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216 Piece Magnetic Balls Set From DinoDirect – Video

April 21, 2011 · by · 2 Comments
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This is a sponsored post from DinoDirect.com. They asked me to tell you about this product and their site in my own words.
DinoDirect Magnetic Balls Desk Toy

Magnets are a wildly popular toy for everyone from kids to adults. People post all kinds of videos on YouTube showing what they make with magnet sets, who knew? DinoDirect.com has a 216 piece Magnetic Balls Toy that makes pretty much anything you can imagine. Photos on their site show pencil and pen caddies, business card holders, crown and coffee mug sculptures, even pretend eyeglass frames!

I decided there HAD to be a video on YouTube showing someone making something with this set, and sure enough, I found it. Here’s a cool demo that starts with little triangles, joins them up to make flower shapes, then combines those into a six-sided triangle box:

Each of the Magnetic Balls in the set is strong enough to hold papers to your fridge by itself, so imagine how strong they are when combined! I’m already thinking ahead to Father’s Day – these would be great to include with my husband’s gifts, something he can take to work and fiddle with on his desk. Best of all they are only $21.79 with free worldwide shipping plus the site says “free gift with order” – bonus! Check out DinoDirect.com and decide for yourself!

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It’s My 44th Birthday!

January 30, 2011 · by · 42 Comments
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Welcome to Table for Five on my 44th birthday! I wanted to get this post written last night and schedule it to publish first thing, but my wonderful sister in law and brother in law came over and we stayed up way too late playing Euchre. And then I slept until 10:15 this morning thanks to my even more wonderful husband!

After I have my coffee we’re heading out shopping so I can pick out my own birthday presents. I know, that’s no surprise, but Chris wants to make sure I get some things I’ll really enjoy and use, so I don’t mind.  We were thinking about going to a movie together later  but I’m not sure if we will this weekend or not. I woke up with a bad stuffed up nose and a cough so after shopping, I might just want a nap!

Anyway, thanks again for stopping by today! My birthday wish is to get 44 comments on this post, so please feel free to invite others to stop by the party too :)   Have a great day everybody!

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Fall in the City Shopping Package in Branson MO

November 8, 2010 · by · 2 Comments
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This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Geile Leon. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’m heading to Chicago today for a two day blogger event! I love traveling, especially when there’s a chance to do some great shopping at the same time:) If I could, I would check out the Fall in the City Package trip to Branson, Missouri. From what I’ve heard and read, Branson started out as a place for country music performances and has evolved into a one-stop destination for not just country but also rock, gospel, musicals, comedy, and even magic shows. There’s an amusement park, camping, bed and breakfasts, museums, cruises – honestly, I don’t know how people can go for just a weekend! I think you’d have to go for at least a week to experience even a fraction of everything there. ranson is definitely not just for country music anymore!

The Fall in The City Package, which requires a two-night minimum stay, gives you two tickets on the Showboat Branson Belle for dinner and the show, two adult tickets to Silver Dollar City, a 50th Anniversary Silver Dollar City Souvenir Book and a $25 hotel food and beverage credit. For all of that, including the deluxe accomodations at a hotel like the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing, prices start at just $309.50 per night.

An even better deal is the Branson Shopping Package which includes deluxe accommodations, a breakfast buffet for two and a $25 gift card which may be used at any store in the Tanger Outlet Mall, located only three miles from the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel. The Shopping Package starts at just $164 per night. The Convention Center Hotel is also minutes away from the area’s 49 theaters, outlet malls, golf courses, Table Rock Lake, Silver Dollar City, and numerous attractions.

After checking out everything there is to do in Branson, I just need to convince my family that they want to go there with me for a vacation! Check it out for yourself, and let me know in a comment if you’ve ever been to Branson.

Visit my sponsor: Enjoy an exhilarating weekend getaway in Branson!

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Back to School Shopping: Walmart Vs. Target

September 2, 2010 · by · 22 Comments
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Image representing Walmart as depicted in Crun...
Image via CrunchBase

I realize school has already started for a lot of your kids, but here in Michigan, school doesn’t start until after Labor Day. I got an email about checking out the great prices on back-to-school supplies at Walmart, and since I’ve always bought school supplies at Target, I was curious to see what the differences were in price.  Walmart offered to send me a gift card and a list of recommended school supplies so I could do some comparison shopping between the two.

