Embracing a Healthy Family

I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote The Middle Season Two on DVD.

WhitePages Neighbors & National Good Neighbor Day $25 Amazon GC 9/29

I bet you didn't know that September 28th is National Good Neighbor Day? I personally think it's a great way to forge new friendships and increase neighborhood cohesion. In the "old" days, people were much attuned and involved with each other, helped one another and looked out for one another. It seems people are just too busy to have those relationships as much anymore. When we moved, I inquired with the owners of the property on how the neighbors were and she confided in me that she never met them and they were all quiet. I thought that it was good they were quiet but sad that there is no community involvement. The second day we were here, a neighbor from across the street introduced himself to us so that was promising.

When the idea came across to Becky Mattson of Montana in the early 70's, she moved forward with getting official proclamations from three presidents and numerous governors. There are many ways to celebrate National Good Neighbor Day and some are easier than you would think:

A simple wave or smile is one very easy way.
Invite your neighbor over for dinner.
Help one of your neighbors with something they might be doing like carrying in groceries, lawn work, etc.
Hold a block party to get all your neighbors involved.

The goal is to get to know your neighbors and this is an easy and great way to do so as you never know when you might meet your future best friend or your life saver. WhitePages Neighbors can help you set up a party and get to know who your neighbors are with a few clicks of the mouse. Just click on WhitePages Neighbors to find your neighbors and you can see how easy it is on YouTube:

I actually used this feature as my daughter ran for a grant last month and I wanted to personally request items from my neighbors so I printed out their names so I could sent them requests. It's a great feature especially if you are needing your neighbor's help or want to plan a community function like a block party, yard sale or any event. As part of the National Good Neighbor Day, you can enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card by just telling me what you might do or did to celebrate the your neighbors! Please complete the form below.

*Disclosure: I will receive an Amazon gift card in exchange for this post and giveaway.

First Year Homeschooling: Our Getting Back to School Apple Board

This is my first year at home schooling and if I say that I'm scared, I'm SCARED! I'm so afraid I will let my girls down with not being able to teach them what they need to know. I also want to make it fun and not just a mundane day of reading, arithmetic and writing. I started with the Robinson Curriculum but then added the Read to Write and Spell (hopefully I wrote that correctly). It's a tough program to learn as it's phonetic based and has special rules. I'm taking advantage of the YouTube videos for it after I realized today to look there!

So last week, we made an apple board to celebrate fall and the girls loved it. They used a basket to collect their apples which included a picture of themselves that they had to glue and then they had to write come facts about themselves. After that, they assembled the board and included some clouds. It was a quick and easy project to get them in the school mentality.

OXY Clinical Acne Solutions Kit Review and Giveaway 10/16

OXY Clinical Acne Solutions Pack Acne Treatment

Acne is something no one wants but unfortunately, many of of us get it and just because you are not a teen any longer, you might still suffer with it as do I. I have tried all the over the counter products and moved to a more well known product until I had issues with their customer service center and the shipment/charges that followed. When I was offered a chance to receive a complimentary kit from Oxy, I couldn't resist. The Oxy Clinical Acne Solutions Pack has all the products you need to combat acne.

The pack includes:

OXY^® Clinical Advanced Face Wash - ACNE TREATMENT - 2% salicylic acid
OXY^® Clinical Clearing Treatment - ACNE TREATMENT - 5% benzoyl peroxide (micro-encapsulated) - Prescription-Strength Acne Bacteria Reduction
OXY^® Hydrating Therapy - ACNE TREATMENT - 0.5% salicylic acid

The pack will typically lasts for two to three weeks and has been proven to kill 99% of acne causing bacteria in eight hours so it starts working immediately. Here is how it works:

It's an easy to use regiment that provided relief for my acne problem. The patented acne shield, salicylic acid, continues to work and the Clearing Treatment eliminates 99% of bacteria and continues to work. The Hydrating Therapy uses salicylic acid and hyaluronic acid helps to retain moisture and a patented Poly-Pore technology absorbs excess oil. It's an easy three product regiment that anyone can follow to include a reluctant teen.

I used my kit for three weeks and noticed a great improvement in my skin texture and the reduction in acne. I would recommend OXY Clinical Acne Solutions due to the effectiveness and cost. My before picture didn't turn out and since you need the before to see the "after," I opted not to post any actual pictures.

