tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18815930879830479232024-02-19T17:26:43.839-05:00Adventures in Blueberry PancakesOne mom. One kid. Many adventures!Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-3719606010416966462012-05-18T17:44:00.001-04:002012-05-18T17:44:52.459-04:00I'm a featured crafter on HeartHandmade!<br />
<center></center><center></center><center></center><center></center><center><a href="http://www.hearthandmadeblog.com/delightful-treats-for-bath-time/"><img border="0" height="125" src="http://www.hearthandmadeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/hearthandmadeblog-featured-badge-125x125.png" title="Heart Handmade Craft Blog" width="125" /></a>
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I just got the loveliest email telling me that I am a <a href="http://www.hearthandmadeblog.com/delightful-treats-for-bath-time/">featured crafter on HeartHandmade</a>! <a href="http://www.hearthandmadeblog.com/">HeartHandmade</a> is a fabulous blog that showcases artists of a wide variety of handcrafted products. Please stop by and read my interview there!Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-61905766428746066712012-05-12T02:13:00.000-04:002012-05-12T02:13:13.232-04:00Essentially Natural National Natural Hair Meetup DayOur products are going to be a part of the <a href="http://nnhmd.com/event/atlanta-georgia-2/" target="_blank">Essentially Natural National Natural Hair Meetup Day</a> in Atlanta, Georgia this coming Saturday, May 19th! We are very excited to be a part of this event and have provided them with tons of samples, a special coupon for those attending the event, and product sheets for our soap and bath salt lines. If you're going to be attending this event, please look for Bunnies & Buggies Soaps and Bath Salts, and if you live in the area and are thinking about checking it out, you can click the above link for more information about purchasing admission.<br />
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The event coordinators have provided me with the following information to share with you all:<br />
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The Essentially Natural Event is a salon grand opening in conjunction
with the Atlanta National Natural Hair Meetup Day! We will have special
topics discussions in Hair, Skincare, Makeup, Nutrition and Massage
Therapy! <br />
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We have FREE massages, FREE one-on-one hair consultations with Ma'Mocha
Naturals, FREE GIVEAWAYS throughout the day from companies such as
Darcy's Botanicals, Coco Curls, Curly Kinks, and Amazing Botanicals!
FREE parking and only $5 EARLY BIRD tickets!Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-90201298813226912222012-05-11T00:48:00.003-04:002012-05-11T00:49:45.293-04:00Birthday Sale!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUewETFBy-N5ToqjlSy38GGlojr7MPRr_YeR1zrC-hrRSTEgiOBOKxMukmovdssCbpA43hdFqSigun47Cu90wPz_kA7fTXrkDbM-0PtTzIbCvvJvPLoPWt7uGf0QDEvpLHrnH5l_u33Wgi/s1600/funny-pictures-eye-of-newt-bats-wings-sprinkles-what-else-goes-in-birthday-cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUewETFBy-N5ToqjlSy38GGlojr7MPRr_YeR1zrC-hrRSTEgiOBOKxMukmovdssCbpA43hdFqSigun47Cu90wPz_kA7fTXrkDbM-0PtTzIbCvvJvPLoPWt7uGf0QDEvpLHrnH5l_u33Wgi/s320/funny-pictures-eye-of-newt-bats-wings-sprinkles-what-else-goes-in-birthday-cake.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Birthday Sale!!</span></div>
<br />
My 31st birthday is this weekend (gasp! the horror!) - on May 13th, specifically, so it also coincides with Mother's Day this year.<br />
<br />
And what did I ask for this year, for my birthday/Mother's Day? More soap supplies, of course! And then MORE soap supplies..... and still more soap supplies!<br />
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What I'd REALLY like for my birthday though? To be able to share more of our products with the world. So, <a href="http://bunniesnbuggies.etsy.com/" target="_blank">we're offering a special birthday coupon code for this weekend,</a> starting 12:01 AM EST Friday, May 11th through 11:59 PM EST Sunday, May 13th.<br />
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Just use <a href="http://bunniesnbuggies.etsy.com/" target="_blank">coupon code BIRTHDAY2012</a> and you'll save a whopping 20% off ANY order <a href="http://bunniesnbuggies.etsy.com/" target="_blank">in our Etsy shop</a>! We'll still be adding new products all weekend long, so there will be something new to check out every single day. We appreciate all our loyal customers and thank you for your continued support and love for Bunnies & Buggies Boutique! <br />
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Oh, and even if you're not up for shopping, please <a href="http://www.facebook.com/bunniesnbuggies" target="_blank">visit our Facebook page and say hi!</a>Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-16088724405030166332012-05-08T22:40:00.000-04:002012-05-08T22:40:06.137-04:00We've got handmade bath salts!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_W0dexMwnio/T6nX5nfZpPI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/UNFYpgyJecM/s1600/P1050038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_W0dexMwnio/T6nX5nfZpPI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/UNFYpgyJecM/s320/P1050038.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yay! Bath Salts!</div>
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I'm so excited to finally say that we have a <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/bunniesnbuggies?section_id=11395594" target="_blank">full, huge line of bath salts in stock</a> in our shop! It was a longer wait than I wanted to get an entire new product line, but we did it! Our bath salts are a blend of three different dead sea salts, epsom salt, and an extra-fine sea salt - and we have over 20 fragrances to choose from, with more arriving every day! One of my personal favorites is Sweet Mint, pictured above. It really helps me clear my head after a long day, and it's not too strong or too sweet. </div>
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All of our bath salts come in a big 5 ounce jar, which is enough for 4-8 baths (depending on your taste and strength of fragrance preference, you could actually get up to 12 baths from it) and comes in a resealable sturdy plastic jar. Come by and check them out!</div>
<br />Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-62120027939758901312012-05-04T15:13:00.000-04:002012-05-04T15:13:13.214-04:00Mint Mojito Soaps are now in stock!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8iLz8rzM0KM/T6QphfS9WGI/AAAAAAAAAJs/rVbdNNXQEIg/s1600/P1040968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8iLz8rzM0KM/T6QphfS9WGI/AAAAAAAAAJs/rVbdNNXQEIg/s320/P1040968.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mint Mojito Soaps are now in stock in <a href="http://bunniesnbuggies.etsy.com/" target="_blank">our shop!</a></div>
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They were a little slow to arrive, but Mint Mojito is the newest scent in our lineup in our Etsy shop. It's a blend of sweet mint (peppermint and spearmint blend) and tangy-sweet lime (the green swirls). This is a great, refreshing summer scent and we know you'll just love it! </div>
