Thoroughly Enjoyed Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Tonight inPhoenix

When our first was born, one of the things Bo talked about was taking him to the circus.  We have been so fortunate the last few years to see the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus when it comes through Phoenix every summer.  We attended opening night tonight for their Legends show tonight, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!  The show was exciting and the performers flawless!  Nate absolutely loves the motorcycles that drive around in the metal globe, so he was excited to see that they were in the show again this year.  He also spent a lot of time chuckling at the clowns.  They sure do a great job of keeping your attention and amusement while crews set up other areas of the stage!

You still have time to get tickets!  The show will be in Phoenix through Sunday, and you can check out this post for details on times and how to buy tickets.

Lydia especially enjoyed the circus tonight, and tried to video a good chunk of it on her little camera phone so she could share with Grandma tomorrow.  Here's what she had to say:

*Disclosure: I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events. Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine.*

Stuttering is Cool Book Review

I have mentioned Rossi's book, Stuttering is Cool, before on the blog -- but Nate just made a video review of the book that he wanted me to share!

You can find the book on etsy by following this link!

Del Monte Fruit Review & Giveaway

One of the things I love about camping these days is that we have the RV pretty well stocked.  When we head off on a trip, we add food to the refrigerator and pantry and pack a couple outfits.  Del Monte sent me some new fruit cups and squeezers the day before we headed out on our last camping trip.  I'm glad I snapped this picture before we left, since it was all gone by the end!

My kids enjoy fruit, and fruit cups and squeezers are a convenient thing to add to a lunch, eat while driving down the road in our RV, or added to a meal.  I actually froze the pineapple-mango cups before we left, and the kids ate the slushy treat after they thawed out a bit.

I love that there are more choices than peaches, pears and applesauce! The mango cups and the mango-pineapple were big hits with all the kids.  I'd tell you what I thought myself, but I'll have to buy some more to find out!  The FruitBurst squeezers were quickly gone as well, but I did snag one of the peach-mango flavored ones that was tasty.  My kids have already asked me to buy more mango cups!

Some nutrition and other details about the FruitBurst squeezers and cups: 

Made in the U.S.A., Del Monte® Fruit Burst®Squeezers contain 1 ½ servings of fruit or fruit and veggies and are an excellent source of vitamins A and C. In addition, Del Monte® Fruit Burst®Squeezers contain no artificial flavors or high fructose corn syrup.

Fruit Burst® Fruit + Veggie Squeezers:
- Peach-Mango: Pear puree concentrate, water, pumpkin juice concentrate, peach puree concentrate, pear juice concentrate, carrot juice concentrate, carrot puree, mango puree concentrate, natural flavors, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), citric acid.
- Blueberry: Pear puree concentrate, water, pumpkin juice concentrate, pear juice concentrate, natural flavors, carrot puree, blueberry puree concentrate, fruit and vegetable extracts for color, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), citric acid.

Fruit Burst® Simply Fruit Squeezers:
- Apple Cinnamon: Pear puree concentrate, water, apple puree concentrate, pear juice concentrate, natural flavors, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), cinnamon, malic acid.
- Mixed Berry: Pear puree concentrate, water, pear juice concentrate, natural flavors, strawberry puree, red raspberry puree concentrate, blueberry puree concentrate, fruit and vegetable extracts for color, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), malic acid.
- Strawberry: Pear puree concentrate, water, pear juice concentrate, strawberry puree concentrate, natural flavors, carmine, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), malic acid.

Mango Fruit Cup® Snacks
- These rich and luscious mangos are a healthy way to add a little sweetness to your day - fat-free, cholesterol free, and high in Vitamin C - that you can enjoy anywhere.
Mango Pineapple Fruit Cup® Snacks:
- Del Monte® Mango Pineapple Fruit Cup® Snacks combine two of the world’s most popular fruits: mango and pineapple. Made with rich and luscious mangos and pineapple, they contain no high fructose corn syrup and are a rich source of vitamin C.

I know how important it is to provide plenty of healthy snacks for our kids! I'm happy that DelMonte is sponsoring a giveaway on my blog for one of my readers to receive 2 VIP coupons for DelMonte fruit, as well as a $25 WalMart gift certificate to help you out on your next grocery trip!

To enter the giveaway, FOLLOW THIS LINK and fill out the form.  The name of the giveaway is DelMonte and the mandatory question is: What is your favorite fruit?  A winner will be chosen and notified on February 27, 2014.  

