Review | - Page 2

Hallmark (review/giveaway)

March 3, 2012 By Jackie

Hallmark Blooming Expressions

I love flowers, I especially love to get flowers as a gift, but flowers die and then the gift is gone. Hallmark has created a solution to that called Blooming Expressions! Not only will the recipient get a beautiful flower, but they will also get to watch it “bloom” and get a very special message…it all lasts forever (although eventually the batteries may die and you’d have to change them…but it’s better than throwing it all away!) There are 4 different colors to choose from (purple, yellow, pink and red) and 8 different sayings to choose from! I give my review Blooming Expressions flower to my aunt who has been like a mother to me, for Valentines day and she was so happy. She said she had never seen anything like it and it was so unique. The message inside said “There’s Only One You” and that’s so true for her…my kids call her grandma and she acts just like one! You can buy a Blooming Expressions flower for only $14.95 (that’s cheaper than a dozen roses that die!)

Hallmark Recordable Storybook

Need another idea of what to give someone special? Give them a Recordable Storybook that has either you or your child reading it! Hallmark has many different titles, including some Disney! I got the book “Love You Forever” and it’s such a great story to remind kids that you will always love them. I just noticed on their site they have some great Easter/Spring books out! Would be great for someone’s Easter Basket! Also don’t forget Mother’s Day is coming up!!! How much would a mom or grandma love to get a book that she can play over and over of her child/grandchild reading a story to her…I know that’s something I would love to get! They are only young once…keep the memory of them reading at this age forever! The Recordable Storybooks are $29.95 and worth every penny to have the memory forever!

Both of these Hallmark products would be a great gift for Mother’s Day (isn’t too far off!) or someone special’s birthday!

The Giveaway: One of my readers will win a Blooming Expressions and the Recordable Storybook “Love You Forever”!
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Filed Under: Giveaways Closed, review

Dulce de Leche Cheerios (review/giveaway)

March 1, 2012 By Jackie

My kids LOVE Cheerios! So when given the opportunity to review their newest flavor I knew it would be a hit! I was right, the kids tore up the Dulce de Leche Cheerios!

Now, moms everywhere can bring a beloved traditional Latin flavor to their family’s breakfast table with new Dulce de Leche Cheerios. With a hint of caramel flavor, Dulce de Leche Cheerios, provides a delicious and tasty start to your family’s day while delivering key health benefits expected from a cereal made with whole grain and 6 grams of sugar per serving.

I was able to get a few bites of the Dulce De Leche Cheerios before my kids devoured them! They tasted pretty good. I didn’t like them first bite, but they are something that grows on you! They aren’t just for breakfast either! There are plenty of recipes out there for others like Dulce de Leche Cheerios® Snack Mix, Dulce de Leche Popcorn Balls, Dulce de Leche No Bake Snack Bars, Dulce de Leche Apple Bread, Dulce de Leche Cheerios Parfait, and Dulce de Leche No Bake Cheesecake.

Dulce de Leche Cheerios Prize Pack

The Giveaway: One of my readers will win a Dulce de Leche Cheerios prize pack (pictured above) that includes:

Box of Dulce de Leche Cheerios
Orange polka dot cereal bowl
Cereal spoon
Dulce de leche scented candle

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Filed Under: Giveaways Closed, review

Paci-Plushies (review/giveaway)

February 9, 2012 By Jackie

It’s not very often I get so excited about getting a review product that I stalk the USPS/UPS/FedEx people…but when I was expecting Paci-Plushies that’s exactly what I did! It’s also not very often I catch Justin in an extremely good picture taking mood…so this post may get picture heavy

"MY Paci-Plushie!" - Justin (3 1/2months)

As soon as we got P-Nut the Puppy Paci-Plushies I put one of Justin’s many MAM pacifiers (the only kind he’ll take) on it and was so happy the ring fit so tight around his paci so I knew it wouldn’t come off. As soon as I give it to Justin, he grabbed a hold of that dog and wouldn’t let go. I noticed before we got P-Nut that he would hold onto anything when he sleeps, and usually has one hand by his face so he could keep his paci in his mouth…now he can do both with his Paci-Plushies!