<br />Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-43980756375075580942012-04-28T02:26:00.000-04:002012-04-28T02:27:09.218-04:00I got to test new Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Shampoo and Conditioner - and I am in love with my hair now!<br />
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<center></center><center></center><center></center><center></center><center></center><center></center><center></center><center></center><center></center><center></center><center></center><center><img alt="" src="http://img.bzzagent.com/image/garnierFructis.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=0443230628&Campaign=1333728502&Uid=1009578&token=c4314dc9851818914ada87beef7b523e" /></center><br />
So, I had the pleasure of trying out Garnier Fructis' new shampoo and conditioner from their Triple Nutrition line - for free! - through <a href="http://www.bzzagent.com/">BzzAgent.</a> I'm usually skeptical of new hair products, even shampoos and conditioners, because I have an awful combination of super sensitive skin (I'm allergic to everything!) and really fine, thin hair - so many shampoos, and especially conditioners, either give me a bad reaction, or make my fine hair look flat! I'm so thrilled to say that these products have totally blown me away with how awesome they make my hair look.<br />
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These are some of the benefits that Triple Nutrition offers:<br />
<ul class="bullet">
<li>Work best on dry or damaged hair</li>
<li>Nourish hair to the core so it shines from within</li>
<li>Formulated with Fortified Fruit Science – three weightless nutritive fruit oils (olive, avocado and shea)</li>
<li>Packed with ultra-rich and nourishing conditioners that rinse clean
— we dare you to find something that treats your dry damaged hair
better</li>
<li>Part of a larger Triple Nutrition line that includes Nutrient Spray and 3-Minute Undo Dryness Reversal Treatment</li>
<li>Have a suggested retail price of $3.99 (13 oz.) and $6.99 (25.4 oz.)</li>
<li>Available at grocery stores, drug stores and mass retailers like Target and Wal-Mart</li>
</ul>
Again, I was really, REALLY skeptical. My hair is extremely dry and damaged, plus the aforementioned potential reactions and flat hair. The shampoo has a great lather, and really left my hair feeling clean AND sleek, and not at all tangled. The conditioner was very rich and thick - a little goes a VERY long way, unlike most rinse-out conditioners, and gave my hair a pretty glossy shine when dry. And, I had no bad reactions! They also smell AMAZING - a lot like apricot with some other fruity notes.<br />
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Those of you who have read my reviews before know I won't say something is great just because I got to try it for free! This is my completely honest review. I'm never changing back to my old shampoo and conditioner again, and I think everyone should give them a try!Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-43620846541049080022012-04-27T13:06:00.000-04:002012-04-27T13:06:11.829-04:00We're in a new Etsy treasury!Just wanted to share that our <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/98057538/dew-kissed-rose-goats-milk-soap-bar?ref=tre-2722741166-12" target="_blank">Dew Kissed Rose soaps</a> were thoughtfully included in <a href="http://www.etsy.com/treasury/Njk2NjkyNnwyNzIyNzQxMTY2/rub-a-dub-dub" target="_blank">this sweet Etsy treasury of handmade bath stuff! </a><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1TZLKjcqwIc/T5rRvd5t7wI/AAAAAAAAAJg/FeTr7UQQJEg/s1600/P1040901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1TZLKjcqwIc/T5rRvd5t7wI/AAAAAAAAAJg/FeTr7UQQJEg/s320/P1040901.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-88038358752132177942012-04-26T01:44:00.002-04:002012-04-26T01:44:33.923-04:00Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes!So, I had promised all my employees (at my outside the house day job)
a reward of lunch, snacks, etc of their choice if we exceeded certain
company goals on any given week by at least 10%, something which is no
small feat. I'm already known for my baking, as I bring in a lot of
cookies and muffins when I make them at home anyway, and I told them
they could literally choose anything they could think of. Well, last
week they did it, and you know what they come up with? Boston Cream
cupcakes.<br />
<br />
WHO COMES UP WITH THAT????<br />
<br />
Thankfully,
they are not extremely difficult to make, although time consuming, but
they came out so awesome and delicious I figured I'd share them here.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GH2JExAk0iI/T5jZ1nIGksI/AAAAAAAAAJI/seeFmQOlxEA/s1600/P1040964.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GH2JExAk0iI/T5jZ1nIGksI/AAAAAAAAAJI/seeFmQOlxEA/s320/P1040964.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Our fancy pants finished cupcake!</div>
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I'm
actually going to post the EASY version here. You could easily go full
from-scratch, but then I'd be posting multiple recipes, and I'd like it
to seem easy enough that you can do it yourself! The most complicated
part of this will be timing and temperatures - if you don't prep
everything at the right times, these can take way longer to assemble
than necessary. You're going to need:</div>
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</div>
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1 box yellow cake mix (NOT a "pudding
in the mix" one, it has to be regular) and all the ingredients to
prepare the mix. I used Betty Crocker Classic Yellow, which required 1/2
cup vegetable oil, 1 cup of water, and 3 eggs.</div>
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1 box instant vanilla pudding/pie
filling (plus the milk to prepare it) I actually used the Walmart
generic one this time, which is quite delicious actually, and requires 2
1/2 cups of milk. </div>
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<br />
</div>
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1 can of Classic Chocolate frosting (I
used Betty Crocker again) - NOT the "whipped" kind or it isn't going to
finish up right and will taste funny.</div>
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</div>
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You can substitute any of the above
with from-scratch yellow cake, vanilla pudding, or a chocolate ganache
(all of which I will post the recipes I normally use on another day) and
yes, they do taste better but take quite a bit longer and are more
ingredient-intensive. You can make these cupcakes for about $6. The from
scratch ones will run you more like $18, assuming you won't have ALL
the ingredients in your pantry on an average day.</div>
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First thing you need to do is make your
cupcakes like normal according to the recipe. Be very mindful NOT to
overfill the cups (2/3 full is plenty!) because they're going to fluff
up quite a bit and you need to leave room for the filling! Using a whisk
to mix your cupcake batter will help aerate it and get the nice little
nooks and crannies in there that will fill with pudding later on. Also,
get your cupcakes OUT of the oven as soon as they are springy to the
touch, making sure not to overcook them, or they will be rubbery (or
dry) and will not cooperate well when you go to add the filling!</div>
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As soon as you get your cupcakes in the
oven, prep your vanilla pudding according to the "for pie filling"