*Disclosure: I received a gift pack in exchange for my review.  All opinions expressed are my own. Products for the giveaway were provided by DelMonte.*

Monster Jam Review

We were fortunate enough to be given 4 tickets (thank you Feld Entertainment!) to the Monster Jam show that recently came to Chase Field in Phoenix.  Bo took the kids, and they had a blast! I asked them to make a video review, and they were only too happy to oblige.  Nate is 11, Colin 13, and Lydia is 6.   Nate and Lydia are the big car and truck lovers of my kids, but Colin still enjoyed himself.  He looks a bit reserved, but remember -- he's 13!

My husband said the place was packed, and everyone seemed to be having a great time.  Tickets were sold out for the Phoenix show, and Chase Field is pretty big!  As the kids noted in the review, it was VERY loud, but ear plugs helped dampen the noise. 

The show is still traveling the country, and based on the fun my kids had, I highly recommend going if you have the chance.  All the venues can be found at www.monsterjam.com.  

*Disclosure: I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events. Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine.*

Minted Holiday Cards (Review)

Pretty much every year since we've been married, we have sent out photo holiday cards.  Especially since we now have 3 kids, and have family and friends all over the country, I like to send photo cards so everyone can see how the kids are growing.  I also love to receive photo cards!!

One site that has an amazing selection of photo cards is Minted.  A couple years ago, I ordered our cards from Minted and they were amazing!  I loved the heavy card stock they were printed on, and how our beach photo popped from the card.  Such a change from photo-paper thin cards we've sent in the past.  I also loved that they sent a proof of the card within 24 hours for my review.  This is our card from them in 2010:

I was recently looking at their new designs and was very impressed. One of the designs that I thought very clever was their minibook cards.  These cards are 5x7" and are made up of 7 pages that can be customized with both pictures and text.  One of the hardest things is choosing which pictures to include, and these minibooks would make that process so much easier.  They also don't cost any extra postage to send.  I also really like the ornament cards!

I haven't yet chosen a design or even a picture for our holiday cards this year.  I usually try to have it done by Thanksgiving, which is in just a few weeks.  I know that Minted is one of the places I'll visit to make that final decision about this year's card!

Do you send photo cards?  Have you taken your holiday photo yet? Let me know in the comments!

**Disclosure: I received credit at Minted.com in exchange for sharing information about their site with my readers.**

Review: Sweet Shine Dolls

A couple weeks ago, Cepia (a small toy company that we've worked with before) sent us 2 dolls that are limited in their release to the Phoenix area right now.  They have created an adorable line of dolls that are colorful and fun to play with called Sweet Shine dolls.  We received Lola Twinklepink (see her there in Lydia's backpack ready for one of our camping trips!) and Pipsy May Peachburst (which we are donating to the NSA Silent Auction to help raise funds.)

One of the fun features of these dolls is taht they light up and project secret shapes!  Twinklepink has a button on the back of her head, that when pressed, displays shapes on the wall or ceiling.  Lydia likes the fact that she's like a doll AND a flashlight!  She also likes the tiny accessories that came with her, which included hair flair, a tiny purse that looks like a cupcake and a pet bunny.

After the jump, Lydia made a video review for all my readers!

Read more »

Review: CalmAid Lavendar Capsules

If you read my last post, you know that I've been under some stress lately.  I was sent a box of CalmAid (lavendar oil capsules) recently to try.  They are made by Nature's Way, a company that also makes Sambucus (an elderberry syrup we keep on hand all the time to help shorten colds) and also the Valerian Root capsules that I have used in the past to help me sleep.  So, I feel pretty confident in their products.

The lavendar capsules are meant to be taken once a day, to help reduce tension and stress.  I know that the scent of lavendar is calming, but I hadn't known that the oil could be ingested for the same effects.  When I know I am facing an especially stressful day, I have taken one in the morning and it seems to help me feel less stress.

The capsules have been tested in clinical studies, but they have not been evaluated by the FDA.  If you take any prescription medicines, always check with your physician before adding any supplements.

You can find them online, and also at local retailers.  Check out the Nature's Way website for more details.