WALMART:

I set off for Walmart with my list and the kids, and found the Back-to-School section right at the front of the store. There were multiple aisles filled with multiple blue cardboard boxes STUFFED with school supplies. We started at the top of the list and got shopping!  This was the list Walmart sent me, I think it’s based on what the average shopper needs for kids of varying ages:

  • Avery Durable View Binder – 1 inch – $2.50
  • Big Brite Liner Highlighters – 5 pack – $1.50
  • Bic Mechanical Pencil (7mm) – 10 pack – $1.50
  • Black & White Composition Book – 100 sheets – $0.25 – SOLD OUT. Paid $2.00 for a patterned one.
  • Crayola Colored Pencils – 12 count – $1.00
  • Crayola Crayons – 24 count – $0.25
  • Crayola Marker Classic Broad – 10 count – $1.00
  • Crayola Marker Washable Broad – 9 count – $2.00
  • Dixon #2 Pencils – 24 count – $1.00 – Rang up at $0.88
  • Elmer’s School Glue – 4 oz. – $0.25
  • Elmer’s School Glue Stick twin pack – $0.25
  • Index Card 3×5 Ruled – 100 count – $0.44
  • Mead Reinforced Wide Ruled Filler Paper – 150 sheet – $2.50 – SOLD OUT. Norcom brand only $0.75 !
  • Pink Eraser by Peachtree Playthings – 2 pack – $1.00
  • School Backpack – $5.00 or $9.00
  • Spiral Notebook Wide Ruled – 70 sheet – $0.15
  • 3-pack folders – $2.50 – Rang up at $2.00
  • 10-Digit Desk Calculator – $3.00

The total for the 18 items came to just $26.28 before tax!  Best of all, my kids can use everything on the list, and what we don’t need, their school is happy to take.

TARGET:

I took the shopping list to Target and looked for the same or similar items and jotted down the prices.  Here’s what I found:

  • Avery Binder – $2.74  MORE
  • Bic Highlighters – didn’t have, Target Value Pack 5 highlighters – $1.74  MORE
  • Bic Mechanical Pencils – didn’t have 10 pack, 8 pack $1.20  SAME
  • Composition Book – Target had the Black & White ones for $0.25, same price as Walmart when the books were in stock  SAME
  • Crayola 24 count crayons – $0.25  SAME
  • Crayola colored pencils – Target didn’t have 12 packs, 24 packs were $2.84. Walmart’s price is 8 cents each, Target’s is 11 cents each  MORE
  • Crayola Classic markers – $1.00 SAME
  • Crayola Washable markers – $2.00 SAME
  • #2 Pencils – Target had Wood Barrel pencils, 24 count, $0.94  LESS
  • Elmer’s School Glue – $0.25  SAME
  • Glue Stick Twin Pack – $0.25  SAME
  • Index Cards 3×5 Ruled – $0.44  SAME
  • Wide Ruled Filler Paper – $0.75  LESS
  • 2 pack Pink Erasers – $0.97  LESS
  • Backpacks – Target had a clearance section, there were a few marked $10.48 and one marked $6.98  MORE
  • Spiral Notebook Wide Ruled – $1.00  MORE
  • 3-pack folders – the ones at Walmart are coated on the outside, heavy. Target has paper ones for $0.15, I didn’t see the nicer coated ones. I’ll call this “less” but I hesitate to do so since it isn’t the exact same thing, just so you know.   LESS
  • Desk Calculator – Target had a space for a Sharp Basic Plastic Calculator for $2.99 but there were none hanging there, so I don’t know how many digits it would have calculated out to. I’m going to assume it would be the same.   SAME

Total for that list, assuming you buy the 24 pack of colored pencils and three of their paper folders, your total would be $27.05.

I was surprised how close the totals were!  Although I have to say, Walmart seemed to have more choices in the different categories, as far as patterns or designs go, and while Target was almost entirely cleaned out of backpacks, Walmart still had a good selection.  I’d say if you still need to buy school supplies and you do your grocery shopping at Walmart, check out their back-to-school section for some great deals. Even if you already bought school supplies, you can always use more crayons, right?

Walmart provided me with a gift card and a recommended school supply shopping list for this review. All opinions, etc., are, as always, my own.

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The Blade Shop

May 31, 2010 · by · 5 Comments
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the following is a Sponsored Review for which I received a cash payment:

TheBladeShop is a “one stop shop” for hunting, utility, and sporting knives. You’ll find a guaranteed lowest price on the largest selection of knives available, and all in stock orders ship within 24 hours.

