Cards Direct

When you have a baby there is so much to do and plan. However there are three main events that first year or so from the time you find out you are pregnant that will take center stage and you need to have the right stationary for those events. That’s where Cards Direct comes in. They have a wonderful selection of items that will see you through the events.

First up are your baby shower invitations. You need to have the best and even if your best friend is planning everything my advice would be to show her (or him) the Cards direct site. Whether you are looking for something cute or more formal you will find just what you need. I really love the little duck one, it so super cute.

When your little bundle of joy is born you will need birth announcements. You will want the world to know and with Cards Direct you have the choice of a photo one or a simpler, elegant one with wording. I personally love the photo ones but it’s a personal thing. I just want everyone to see what a beautiful baby I have.

Finally it’s time for that first birthday! You need some super special birthday invitations. It doesn’t matter that your child doesn’t really know what is going on; all that really matters is that you know and show off to your friends. We chose the fairy ones for Victoria’s party and I must tell you she loved them. They are the best quality I have ever seen and I was more than pleased.

"Thank you to CardsDirect for providing the products for review.  I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are 100% mine."

Mic Costumes Review

When I first agreed to work with Mic Costumes I will admit I had no idea who the character I was getting was. My sin however did, he told me all about  who everyone was. so when i received the costume I was expecting well something generic like all the other costume places. Boy was I surprised when I opened that package!

The Lucky Start Summer Uniform Cosplay Costume was made of real fabric. The above pic is what it looks like on the cartoon.  I don't mean that cheap stuff that lasts one or two wearings either. This was one of the best quality costumes I have had the pleasure of reviewing in some time. The skirt is very flattering and cut well. The top has such detail in the stitching that it reminded of some of the outfits my Granny use to sew for us as children. I love quality items and this is by and far a quality item. It comes in sizes S-XL but you can get a custom size if you need one.

As you can see from the pictures (as model by Grandma who didn't want her face shown) the back as that great sailor collar that is reminiscent of the Cracker Jack Navy uniforms and the puffy sleeves add the cuteness of the outfit. The front has a great little bow. The skirt is functional beyond the costume because lets be honest, pleated skirts never really go out of style(especially when you're a little heavy) and you never know when you might need one in a pinch.

I don't what she's doing in this picture but hey, I  don't know what to say.  My daughter was upset this wasn't in her size she felt that Grandma got all the fun and she had to watch.

Mic Costumes has something for everyone. Whether you are looking for a Lolita dress (which by the way if I would love to review and is pictured below) they have it. They also have wigs in every color under the sun and costumes of everything from Pokemon to Japaneses school uniforms.

{PROS} Great workmanship, superior quality, plenty to choose from, website is very easy to navigate, company was super easy to work with.

{CONS} None

{SHOP} Shop Mic Costumes

Energizer Giveaway Plus Something Extra

“Summer travel season is in full swing and the ever changing cost of gas prices is impacting everyone. To help with the big summer shuffle between activities for your kids and family road trips, Energizer has a deal to help make a positive impact on your gas budget. ”

What is Energizer doing to help you with those prices?  They are rewarding Energizer® Lithium customers by helping their dollars last longer. Consumers simply purchase two packs of specially-marked Energizer® Ultimate Lithium or Energizer® Advanced Lithium batteries.  If you do, you will get a $10 Prepaid Discover® Gas Rewards* card mailed to you.  What could be easier? I know.... Energizer giving you the batteries!  Check out below and you just might get lucky.


 We use batteries all the time at my house. I am always having to run out and by some because to be honest they are always the one item I forget to buy. We have to have them for the remotes, the clocks, you name it but the one item I use batteries for the most is my eyebrow shaver. I don't know why although I suspect my husband uses it when I'm not looking.

Once you purchase your batteries, visit Energizer on Facebook.   Click on tab for the Lithium Gas Reward and follow the instructions to input your battery pack codes.  A $10 Prepaid Discover^® Gas Rewards card will then be mailed to you from the fulfillment company.

Be sure to get all your codes entered by 1/31/12 at 11:59 p.m. ET as that is the last time you can!

{WIN} Energizer has kindly offered to give one of you 2 specially-marked packages of Energizer_® Ultimate Lithium and a package of Energizer_®Advanced Lithium batteries.  With those, you can enter your codes for the $10 Discover gift card!

Mel Dorado Exculsive Interview with Lighting McQueen and Mater

World Grand Prix Q&A: Lightning McQueen and Mater

By Mel Dorado

Reporting from Tokyo, Japan

Number 95 Lightning McQueen is still a hotshot racecar, but his rookie days are past him. Now a permanent resident of Radiator Springs, Lightning has become a bona fide worldwide celebrity as winner of four Piston Cups.