*Disclosure: I received a box of CalmAid to facilitate this review.  No additional compensation was provided. All opinions are my own.*

Review: Master Lock Safe

Last year, Lydia kept snitching gum from Colin.  We told him to put it away safely, but he insisted that she found it no matter where he hid it.  So, on Christmas morning, he received a Master Lock Personal Safe chock full of packs of gum.  We haven't heard a gum snitching complaint ever since

When Master Lock contacted me a couple weeks ago wondering if I wanted to learn more about any of their products, I told them that I was currently looking for something to hold small electronics.  Sometimes, punishment in our house means losing your screens -- iPod or DSi, usually.  And, sometimes, Mom completely forgets what safe place she puts those items in, so when a kid earns them back, they don't always get them right away.  Or, they will find them and think the punishment is over, so they take back their screen before the punishment is over.  I needed a safe, secure place to put small items!


Master Lock sent me a Security Chest to see if it would meet my needs.  As you can see -- it did!  It's big enough to fit all of the small screens in our house, and even game controllers, if necessary. The sturdy cam lock is secure, and the key doesn't match other Master Lock products (I tried on another lockbox I have that stores important papers.)  The keys are someplace safe (a safe place that I remember!)  I don't have to worry about forgetting where I put their electronics, and we can put a note in the chest about when they can earn them back.

The Security Chest is a good size not just for small electronics, but also important papers or any small items that you want a little extra protection for.  This box is 11" x 14" x 4.38" and retails for less than $40.

Don't tell Nate, but he'll find his own personal safe under the tree this year!

*Disclosure: All opinions, pictures and words are my own.  Master Lock sent me the product disclosed above to facilitate this review. No additional compensation was provided.*

Review: The Blessing Cup

In addition to evening prayers, when we we tuck the kids into bed at night we bless the people in our lives and ask for certain people to be watched over for certain reasons.  I like the idea of blessings, so I was interested in reading "The Blessing Cup: prayer rituals for families and groups" by Rock Travnikar.

The beginning of the book talks about blessings, and encourages the use of a special cup that can be left on display that is used during a blessing ritual.  When I read that, I started to think that I needed to purchase a special cup for this purpose, and then I remembered a beautiful, handmade cup in my cupboard.  This cup has careful roses on the handle, and while I have owned it for years, I haven't used it much because I was always afraid of breaking the roses. I realized this would be the perfect cup to use for this purpose!  Even better, I actually own a pair of them, so if one does get broken, we'll still have a backup.  (Important in a house of kids who aren't always the most careful.)

The rest of the book has a variety of prayer rituals for pretty much any occasion. There are sections for new babies, holy days and even the loss of a pet.  If it could happen in your life, chances are there is a blessing in this book that would fit.

I liked how the rituals were set up. There are prayers for a leader to recite, opportunties for everyone to participate, and call and response sections. Each one was tied to sharing the blessing cup among everyone.

We are going to incorporate some of these rituals into our daily life. I know the kids will appreciate them, and we could always use a little more blessing!

*Disclosure: This review was written as part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. I received a copy of the book to faciliate my review. No additional compensation was provided. All opinions are my own. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on The Blessing Cup: Prayer Rituals for Families and Groups.*

Hostess Gift Ideas from Whole Foods Market

I received a fabulous basket full of goodies from Whole Food Markets in Tempe.  I love that I can find dairy-free products there for my dairy-allergic loved ones!  I also appreciate the products there are good for you and good for the people who produced them.

This basket was full of items that were not only high quality, but also had a feel-good quality because of the programs the items supported.

The sturdy, canvas L.I.F.E line bag is made by "mums in Maai Mahiu, Kenya". You can learn more about the program at www.lifeline.org.  I loved being able to see the smiling faces of the mothers who are creating these bags and earning a living for their families.

The coffee in the basket is not only high quality and delicious coffee (according to my mom - who loves coffee), but it also helps support the Whole Planet Foundation by donating 30 cents from each can to help alleviate poverty worldwide where Whole Foods sources products.

I like this beautiful scarf for a couple reasons.  My first name, Melanie, means black or dark and my middlde name is Rose.  Because of that, I have often been drawn to black roses.  This scarf is super soft, and it is made from recycled polyster derived from discarded plastics!  I know - you may be thinking what do I need a scarf for in Arizona?  But, I am actually headed to the Grand Canyon next week so this scarf will come in handy!  I can't wait to wear it.  It was made from a company called Threads for Thought.

The organic chocolate bars are not only delicous, but they also support a schoolhouse project in Tanzania.  The drinking chocolate is sourced from a co-op in Peru and has a flavor unlike any hot chocolate I've had!  It was an absolute treat.

