christmas Trees outlining the landscape. The company is known for their fragrant evergreen wreaths and centerpieces.
When I opened the box, I was greeted with the lovely scent of evergreen boughs, juniper berries and pinecones. I just love the smell of evergreen and when I had it hanging in my kitchen before placing it on my front door, the smell just brightened up the entire room! I have never purchased a live (or a fake for that matter) wreath so while I don’t have anything to compare it to, I was very impressed with the quality and the craftmanship. Caring for it is very easy and simply involves a spray of water every couple of days. I was surprised that this is all it needs to last the entire season.
Right now you will receive free UPS shipping in the United States by simply entering the code w0834.
Purchase a lovely evergreen wreath directly from the Wreath’s Direct for $29.95 (a very reasonable price in my opinon!)
Please stop by the remaining blogs on this tour!
11/27/08- Sunshine is Free
11/27/08- Blessings Abound
11/27/08- MellysPix
11/27/08- Wish List Worthy
11/27/08- Mommy Blog Reviews
11/27/08- All Because Two People Fell in Love
11/28/08- Melissa’s Cozy Teacup
11/28/08- The Dirty Shirt
11/28/08- Three P’s Mama Says
11/28/08- Reviews from my Laptop
11/28/08- An Island Review
11/28/08- Tara’s View of the World
11/28/08- Blissfully Domestic
11/28/08- Princess Time Toys
11/28/08- MommyDaddyBlog
11/29/08- Feels Like Home
11/29/08- Type A Mom
11/29/08- Scrappy D
11/29/08- The Dabbling Mum
11/29/08- Thoughts from the Mrs
11/29/08- What’s That Smell?
11/30/08-MoomettesGramsMusings
11/30/08- A Cowboy’s Wife
11/30/08- Mamalicious Finds
11/30/08- Here’s What I Think
12/1/08- Mom’s Monologue
12/1/08-MomStart
12/1/08- Kristen McClane
12/1/08- A Mama’s Rant
12/1/08- Lisa Reviews
12/1/08- All Things Girl
12/1/08- Knack Parenting
12/1/08- Examiner
12/1/08- Atlanta Parent
12/2/08- Shopping Gems
12/2/08- Rockin’ Mama
12/2/08- Maria’s Space
12/2/08- Sweetie’s Sweeps
12/3/08- The Way I See It
12/3/08- Sheltered Not Shattered
12/4/08- Brain Foggles
12/4/08- From Melissa’s Desk
12/4/08- Genesis Moments
12/5/08- Take Root and Write
12/5/08- Valerie Gray
12/5/08- Life is Like Champagne
12/5/08-Wrestling Addicted Mommy
12/7/08- Advocate Mom
12/10/08- North Texas Natural Family
Profuse thanks to the Family Review Network for this review opportunity!
Film Review: The Librarian
December 2, 2008
Music and movies oh my! Here is another one you’re going to love. On December 7 TNT will premiere The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice starring Noah Wyle. Thanks to Beth at Role Mommy my husband and I had the opportunity to take a “first look.” I only wish I had seen the first two installments, The Librarian: Quest for the Spear and The Librarian: Return to King Solomon’s Mines.
About the film:
The world is in danger of being overrun by vampires, and the only person who can prevent it from happening is Flynn Carsen in the third installment of TNT’s hugely successful Librarian franchise, starring Noah Wyle (ER). THE LIBRARIAN: CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE, co-starring Bob Newhart (Elf, The Bob Newhart Show) and Jane Curtin (Our Town, 3rd Rock from the Sun), sends the bookish hero Flynn to New Orleans, where he tries to undo a nefarious vampire plot and rescue a kidnapped professor (Bruce Davison – X-Men, Knight Rider) with the help of a beautiful chanteuse (Stana Katic – Feast of Love).
This action-filled adventure follows Noah Wyle as Flynn, the increasingly reluctant treasure hunter, on his quest in locating the Library’s latest relic. His journey this time is even more important: understanding his important role and calling as the Library’s chosen one; it’s key to finding the world’s most important artifacts and in turn saving the world from certain doom and disaster.
This is a great movie for the treasure hunter in all of us. If you’re a fan of the National Treasure movies (Nicholas Cage), then this is definitely a film for you. The plot has a few great twists and turns that leave you wondering what will happen next.
You can catch The Librarian: Curse of The Judas Chalice, Sunday, December 7, at 8pm (ET/PT) on TNT.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUt_7sI7Tx0&hl=en&fs=1]
PTA Movie Night Live
November 24, 2008
I have always thought highly of HP and it’s products. I most recently had the privilege of working with them on a prior review campaign and this week I’d like to tell you about a very special project that confirms once again the type of company HP is.
PTA and HP have partnered together to offer PTA schools an exclusive showing of DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda (timed perfectly with the DVD release). PTA Movie Night Live is one of the largest nationwide movie night events created for schools and it’s only going on through November 26. Thousands of schools across the country are joining in to offer families the opportunity to enjoy free, safe entertainment in the comfort of your local school.