recipe on the box. I used a family size pudding box and that required
2.5 cups of milk and I had pudding left over. Again, whisk your pudding
mix and milk together, preferably in a wide bowl - this will create a
shallow layer that will be easier to work with later. Get that in the
fridge right away! </div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Ok, at this point, you can take a short
break. :) Your cupcakes should take 20-28 minutes to bake. As soon as
they're done, you need to cool them to room temperature, but don't put
them in the fridge - get them out of the pan (to stop the cooking
process) and on a plate or cooling rack. It takes about 35 minutes to
get them down to room temp this way. Which is perfect because by
then...... your pudding will be ready!</div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So, before you start the end process, you'll need the following:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A cupcake corer - <a href="http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=17413783" target="_blank">I have this one, which is $3.99 at Bed Bath and Beyond</a> - one of the best Christmas gifts I ever got! Or a paring knife</div>
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Your can of frosting, and a small spatula or butter knife</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A 1 tsp size measuring spoon</div>
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Some space and an empty plate in your refridgerator! <br />
</div>
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Using your corer, take out the center
of your cupcake but DO NOT DISCARD IT! (You can also cut out a cone
shape, using a paring knife) Fill up the center of your cupcake with the
pudding, using the measuring spoon as a scoop - this will give you just
the right amount! Pull off the excess cake from the bottom of your
cupcake center that you removed earlier, and use the "top" to cap off
the pudding center. Fill ALL of your cupcakes with the pudding before
moving on to the next step.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Microwave the chocolate frosting for
about 30 seconds on HIGH, then stir it well. It will be thin and
liquidy, like chocolate syrup. You need to work quickly here. Scoop up
some frosting on your butter knife or spatula, and plop it on the top
center of your cupcake. Rotate your wrist in a circle, and the chocolate
should spread around the top of the cupcake fairly evenly - it doesn't
need to be perfect! As soon as you do that, get it on the cold plate in
the fridge - this will allow the frosting to set and will give it that
nice glossy shine like a true ganache would have! Repeat with the rest
of the cupcakes. You can remove cupcakes from the fridge as they start
to set - usually after about 3 minutes you can move them out of the way
to make room as you go.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
</div>
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And... you're all set! Your finished cupcakes should look something like this:</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lhbnDPMFvFY/T5jgDtgv6JI/AAAAAAAAAJU/8rT6ysEeVMY/s1600/P1040966.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lhbnDPMFvFY/T5jgDtgv6JI/AAAAAAAAAJU/8rT6ysEeVMY/s320/P1040966.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Very important! Due to the pudding
filling, these cupcakes NEED to be refridgerated if they are not being
served immediately, or the pudding will separate and get all sorts of
nasty. Be food safe!<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-25041133614529427442012-04-23T22:55:00.000-04:002012-04-23T22:55:32.652-04:00Lemon Meringue Pie soap is here!I am so ridiculously excited to <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/98196843/lemon-meringue-pie-dual-layer-soap?ref=sr_gallery_32&ga_search_query=lemon+meringue+soap&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_search_type=all" target="_blank">add this soap</a> to <a href="http://bunniesnbuggies.etsy.com/" target="_blank">our Etsy store</a> that I had to share! This soap is the perfect sweet summer soap. It's got tart lemon, a tangy spun-sugar meringue fragrance, and a rich, buttery graham-cracker-like fragrance all blended together. The family was much disappointed that I wasn't actually baking a pie the day I tested this scent! On top of that, the bottom layer is a bright, glossy yellow, like the pudding filling, with a white "meringue" top - and it's a pretty weighty 5 ounces.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IitvLb6jwr0/T5YVZeaBkrI/AAAAAAAAAI8/VkXWeCRdq3Q/s1600/P1040889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IitvLb6jwr0/T5YVZeaBkrI/AAAAAAAAAI8/VkXWeCRdq3Q/s320/P1040889.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We're not the only shop offering a <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/98196843/lemon-meringue-pie-dual-layer-soap?ref=sr_gallery_32&ga_search_query=lemon+meringue+soap&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_search_type=all" target="_blank">Lemon Meringue Pie soap </a>(but we are one of only a handful), but I think the value and size for the price is the best around! We also offer this bar in a sample size if you'd like to try it first - but I'm pretty sure you're going to love it.Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-77597886894638555442012-04-23T00:07:00.000-04:002012-04-23T00:07:10.479-04:00Boo Boo Bunnies from Jul's Sew CrazyI love, love, love getting packages in the mail - and we were super excited today to receive our package from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/julssewcrazy" target="_blank">Jul's Sew Crazy!</a> We had ordered some Boo Boo Bunnies, to be part of a gift for an expectant mommy in the family, and I have to share them because these are the best-quality bunnies I've ever come across. Boo Boo Bunnies are cloth, usually terrycloth, shaped into a bunny with an opening to tuck an ice cube into, which you can then hold on an ouchie. The cloth absorbs any drips from the ice as it melts, and it's cute and cuddly and emotionally soothing for little ones.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zvOEc6v39Lk/T5TS-nXY66I/AAAAAAAAAIk/DugWAcIrlNs/s1600/P1040936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zvOEc6v39Lk/T5TS-nXY66I/AAAAAAAAAIk/DugWAcIrlNs/s320/P1040936.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
First off, HOW CUTE ARE THESE?!?! We ordered one each in pink and purple. They are very generously sized and shaped, so even though they are perfect for small hands, they're also a good size for an adult - and you know you wish you had a boo boo bunny when you step on a LEGO in the middle of the night. I love that these are bigger than the bunnies you get at retail stores typically. And, as you can see, the faces are completely embroidered and very nicely done - my pictures are awful but they have little mouths and whiskers under there! And the best part?<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