And I have to rave about the Everyday Coconut Super Hydrating Lotion!  It is made with certified fair trade coconut oil, and it leaves my skin very soft.  The winter in Arizona is extremely dry, and it's hard to keep moisturized. I have been using this lotion for more than a week now and I am so pleased with the results.  It has a very mild scent as well, so my husband has been using it as well.   And, like so many products at Whole Foods, some of the proceeds help fund various community empowerment programs.

Even buying a Whole Foods gift card helps alleviate poverty! With each gift card purchased, you can donate a dollar to the Whole Planet Foundation.  The Foundation's mission is to empower poor women living in countries that supply Whole Foods Market with product.  They focus on developing countries by providing microcredit loans for women to start or expand home-based businesses.

I loved being able to learn more about the great organizations that these products help support. This time of year, we are all looking for special gifts for our loved ones.  Any of these items would make a lovely gift that would be wonderful not only for the recipient, but for the individuals being supported by the businesses providing the item.  All of these items can be found at Whole Foods.  The items I received came from the Whole Foods in Tempe, AZ -- which is the one that I frequent.

*Disclosure: I received a selection of products from Whole Foods Market in exchange for an honest review and post. No additional compensation was provided.*

Review: Torani Syrups

I have enjoyed Torani syrups for years.  I didn't realize until recently that they make over 120 different flavors!  I have used the syrups to flavor tea (both hot & iced) and sparkling water.  I was recently sent two bottles to try out this season, and share my thoughts. I received a bottle of Peppermint Torani syrup and a bottle of Torani Salted Caramel Syrup.

This time of year, the kids and I enjoy hot chocolate.  The first thing I tried was adding a couple tablespoons of the peppermint syrup to hot chocolate. My kids who like peppermint and chocolate thought it was delicious!  I added a couple tablespoons of the salted caramel to mine, and liked it quite well!  I am not a coffee drinker, but I know that it's a popular addition to coffee as well.

I made peppermint soda with sparkling water and the peppermint syrup.  It took me a couple tries to get the perfect amount of syrup, but the drink was very refreshing and tasted like drinking a candy cane!

Even though I've been aware of the syrups for years, I have never done anything but add them to drinks. Their website has tons of great recipes to try, and I plan on exploring more of them soon.  I used the salted caramel syrup to make candied pecans, and they turned out fantastic! The recipe is very simple, and the results make a great hostess gift (well, if you can avoid eating them all before giving them away!)  The original recipe from the website suggested plain caramel syrup, but the salted caramel was fantastic in this recipe.  It's easy to throw together, and the kids had fun helping mix the ingredients.

If you want to try them out yourself, here's the recipe from Torani's website:

Candied Pecans

INGREDIENTS:
1 egg, separated
1/4 cup Torani Caramel syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups pecans (or walnuts or a mixture of both)

INSTRUCTIONS:  Preheat oven to 250 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper In a medium sized bowl whisk egg white (save yolk for another use or discard) until light in color and foamy, about 2 minutes. Add Torani syrup, sugar, and salt and continue to whisk until well mixed. Stir in nuts and mix until they are evenly coate. Spread nuts in a single layer on parchment-lined baking sheet. Place baking sheet in the oven. Using a spatula, stir nuts twice during cooking time to allow the nuts to have an even candied coating and bake until nuts are a very light golden, and all of the liquid has dried, about 45 minutes. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container. Makes 3 cups.

A great idea for a hostess gift would be a bottle of the syrup and a dish of these nuts!

You can find Torani syrups at many local retailers, as well as at Amazon and the Torani website.

*Disclosure: I received 2 bottles of Torani syrup from Torani and SheSpeaks, in exchange for writing an original post about the product.  No additional compensation was provided.*

Stocking Stuffer Idea: Chuao Chocolate

Santa almost always fills my Christmas stocking with a variety of chocolates.  This year, I was sent three bars of Chuao Chocolate that are available at select Targets.

Let's just say that Santa can fill my stocking with these chocolate bars anytime!

They are definitely premium chocolate, and had a smooth texture and wonderful flavor.  I'm picky about chocolate, and I really enjoyed these.

I tried the potato chip, honeycomb and firecracker varieties.  Of the 3, the potato chip was my favorite. The chip pieces were crunchy and salty and melded wonderfully with the chocolate.  The honeycomb was a very close second, with an extra sweet flavor due to the honey and a slight crunch from the honeycomb. The firecracker wasn't at the top of my list, but I'm not a huge fan of chile and chocolate.