TheBladeShop is proud to offer brands like Microtech Knives, Streamlight flashlights, Leatherman multi-tools, Brunton rangefinders, and many more. TheBladeShop is so committed to offering customers the lowest prices that they not only match any competitor’s lower price, they’ll match a competitor’s price on their site plus give you 20% of the difference!

Before you place an order on TheBladeShop, it’s important that you know that you must be at least 18 to order, and some items listed on the website may be illegal in your area for possession by those under 21. It is your responsibility to check all local laws concerning the ownership, use and possession of any item you buy from TheBladeShop.

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Paragon Promotions for cool branded stuff

May 8, 2010 · by · 2 Comments
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One way you can advertise your blog or website is with branded products, and  Paragon Promotions, who is sponsoring this post, is a Chicago-based distributor of promotional items. They have a wide range of items you can personalize, including promotional bags which start at $1.65 for 200 bags made of 100% cotton.

How about a notepad, portfolio, or beautiful writing journal embossed with your initials? Paragon has those too, click here for journals. Another great deal is pens, 200 of them for $.54 each.  $54.00 to get your URL in the hands of 200 people is a great deal!  Check out Paragon Promotions for all of the products they have available.

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For Your Home – Sinks and Vanities

February 14, 2010 · by · 9 Comments
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UniqueVanities.com contacted me through Sponsored Reviews about reviewing their website, so I was thinking, how can I relate personally to a site that sells bathroom sinks and vanities? Then I remembered  – I was watching some TV  show really late the other night – one of the CSIs, probably – and they were looking in the victim’s bathroom, and the sink looked exactly like the vessel sinks that UniqueVanities wanted me to check out. Have you seen these?   What I find so fascinating is that while traditional bathroom sinks are either square or round and are almost always made of marble or porcelain, vessel sinks can be glass, stone, metal, all kinds of different shapes and colors.

Did you know that bathroom vanities can look like a piece of antique furniture or like something from a science fiction movie? They can have embossed inlays, sections of stamped metal, be made of tempered glass – I had no idea. I thought bathroom cabinets came in different shades of wood laminate and that bathroom sinks had to be white. A glass bowl sitting on a sheet of tempered glass, with just the faucet and pipes to indicate that it’s a sink and not a piece of modern sculpture? Way cool.

So, if you’re looking to update your bathroom, one of the ways you can really bring your decor into this century is with one of the modern bathroom vanities from UniqueVanities. Unfortunately they did not offer to send me one to review personally, so all I have to go on is the photos on their website, but what I see is pretty darn cool. The site strives to provide the “Best Customer Service in the World”, so they encourage phone calls or emails if you have questions. Reviewing the site has opened my eyes to the possibilities – now I want to redecorate my bathroom!

disclosure: please read my disclosure page for my policy on the links in this post.

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Goals, Belly Bandits, and Books – Questions from Lanna

January 20, 2010 · by · 13 Comments
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I asked my readers for helping thinking of what to post about, and they came through! I love you guys :) So, first up are questions from my dear, longtime reader and commenter Lanna (rhymes with banana LOL), who asked:

Did you figure out any goals for yourself for the year?
Do you know where I can find a Belly Bandit for really cheap?
What cute/sweet/whatever thing(s) have the boys done lately?
Wanna come help clean and pack my house since Braxton Hicks have started kicking my butt and the other kids keep wanting to be fed and paid attention to?
Favorite book you’re reading or recently read?

Wow! I’m never going to have to post about having writer’s block again, I’ll just email Lanna first! Here are some answers-

1. Goals for this year – Well, I’ve already started working on my first goal, which is to increase the number of legitimate comments I get on my posts. I am determined to help the Momblogging community rediscover commenting this year. There are SO MANY BLOGS, and only so much time each day to read them, and I know it’s hard to stop and comment. I’m going to figure out a way to not only increase the number of comments I get on this blog, but to help others increase the comments on theirs. I just have to figure out how :)

2. I had no idea what a Belly Bandit was! Turns out it’s a fabric wrap with velcro that goes around your midsection after you give birth to help hold your tummy in. They are $65.00 new! I found Lanna one for $24.95 on eBay and emailed her the link :)

3. The boys continue to be wonderful with their little sister, although Ryan is starting to be less interested in playing with her. Nathan likes to chase her around the house after dinner with her shrieking and giggling.  Kaitlyn recently started informing me that she is going to MARRY Nathan when she grows up, and there’s nothing I can tell her that will change her mind. Is that a girl thing? Neither of the boys talked about marrying anybody when they were four!

