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Send Birthday Smiles this Holiday Season with Hallmark Cards at Walmart!

Almost all of the birthdays in our immediate family fall between October and January – right during the holidays. Since it’s hard to focus on other celebrations this time of year, I always try to make their birthdays extra special by buying them Hallmark cards and preparing their favorite meal on their special day. This year, I got an early start so that I don’t forget to grab them cards in all of the holiday madness that is sure to follow in the coming weeks!

I’ve browsed the greeting card section at Walmart many times before, but never realized how incredibly vast the Hallmark card selection is. There is one entire side of an aisle dedicated strictly to birthday for her and him. I was quite impressed with the selection and browsed for a good 30 minutes, finding 4 perfect cards for my recipients.

My sister’s birthday is December 21st, just four short days before Christmas. The poor girl gets shafted every year because almost everyone combines her birthday and Christmas gifts. This year I wanted to take the time to buy her an extra special card, from me to her. If you know me at all, then you know butterflies are my “thing”, so the first card I noticed was the one below. I browsed the selection for another 5-10 minutes, but nothing stood out better than this one and I just knew it was the card for her! It’s absolutely beautiful and I know that she will love not only the words inside, but also the lovely butterflies from me to her – full of glitter and puffed to life!

Boys will be boys and all of the guys in my life are big time outdoors men – hunting, fishing and all that good stuff is what they live for. As soon as I saw the card below, I swear the little fishies called my brother’s name!

Walmart also carries a budget friendly selection of Hallmark cards and that’s where I found my last two birthday cards. I chose one for my aunt and another for my sister – from the rest of the family. Priced at under $2 each, I couldn’t go wrong!

I know it’s so much easier to go on Facebook or send a quick email with a “Happy Birthday”, but that’s so impersonal. Believe it or not, people do still love to receive beautiful cards that they can physically hold! It’s just that little extra thought that really touches the heart.

Next time you’re at Walmart, check out their card aisle. You’ll be surprised at the great assortment they offer – and the always low prices too!

What do you do to make birthdays extra special for those closest to you?

Be Carton Smart this Holiday Season with Tetra Pak

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This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Carton Smart for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Reduce, re-use, recyce – the three “r’s” we should all try to live by. Our poor planet is old and with all of the environmental toxins, we need to do our part to keep it around. After all, where else will we live?

Tetra Pak has made it possible for you to Be Carton Smart by using their products. Their cartons are made with 70% paper by re-grown trees that are FSC-certified and use 1/3 of the packaging that cans do. Their packages will save you space in your pantry, making them easy to store. This unique packaging keeps your food flavorful and nutricious without the use of preservatives.

They’re also re-closable so you can use some now and save the rest for later. Check out this #CartonSmart inforgraphic to learn more.

photo 1898ca76-3272-4baf-a8df-07abf60e15e3_zps1bf425e9.jpg

You can get many of your holiday food products in these type of cartons, helping you to go one step further in protecting our wonderful planet. I was provided with a few different products to give it a shot myself.

The first thing I noticed upon opening my box is this little round flyer below encouraging us to “Make the small, smart choice this holiday”. I just love it!

Once I took the packages out, I was surprised at how “real” they felt. Well, of course they’re real, but for some reason I didn’t expect them to have weight to them. I am amazed that one little, mostly cardboard carton, can hold that much liquid and still be stable!

Originally I was going to try the Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Simply Stock in a recipe and then of course I would share it with you. Well life happened that day and I happened to not be around and my FIL made dinner for the family. I never got any photos, and you know me, I’m a photo girl! No recipe is complete without it!

So instead I decided to go true holiday fashion and make everyone’s favorite dessert around this time of year, Pumpkin Pie! I used the Pacific Foods Organic Pumpkin Puree and followed the recipe on the box to make Pumpkin Pie!

My pie turned out amazing and tasted so delicious! We had Chhesecake and Pumpkin Pie for dessert last night and half the cheesecake is in the refrigerator, while only one slice of Pumpkin Pie is left. I’d say it was a hit! I plan to make 2 more for our Thanksgiving festivities!

Our family Thanksgiving dinner is contributed to by everyone in the family. We get together and figure out who will bring what. My FIL’s specialty is Cranberry Sauce, so I encouraged him to try the Pacific Foods Organice Jellied Cranberry Sauce in his recipe this year.