*Disclosure: I received a complimentary product in exchange for this review and giveaway. The opinions are of my own.

Root Candles on BzzAgent ( #imabzzagent )

Root Candles are THE candle for those who love candles. Root Candles have been around since 1869 and carry a variety of great candles for anyone. Have you seen the Travel Tins? What a great idea to have the great fragrance and quality of Root with you no matter where you are!

Want to sample Root Candles? Check it out at The Daily Bzz now!

Tiny Prints Christmas Cards: It's Not Too Early to Plan

Birth Announcements, Graduation Announcements, Fathers Day Cards, Baby Shower Invitations, & More from Tiny Prints

Christmas cards is about as about as big as planning for my birthday invitations for my children. I spend a lot of time making sure they are perfect. It's a planning process for me starting with picking the right dresses which I start thinking about in September with making the step to purchase in October. I start this early because the selection is optimal and I have plenty of time in getting everything ready without having to pay expedited shipping as I do like to cut corners on costs. Once I pick the dresses, then I start planning where I'll take the picture as I take my own photos. Once I take the photos and create the masterpiece, it's off to choosing the right card. This is the hard part especially when looking through the Tiny Prints site because there are so many beautiful, fun cards to choose from.

The dresses I choose also impact the type of card I choose. I like to find traditional dresses that look timely and can be passed on to each generation and the cards I choose, I want to be equally as timeless. I also like the look of black and white photos and think the overall package is beautiful. One of the things I do to jazz up or personalize my photo cards is to add a strategic diamond type sticker someplace on the card to just give my own oomph. This is the card that I'm choosing this year:

Christmas Cards Sloping Snowfall - Front : Black

There really are so many great cards to choose from whether you want full color, multiple photos, fold out cards, single sided cards, color of cards and so much more. The sooner you start planning your Christmas card selections, the more money you will save with not having to pay expedited shipping and the more confidence you will have that you made the right choice.

*Disclosure: I wrote this post to participate in an opportunity to receive 50 free greeting cards. The opinions are of my own and I am an actual Tiny Prints customer.

Awarding Winning Families of Philippines and Families of Germany DVD Giveaway 10/10 - Closed

Have you heard of the award winning series Families of the World? It's a great look into the families of other countries to learn about a day in the life of kids. These were just released on September 20th and are well worth looking into as it was not only educational but entertaining to see how life is in other families, how they compare to our lives and how they differ. The series consists of 27 titles and are still growing enabling our little ones to see what life is like globally. Each one is narrated by kids which always provides a draw to other kids.

The usual arrangement is to follow two children from differing households, one urban and one rural, to see what their routines are, to note the similarities and differences not only from each other but also with the child watching from their respective country.

The first one we watched was Families of Philippines which includes over 7,100 islands. It was interesting watching how minimal the rural living conditions were for the 13 year old star of this one. Their school was more modern than their living conditions and one thing I noticed in both the Germany and this DVD is kids are taught English, they speak great English and signs are even posted in English. It's an interesting contrast to life in the US as well as with Families of Germany.

In Families of German, there was another seven year old, as was in Families of Philippines. It's amazing to see how these kids have it "harder" than children in the US typically do. It was interesting seeing how they celebrate Halloween versus how we celebrate it with the 10 year old host of this segment. This was equally as entertaining and educational.

Families of the World is recommended for children between the ages of 5 through 11 and retails for $29.95. I think it's good for any age and my four year old was entertained as well as I. It's a great series to not only educate on different cultures but it also should teach some lessons in appreciation as not all kids live a comfortable life. Each DVD includes a free PDF Teacher's Guide which features the scripts, copy-ready maps, discussion, activity guides, recipes, glossaries and more.

To order, call 1-800-765-5885 or visit www.familiesoftheworld.com.

*Disclosure: I received complimentary copies of both DVDs for this review. My opinions are of my own.

My #Klout Perk: Handbags.com

I am loving Klout and the special perks or "klouts" they give out for how influential you are on the social media arena. If you are a blogger or just active in the social media world, you probably have a Klout score and that Klout score can get you some cool perks. I have received a year supply of Secret deodorant, a $25 certificate to OneWine.com, membership to JillianMichaels.com and a $10 Subway card to date. Today, I checked my Klout perks and I was eligible for a $25 savings to Handbags.com which I had never looked at before until today. I instantly fell in love with the many different types of handbags, accessories, work bags and more.