LITTLE EMBROIDERED TAILS!!!!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A rubber band holds the shape in place, which is covered by the ribbon. My only wish would be that it was sewn/tacked in place instead, something I'll probably do before mailing off as a gift. There was also a cute card enclosed with a little poem about the Boo Boo Bunny, which was a sweet touch.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EAlNzD8wz3M/T5TUqMUeqnI/AAAAAAAAAI0/HMsll13hmZ0/s1600/P1040939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EAlNzD8wz3M/T5TUqMUeqnI/AAAAAAAAAI0/HMsll13hmZ0/s320/P1040939.JPG" width="291" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/julssewcrazy" target="_blank">Jul's Sew Crazy</a> has a bunch of Boo Boo Bunnies and other gorgeous embroidered items in her shop on Etsy. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/JulsSewCrazy/search?search_query=boo+boo&search_submit=&search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5188321&shopname=JulsSewCrazy" target="_blank">Boo Boo Bunnies sell for $5.00 each </a>and come in a variety of colors - a great price for the little one in your life!</div>Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-84906241470092726282012-04-22T13:47:00.000-04:002012-04-22T13:47:11.312-04:00We're having a SALE!We're having a Spring Clearance Sale from today, through May 15th at <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/bunniesnbuggies" target="_blank">Bunnies & Buggies Boutique on Etsy.</a> Don't worry, we're not closing! We've marked down several vintage items as well as several soap fragrances that we've either temporarily discontinued, or were just made from our older style bar shape - we're trying to get a more consistent look in our soaps, so we're clearing out those that are in the old style! Some items on sale include our Island Coconut soap, Peppermint Kissed soap, Sugar Plum Fairy soap, vintage dish and glassware and more!<br />
<br />
Items have been marked down up to 75% off the original prices, so please <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/bunniesnbuggies?section_id=11444016" target="_blank">stop by and check out our sale section today!</a>Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0Lady Lake, FL, USA28.9174855 -81.922860428.889688000000003 -81.962342400000011 28.945283 -81.8833784tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-6496986943334638032012-04-18T23:46:00.001-04:002012-04-18T23:50:17.238-04:00We've added something totally NEW in our Etsy shop!Part of being away for a year included finding some limited time to really explore more hobbies, crafts, interests, etc. Although I had done soapmaking in the past, it was always something that was too time AND space consuming when we lived in our much smaller place in New York, and honestly it's a bit pricey to start up with. Last year though, I decided to get back into it, and we (me, my husband, and Bug) have all really taken it and RAN! Now we're at the point where we are adding 3-5 new fragrances to our shop every single week. Crazy, right?<br />
<br />
Well, we went beyond that this week, and introduced a totally new product. It's a bath puff soap on a rope, and it looks like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9PpF6Jn2luA/T4-Iapm20jI/AAAAAAAAAIc/CNApA0K86RU/s1600/P1040921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9PpF6Jn2luA/T4-Iapm20jI/AAAAAAAAAIc/CNApA0K86RU/s320/P1040921.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bath Puffy Soap on a Rope!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I tried one, on a whim, and as soon as it was ready, I ran around the house quite literally screaming, "OH MY GOD IT'S JUST AS AWESOME AS I IMAGINED!". Hubby treated me like I lost my mind a bit, but oh well.<br />
<br />
<br />
I had considered trying to do a classic soap on a rope, but that left me thinking, "Well, what the heck is someone going to want a leftover rope for? There's got to be something better than this." I was able to find nylon bath puffs for a good price, and it all sort of clicked.<br />
<br />
There is an ENTIRE bath "pouf", "puffy", "scrubby" - whatever you might call it - completely embedded and submerged in a solid soap bar. I left the top rope piece out, because really, you should hang or shelve a soap to dry after using it. (It will help the soap last longer.)<br />
<br />
I've been testing one for the past month, and really, I know I made them but they're just THAT GREAT! They're awesome for kids because everything is contained - it's a combo soap and washcloth in one, and it doesn't get easily lost in the tub. They're HUGE - at just a hair under 10 ounces - double the size of our regular soap bars, and triple the size of a normal retail soap bar - and can last for over a month (depending on frequency of use of course).<br />
<br />
We're introducing these in the shop in <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/97823581/fresh-picked-blueberry-bath-puff-soap-on?listing_id=97823581&listing_slug=fresh-picked-blueberry-bath-puff-soap-on">Fresh Picked Blueberry</a>, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/97823931/strawberry-soda-pop-bath-puff-soap-on-a?listing_id=97823931&listing_slug=strawberry-soda-pop-bath-puff-soap-on-a">Strawberry Soda Pop</a>, and <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/97849365/good-morning-sunshine-pink-grapefruit?listing_id=97849365&listing_slug=good-morning-sunshine-pink-grapefruit">Good Morning, Sunshine</a> scents, but we can actually make them in custom fragrances as well if requested. And, here's a secret - <a href="http://bunniesnbuggies.etsy.com/" target="_blank">stop by our Etsy store</a>, and if you want to purchase one, send me a message that you saw it on our blog first, and we'll give you $1 off as well!Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-589174765892720222012-04-18T23:29:00.000-04:002012-04-18T23:29:52.044-04:00Mom Reviews: PokePark 2 for Nintendo WiiIt's been a while since I posted a product review, so I'm going to lead off with one that I had already prepared for PokePark 2 for the Nintendo Wii. This review was <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Parents%20of%20little%20ones%20who%20are%20into%20Pokemon%20have%20probably%20heard%20such%20requests%20as,%20%E2%80%9CI%20wish%20I%20could%20really%20have%20a%20pet%20Pikachu%E2%80%9D%20or%20%E2%80%9CHey,%20Mom,%20can%20we%20go%20to%20the%20Pokemon%20theme%20park%20in%20Japan?%E2%80%9D%20As%20a%20mom%20of%20such%20a%20child,%20I%20can%20say%20that%20the%20new%20PokePark%202:%20Wonders%20Beyond%20game%20for%20the%20Nintendo%20Wii%20makes%20a%20valiant%20attempt%20at%20filling%20the%20void%20between%20traditional%20Pokemon%20video%20games%20and%20a%20child%E2%80%99s%20desire%20to%20interact%20more%20with%20the%20adorable%20little%20creatures.%20For%20the%20basis%20of%20this%20review,%20I%20have%20to%20assume%20that%20you%20have%20some%20familiarity%20with%20Pokemon%20in%20general,%20lest%20you%20wouldn%E2%80%99t%20likely%20be%20reading%20this.%20I%E2%80%99m%20also%20going%20to%20assume%20based%20on%20personal%20experience,%20that%20you%20have%20a%20child%20at%20home%20clamoring%20for%20this%20game.%20%20For%20those%20that%20may%20be%20unfamiliar,%20Pokemon%20are%20small%20creatures,%20loosely%20based%20off%20of%20real%20animals.%20And%20their%20core%20video%20game%20series,%20which%20has%20been%20around%20for%20over%20ten%20years,%20generally%20puts%20you%20in%20the%20role%20of%20a%20human%20Pokemon%20%E2%80%9Ctrainer%E2%80%9D%20whose%20job%20it%20is%20to%20find%20and%20collect%20all%20the%20300+%20varieties%20of%20said%20critters.%20PokePark%202%20varies%20from%20this%20theme%20by%20placing%20you%20in%20the%20role%20of%20the%20actual%20Pokemon,%20and%20it%E2%80%99s%20your%20job%20to%20find%20and%20befriend%20others.