I want to encourage you to be #CartonSmart this holiday season, so Tweet @CartonSmart and Follow #CartonSmart on Pinterest!

Do you have any tips on how to be #CartonSmart this holiday season?

Manhattan Toy Offers Gifts Of Creativity This Holiday Season With imagine i CAN & Giveaway

Blog· Giveaways· Review

IMAGINATIONS CAN RUN WILD THIS HOLIDAY SEASON WITH MANHATTAN TOY?S CREATIVE KITS

The perfect stocking stuffers that also spark children’s imagination are from Imagine i CAN?, the back-to-basics brand from Manhattan Toy has just what you?re looking for! Starting at just $6, imagine i CAN? features over a dozen affordably priced activities for youngsters as young as 3. Several are small and thus perfect for holiday travel, whether by car or by plane, Manhattan Toy has it covered. Kids love arts and crafts and pretend play and these play kits make that easy for the parent! Everything you need for fun is in each package!

In addition to being recognized as one of only seven Best Toys of Toy Fair by The View, accolades from Parents Magazine, Parenting Magazine, Family Fun Magazine’s 22nd Annual Toy of the Year Awards and a Platinum Award from Oppenheim Toy Portfolio quickly followed in recent months. This batch of 13 kits are sure to capture the imaginations of little ones and keep young minds active and little fingers busy through the hectic holidays.

imagine i CAN? – Stained Glass Stick-ons in Galaxy?, Garden? or Circus? Styles ? Ages 3+ ? $6.00 Each There’s really no glass in these stained glass mosaics, but kids can create gorgeous pieces of art to pretty up any window.

This is an especially fun craft and it has zero mess. You literally just peal off tiny stickers and place them on the clear plastic to look like stain glass. I would have really loved this one as a kid because I did one myself and I had a blast doing it!

Each kit includes 5 pre-cut templates, 5 pre-cut ornaments, 5 pre-cut hanging design templates plus 5 colored sheets with hundreds of translucent stickers. Add one of the pretty ribbons for a finishing touch.

imagine i CAN? ? Roll & Bowl Anywhere? ? Ages 3+ ? $20.00
Each playset includes 1 wooden ball, 6 wooden pins, 8 marbles, a wooden marble tunnel, a wooden marble bridge plus a wooden cup. Kids quickly discover how to shoot the colored marbles over the bridge, through the tunnel and in the cup to win! Switch to a countertop game of mini bowling where knocking down all 6 pins in one try is a challenge and a thrill.

imagine i CAN? – Mini Play Sets In Farm Fun? and Jungle Fun? Styles ? Ages 3+ ? $6.00 Each

My 5 year old not only loved playing with the finished product but spent some serious concentration time putting them together. I loved watching her play with this!

Farm Fun?: Hee haw — take a trip down on the farm and assemble these 3D paper animals and scenery pieces to create an outdoor adventure. There are 18 pre-cut paper animals and scenery pieces plus a handy paper background scene mat.

Jungle Fun?: It’s a jungle out there and kids get to romp with lions, tigers and hippos. Manhattan Toy throws in a few global creatures like a koala, toucan and zebra to encourage geography lessons and perhaps a little Internet exploring.

imagine i CAN? – Knitting Beginnings? ? Ages 8+ ? $20.00
Kids can learn the art of knitting with this introduction to the basics of casting on, simple stitches, binding off and pom-pom making. Use their new skills to create fun projects such as headbands, pom-pom rings and an owl hat. Plus, store the supplies in the cute, portable storage tin.

imagine i CAN? – Pet Rock Pals? ? Ages 8+ ? $11.00
Kids can create their very own clay pet rocks that feel and look like stone when dry. Plus, add a variety of fun pieces to create unique pals with googly eyes, pipe cleaners and felt shape pieces. Store the supplies in the cute, portable storage tin.

imagine i CAN? – Lace & Play Animals? ? Ages 3+ ? $5.00
Help kids develop hand-eye coordination and fine tune their motor skills with these cute animal characters. Great for play time fun or as a decoration to hang in a favorite place when done! Each kit includes: paperboard animal body, paperboard lacing pieces, lacing string and 2 sticky googly eyes. Available in Fish, Porcupine, Ram or Lion styles.

imagine i CAN? – Create-A-Puppet Animals? ? Ages 3+ ? $6.00
Make these adorable paper hand puppets with step-by-step directions and punch out pieces that make creating puppets easy and fun! No scissors or glue needed! Recommended for ages 3+. Available in Giraffe, Lion or Alligator styles.

imagine i CAN? ? Tin Games ? Ages 3+ ? $6.00 Each
Cheese Chase?: Be the first mouse to capture the cheese. Simple, yet strategic, 2 to 5 player games. 7 pieces.

