Saturday, March 26, 2016

Learning to Button, Zip & Tie? One Step Ahead has a #Solutions!

12" Soft Dress Up Dolls from One Step Ahead
When you're teaching the little ones practical things like tying, buttoning, buckling, Veclro fastening and/or zipping, wouldn't it be nice if you had a fun way for them to practice, any time they wanted? One Step Ahead has a solution! These 12" Dress Up Dolls enhance practical learning, and teach by allowing kids to be very hands-on in an adorable way.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Why All the Hub-bub and Hoopla About #DisneyWorld ??


I've written about Disney World before, but always from the perspective of someone who has already been there. Today I'll share a few insights for people who have never been, so they can see a good number of things they're going to come across when they enter the park. Believe you me, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Disney World is LOADED with things to do. This post is about the most popular park for our family (we love them all, but this is by far our favorite), Magic Kingdom. One day is fun, but it's not nearly enough time to see all they have to offer. In fact, a few days might even not be enough, and they're always adding new items/events/attractions. I think that's a good thing because if you're local and looking to buy a season pass, Disney is never going to get old.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

March 19th is World Monopoly Day! #PlayLikeHasbro

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions stated are genuine and my own.



Today is World Monopoly Day, woot! The game has changed a little since I was a kid, and it's definitely gotten a lot more variations, editions, and types in its inventory (you can even play on the video game consoles), but the original classic is still my favorite!

Free Parking Cash Load in the Middle.
Do you do it, or do you stick to the rules?

It seems like everyone has played this game at one point in their lives, and it also seems like players have their own way of doing things too. For example...the money in the middle! Do you, or don't you? We definitely do. We go all in, putting all fees and taxes collected (unless they're paid to a player personally) in the middle. Whoever lands on Free Parking...gets the lucky pot, and oh how we all want that lucky break! :)


So many people seem to have a favorite token too. I used to only play the dog when I was a girl These days I'll play with any token, but I do think the latest addition, the cat, is as cute as can be.


I like my money lined up nicely under the board, and when I run out of a certain denomination (notice the missing 50's), I scooch everything over so it stays neat. I know not everyone does that...


Prime example, my 8-year-old, he's definitely a 'one money pile' kind of guy. ;)


He doesn't line those properties up nicely either...but I'll tell you what, this boy kicks rear end at Monopoly! He's agressive, risky, and buys every single thing he can buy without hestiation.

That's my token IN jail, and my youngest son landed on 'just visiting.'
That's just a recipe for disaster when it comes to taunting. ;)
He's also not beyond a little heckling while I'm sitting in Monopoly Jail and he comes to visit. -_-


And on that note, let me just say, "Go to Jail. Go Directly to Jail. Do Not Pass Go. Do Not Collect $200" is one of the worst cards in the game, don't you think? Unless of course, it's an opponent who is getting it. ;)


Monopoly does have a new update to it with the optional red speed dye. We haven't used it yet. I wanted to refamiliarize myself with the game as I played it growing up, and introduce it to my son in the same way. We will use that dye next time though, just to see how we like it.


The game we played was a smashing success.  My son loved his first go at Monopoly and he's already asking when we can play again. This is a game that has staying power, that's for sure, and with good reason, it's absolutely a world favorite.

Happy World Monopoly Day!

Monday, March 14, 2016

#ShareTheLuv #ad Get Money Back with Ibotta PLUS $5 Rebate from Luvs

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions stated are genuine and my own. #spon


Don't let that sweet face fool ya, this little man
was the king of diaper blowouts! :)

Diapering and potty training was never a time of angst for me with my first three kids. Then my youngest came along and oh my goodness! The stories I'd sympathized with coming from other parents, became one I empathized with, in an instant! Little man was definitely the king of diaper blowouts, especially if we were traveling, in a hotel room, or on a plane. ;) 



Selecting the right brand of diaper became a given. We couldn't afford to get anything but the best or it was going to be a mess for everyone (literally, and believe me, I have stories you don't want to hear!). Luvs ended up being a family favorite. 

Luvs has leak protection that is amazing, and they now have larger reusable pull tabs on the diapers sides too!! That was something that was just getting popular when little man was in them. I'm sure some of you remember the days of opening a diaper and having to throw it out whether you needed to or not, simply because the tabs wouldn't fasten again once opened. Thank goodness that is a thing of the past!


Want to know something else about Luvs that I luv?? They have a money-back guarantee. :)




I Love the Ibotta App!

One of the best kinds of cash back, is the kind you get for items that you buy everyday anyway! Ibotta understands that and has created an awesome app to help you start getting money back on items you're already buying.

Luvs, in partnership with Ibotta, is offering a limited-time $5 rebate on any boxed variety of Luvs diapers, 54ct. box or larger.  Luvs is the official diaper of experienced parents. It is a diaper known for its outstanding superior overnight protection. Luvs locks away wetness 2X better than most diapers, and because they are so reasonably priced, they in essence, turn diapers into dollars by saving you up to $150 per year! 


Luvs diapers are available in sizes newborn through 6, and can be found at mass, discount and grocery stores where baby care products are sold. 

Ibotta for rebates and money back on items you already know and love? 
Yeah, it's time to go shopping! :)

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

LBV Resort Village and Spa is One of the Best Hotels Near Disney World!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions stated are my Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa loving own.


You know how it is when you find a hotel you love so much you wish you had an extra day of vacation just to chillax while you're there? That's exactly what we found with the Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa. We had a busy agenda while we were in Orlando, and it included things such as Disney World and a marriage proposal (my 2nd oldest to his now-fiancée). That didn't leave us a bunch of time to enjoy the resort, so we made sure to make the most of the time we did have while we were there.