4. Oh sweetie, I totally would come there and help if I could. The state you live in is just so far away from Michigan!  I hope you get some help with your little ones so you can rest up before the baby comes!

5. Favorite book recently read – I discovered Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series this past Fall, and between checking the paperbacks out of the library and treating myself to new copies here and there, I just finished book #15.   Now I wish she would hurry up and write another book! If you haven’t read the series, I do recommend reading the books in order as much as possible. Any of the books would make sense if you hadn’t read any of the others, but there are little things that make more sense if you know what’s already happened.

If you have read the Stephanie Plum books, tell me this – is it just me, or from the descriptions of Ranger, doesn’t he look like Benjamin Bratt? At least that’s who I picture in my head ;)

Thanks for the questions, Lanna! I’ll tackle another set next time I get a chance, and feel free to keep asking questions in the comments!

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How many weeks until Christmas? FIVE

November 23, 2009 · by · 18 Comments
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If you look at my Christmas Countdown ticker at the bottom of the right sidebar, it’s 31 days until Christmas. So I suppose mathematically, that’s four weeks plus a few days, but the way I look at it, there’s this whole week (Monday to Friday), and then four more weeks of Monday to Friday until Christmas. Okay, it’s weird math, but it’s MY weird math, LOL.

So, has anyone else started shopping for gifts? I’ve had three text documents saved since the beginning of last month, one for Kaitlyn, one for the boys, and one for Chris, and in each one, I make a note each time any of them say “you know what I’d like for Christmas?” Of course, Kaitlyn’s list changes pretty much daily, so anything she only mentioned once gets deleted from the list. The few things she’s mentioned over and over got bumped up to the top.

Last night I went to bed at about 11:30, and at 12:45 AM, I was still laying there wide awake. I realized that what I was thinking about was all of the people I’d like to give Christmas presents to, family as well as close friends. I was trying to think of a way that I could accomplish two goals: 1. find Cheap Christmas Gifts and 2. not have to run around to multiple stores dealing with huge crowds. What works best for me is coming up with one gift that works for everyone. So there I am at 12:45 in the morning, and I realized I had just thought of the PERFECT gift that works for everybody!

So, I jump out of bed, turn on the lamp, put on my glasses, pick up a pen off the floor, find a little notebook on my dresser, get back in bed, and start making a list of the families and friends I want to give gifts to.  I made that list, then I made a list of people to make sure to send Christmas cards to. I was done in about fifteen minutes, and when I finished, I put the pen and notebook down on my nightstand, took off my glasses, turned off the lamp, and fell sound asleep!  Apparently, all I need to be able to sleep is to write down all the thoughts swirling around in my head in a notebook!

Have you made your holiday gift list yet?  Done any shopping? Tell me in a comment what’s going on with you!

disclosure: this post contains a sponsored link

SHOPCOMSPONSORED

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Bedding deals from Kohls and SHOP.com

November 6, 2009 · by · 4 Comments
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ShopComLogoAre you familiar with Shop.com? It’s a comparison shopping site that pulls together information from over 2,000 stores so you can compare prices on what you want to buy before you make your purchase. Before you shop online, check Shop.com for discount codes, special sale prices, and deals on shipping. Once you choose the item and price you want, you are directed to the merchant’s site to checkout. It’s easy! My oldest son desperately needs a new comforter (he’s 13 and using one with race cars on it), and since I know Kohls Bedding is affordable, I went to Shop.com to check for any special sales or deals. I found 31 pages of results!

I started paging through the Kohls Bedding results and found a great deal on a Barclay bedding set that comes with a comforter, bedskirt, pillow sham and sheet sets, for only $46.00. Each listing also has a price drop alert link, click it, enter your desired price and email address, and you’ll be notified if that item becomes available at the price you want!  Other great deals on bedding at Kohls include sheets, shams and throw pillows, along with coordinating room accessories like rugs. Freshen up the look of your guest room in time for holiday visitors!

After spending time on the site, my honest opinion is that Shop.com does make online comparison shopping easier. It’s easy to search for multiple items within a category due to the tabs at the top of each page and the links along the sides. If you are shopping online for Kohls Bedding, Christmas decor (there’s a terrific Holiday category!), deals on clothing, baby items, or gifts, take a minute to search SHOP.com to get a great deal!

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