%20Aside%20from%20the%20fun%20of%20finding%20and%20unlocking%20them%20all,%20there%20is%20virtually%20no%20storyline.%20%20The%20premise%20is%20fairly%20simple:%20you%20get%20to%20play%20as%20either%20Pikachu,%20Snivy,%20Oshawatt,%20or%20Tepig%20-%20a%20pleasant%20change%20from%20the%20original%20PokePark%20which%20allowed%20you%20to%20only%20play%20as%20Pikachu.%20As%20a%20Pokemon,%20you%20will%20need%20to%20befriend%20other%20Pokemon%20in%20the%20world,%20approximately%20100%20of%20them,%20by%20winning%20short%20battles,%20race%20events,%20or%20completing%20simple%20quests%20for%20them.%20There%20are%20also%20%E2%80%9CAttractions%E2%80%9D,%20playing%20off%20of%20the%20amusement%20park%20theme,%20which%20include%20simple%20games%20such%20as%20Pokemon%20trivia,%20Whack-A-Mole%20style%20carnival%20fun,%20and%20hide-and-seek.%20As%20you%20complete%20these%20games,%20you%20also%20unlock%20them%20in%20multiplayer%20mode,%20which%20will%20allow%20friends,%20or%20mom%20and%20dad,%20to%20jump%20in%20for%20a%20few%20minutes%20in%20games%20designed%20for%20two%20to%20four%20players.%20Overall,%20the%20game%20is%20a%20collection%20of%20minigames,%20wrapped%20in%20a%20pretty%20Pokemon-world%20called%20Wish%20Park.%20%20Your%20character%20is%20given%20a%20%E2%80%9CPokepark%20Pad%E2%80%9D,%20or%20diary%20of%20sorts,%20to%20keep%20track%20of%20who%20you%E2%80%99re%20helping%20and%20where%20you%20need%20to%20go%20next.%20The%20more%20of%20these%20missions%20you%20complete,%20the%20more%20Pokemon%20you%20will%20unlock%20upon%20your%20journey.%20%20Thankfully,%20the%20controls%20are%20simple,%20as%20the%20game%20only%20requires%20the%20basic%20Wii%20remote,%20and%20most%20functions%20are%20completed%20with%20only%20the%20%E2%80%9CA%E2%80%9D%20button,%20which%20allows%20even%20the%20youngest%20of%20players%20or%20those%20not%20so%20gaming-inclined,%20to%20join%20in%20the%20fun.%20A%20relatively%20basic%20reading%20ability%20is%20required%20to%20play,%20as%20you%20will%20need%20to%20follow%20some%20directions%20that%20guide%20you%20on%20your%20journey.%20However,%20if%20your%20child%20is%20already%20reading%20well%20enough%20to%20play%20other%20games%20from%20the%20Pokemon%20franchise,%20it%20should%20pose%20no%20challenges.%20%20The%20graphics%20are%20well%20done,%20with%20bright,%20colorful,%20engaging%20worlds%20and%20accurate%20rendering%20of%20the%20Pokemon%20that%20your%20kids%20know%20and%20love.%20And,%20thankfully,%20the%20music%20and%20sound%20effects%20are%20mild%20and%20pleasant%20-%20unlike%20many%20other%20children%E2%80%99s%20games%20where%20I%20just%20want%20to%20hit%20the%20mute%20button%20after%20about%20ten%20minutes.%20%20Now%20for%20the%20down%20side:%20This%20game%20is%20only%20going%20to%20appeal%20to%20the%20very%20youngest%20of%20Pokemon%20fans.%20The%20game%20rides%20the%20line%20constantly%20of%20being%20almost%20too%20easy%20and%20is%20overall%20very%20short,%20as%20you%20can%20complete%20the%20bulk%20of%20the%20game%20in%20under%208%20hours.%20As%20a%20parent%20of%20a%207%20year%20old,%20it%E2%80%99s%20at%20just%20the%20right%20speed,%20with%20certain%20minigames%20requiring%20a%20little%20practice%20to%20win,%20but%20never%20getting%20so%20frustratingly%20difficult%20to%20turn%20him%20off%20from%20the%20game%20entirely.%20However,%20if%20you%E2%80%99re%20an%20adult%20Poke-addict%20or%20the%20parent%20of%20an%20older%20Pokemon%20fan,%20you%E2%80%99ll%20likely%20be%20disappointed.%20From%20a%20parent%20point%20of%20view,%20this%20game%20is%20probably%20best%20left%20to%20the%2010-and-under%20crowd.%20A%20bit%20more%20entertainment%20can%20be%20drawn%20from%20the%20game%20with%20the%20feature%20of%20taking%20pictures%20along%20your%20adventure%20-%20something%20my%20son%20greatly%20enjoyed,%20as%20it%20allowed%20him%20to%20catch%20quick%20snapshots%20that%20he%20could%20show%20me%20and%20his%20friends%20later.%20%20Simplicity%20aside,%20I%20still%20maintain%20that%20this%20is%20a%20winning%20purchase%20for%20the%20younger%20set.%20It%20is%20one%20of%20the%20only%20games%20that%20allows%20you%20to%20take%20on%20the%20role%20of%20an%20actual%20Pokemon,%20which%20based%20on%20my%20experience%20is%20what%20many%20kids%20enjoy%20the%20most.%20And%20for%20the%20older%20kids%20and%20parents,%20the%20game%20allows%20you%20to%20jump%20in%20for%20a%20few%20minutes%20of%20playing%20together%20through%20the%20use%20of%20the%20multiplayer%20minigames,%20so%20that%20you%20can%20still%20get%20some%20%E2%80%9Cgaming%20together%E2%80%9D%20time.%20%20Overall,%20this%20may%20be%20considered%20a%20pricy%20buy%20at%20$50,%20but%20the%20amount%20of%20enjoyment%20my%20son%20gets%20out%20of%20it,%20and%20the%20fact%20that%20he%20continues%20to%20return%20to%20it%20although%20he%E2%80%99s%20already%20finished%20the%20core%20game,%20makes%20it%20worthwhile.%20I%20would%20definitely%20recommend%20a%20rental%20first,%20or%20borrow%20it%20from%20a%20friend,%20if%20you%20have%20children%20on%20the%20older%20side%20as%20mentioned%20above.%20But%20in%20the%20end,%20this%20is%20definitely%20a%20worthy%20journey%20at%20a%20different%20perspective%20through%20the%20world%20of%20Pokemon." target="_blank">originally featured here at Epinions as well, click for the full version! </a>The version below is edited for the sake of brevity, if you really need more details please stop and read the full 500+ word version above!<br />
<br />
Parents of little ones who are into Pokemon have probably heard such
requests as, “I wish I could really have a pet Pikachu” or “Hey, Mom,
can we go to the Pokemon theme park in Japan?” As a mom of such a child,
I can say that the new PokePark 2: Wonders Beyond game for the Nintendo
Wii makes a valiant attempt at filling the void between traditional
Pokemon video games and a child’s desire to interact more with the
adorable little creatures. For the basis of this review, I have to
assume that you have some familiarity with Pokemon in general, lest you
wouldn’t likely be reading this. I’m also going to assume based on
personal experience, that you have a child at home clamoring for this
game. <br /><br />The premise
is fairly simple: you get to play as either Pikachu, Snivy, Oshawatt,
or Tepig - a pleasant change from the original PokePark which allowed
you to only play as Pikachu. As a Pokemon, you will need to befriend
other Pokemon in the world, approximately 100 of them, by winning short
battles, race events, or completing simple quests for them. There are
also “Attractions”, playing off of the amusement park theme, which
include simple games such as Pokemon trivia, Whack-A-Mole style carnival
fun, and hide-and-seek. As you complete these games, you also unlock
them in multiplayer mode, which will allow friends, or mom and dad, to
jump in for a few minutes in games designed for two to four players.
Overall, the game is a collection of minigames, wrapped in a pretty
Pokemon-world called Wish Park. <br /><br />Your character is given a
“Pokepark Pad”, or diary of sorts, to keep track of who you’re helping
and where you need to go next. The more of these missions you complete,
the more Pokemon you will unlock upon your journey. <br /><br />Thankfully,
the controls are simple, as the game only requires the basic Wii remote,
and most functions are completed with only the “A” button, which allows
even the youngest of players or those not so gaming-inclined, to join
in the fun. A relatively basic reading ability is required to play, as
you will need to follow some directions that guide you on your journey.