"I love P-Nut the Puppy" - Justin (3 1/2 months)

P-Nut is so soft and I can understand why he would want to hold onto him all the time! The ring attaches to most all pacifiers on the market including Soothie! Paci-Plushies even has a page that lists all the brands that are compatible! I think it’s great to be able to change them, I’ve changed Justin’s a few times just to give Justin a variety (not like he sees the difference, it’s only the pattern/sayings that change lol)

We were in Applebee’s the other night and one of the waitresses noticed Justin holding his Paci-Plushies and she asked about it…I went on a whole spill about how great it was and even took his paci out of his mouth to show her that the paci comes off and can work with other pacifiers. I told her the name and where to buy them (On their site!) She said Justin looked so cute holding the little puppy and the puppy itself was adorable!

Paci-Plushies have more than just a blue puppy, there is a pink puppy named Pixie, blue and pink bears, a panda bear, a cat, and a monkey. Then there is Lovie the Lamb that was created specifically for The Austin Hatcher Foundation, 100% of the wholesale proceeds benefit childhood cancer research. I think that is AWESOME! I love that they have boy and girl colored ones and then have a few that are gender neutral.

Be sure to check out Paci-Plushies’ Facebook page since they recently put up a preview of NEW Paci-Plushies to be released this Summer!!!! I know there are a few new ones I want to add to Justin’s collection (especially the Dragon!!). You can buy a Paci-Plushies on their site for $14.98

Justin wearing the hat I made to match his Paci-Plushies

When I decided which Paci-Plushies I would review, I decided to crochet a hat to match…I think it come out pretty good! I have patterns that could match any of the Paci-Plushies that they currently have by playing with the colors. If you purchase a Paci-Plushies and want a hat to match, check out my crochet Facebook Page (Mizz J’s Creative Mayhem) and let me know you read my blog and I’ll discount the price for you, I sell hats like this for $15+shipping ($3) and I’ll discount the price to $10+shipping.

The Giveaway: I’m giving away a Paci-Plushies of winner’s choice (EXCEPT Lovie the Lamb)
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Filed Under: Giveaways Closed, review

Hershey’s Milk Chocolate with Almonds Pieces (review/giveaway)

February 7, 2012 By Jackie

I love chocolate, especially Hershey’s chocolate (I’m currently eating Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Cream)! So when I got the offer to review Hershey’s Milk Chocolate with Almonds Pieces I was thrilled! I love almonds….especially when covered in Hershey’s chocolate!

My bags of Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Almonds Pieces

I was NOT disappointed!!!! They were so good, I couldn’t put down the bag!!! They reminded me of a higher class M&M. Each one has a WHOLE almond in it, covered in Hershey’s milk chocolate and is coated with a hard crunchy shell! What’s awesome, is if you CAN put the bag down (that’s the hard part lol) the bag is resealable so the candy won’t go bad, fall out or anything get in them.

Open up the fun! When you open up an 8-oz. bag of HERSHEY’S PIECES milk chocolate candies with whole almonds, you open yourself up to a world of deliciousness. Beneath that crunchy candy exterior is a whole almond enrobed in smooth, rich, satisfying HERSHEY’S milk chocolate. It’s the big taste of HERSHEY’S in a little candy shell. Perfect for enjoying with family and friends – at home, on the go, in the car… wherever your busy life takes you.

I also have to mention their Drops! I have been eating the Cookies ‘n’ Cream ones and can’t put them down either!!!!! I love Hershey’s!!!!!

You can get the Hershey’s Pieces (and many other Hershey’s products) at Walmart!