Shape Stack?: Be the first player to stack the most shapes on the wobbling base before it falls and win the game! For 2 players. 8 pieces.

Caterpillar Connect?: Be the first player to build a caterpillar. Simple, yet strategic, 2 to 5 player games. 22 pieces.

My 5 year old loves playing with these. She was able to do each with minimal help from me. I especially love the tin games. They are small enough to take anywhere and I really like to take them to restaurants to keep us busy while we wait for our food. The games are short but fun!

These kits make it easy on you for gift buying this holiday season. Buy a toy to help ignite a child’s imagination!

Connect:

You can connect with Manhattan Toy on there website, Facebook, Pinterest and @ManhattanToy on Twitter.

Buy It!

You can purchase the imagine I Can toys from the Manhattan Toy website.

The Giveaway:

How would you like to win your choice of one item mentioned in this post? I have one to give away to one lucky contestant! To enter the giveaway please follow all of the directions below! If you don’t follow the rules, you can’t win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Peaceable Kingdom Board Games, Sticker Sets and More!

Blog· Review

Cooperative Games, Greeting Cards, Stickers & More: Gift Ideas for the Holiday Season

I just love Peaceable Kingdom products because they help you connect with the kids in your life. We always have a blast playing one of their cooperative board games! They have a great mission too!

Their Mission is to: Make good, do good, be good!

We strive to “make good” by:

Using sustainable materials in our products whenever we can, such as recycled papers, soy-based inks, and corn-based plastics

Working with independent game developers and illustrators

Creating products that help connect you to the kids in your life, and kids to each other

We strive to “do good” by:

Giving back to our local and global community through our “Donation a Day” program

Responding to each individual inquiry we’re sent and doing “little things like” providing free replacement game pieces when something gets lost or broken

Making customer relationships a priority with store visits, regular communication and in-store events & trainings

We strive to “be good” by:

Ensuring our team stays connected, happy and healthy through things like birthday celebrations, trainings and wellness classes

Creating award-winning children’s products that bring a smile to everyone’s face

Inviting, processing and implementing feedback we get from our wonderful customers

First up was the game Stack Up!

Spin the spinner and start stacking. You gotta try and stack 12 blocks before the Stack Smasher gets to the tower and topples it over.

It has 3 levels of game play based on the child’s age and skill ability and can grow with your child. After spinning if it lands on a color that is the one you have to stack. Level 1 uses their hands, Level 2 use the wood ends that go into the holes in the block and Level 3 uses the white foam ends of the stick that are soft and remind me of marshmallows.

Sometimes the spinner will land on the challenge space. With Level 1 that means you will be placing 2 blocks using hands. With Level 2 and 3 you stack a black doing what the challenge card says.

The cards just make things a little more challenging and fun!

It makes playing games so worth it every time my 5 year old cracks up laughing.

The game is not as easy at it looks and is the perfect game for 3-5 year olds. My 5 year old loves to play and my husband thought it was an enjoyable game as well.

Peaceable Kingdom also sells card games that would make perfect stocking stuffers! 4up! Silly Animals Card Game is a quick game but lots of fun and my just turned 5 year old picked up on this one really quick.

Buying Christmas gifts can be easy this holiday season with Peaceable Kingdom. Kids love board games and they are something that can be done with Mom and Dad to get everyone in on the fun!

Connect:

You can connect with Peaceable Kingdom on their website, Facebook, and/or @Peaceable_K on Twitter.

Buy It!

You can buy Stack Up! Cooperative Preschool Skills-Builder Game on Amazon for $24.99. You can purchase 4up! Silly Animals Card Game on Amazon for $6.99.

Bommerscheim Buddies: Stuffed Bunnies With Removable Covers Meant for Washing! With Giveaway

Blog· Giveaways· Review

Bommerscheim Buddies are the cutest stuffed toy out there that has a removable cover meant for washing!