Look at the cute selections they have such as this Michael Kors logo card case:

There are designers to choose from or you can stay at moderately priced options for those of us that don't have the extra to spare. I'm contemplating returning to work so to get ready for that and a blogger even I'm heading out to next month, I used my $25 certificate to buy this:

There is a huge array of products to choose from whether is for traveling, looking fashionable or functional. I'll have to post a review once I receive my Samsonite Camelot Laptop Tote.

*Disclosure: I was given a free product or sample because I'm a Klout influencer. I was under no obligation to receive the sample or talk about this company. I get no additional benefits for talking about the product or company.

Angelina Ballerina The Shining Star Trophy and Angelina Ballerina Dancing on Ice 2 DVD Giveaway 10/10 - Winner Closed

My littlest one loves Angelina Ballerina and can't get enough of her. Every time she watches her, she runs to get her ballerina outfit on and starts mimicking the ballet moves. I can't tell you how many times she's already watched The Shining Star Trophy and today, we received the latest Angelina Ballerina's Dancing on Ice. If you aren't familiar with Angelina, they are cute mice with English accents and while they dance along the episodes, they teach lessons.

Angelina and her friends at Camembert Academy are dancing and are on the ice in this delightful DVD collection of episodes. Through mishaps of missing skates, a broken piano and other events, the friends learn how to work together to make it work. There is even a special feature of Polly's Picture Matching Game for more fun. It's 61 minutes of fun that your little one love especially if he or she is a Angelina fan.

You can pre-order Angelina Ballerina Dancing on Ice which will be available 10/11/2011 from Liongate.

Angelina Ballerina The Shining Star Trophy is set with Ms. Mimi announcing a big talent show and all the friends at Camembert Academy are wanting to win but they need Angelina's help. Angelina, always willing to help her friends, sets out to help them and leaves little time for herself to get ready. With the Shining Star Trophy on the line, everyone wants to win knowing every minute of practice counts. Angelina in her true form, shines through. She is my daughter's favorite character on the show followed by Alice even though she repeatedly tells me how she dislikes how Alice proclaims, "tada!" You can catch the trailer here.

To purchase Angelina Ballerina The Shining Star Trophy, click on the title.

My girls enjoyed both movies and my four year old LOVED both as she is a ballet fan and adores Angelina. I prefer my children watching these cute entertaining shows that have a lesson's learned aspect.

The Giveaway:

Angelina Ballerina Dancing on Ice and Angelina Ballerina The Shining Star Trophy. Please note that if you have already won these titles from another blog, you are not eligible to win more than one copy. Thank you!

To enter, use the Rafflecopter form below. Thanks and good luck!

*Disclosure: I was provided complimentary copies of these DVDs. The opinions are of my own.

$25 Paypal Cash, $25 Thirty-One GC & $50 GNC GC Rafflecopter Giveaway Round-Up 9/21 - 9/25

Welcome to the Rafflcopter Round Up hosted by Simply Stacie and Makobi Scribe. The prize for my blog is $25 PayPal cash, $25 Thirty-One GC and a $50 GNC Gift Card! Check out more about Thirty-One here.

Please fill out the Rafflcopter form below:

Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas 2011

Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas
(Click the links to go the appropriate page for recipes)

Christmas Cookies Tree

Strawberry Christmas Tree Brownie Bites

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Candy Cane Christmas Trees

Candy Cane Christmas Tree Cupcakes

More to come

Kymaro Bust Up Cups, Body Shaper & CardiWrap Review

Sometimes we just don't have the body shape that certain pieces of clothing require to make you look your absolute best. When you don't have time to get in to shape, there is a quick and easy way to make you look just as fabulous. It's hard finding shapers that don't make you feel like a stuffed burrito and I've tried many. I was provided the opportunity to review three products from Kymaro:

Bust Up Cups
Body Shaper
CardiWrap

The Bust Up Cups are touted as being an easy way to give the girls a bit of a perking up. When you don't necessarily have the ability to have cleavage or if you want just a tad bit more, the Bust Up Cups deliver. They are lightweight, stay in place and have small holes that allow air through so they won't get sweaty and slip. They are also waterproof and can be worn with your favorite bathing suit but probably bikini is optimal. They are available in sizes A-B and C-D. I found them to be comfortable, they didn't cause an excess of heat to accumulate and they stayed in place while giving me just the right amount of cleavage I wanted. Kymaro also provides a 30 day money back guarantee.