The Giveaway: 3 of my readers will EACH win their own bag of Hershey’s Milk Chocolate with Almonds Pieces!!!
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Filed Under: Giveaways Closed, review

Kolcraft – Contours Optima Tandem (review)

January 31, 2012 By Jackie

I am without a doubt a HUGE Kolcraft fan! While I was pregnant I used the Sealy Sweet Pea 2 in 1 pillow and I still use it to sleep with, I nurse Justin on it, and even as I type this I have him propped up sitting beside me on it! Every night, Justin sleeps in their new Preferred Position™ 2-In-1 Bassinet & Incline Sleeper right beside my bed! Jaxon also had his fair share of Kolcraft products such as one of their walkers and their Jeep play yard. We’ve also had our share of strollers, jogging, umbrella and now we can add the Contours Optima Tandem stroller to our Kolcraft collection!!!

Justin's Evenflo car seat fits great on the infant car seat attachment.

Having a little baby and a toddler going through the terrible 2′s…a double stroller was necessary! I knew I wanted a tandem, and to be able to put Justin’s car seat on it and Jaxon still have plenty of room up front as well as not be too huge and fold up nicely. The Contours Optima Tandem was everything I was looking for! I also love the many different options of how you can have the seats facing, away from each other, towards each other, both forwards, both backwards!!

Here are all the features:

Lightweight aluminum frame – only 36.8 lbs
Six different seating options: children can both face parent, face each other, face forward, back to back, front seat only (& large storage in the back), or use with an infant car seat
Height-adjustable canopies, with peek-in windows, can be raised or lowered: min. 23″ to max. 27″ so your baby is always covered
Infant car seat attachment fits most car seat brands. Additional infant car seat attachment is sold separately
Extra large storage basket
Jaxon sitting in the Contours Optima Tandem stroller...sometimes he don't like it, and sometimes he's fine with it!
Accommodates one or two infants/children
Independent reclining seats, child cup holders & sun-rider canopies
Steering is a breeze with two 8″ front single swivel wheels and 10″ rear never-flat wheels
Four cupholders, 2 for parents and 2 for children
Infant head rest
Easy-trigger fold
Convenient Free-Stand™ allows the stroller to stand upright when folded
Height adjustable 5-point safety harness & padded infant head rest sleeves for comfort
One-year manufacturer warranty

One of the many positions to put the seats! I love all the options!

My only problem with it is that to fold it up, you have to take off the infant car seat attachment and turn the front seat around to face the back…it takes some time and is kinda frustrating, but it’s not a huge deal breaker lol. We use this to go over to my Dad’s house, or to get the kids off the bus when it’s nice out.

Putting the stroller together was not too horrible, I had it together in about 20minutes…most of that was getting Jaxon to stop messing with stuff and hiding it from me haha. He did let me put him in it as soon as it was fully put together and got mad at me when I made him get out!!

The Contours Optima Tandem stroller is available at multiple online stores such as BabiesRUs.com for $289.99, BuyBuyBaby.com for $299.99, Diapers.com or $299.99 and many more!

I’m so happy to have this added to our Kolcraft collection and can’t wait until Justin is old enough for the WonderBug Activity center!!!!

Filed Under: review

Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks (review/giveaway)

January 30, 2012 By Jackie

My kids love gummy snacks. If we pass them in the store they always ask for some, and most of the time they pick one that has their favorite character on it and it is just pure sugar, no vitamins, fruit juice or very little fruit juice. So when I got the opportunity to review Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks and read a little about them I was happy to and knew my kids would love them!

Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks (3 Berries and Cherries, 3 Assorted Fruit)

As soon as the kids saw what they were, I couldn’t get the box open fast enough to give them each a pack! I barely looked away for a second and then they were throwing the paper away, they had already eaten their packs! The next day both Jeffery and Jaylin wanted some for their snack in school so instead of the usual cookies or chips they choose from, they got Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks! Little do they know that they were getting 100% of their daily value for Vitamin C!!!!