You can find these bars at select Target locations, or order them direct from Chuao Chocolatier's website.

*Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate my review post.  No additional compensation was provided.*

Review: Ozonator - Green Refrigerator Machine

Every once in a while, our refrigerator is smelly.  Now, it's usually my clue to clean it out, but sometimes it's because there's an onion left over from the day before, or some garlicky mashed potatoes leftovers waiting to get eaten.  And, while my kids love celery, sometimes they forget it's in the refrigerator and it turns to rubbery sticks before it gets eaten.

So, I was interested in trying out the Ozonator.  It's a little machine that runs on 4 "D" batteries and sits on the top shelf of your refrigerator. The machine creates ozone, which helps dispel odors and keep foods fresher.  I know I'm upset with myself some days when I have to throw out fruit and vegetables that were perfectly good when I bought them, but we didn't eat them before they turned bad.  I specifically bought celery a few weeks ago and told the kids they couldn't eat it, so I could see if it lasted longer -- and it did!  When I finally let the kids eat it, it was as crunchy as when I bought it 10 days earlier.  I also noticed that when I had a cut onion in the refrigerator, I did not notice the odor every time I opened the door!

The Ozonator is currently $10 off at their website - so you can pick it up for only $39.95.  It's an interesting gadget, and works better on odors than a box of baking soda did in my refrigerator. I also like the fact that it helps foods last longer!  Because while I have good intentions, I don't always use everything up in a timely manner.

You can learn more about the Ozonator at their website, and they are also on Facebook and Twitter.  I have used it, and I would recommend it for anyone's refrigerator!

*Disclosure: I received an Ozonator in exchange for an honest review.  I am also an affiliate with the company and receive affiliate income for Ozonators purchased via my affiliate link.*

Review: Pinypon Dolls & Toys

Lydia, my 5 year old, first saw Pinypon dolls during a cartoon that she was watching. She had to pause the show to find me so she could show me these neat little dolls.  So, when we had the opportunity to check them out and share them with  her friends, she was thrilled!

Pinypon dolls are unique in that all their pieces/parts are interchangeable -- including their expressions!  Each doll has 2 different expressions, all you need to do is pop off their hair and put it on the opposite way and you'll see their fresh face.

Lydia is quite the social butterfly at school, and was so excited to invite a few of her friends over to play with the toys.  We planned our party for after school, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.  I had even arranged to pick her up with 2 of her friends so they could come to the party, and other moms were bringing their daughters after school. About 45 minutes before school let out, the school called me about Nate (see earlier post about his stay in the hospital - he is still out of school and we are waiting for a pediatric neurologist appointment next week.)

Thankfully, I had everything set up before that phone call, and my sweet mom lives next door, so I checked all 3 girls out of school a bit early and dropped them off with my mom.  She led them in the play of the toys, including the really neat Pinypon - Caravan Playset.  My mom said the girls had a great time, and really enjoyed taking the dolls apart and putting them back together with different acessories. I later talked with one of the moms, and she said she thought they were pretty neat!  We had a caravan to give away at the party and she took it home and has played with it almost every day since.  Lydia has also had a great time with the toys!

With all the confusion, there weren't pictures of the party itself, but Lydia did a video review of the toys:

I think this would be a fun toy to find under the Christmas tree this year!  You can find them at Amazon, as well as local retailers.  You can also check them out on Facebook.  They share great offers, giveaways and information about the toys on their page.

*Disclosure: In exchange for sharing the toys with local friends, and providing an honest review, I received toys from Pinypon and MomSelect. All opinions are my own, and no additional compensation was provided.*

Superhero by Tim & the Space Cadets

Right about now, anything that brings a smile or a giggle is golden. (I'm looking at one particular friend who made my stomach hurt today from laughing so hard at the videos she made for me! Right now, she's golden!)

I received a pitch letting me know about Tim and the Space Cadets, and I almost skipped over the email, but instead decided to click on the video.  The song has an infectious beat and definitely brought a smile to my face today.  I think you'll agree!




And, because, really?  Who doesn't want to be a superhero??

And, I'm even happier that I read that email because they offered me the chance to download one of their songs for free and give you the chance to do the same! Click HERE for a download of the song, Superhero - which is their first song from their upcoming album, Anthems for Adventure, to be released 1/29/13.