The Kymaro Body Shaper is a two piece set of a top and a bottom. The bottom part stayed in place and didn't roll like some of the other ones I tried. It also wasn't uber tight thus causing me to have breathing issues. The top wasn't as easy. It was a little harder to put on but I did win. The Body Shaper did provide the smoothness and eliminated the bulges so that was very nice. You definitely have to purchase the correct size to get the results you want. It also washed nicely. They also offer a 100% money back guarantee so you have nothing to lose.

The Kymaro CardiWrap is something unique in that you can get 50 different looks with one item! Available in seven different colors, you can maximize your clothing in ways you didn't imagine. It's a soft, lightweight wrap that includes a brochure on how to achieve all the looks. It's available in two sizes and although I didn't master all the different looks, it could prove to be a fun night trying them out with my oldest. I liked how versatile it was and how easy it is to wash.

Kymaro has many products available on their site and you can also become a fan on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to stay up to date. For the price, I think they are a good value and with having a money back guarantee, I think it's a win-win. I cannot comment on their customer service as I had no reason to contact them for questions or returns.

Disclaimer: This post is part of a Kymaro blog tour and I received no compensation for this post other than the products listed free of charge. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Clorox2® Play 2Day Pledge: Playing Outdoors with My Family

Our modern families have somewhat forgotten the art of getting together outside to interact. It's so easy in today's busy lifestyle to come home, cook dinner, let the kids play on their computers or game consoles as we, moms, finish the chores and maybe eeven catch up on e-mails. The problem with that is, you not only lose out good family time but you also miss out on excellent opportunities to get some physical activity and teach some good habits to last a lifetime. I remember as a child, playing outside non-stop in good weather and still trying to weasel my way outside during the snowy days. It seems kids today would rather do anything than go exert themselves and avoid the sunshine. Getting outside is also a way to pick up that healthy sunshine vitamin D which is why I'm a big supporter of putting it all down and going outside. The SocialMoms' new opportunity is with Clorox2 and it's the Clorox2 Play 2Day Pledge which you can read and participate at this link: http://clorox2play2day.com.

I think this is a great way to encourage families to get out there and get dirty! Play clothes were made for this reason. I spent my early years as a mom around other moms who didn't let their children get dirty which seemed silly to me as that's what kids do. There are easy ways to get your family outside to play and these are mine:

Just schedule a once a day "let's go" hour to gather up the kids and go outside to ride bikes. What better family fun activity then taking a spin or two around the neighborhood. You are teaching them about safety, getting them some exercise while spending some family time together. Did I mention it's also inexpensive as in FREE? Everyone loves free anymore.
Another activity we like to do on the weekends are go to a park. Parks are full of activities such as playgrounds as there isn't a little kid that can't have a red face after racing around a playground set for an hour. Think of the pictures you can get and the memories you can capture. It's truly priceless.
We don't participate in extra-curricular activities but I know many others who do and what better way to build some outdoor fun time than soccer, baseball or football. It's a perfect opportunity to engage the family as there are the games and practice.
Utilizing the resources around you as I mentioned before the parks. We also have the desert and mountains near us so encouraging a family outing to go hiking is ideal. After a long hike exploring new territory, that handy picnic basket completes the day for more family building memories.

Whatever you choose to do, getting your family outdoors is healthy and with Clorox2, it can be cleaner! I enjoy the outdoors and definitely advocate a 'get off your butt and get outside' life. Have some family fun and take the pledge! You never know what benefits you might get from taking the pledge and just making memories is worth every bit of time you pledged!

About Clorox2® Stain Fighter & Color Booster:
Getting dirty is much more fun when it's easy to get clean. When the outdoor fun is finished, Clorox2® Stain Fighter & Color Booster gets out the tough stains, so your kids can take part in healthy fun and get dirty over and over again.