The kids weren’t the only ones who liked them, I happened to see an EMPTY box on Jeff’s desk. One of his nights off he wanted a snack, so he took one of the boxes and snacked on it…and eventually ate them all! We got 6 boxes (3 of each flavor Assorted Fruit and Berries & Cherries) and the kids/Jeff loved both kinds!

Did I mention they are only 80 calories and gluten free??? Great snack for those who are watching their weight or who’s new years resolution is to lose weight. Made with real fruit juice and natural colors and flavors (These Fruit Flavored Snacks are made with apple, pear, and cranberry juice concentrate. See package for a list of complete ingredients. They are not intended to replace fruit in the diet).

I know these fruit flavored snacks are going to be in our house as a quick snack for the kids and I can always throw a few packs in the diaper bag for while we’re out! Click Here for a coupon $1.10/2 Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks!

Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks also come with year round DOUBLE Box Tops!

The Giveaway: 4 of my readers (yes **4**!!!!!) will EACH get 6 boxes of Ocean Spray Fruit Flavored Snacks (3 of each variety)!!!
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Filed Under: Giveaways Closed, review

Aqua Leisure – Uncle Bob’s Snow Tube (review/giveaway)

January 24, 2012 By Jackie

I do love living in an area that gets snow, what sucks is that we haven’t gotten much snow this year!!!! We got some before Halloween and since then we’ve only got a dusting or two and a little bit of ice, nothing we can go out and have fun in BUT, when we do get some snow, the kids will be able to have a blast with their newest Uncle Bob’s Snow Tube from Aqua Leisure (yes, they sell more than just pool/swim stuff!)!!!

We got the Uncle Bob 48″ Air Penguin Snow Tube and it’s so cute! I love the little snowboarding penguins!!! The thing is huge too, we’ll be able to go down with 1 adult and a kid on our lap no problem or the kids can go it alone!!!

Unique transparent top
2 heavy-duty color coordinated handles
Extra heavy duty vinyl construction
Special K-80 cold crack additive
Accommodates up to 2 riders
Weight rated up to 220 lbs

You can tell by just picking it up out of the box it’s heavy duty, because well…it’s heavy! I can’t wait for snow so we can get this blown up and head out, we live in an area that has a lot of hills so we’ll have no problem finding an area to tube

You can buy an Uncle Bob 48″ Air Penguin Snow Tube at your local Walmart since it’s being shown as out of stock online, prices vary by store There are also other designs and sizes from Uncle Bob’s you can get even double tubes!

The Giveaway: One of my readers will win their own Uncle Bob 48″ Air Penguin Snow Tube from Aqua Leisure!
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Filed Under: Giveaways Closed, review

Teaching an “Old” Dog New Tricks #ILoveMyK9 #CBias

January 20, 2012 By Jackie

Scrappy isn’t necessarily “old” he’s almost 3, but in dog years that’s what…21? Not exactly young, but not ancient either. We didn’t get Scrappy until he was about a year old and he was house trained but that was it, no basic commands or anything. We’ve started with the most basic, sit. Now, with Justin’s surprise PICU stay, it’s thrown our training off a little, but we’re still working on it.

I posted about shopping for dog treats last week, and we’ve been training a little, so far Scrappy’s favorite treat is Milo’s Kitchen Jerky, he prefers the Beef but will eat the Chicken too.

Scrapping getting a Milo's Kitchen Chicken Jerky for sitting.

What I do is show Scrappy the treat, let him smell it so he knows it’s something good, then firmly say the command, in this instance it was “sit”…if he don’t do it, I push his butt down as I say “sit” and then praise him with petting and the treat.

Snuffles the pug puppy is stubborn…I tried to train him and all he did was go and lay down on Jeffery.

Snuffles laying on Jeffery instead of listening to me.

He’s still a puppy and is going to take a LOT more training. Like I said, I was gone for a few days in the hospital so I need to get back into being more persistent with training. I plan to use the Milk-Bone® healthy treats for Snuffles due to the weight issues pugs have, I’ve given him some to see if he likes them and he does, so that will be no problem once he stops being so stubborn!