However, if your child is already reading well enough to play other
games from the Pokemon franchise, it should pose no challenges. <br /><br />The
graphics are well done, with bright, colorful, engaging worlds and
accurate rendering of the Pokemon that your kids know and love. And,
thankfully, the music and sound effects are mild and pleasant - unlike
many other children’s games where I just want to hit the mute button
after about ten minutes. <br /><br />Now for the down side: This game is
only going to appeal to the very youngest of Pokemon fans. The game
rides the line constantly of being almost too easy and is overall very
short, as you can complete the bulk of the game in under 8 hours. As a
parent of a 7 year old, it’s at just the right speed, with certain
minigames requiring a little practice to win, but never getting so
frustratingly difficult to turn him off from the game entirely. However,
if you’re an adult Poke-addict or the parent of an older Pokemon fan,
you’ll likely be disappointed. From a parent point of view, this game is
probably best left to the 10-and-under crowd. A bit more entertainment
can be drawn from the game with the feature of taking pictures along
your adventure - something my son greatly enjoyed, as it allowed him to
catch quick snapshots that he could show me and his friends later. <br /><br />Simplicity
aside, I still maintain that this is a winning purchase for the younger
set. It is one of the only games that allows you to take on the role of
an actual Pokemon, which based on my experience is what many kids enjoy
the most. And for the older kids and parents, the game allows you to
jump in for a few minutes of playing together through the use of the
multiplayer minigames, so that you can still get some “gaming together”
time. <br /><br />Overall, this may be considered a pricy buy at $50, but
the amount of enjoyment my son gets out of it, and the fact that he
continues to return to it although he’s already finished the core game,
makes it worthwhile. I would definitely recommend a rental first, or
borrow it from a friend, if you have children on the older side as
mentioned above. But in the end, this is definitely a worthy journey at a
different perspective through the world of Pokemon.<br />
<br />
<br />Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-41202036882180660012012-04-18T23:13:00.000-04:002012-04-18T23:13:46.407-04:00I am a horrible, horrible blogger.I didn't mean to be, it just sort of happened, a series of events that began last year and would snowball, accumulate speed, and then finally crash into something vaguely peaceful.<br />
<br />
I was embarrassed for a bit coming back here, logging into blogger a few times this month and staring at the last post date, which glared at me in the same way my cat does when he thinks I'm holding out on sharing some tuna fish with him. It sat there, in big black letters - February 11, 2011.
I hadn't logged in for over a year. I was doing so very well with my regular posting and writing once upon a time. I felt guilty for giving it up.<br />
<br />
Then I started to reflect on all the events of the past year leading up to it:<br />
<ul>
<li>Changing jobs (twice) including taking on and then later giving up an 85-miles-one-way commute to and from work; </li>
<li>our decision to take Bug out of school and homeschool instead; </li>
<li>going through a cancer scare with my husband, and then surgery with him later (something we're just beginning to get over); </li>
<li>ending my Ebay business, but opening two other websites; </li>
<li>doing all of this while trying to be a good wife, a good mom, and work two jobs. </li>
</ul>
Maybe I should spend less time feeling guilty, and more time just getting back to writing already. It's going to be a good year.Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-70808948880789223602011-02-03T16:18:00.000-05:002011-02-03T16:18:54.012-05:00Awesome family meal deal this week at Winn Dixie supermarkets!Whether you're stocking up for the big game this weekend or just stocking up for your family, I can't resist making mention of the <a href="http://www.winndixie.com">awesome deal Winn Dixie supermarkets has going on from Feb. 2nd through Feb. 8th</a>! Buy two Red Baron pizzas (I believe they're 12", so they're a good size) and get:<br />
<br />
a Tyson Any'tizers side (my store had Honey BBQ chicken bites or Buffalo Chicken Bites) - a 10-13 oz. box<br />
<br />
a New York Dip'N Sticks (Garlic or Cheese) frozen breadsticks - a 11-16 oz. box<br />
<br />
a 2 liter bottle of any Pepsi product<br />
<br />
AND<br />
<br />
a 48-ounce Bryers ice cream, any flavor<br />
<br />
ALL FREE.<br />
<br />
So, spend $11.99 for the 2 pizzas (total) and get the other 4 items FREE - We saved over $16 with this deal, which is enough for I would say a good 2 full meals for a family of 4. You do need a Winn-Dixie card (free) to get the deal - if you don't have one they will let you sign up for one on the spot like we did, as we hadn't been in Winn-Dixie before - and you can have one of this offer per transaction with your card.<br />
<br />
Happy shopping!!!Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-46702758919084807862011-01-07T19:47:00.003-05:002011-01-07T19:49:12.739-05:00Join the CoverGirl 50th Anniversary Celebration!<img src="http://img.bzzagent.com/image/covergirl.png?Type=activity&Activity=0493515942&Campaign=7010289794&Uid=1009578&token=99164847d84ccbf1ef012cd97191dfcf" alt=""/><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/covergirl">Join the party on Facebook</a> and you can win cool prizes including FREE makeup, a trip to the Ellen DeGeneres show, and more!Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-86182978142683986352010-12-05T21:06:00.000-05:002010-12-05T21:06:08.463-05:00Mom Tips: Do you know about Ebates?Although I am definitely a bargain-hunter, I've never been big on reward sites when shopping online. I can't even begin to count how many I signed up for at some point or another, only to completely forget to use them, or find that they don't offer incentives for the retailers I like to shop from. And I don't want to even think about how many accounts I have that are just 5, or 10, or 100 "points" or "credits" or whatever random currency away from earning a $25 gift card, or cash back, simply because I've forgotten about them.<br />
<br />
My no-rewards-shopping plan came to an end recently though, when one of my cousins told me about <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2bm7pb5">Ebates. </a>Rather than earning some sort of proprietary points, you simply earn cash back when you visit your regular shopping sites through their websites. And they are supported by hundreds of retailers, including all the major ones. I figured it wouldn't hurt to try it out since I was getting ready to do my holiday shopping anyway - plus they were <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2bm7pb5">offering a $15 sign up bonus as well. </a><br />
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I have to say I actually REALLY like it. Most online stores offer about 2%-5% cash back when you shop through Ebates. Ebates keeps track, emails you when you've earned money, and the best best part - they automatically mail your check (quarterly) as long as you have at least $30 in earned money. If you have less than $30, it rolls over into the next quarter. Considering the $15 sign up bonus, I managed to get to the $30 fairly quickly by trying to specifically buy from stores with a higher cash back bonus - some at 10% and 15%. I definitely think <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2bm7pb5">Ebates</a> is well worth a shot for any regular online shopper. It's proven to be far better than most of the competition.Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-25163670753491202622010-09-02T22:25:00.000-04:002010-09-02T22:25:47.106-04:00Mom Reviews: Disney Pixar Color Changers Tex Dinoco<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adventure098-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B003E3HE86&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
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<span class="rkr">Apparently, once you start buying these Disney Cars toys, it becomes a sort of addiction. Sure, one water-color changing car is fun, but why not a whole raceway’s worth? Such as become the case with my son - we went from one starter car, Mater, whom I previously reviewed here, to about ten so far. In a moment of parenting weakness, they’ve become somewhat of an end-of-the-week bribe for my son who is struggling with starting Kindergarten and being away from home for nine hours a day. Hey, you gotta do what works sometimes! Tex Dinoco is our newest addition.<br />