In support of the new National PTA Video Store, a secure online resource for families to browse and purchase age-appropriate enertainment, PTA Movie Night Live is offering families the opportunity to purchase $20 PTA DVD cards. Ten percent of the proceeds will go to local schools.
Head on over to the site or call 1-877-PTA-Video to find a location near you!
Snazzy Blog Award
November 20, 2008
So last week (or so) I received a Snazzy Blog Award from Nancy at Southern Blessings. If you’ve never been to her blog, you definitely want to head on over and check it out. Her photography skills are amazing (I need tips please!) and she blogs about many different topics including saving money!
The award is written in Portuguese. Here is a description of it:
“The Snazzy Blog Award.” “This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships!”
“These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”
I would like to pass this award on these blogs that I love to read:
Guest Post Part 2: Keeping Your Children Safe Online
November 7, 2008
Awhile back Marian Merritt, Internet safety advocate for Symantec (makers of Norton security software) shared some tips on keeping your children safe online. Many of you had some great questions for her and I thought I’d post those most frequently asked, along with Marian Meritt’s responses. Your questions were relevant and important and I appreciate the time you took to ask them. Please join me in thanking Marian for the time she took to respond.
Q: Should the computer be in the child’s bedroom?
Ideally no, because it can increase the risks a child is willing to take. But realistically with cell phones having web access, this old rule is less valid than it used to be. Make sure you use security software, set filters with younger children and talk to your child about your family’s rules for using the internet.
Q: At what age should a child be on the computer unsupervised?
If they are a child, then never. But the level of supervision varies significantly. With an early web user (ages 5-7) you should monitor very closely the sites they visit, ideally sit side by side as they use the computer until you are sure they have basic skills. You can also learn how to check the computer’s history for added security.
Older children (8-10) can use the computer within your field of vision and you should monitor the sites they visit. They may learn how to defeat any filter you install or clear the history but if you are paying attention, you should notice when this occurs. Ask questions and stay interested in what they do, where they go and who they talk to when online.
Middle schoolers get more freedom but you are still checking the computer’s history and talking a lot about what is ok and not ok online. Make sure they know how to be safe (protecting passwords, keeping private info safe, no talking to strangers, no posting photos, etc).
By the time you have a high school child, your role is to give them a secure computer (including security software) and making sure you are talking about web safety and best practices of cybercitizenship. Talk about online reputations and the permanency of things they post online.
Q: What is the most widely recommended program for filtering or blocking content you don’t want your child to see?
There are filters or parental controls available within your operating system (both PC and Mac), for your web browser and even for your cell phone (check with your provider). If you choose to add a 3rd party applications, make sure you select a reputable one. Norton offers free parental controls for users of Norton 360 and Norton Internet Security.
Q: How do you control older kids from what they do online without feeling too ‘nosey’ all the time?
I doubt any of us can truly achieve “control” over our children but you can educate them and guide what they do when online. Make sure your children know your rules, understand why limitations are in place and are clear on consequences of straying into dangerous web territory. Start “The Talk” with your children as early as you can so they know you are interested in keeping them safe and enjoying the wonderful resources of the internet and technology. In my experience, the homes with the most restrictive web filters and a hovering parent usually have children who do their web surfing and communicating elsewhere.
Q: Do you have any recommendations on child friendly sites that teach children to safely search the net?
There are a number of parent-vetted websites where your children should be able to web surf safely. One example I’ve heard good things about is Kidzui.com. If you want your children to learn more about being safe online, there are great videos and games at IkeepSafe.org’s site and you can arrange for one of their speakers to come to your school.
Q: What suggestions do you have for a child to resist the influence of a friend trying to lead them onto sites you have restricted them from?
It is always difficult for children to fight off peer pressure. Younger children are often successful just saying, “no, my parents won’t let me.” That doesn’t usually work with a middle school child. If the activity is at home, the child should report that “my parents monitor whatever the computer does” but if it’s away from home, the child should suggest another activity, like watching a funny YouTube video or playing a game. The most important thing would be for the child to tell you about it, especially if the activity was a major rule breaker, like viewing online pornography. Anything that makes your child feel uncomfortable should be reported to Mom, Dad or another trusted adult.
Q: What’s the right age for a child to get his first email?
Ah, this is one of the top questions I get, and I think it’s because once one child gets email, all the other kids at school will want it. There really isn’t a magic age but it seems to be very common at age 10.
First, ask yourself if your child is old enough to handle seeing the ugliness of spam messages and knowing how to delete them. Until they have that level of maturity, they should send messages from a “family account.” Next, you should find out if your child’s classmates have email or if the school requires it. Lastly, make sure you have the account password and check the account periodically to see who is sending messages and how active the account is. Some children go and get their own email accounts without telling Mom and Dad or use the messaging in their social networking program instead.