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias All opinions are my own and not influenced by anything or anyone.

Filed Under: review

My Shopping Experience for Dog Treats to Train My Dogs #ILoveMyK9 #CBias

January 11, 2012 By Jackie

About a month or so before Christmas, I got myself a gift…a pug puppy I named Snuffles With a new puppy, comes training! I’ve given him enough time to get used to the house and us before we start really training him. I will also be doing basic obedience training of our other dog, Scrappy (our toy poodle). The time has come, so I had to go shopping for dog treats for positive reinforcement.

I went to WalMart in search of some yummy dog treats for my pups. I was on a mission to buy Milk-Bone® Treats, Lean Pup-Peroni Treats and Milo’s Kitchen Treats. The dog treat section of WalMart was crazy big and had so many options of flavors and treat size and sizes of packages!

Dog Treat Section of WalMart

Since pugs have a tendency to get overweight real quick, the Lean Pup-Peroni was something I was really happy to get, so we can keep his weight under control as he gets older. There was a few varieties of Pup-Peroni, their original flavors and then the Lean Beef Flavor, which is what I ended up getting for Snuffles.

Pup-Peroni Flavor Varieties

I also found the Milo’s Kitchen area and was shocked at how many flavors there were and how the names sounded like delicacies for dogs! Flavors like Chicken Meatball, Beef Jerky, Chicken Jerky and Beef Sausage Slices! We ended up buying a package of Beef Sausage Slices, Chicken Jerky and Beef Jerky (yes, I bought 3 packs because I couldn’t decide on just one!)

Jeffery helped me pick out some Milo's Kitchen treats for the pups

Then we went to the Milk-Bone® area to pick up a few more treats…a good variety is nice, change it up once in awhile for the pups. Milk-Bone® had so many treats to choose from, a lot of different sizes, flavors, shapes and types (like the Healthy Favorites and Essentials Plus as well as their original treats) I couldn’t help but buy a box of Milk-Bone® Crunchy Original treats with real bone marrow, since both my pups are small, these are the perfect size for them. I also couldn’t pass up getting a box of their Healthy Favorites (again, because we have to be careful how much Snuffles eats so he don’t get overweight) which has vegetables, one has carrots and one has sweet potatoes as well as rolled oats & flaxseed and real meat (there are chicken and beef varieties). Also on select boxes of Milk-Bone® treats you can find a coupon to purchase Pup-Peroni and Milo’s Kitchen treats, although I didn’t find any coupons on any packs in the WalMart I visited, they do exist!

Some of the Milk-Bone® selection.

The Crunchy treats I bought for Snuffles and Scrappy.

The Healthy Favorites flavor I chose for Snuffles so he don't get too fat!

I think we got plenty of treats to last us at least a little, 6 packs/boxes of treats! I think my 2 pups are going to enjoy their training, especially with the great flavors I chose!

My cart with all the dog treats I chose

I have already started the training, and hope to be able to share some results with you next week! Be sure to check out my entire shopping experience on Google+.

Be sure to join the Twitter Party on Thursday January 12, 2012 at 12:00 CST by following along #ILoveMyK9.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias All opinions are my own and not influenced by anything or anyone.

Filed Under: review

Leading Lady (review/giveaway)

January 1, 2012 By Jackie

Justin is doing GREAT at breastfeeding, so I needed some good nursing bras and especially a nursing gown to make night time feedings easier. It’s very difficult to find nursing clothes for plus size women, and even worse, when I did find something, it cost an arm and a leg! Thankfully Leading Lady contacted me and asked about a review!

Leading Lady is a premiere intimate apparel company dedicated to creating comfortably functional, remarkably affordable, stylish and easy-to-wear bras, camis and sleepwear. A family owned and operated business, Leading Lady has been expertly tailoring nursing and full figure bras for top brands and retailers across North America for more than 70 years. For the first time, Leading Lady’s comprehensive line of nursing and full figure intimates – including sexy stretch lace wire-free and underwire bras, supportive and seamless sport and yoga bras, and cozy sleep and leisure bras – can be purchased directly on LeadingLady.com.