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Recently, Mattel Toys released a line of these cool color changing cars based on the most popular characters of the series. When exposed to cold water and then warm water, they change colors. After much searching, we were able to find Tex Dinoco, one of the more elusive and obscure cars from the movie. Boost, Sarge, and DJ also seem to be some of the hardest models to find.<br />
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As far as color changing goes, these are fairly simple to work with. You can use warm or cold water, of course, but also any other heat or cold source will work. My son has taken to putting his cars in the freezer when they aren’t changing color fast enough for his liking, and heat as simple as rubbing them in your hands for a moment will change them as well. There are only two colors possible - the “cold” one and the “hot” one, which on Tex Dinoco are brown and mustard yellow, respectively. There is no “neutral” color for room temperature - they will tend to stay in the “warm” color until exposed to cold again. A nice feature is that they are almost 100% plastic as far as I can tell without opening them. The only metal on these cars are the two screws in the bottom that hold the base and body together, which leaves little to no room for rust over time from being exposed to water.<br />
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Tex Dinoco is one of the better of all the color changing cars we have tried. He changes from a deep yellow to a very dark brown. You can even use a paintbrush or cotton swab dipped in water to give him details like racing stripes or polka dots - my son’s favorite choice. <br />
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All of Tex Dinoco‘s, as well as the other cars in the series, key features such as the headlights, eyes, and decals are all painted on or are molded plastic and seem to be durable enough to withstand even rougher than average child play. Tex features a white top and white side accents - similar to an old wood-paneled station wagon - that lends to his “retro country” style. <br />
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The downside to these cars, of course, is that your child will likely want to constantly have water on hand to make the color change. I’ve started setting aside some “water time” for my son, with two containers of warm and icy water, for him to specifically play with them - otherwise, I hear the sink running at rather inconvenient times. They aren’t particularly ideal for bath time as well, unless you set aside a separate container for the cold water change.<br />
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This series of Cars toys is a little pricier than the normal ones at about $6.99 each. The regular plastic or die cast ones are typically about $3.49. We have been able to find them at WalMart, Target, and Toys R Us so far. Overall, I find that my son really enjoys them enough to make them a good value.</span><br />
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<span class="rkr">You can also see my review <a href="http://www0.epinions.com/review/Disney_Pixar_Cars_Color_Changers_Tex_Dinoco/content_523477618308">at Epinions.</a><br />
</span>Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-46456037141939549462010-08-31T18:33:00.000-04:002010-08-31T18:33:55.833-04:00Mom Reviews: Disney Pixar Color Changers Mater<center><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adventure098-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0036S4O7S&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHWBy3c9Q0ps59-h7nxliTJCdOeC_OX0YqPlpJx-7wFPOQ5fI8-2AkB7mppvd0nNuC5MhxM1x9iZ_Q3kPnDhNKEGFkdX8317Bckk3Lv-1Sn2rVRRR_uOAGO4f7VMTIEVMJ66sC9l4kwWN/s1600/color+change+mater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="rkr">What little boy (or girl) doesn’t love playing with cars, or playing with water? Disney / Pixar’s new Color Changer Cars - based off the hit movie - is a hit for playing with both at the same time.<br />
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Recently, Mattel Toys released a line of these cool color changing cars based on the most popular characters of the series. When exposed to cold water and then warm water, they change colors. We first picked one of the most popular characters - Tow Mater, the tow truck.<br />
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As far as color changing goes, these are fairly simple to work with. You can use warm or cold water, of course, but also any other heat or cold source will work. My son has taken to putting his cars in the freezer when they aren’t changing color fast enough for his liking, and heat as simple as rubbing them in your hands for a moment will change them as well. There are only two colors possible - the “cold” one and the “hot” one, which on Mater are green and turquoise, respectively. There is no “neutral” color for room temperature - they will tend to stay in the “warm” color until exposed to cold again. A nice feature is that they are 100% plastic as far as I can tell without opening them up - which means no rusting even after the constant in-and-out of water.<br />
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One of the disappointing features of Mater, to my son, was the color shade change. The normal color is turquoise, and you can hardly tell the difference to the bluish-green when he “changes” color. This happens with the other Cars from this series that are the same color combination as well. A dark green or just another color altogether would have been a better choice.<br />
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All of Mater’s other key features - like the headlights, eyes, and decals - are all painted on or are molded plastic and have been very durable on this particular car. Mater has taken a lot of falls and general kid abuse and he still looks great… for a tow truck, that is.<br />
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The downside to these cars, of course, is that your child will likely want to constantly have water on hand to make the color change. I’ve started setting aside some “water time” for my son, with two containers of warm and icy water, for him to specifically play with them - otherwise, I hear the sink running at rather inconvenient times. They aren’t particularly ideal for bath time as well, unless you set aside a separate container for the cold water change.<br />
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This series of Cars toys is a little pricier than the normal ones at about $6.99 each. The regular plastic or die cast ones are typically about $3.49. We have been able to find them at WalMart, Target, and Toys R Us so far. Overall, I find that my son really enjoys them enough to make them a good value.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="rkr"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="rkr">You can also read our full review at <a href="http://www99.epinions.com/review/Mattel_Disney_Pixar_Cars_Color_Changers_Brand_Mater/content_523237035652">Epinions!</a><br />
</span></div>Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-3479203065932958002010-08-25T19:59:00.000-04:002010-08-25T19:59:44.135-04:00Find us on GiveawayScout!You will soon be able to find out about our giveaways and contests - and thousands more - via GiveawayScout.com. I invite all of our readers to stop by and check them out - I found tons of great offers there myself!<br />
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In other news, new posts, reviews, giveaways and more coming soon. We finally got settled in our new place and just managed to get some decent internet back, so thanks for your patience!Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-39064294707245450712010-07-12T19:32:00.000-04:002010-07-12T19:32:58.860-04:00Let's Hear It for Amazing Customer Service!If you've read my blog, well, ever, you'll know that I am always highly recommending the Skechers brand because of their durability vs. price. I've said a million times over that they are one of the few brands where I really feel like I'm getting excellent value for my spending money, as both my and the rest of my family's shoes are usually outgrown long before they are worn out. In fact, we've never in ten years had a problem with Skechers ever.<br />
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I was significantly surprised when a pair of Skechers Shape-Ups - their premium priced "fitness" shoe - split on me right down the side seam. I had only gotten them in December and I don't wear them on a daily basis. We have a Skechers store not far from our house, so when I stopped in there to pick up a casual summer sneaker, I figured I'd ask if there was any potential warranty at all. They were very nice about it and suggested I contact customer service to see if I could send them in. Of course, I promptly forgot to do this for another two weeks.<br />