Turkey Tales From Abroad
November 7, 2008
I’ve blogged and blogged about my lack of culinary skills. Fortunately for everyone, we alternate between families to celebrate Thanksgiviving. The only time my husband and I were left fending for ourselves was the Thanksgiving we spent in Scotland. Not only was it cold…and a little lonely being away from family….I was also pregnant and hormonally homesick. Of course I wanted my dad’s rice pilaf and my aunt’s apple pie…dishes I was only going to get to dream about. That year my husband and I tried to create a culinary replica of a Bailey/Rivera Thanksgiving. But the Scottish natives aren’t as fond of cranberries, stuffing, or pumpkin pie as us Americans. Grocery shopping became a creative venture in search of anything that came close to an American meal. The only thing that salvaged the evening was a local churches’ take on the American Thanksgiving meal. And while I can’t say that I satisfied my craving for my dad’s rice pilaf, we sat in a room full of American-turned Scots celebrating a truly American holiday. And that was memorable enough to inspire me to commmit to starting a new Bailey Thanksgiving tradition. This year we’ll celebrate with my husband’s family. It will be a southern Thanksgiving complete with creamed corn and fried okra. But we’ll be with family. And that is all we need!
What are your Thanksgiving traditions? What outfits your table every year? Head on over to the Parent Blogger’s Network to get the dish on family holiday meals. You could win everything you need for that picture-perfect turkey including a roasting pan, meat thermometer and carving set, a $15 Butterball gift certificate and a $150 VISA gift card!
BTW…
Do you have a “turkey” question? Butterball has a Turkey Talk-Line. You can call 1-800-BUTTERBALL to speak with the experts in holiday meal preparation. I think I may need that if we ever decide to host Thanksgiving at our house!
This post was written for Parent Bloggers Network as part of a sweepstakes sponsored by Butterball.
Extra Extra!
October 19, 2008
I thought I’d share some exciting news with you! I’ve been quite this weekend because we are finally moving into our first house! We are so excited! I’ll post pictures when I get a chance but don’t worry…I have a ton of fun reviews and giveaways lined up!
The other exciting news is that I’ve just signed on as one of the editors for the Family Review Network. I am so excited about working with this great group of bloggers.
I’m still writing over at Peekaboo Picks and you should definitely check the site out. It’s been redesigned with an awesome new look and great content and features!
Book Review: Sweet Life
October 16, 2008
I finally sat down this week and read a book. It’s unbelievable really. Mia King, the national bestselling author of Good Things, has just released her newest book called Sweet Life. Without spoiling it for you (you absolutely must read this book!) the book chronicles one woman’s “search for a sweeter life.” Who wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to leave the fast-pasted, busyness of New York for island paradise? When the Price’s make the move to Hawaii for a job transfer, it’s all but paradise for Marissa. Going from director of a consulting firm in New York to housewife and stay-at-home mother is anything but bliss for Marissa.
What ensues is a journey to re-connect with her daughter (who been raised by a nanny for much of her life) and save her marriage from complete failure. Along the way she meets three women who help her redefine the meaning of ohana or family.
Mia King has a way of drawing the reader in, as he/she is right there amidst the island sunsets and beaches. Mia richly develops each character, making you feel as if you know them. There were times when I would start to tear up because I had become emotionally involved. That is the sign of a great book! With her intricate knowledge of the island, Mia has a way of subtly infusing island culture into the the story.
Sweet Life is available on Amazon.
Profuse thanks to Mia King and the Family Review Network for this review opportunity.
Review: Wiggle Giggle Learn
October 10, 2008
I have the best of both worlds. I get to stay home with my son 5 days a week and I am able to maintain my skill and expertise as a NICU nurse 2 days a week. My son is growing and changing so much and I’m constantly searching for ways to foster his curiosity. He is taking in everything and I find myself struggling since my background is not in education.
Recently, I came across a unique education program, geared towards children ages 0-5, called Wiggle Giggle Learn. The program includes simple activity plans that can be done in just 15 minutes a day. The suggested activities are age-specific and include things like nursery rhymes and finger plays, field trip suggestions, and vocabulary word cards. The program was founded by twin sisters Stacey and Tracey in response to a lack of resources for parents who wanted to prepare their children for school. Their mission statement mirrors the goals I have for educating my son: ”to advance the intellectual and social abilities of children by empowering parents with the knowledge and tools necessary for teaching their children to learn to flourish from birth.”
I appreciate play groups and music classes to complement what he is learning at home but I want to be his primary educator at this point. My son loves for me to read and sing to him but beyond that I really had no idea how else to educate him before receiving this program. He is starting to speak (mostly words that only mommy and daddy recognize) and I have definitely noticed an improvement in his development since we started doing some of the activities in the program. My son and I like to sing songs like the Itsy Bitsy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and The Wheels On the Bus. Now that we have this program I’ve been using the finger plays with my son and he is actually doing the motions when I sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider. It has been so much fun doing the activities with him.
I highly recommend visiting the site so you can preview the program for yourself. The site itself contains a wealth of information including recommendations on educational books and toys, how to create family rules, and a checklist for choosing a childcare center. You have several options available if you’re interested in purchasing the Wiggle Giggle Learn program including a la carte and all-inclusive packages.