Ever had one of your children attach to a favorite stuffed animal or blanket only to see it get so dirty that it just had to be washed and then it gets “injured” with a rip or a piece missing from its trip in the washing machine? That can send some babies and toddlers to instant tears when their friend is ruined! Some children can’t even stand being away from their treasured friend while mom tries to clean it! Bommerscheim Buddies are a stuffed animal that has a removable, washable fabric cover so that Mom (or Dad for that matter) can change out the cover without junior knowing and wash the dirty one. What it all boils down to is that this is a great gift idea for a baby or a mom-to-be this holiday season. Prevent meltdowns before they start!

Founded by Paul Kluempers who was intent on sharing his family tradition with the world, Bommerscheim
Sisters Company is the creator and manufacturer of lovable, nostalgic
cuddle toys called Bommerscheim Buddies. Grandmother Irene Bommerscheim,
decided to teach her five daughters to sew. Since she was a skilled
seamstress, it seemed like a natural fit. Taking the knowledge they
acquired, daughters Pat and her Joan began creating hand-made stuffed
animals for their children starting in the early 1960s and then their
grandchildren in the 1980s. Three generations and 50 years later, the
plush toys are available in a wide variety of fabrics and patterns and
feature — most importantly –removable covers that are easily washed.
All products are Made in the U.S.A.

Such an incredibly simple idea that makes me wonder why I had not thought of it first! I have heard many horror stories over the years of beloved teddy bears and lovies getting ruined while parents scramble to find a replacement. Bommerscheim Buddies solve all those problems with their adorable bunnies!

There is just something special about baby’s first stuffed animal. With the holidays approaching these are a super affordable ($19.99) present to ship to a beloved member of the family!

They also give you the option of adding a name, up to 13 letters, and pick the color of the thread for only $10 more.

There are no small parts. Every Buddie is made simply of polyester fiberfill then covered with either cotton flannel or fleece covers. Hidden hook and loop fasteners, found under a Buddie’s feet and tail, are the secret trick for grownups to remove the cover. All products are made in a small Indiana shop and exceed all safety regulations, tested by an independent lab.

They have different types to choose from.

Bommerscheim Buddies ? Newborn+ ? $19.99

The floppy-eared bunny-shaped doll measures 15″ from ear to toe. Its whimsical facial expression helps the youngest tots bond instantly. The large ears are perfect for little fingers to grab and go. The cute “feet” and “tail” designs cleverly hide the hook and fasteners allowing for cover to be removed! When ready, wash the fabric cover on the gentle cycle, then lay flat to dry. Choose from 28 different designs within 5 Collections ranging from Stars to Camouflage.

Covers ? Newborn+ ? $13.99

Purchase an extra cover in 23 different styles ranging from Blue Sports Flannel to Bright Orange Fleece. All covers are shown online and customized orders are shipped within a few days.

Bommerscheim Ittie Bittie Buddies ? Newborn+ ? $12.99

Mix or match a big Buddie with this sweet mini-me version of the floppy-eared bunny. Choose from six patterns including Teal Monkeys, Grey Construction Zone or Pink Teddy Bears.

Bommerscheim Blankets ? Newborn+ ? $11.99

This soft flannel blankie comes in six charming patterns to match a Buddie or compliment the nursery. Choose from Yellow Dinosaur with Yellow/Green/Red plaid colors or Red Traveler with Navy Blue colors to Blue Teddy Bears with Light Blue.

They also sell blankies that are as soft and cuddly as the
floppy-eared Buddies. And new this month are six Ittie Bittie Buddies for the smallest of fingers to cuddle.

These really would make the perfect gift for a new baby or a mom-to-be. My daughter may be 24 months old but she instantly snuggled up with her buddie.

Connect:

You can connect with Bommerscheim Buddies on her website, Facebook, Pinterest and @BommerBuddies on Twitter.

Buy It!

You can purchase through their online shop.

As an added incentive,
the website offers free shipping on orders over $50. Shop online or at
select specialty shops in California, Idaho and Indiana — with more
retailers to follow. A full list of stores can be found under the Find a Retailer section on their website.

The Giveaway:

How would you like to win your choice of one Bommerscheim Buddie that is in stock? I have one to give away to one lucky contestant! To enter the giveaway please follow all of the directions below! If you don’t follow the rules, you can’t win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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