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Eventually I did, in fact, remember to contact customer service. As usual, I remembered at around 3 am so I figured the easiest thing to do was send an email. I received a prompt response the next morning with an address to mail the sneakers to, and instructions to include a short note explaining the problem, and that it could take 4-6 weeks for a response.<br />
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Now, my biggest problem was this: I received these shoes as a gift from my mom who lives in another state. I had no idea what date or from what store they were purchased, just that I received them in December. I contacted my mom to ask, but she said the receipt was long gone. I sincerely did NOT expect anything, realistically, back from Skechers at all. These were six month old shoes that I didn't know where or when they were purchased. But still, I figured taking a chance spending the $8 to ship them, on a small chance of replacement, was better than throwing away a $150 pair of shoes.<br />
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So, off they went, the first week of June. I sent a letter explaining the whole situation, and made notes of where the flaw was. I included an email address and contact number (as well as my mailing address) in case there were any questions. I gave specific instructions not to return them if they couldn't be fixed, as it wasn't going to be worth shipping both ways plus a fee to have them repaired locally. Weeks went by and I heard nothing, but again, this was as expected really.<br />
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You cannot imagine my complete shock when today, a brand new pair of Shape-Ups arrived from Skechers in the mail! An exact replacement of my originals, factory packed and just perfect. I sincerely feel that they went above and beyond for me, and I will say they definitely have a loyal customer for life now. Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-9572087636709736382010-06-30T14:26:00.000-04:002010-06-30T14:26:52.588-04:00Updates on the terrors of moving with kids...Moving day is very fast approaching at less than 30 days out. If you saw my previous blog post, this has been an absolutely nerve-wracking experience, however the closer the deadline gets, the calmer I'm actually becoming.<br />
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My biggest fear was Bug being upset about moving. We've lived in this house for pretty much his whole life, and I was afraid leaving would be a terrible shock to him. And he didn't even find out the way I had planned. I had wanted to sit him down and talk to him about the changes, and was prepared for him to be very upset. What actually happened? I was on the phone with moving companies trying to get quotes. As the woman asked, "well, where are you moving to?", Bug burst in the door as I was saying "We're moving to Florida from New York." As soon as he heard me, his eyes lit up and he yelled, "We're moving to FLORIDA?!?! I'm gonna go pack my stuff!" And the rest is history. He's spent the last few weeks telling everyone about how we're getting a new house with new rooms and a playground. All I'm waiting for is to find out whether we actually GOT the house, which hopefully I'll know in a day or so.<br />
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So, that's one colossal obstacle down, only, oh..... a hundred or so more to go.Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-33896246871456165192010-06-30T14:10:00.000-04:002010-06-30T14:10:35.996-04:00My kid likes Top Chef better than cartoons....In a "haven't had my coffee yet" haze at 6:00 this morning, I plopped on the couch with my wide-awake five year old to wake up with a short burst of television while he played with his dinosaurs nearby. Giving up on finding any quality programming at the early hour, I started browsing our cable's On Demand listings to try to find something that, at best, just didn't suck as bad as being out of coffee.<br />
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When I failed to find something that was at least marginally interesting to me while still being family-friendly, I vacantly suggested watching a little Dora the Explorer to Bug. I was more than a little surprised when he answered, "No, I wanna watch the cooking show!" I momentarily racked my brain before realizing the only cooking show we really watch is Top Chef, which I did find is On Demand right now. I checked with him again before putting it on - "You're <i>really</i> sure this is what you want to watch?" <br />
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"Yup." he answered smartly. "I like when they make the amused butts!"<br />
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He was referring to the episode where they have to make an <i>amuse bouche</i> from a breakfast buffet. Either way, my kid is more of a culinary master than I will likely ever be.Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-86932309695388947532010-06-07T21:32:00.000-04:002010-06-07T21:32:03.110-04:00I despise making really difficult decisons.*Heaving a big sigh*<br />
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We are, inevitably, moving clear across the country in only a few weeks. We've spent the last several years living with my in-laws (more for their benefit than our own). Then, my husband's father passed about 5 years ago, so we continued to stay, helping along my mother in law, who was (with good reason) devastated by the loss.<br />
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But now, she is moving on and so shall we, with our best option being moving to Sunny Florida, as I have my own family there. I am excited to be, finally, out on our own, as our OWN FAMILY for the first time ever, just myself, my husband, and our son.<br />
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At the same time, I am terrified.<br />
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I am still waiting on confirmation as to whether or not my employer will relocate me, and even still that doesn't have the most positive outlook. So I am seeking out a new career, but playing the waiting game for a response is slow and painful, and does not leave me feeling all too hopeful. And I can't even begin applying for our apartment until my job is secure, so really I'm a total mess.<br />
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Add to this the fact that I have not yet explained to our son what is going on. I feel like it's still too soon, with so many things up in the air. I want to wait until I can show him pictures of where his new home, new school, playground, etc. will be, before making his life any harder than it already is. He's already worried about starting Kindergarten this year.<br />
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So, again I sigh, and turn back to my coffee and the sanctuary of my desk for an hour's peace and quiet, telling my husband I need to "unwind" even though I'm secretly actually still poring over pages and pages of online job searches, hoping that the next click will bring me some peace. At least, for now.Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881593087983047923.post-32758829621110121992010-05-21T21:50:00.000-04:002010-05-21T21:50:18.086-04:00Mom Reviews: Step 2 Sand And Water Table<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adventure098-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001PGTNK6&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>It is definitely the time of year to start thinking about how to keep the little ones fully occupied for the summer! Although my son is almost six now, I had to give a review of the Step2 Sand and Water table set that we've had for the last almost three years.<br />
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Step2 is known for making quality children's products, and this one is really no exception. And, apparently, it's currently on sale at Amazon (down from the almost $100 we paid for it back in the day). You can <a href="http://www1.epinions.com/review/Step_2_Naturally_Playful_Sand_and_Water_Activity_Center_At_Kohl_s/content_512393186948">see my full review here at Epinions</a> as well, but we give it 5 out of 5 stars.<br />
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If you have a child or grandchild ages 18 months to preschool age, this is a very worthy investment as you're bound to get several years of use from it, and I guarantee, it will keep the little ones busy -and outside- the whole season.Tinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03277538387187281189noreply@blogger.com0