About Clorox:
The Clorox Company is a leading manufacturer and marketer of consumer products with 8,100 employees and fiscal year 2011 revenues of $5.2 billion. Clorox markets some of consumers' most trusted and recognized brand names, including its namesake bleach and cleaning products, Green Works® naturally derived home care products, Pine-Sol® cleaners, Poett® home care products, Fresh Step® cat litter, Kingsford® charcoal, Hidden Valley® and K C Masterpiece® dressings and sauces, Brita® water-filtration products, Glad® bags, wraps and containers, and Burt’s Bees® natural personal care products. Nearly 90 percent of Clorox Company brands hold the No. 1 or No. 2 market share positions in their categories. The company’s products are manufactured in more than two dozen countries and sold in more than 100 countries. Clorox is committed to making a positive difference in the communities where its employees work and live. Founded in 1980, The Clorox Company Foundation has awarded cash grants totaling more than $84 million to nonprofit organizations, schools and colleges. In fiscal year 2011 alone, the foundation awarded $4 million in cash grants, and Clorox made product donations valued at $13 million. For more information about Clorox, visit www.TheCloroxCompany.com.

More info on Clorox Play2Day

Clorox on Facebook

Follow @clorox on Twitter

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Clorox2® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

ABCmouse.com Early Learning Academy Review

ABCmouse.com is a cute early learning program that opens with a cute ABC jingle. Once you log on, you can register your children, create avatars that look like them and they are ready to go learn and have fun. I have two children that are having a lot of fun on ABCmouse.com and one is hurting my ears with squeals of excitement as she explores and finds new places. Right now as I write this, she's setting up her room and in much delight, is telling me all she can buy with the tickets she has earned with the various learning activities. There are different levels of play and learning with ABCmouse from free access to more access with a low cost membership. We are reviewing a complimentary paid subscription so they have full access.

The activities are aimed for children in pre-school through kindergarten but I think an older child in the early elementary grades would still have fun as my eight year old is with the books and puzzles. There are over 2,000 activities and 350 lesson plans along with extra activities and printables that are wonderful for children. This is a great learning opportunity for my four year old since it's very user friendly for her and it allows my time to focus on my eight year old to whom I homeschool.

There is a neat area for the children to showcase their work or files as they are called and more under the link section. You can even e-mail your children and they can e-mail you back in a safe, secure environment that includes recorded videos, sounds and attachments.

Here is a video clip:

There is a parents section that you has many uses:

Links - "how to" videos, lesson builder, activity blocker, curriculum overview and more
What's new section
Parent's settings
Site preferences/settings
iTune applications for those on the go
Ability to add up to three children
Ability to track their progress

The really exciting part my children love are after they complete an activity are the tickets. They can exchange the tickets to purchase items for their avatar, they room and much more. That is a big deal as kids love to shop and the more they learn, the more they earn so what great incentives! My four year old also loves the puzzles and the books. The audio is superb and is fast enough to not overwhelm them while keeping their attention. As the story is read, it has a learning objective as do all the lessons, and each word is highlighted so they can read along.

Overall, it's a great program for those in pre-school to kindergarten. I'm very happy my four year old has a learning activity that keeps her having fun while I can teach my other one.

Don't forget to stay up to date at ABCmouse.com's Facebook page.

Can't get enough? ABCmouse.com also released The Letter Songs A to Z, an album with 26 original tracks featuring each letter of the alphabet. The album was created to help the little ones remember the names and sounds of each letter of the alphabet as well as to develop vocabulary. Each song includes sound words and rhymes that start with the respective letters, and is produced and arranged in a different musical style – ranging from folk to hip hop – to introduce children to a wide variety of musical genres. Please visit ABCmouse.com/LetterSongs for more information.

*Disclosure: I received a complimentary subscription for ABCmouse.com for the purposes of this review. All opinions are of my own.

The Middle Season Two on DVD/Blu-ray Available Now

WhitePages Neighbors & National Good Neighbor Day $25 Amazon GC 9/29

First Year Homeschooling: Our Getting Back to School Apple Board

OXY Clinical Acne Solutions Kit Review and Giveaway 10/16

Root Candles on BzzAgent ( #imabzzagent )

Tiny Prints Christmas Cards: It's Not Too Early to Plan

Awarding Winning Families of Philippines and Families of Germany DVD Giveaway 10/10 - Closed

My #Klout Perk: Handbags.com

Angelina Ballerina The Shining Star Trophy and Angelina Ballerina Dancing on Ice 2 DVD Giveaway 10/10 - Winner Closed

$25 Paypal Cash, $25 Thirty-One GC & $50 GNC GC Rafflecopter Giveaway Round-Up 9/21 - 9/25

Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas 2011

Kymaro Bust Up Cups, Body Shaper & CardiWrap Review

Clorox2® Play 2Day Pledge: Playing Outdoors with My Family

ABCmouse.com Early Learning Academy Review

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