I found it interesting to learn more about the lead singer from the press release -

While most indie-rockers get their start by playing basement shows and dive-y bars,Tim began his career in music while volunteering in the nursery of a homeless shelter in New York City. Currently, he is the curator of his own kids music program called “Little Rock-Its” that is based out of the Williamsburg, Brooklyn play space, Frolic!

The class features a three-piece band of local musicians presenting original songs and lessons written by Tim, and has been embraced by the Williamsburg community, reaching hundreds of kids every week.

I'm going to watch for the release of this album - anything that puts a smile on my face is a good thing!

Review: Corazonas Tortilla Chips

Yum!  We had the chance to try these Corazonas Black Bean & Cheese Tortilla Chips recently and everyone declared them delicious!

I had a jar of salsa in the pantry, but these had so much flavor that nobody even wanted to dip them in salsa.  We just ate them up!  In fact, the bag went so fast that I had to retrieve it from the trash to snap this picture.

What makes these tortilla chips different than other is that they include plant sterols, which have been proven to lower cholestrol. Sometimes healthy food has an odd taste, but these chips were delicious.  I look forward to trying the other varieties available.

You can find them at Amazon, or at select grocery stores. Enjoy!

*Disclosure: I received sample product to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.*

Jump Start's Madagascar App Review

We recently received a promotional code to try out Jump Start's new Madagascar Preschool Surf - n - Slide app.  Lydia is past preschool, but loves apps, so I agreed to try it out.

The characters from the Madagascar movies are cute, and she loved playing with them.  The game itself is simple (riding down a long chute / slide) and it's broken up by characters asking players to answer some questions (matching colors, letters, that sort of thing;)  When the player completes a course, they earn "stickers" that they can place on a variety of backgrounds, all relating to the Madagascar movies.

I'll admit, at $2.99, I think it's a little pricey. I think the suggested audience of preschoolers is the the right target market, but I would have been more likely to purchase it for a preschooler at $.99.

You can see what Lydia thought about it right here:




*Disclosure: I received a promotional code to download the app from Jump Start. No additional compensation was provided, and all opinions are my own (as well as Lydia's.)*

Company Kids Fun Pillowcases Review

A couple months ago, we received this adorable frog Pillow Friend in the mail from The Company Kids.  Lydia thought it was so cute, and we immediately found a pillow to stuff into the pillowcase.  It's been a companion ever since, and is her favorite snuggle buddy when she's hanging out in the living room watching TV.

Lydia (5 years old) says, "It's really comfy and you can put it behind your back when sitting in a chair. It's perfect for when you're tired and want to relax. Plus, it's sooooo cute!  If you are taking a car trip, it's a great to take along"

The pillowcase is well made, and I really like the fact that there is a hidden zipper that keeps the pillow inside. They have a few other styles, like monkeys, dogs, cats and even a butterfly. A regular bed pillow fits perfectly inside, and it is easily machine washable. 

I think they would make cute gifts, especially with the holidays coming soon.  You can find Pillow Friends, and many other cute room decor items at The Company Kids website -- www.thecompanystore.com.

*Disclosure: We received a Pillow Friend from The Company Store. No additional compensation was provided.  All opinions are my own. The photo was taken by me.*

Your Santa Story Video Review

Earlier this month, I posted a review and a giveaway for Your Santa Story.  One of my readers won the code -- Angi's family will be watching Santa talk to them on Christmas morning!

I wanted to share a video review I did about Your Santa Story, in case you were still wondering what it was all about:


*Disclosure: I received a Your Santa Story dvd, as well as one to give away, in exchange for posting.  No additional compensation was provided and all opinions are my own.*

Review: A Guide to the New Translation of The Mass

Last Advent, the Roman Catholic Church made some changes to the Mass.  Almost a year later, most parishioners remember to say "It is right and just," but there are still quite a few people who don't know why the wording was changed.  The booklet, "A Guide to the New Translation of The Mass," provides a concise, but thorough, explanation of the changes that have been made.

It's important to note that the essence of the liturgy has not changed at all, but the translations of some prayers and responses have been updated. This booklet takes each one and explains the differences.  It also includes a tear out reference card in the back that is handy to bring along to Mass.

If you or someone you know isn't sure about the changes, this booklet is a great tool. It is only $1.95 at The Catholic Company.

*Disclosure: I received a copy of the booklet to facilitate my review from The Catholic Company.  No additional compensation was provided, and all opinions are my own."