Leading Lady is proud to celebrate “Leading Ladies” everywhere through its products, programs and philanthropic activities. Leading Lady is dedicated to arming new moms with the support – physically, intellectually and emotionally – they need to nurture their babies through breastfeeding and committed supporting a variety of organizations and issues relevant to women across the country. Follow Leading Lady on Facebook and Twitter.

Cotton Front-Closure Leisure Bra

Leading Lady was very kind and sent me a LOT to review! I got multiple bras, a nursing gown and a nursing tank (unfortunately the tank was too small but that was ok). I’ll start with my favorite bra I got, the Cotton Front-Closure Leisure Bra. It’s very stretchy and supportive. It’s very soft and I can put it on when I get out of the bath/shower even if I’m still a little wet, it won’t stick to me. It’s also easy to put on since the hooks are in the front. I can’t say enough good about this bra! It’s the one I wear the most! My only dislike of it is because I’m so large chested, it has a LOT of hooks in the front so unhooking it to nurse would take forever…luckily it’s nice and stretchy so I can just pull it down and nurse. It doesn’t cost an arm and a leg! Right now you can buy the Cotton Front Closure Leisure Bra for only $20.40 (Retail Value is: $24.00)!!!

Front Closure Leisure Bra

Another bra I got was a different type of Front Closure Leisure bra, this one is silky and isn’t as stretchy as the cotton bra, it is a little more tight even though they are the same size, but that’s ok with me because the pressure makes me feel better. Because of the fabric, it makes it stick to me when I’m even slightly wet and makes it hard to adjust to have it just right. This one is a little hard to pull down to nurse (again, because I’m so large there are a LOT of hooks in the front) but I manage. It’s actually the one I’m wearing now This bra is amazingly priced at $11.00 (Retail Value is: $22.00) right now!!!

Zig-Zag Weave Front-Closure Bra

The last bra I got was the Zig-Zag Weave Front-Closure bra. It’s very similar to the last Front Closure Leisure bra I just wrote about, the fabric just seems a little thicker. The Zig-Zag Weave Front-Closure bra is $20.40 right now (Retail is: $24.00)

All 3 of these bras come in a variety of colors and hold a nursing pad in place VERY well! They are now the bras I wear on a regular basis since I can’t go without a bra or I leak like crazy (sorry if that’s TMI lol) They all also come in a wide range of sizes from A/B to F/G/H and from 36 to 52!

Nursing Sleep Gown

Leading Lady also makes a wonderful nursing gown! I need MORE of these seriously! The Nursing Sleep Gown is the night gown I use as much as I possibly can, the only time I don’t wear it is if it’s being washed or is dirty and there are clothes already being washed…but it gets washed ASAP! It has 2 openings in the front which makes it super easy to nurse in the middle of the night without having to pull up your entire gown or shirt. I think it’s probably my favorite product from Leading Lady by far! It has made nighttime feeding a million times easier! It’s also soft and not too heavy, so you won’t sweat to death lol. You can get the Nursing Sleep Gown in Large or 2x! Right now the Nursing Sleep Gown is on sale for $9.60 (Retail is $32.00)!!!!! Comes in 3 different prints but it looks like right now there are only 2 in stock.

Modal Nursing Bra Cami with Shelf Bra

I was also sent a Modal Nursing Bra Cami with Shelf Bra but it was way too tight. So, since Amy just found out she was expecting, I gave it to her and even though she hasn’t had her baby yet, I’ve seen her wearing the Cami! She said it’s nice and tight which feels good right now to her since her breasts are sore. The Modal Nursing Bra Cami has the clasps so the front comes down for easy nursing…I wish it would have fit me because I love that! You can get the Modal Nursing Bra Cami for only $16.00 right now (Retail: $32.00)