Completely off task...but I must ask, did you know fiancé with one 'e' is a man engaged to be married. If there are two 'e's' it designates the woman. I did not know that until today...blogging is a wealth of information for me ;) ).


There are several buildings to house the rooms, and in the main building there was a business center with computers and printers, and several resting areas. My kids liked this one here with the television and electric fireplace. 


The pool was so awesome to us that I featured it in a "Not So Wordless Wednesday" post. This area had a zero-entry pool with teeny tiny beach seats in the back for the children (complete with a jacuzzi for kids), and a ton of seating (including roof seating for the adults). It also had hammocks, an activity and play area, full service drinks and dining, and jacuzzis for the grown ups too. The big ship you see in the corner is actually a slide. You go to the top and come through to a hole on the bottom of the side. Very cool. :) 

There were also men and women's bathrooms on the premises and little niceties, like suntan lotion if you forgot your own. That's a big plus for me because though I rarely do it anymore, there have been times in my life when I've taken the kids out in the hot sun only to remember...uh oh, we have to go back for the suntan lotion.


This was the view of the pool from our second bedroom in the suite. This is one of the nicest pools I've seen. They've really thought of everything you can think of for awesome poolside relaxation or fun.


I can't say enough great things about the room. The master bedroom was amazing with a big, very comfortable bed...


a walk-in shower, and a tub with jets. My youngest utilized this tub on the first day, and my oldest couldn't resist on the last day. :) There was also a very large walk-in closet with a vacuum cleaner inside (hurrah! first resort I've seen that included one, and I was glad to have it. Of course it's the one stay we ended up not needing it (isn't that the way), but it was still a nice touch.


The second bedroom had two beds, a walk-in closet and a great poolside view.


It also had it's very own bathroom, which is always nice, especially when you have three women getting ready in the mornings, which we did. :)


The dining room table had six-seats and was large enough to comfortably accomodate family dinners.


The kitchen had all the amenities of home. From the coffee brewer to the dishwasher, refrigerator with ice maker, complete range and microwave, we were left wanting for nothing. There's also a market in the shopping center directly across the street (you can walk in just a few minutes), so if you want to have good old family time over a hot cooked meal, you can absolutely do so.


Pots, pans, knives...


and tons of silverware were available.


Then things you wouldn't expect were included too, like a blender, mixer and electric can opener. Very nice, Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa...very, very nice.


We had a full-sized washer and dryer that the kids (grown and small) hated me using on the last day. They wanted to get going but I didn't want to go home with dirty clothes! A box of detergent was included for guests, so my way of saying thank you was to use it. ;) I don't know about you, but I love when a suite has a washer and dryer.


The living room had a couch, two chairs and the television set. The balcony seen just beyond overlooked the pool area.

This resort also had a a full-service spa (that other readers have raved about in reviews but we didn't have time to visit), and three different places to dine! There was an Irish Pub kind of place called Frankie Farrell's, Lani's Luau at the pool (with very generous hours to dine, including early morning for breakfast), and a Pizza Hut.

There was a stay Sky Kids club, with scheduled activities like face painting, and a 24-hour fitness center which is something my oldest always likes to see. And for everyone? The shopping!! This resort is located so so so close to the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores. I had to be home fairly early the day we left, but my two oldest children and their equal halves ;) did not, so after check-out they went shopping! Stores like Osh Kosh, Eddie Bauer, Samsonite, Gap, Calvin Klein and Nine West were but a few on the agenda.

There is wired and wireless Internet, and the Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa does have limited pre-scheduled shuttles that run to the park (be sure to book ahead the night before your trip).

Everything in every area of the resort, and this resort was huge! was spotless, enjoyable and presented well. I have only pros to share because we only experienced pros while we were there. The best thing? Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa is SO very affordable! Take a look around the website, and the next time you're considering a trip to the Lake Buena Vista / Orlando area, be sure to book your stay. We have our next trip to Orlando in the making (we're crazy about the area, so much to see and do!!) and this is the resort where we will be paying to stay. Next time though, we're saving one day to do nothing but enjoy what LBV Resort Village and Spa has to offer.

You can learn more by visiting the website. You can also follow along on Facebook and/or Twitter.

Monday, March 7, 2016

Décor Aid Offers Nursery Design Tips (and more!)

You know how it is when you have a conversation with someone and it just clicks? You instantly like them, and are happy to have crossed paths. I recently had a chat with a smart, kind and lovely young lady like that named Denise who was just bursting with positive, and with enthusiasm for a business called Décor Aid.  In her words below, you can read what Décor Aid entails. I do hope you'll stop by the website too and took a look at all of the wonderfulness they have to offer. Whether you're looking for design now (or storing information away for later) or simply want to help yourself to some delicious designing eye candy, it is definitely a great site to visit and explore.

Décor Aid is a New York-based startup that is modernizing the interior design industry. We do some things the traditional way, meaning that we have a full-time, in-house team of designers from the best firms in the country to work with residential and commercial clients in person. However, we use a tech platform that streamlines every area of the business, from design and sales to purchasing and customer service. Pricing is transparent, and we pass our exclusive trade-only discounts on to clients. Unlike the other affordable interior design models in this space, we offer in-person service from top designers from the best firms in the country, not just online-only designs. New offices are set to open in San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, Washington DC, Boston, Philadelphia and London this month. 

Décor Aid is also a part of the team that designed the nursery of Dr Rachael Ross, a host of CBSTV’s The Doctors. What a fun surprise for her to get, and you can tell from her reaction to it (on their website) that she absolutely loved it!



Taking a look at these pictures, I can definitely understand why because I love it too!