After his latest win, Lightning’s off-season is unexpectedly cut short when his best friend Mater, a rusty tow truck, inadvertently prompts Lightning to enter the World Grand Prix by calling into my show, “The Mel Dorado Show.” Lightning invites Mater to come along to the races as a member of his pit crew, and Mater leaves Carburetor County for the first time.

So Lightning McQueen, how do you feel about your friend Mater here getting you involved in the World Grand Prix?

Lightning McQueen:  I couldn’t be more excited.  I mean, come on: I get to race against the greatest champions in the world with my best buddy at my side.

(Lightning looks around puzzled.) Was right here at my side.  Mater?

(Mater arrives, licking his lips.)

Mater:  Mmm-mmm.  Free food just tastes better, I’ll tell you what.

Mater, I understand you’re part of the Team Lightning McQueen pit crew for these races?

Mater:  Yeah, Guido and Luigi are doing his tires, Fillmore’s on the fuel, Sarge is keeping an eye on some other stuff.  And I… shoot, what is my job anyway? 

Lightning:  Uh, well ---

Mater: It’s so important he can’t say it publicly.

Lightning, there are some worthy competitors, like Francesco Bernoulli and Lewis Hamilton. How do you feel about your chances?

Lightning:  I leave the handicapping up to you guys, Mel.  I just go out there, race hard, leave everyone in the dust. Hopefully.

But these tracks are really different than the Piston Cup ovals.

Lightning:  I see where you’re going with this, Mel.  Listen, if I can “turn right to go left” I can definitely turn right to go right. Right?    

Mater, this is your first time overseas. What have you seen and experienced since your arrival in Tokyo?

Mater:  I thought Radiator Springs had a lot of neon but dadgum this place has us beat, I’ll tell you what!  Plus everyone here treats me like a king – bowing and stuff when I enter a room.  And sumo wrestling?  Where’s that been hiding my whole life?  I saw a Kabuki show, which I didn’t fall asleep in, and then tonight I ate some bad pistachio ice cream, met a Pacer and a Gremlin in the craziest bathroom you ever seen and then got asked on a date by the most beautiful car in the whole world!  Just an average Tuesday for Mater.

Mel Dorado got his start in broadcasting in the late 1970s as an assistant at WCNC, World Car News Chicago. With 14 Golden Fender awards and “The Mel Dorado Show” now in syndication, the Caddy with the golden touch is showing no signs of breaking down.

Go Girl Review and Giveaway

Do you hike, go "Jeeping", or anything else that may take you out where there is no potty. We do! As a woman, not having a potty can be a problem. I mean lets face it, men can stand up and pee anywhere. We have a little bit more of a problem with that. Not to mention do you really want to squat down in the woods? I have the horrible image of something biting me on the butt. Don't laugh I do! Thank God for Go Girl. When I contacted them to work with them I wasn't sure if the product was going to do all they claimed it would do but I am so happy that I was wrong.

Go Girl is a female urination device (sometimes called a FUD.) I know it sounds like something foreign. I could list all the technical jargon there is but let me simply tell you what Go Girl is for me. Go Girl means I can stand up when I have to use a public bathroom. Lets face some of them are so nasty they just scream DISEASE! they do, I have walked into bathrooms before and thought I would rather go in my pants than go in there. Go Girl also means I can go out hiking (yes, I occasionally hike when I know I'm getting something great at the end) and not have to get up in the bushes. The whole something biting me on the butt thing again.

I won't go into the details of how you use a Go Girl. I will say that they can be washed and reused.  They even come with a little bit of toilet paper. Not enough for me but that's okay I carry my own roll with me all the time anyway. It does come in this handy little tube that will fit right into your bag of choice.

{PROS} It works, keeps me from catching anything strange.

{CONS} I would like a little more toilet paper in them please.

{SHOP} Shop Go Girl

{WIN} Enter below to win a Go Girl of your own

NeoStatra and Acne

As most of you know I have acne. Having adult acne is anything but easy. I try so hard to remember to wash my face at least two times everyday but when you mange a business, a blog, and a family it's hard to find time to breath let alone the time needed to clean your face. Neostatra sent me their Exuviance Introductory kit to review and see if it would help me at all.

The kit comes with several products that when used together and correctly they work. First you use the
Moisturizing Antibacterial Cleanser to wash and cleanse your face. It works really well to remove your make up too. Next I used the Matte Perfection in the mornings to prime my face for my makeup or just for the day. The Sheer Refining Fluid has SPF 15 so is great for those day s when I wasn't wearing any makeup at all and going to be out in the sun. At night I used the Night Renewal HydraGel. It really helped control the oil all night long. The Purifying Clay Masque has a cooling effect to it that makes it perfect for once a week. However I use it anytime I feel I need a little extra deep cleaning.All in all I really liked the products and they worked. I like that the kit came with travel size products because I am on the go a lot. All I have to do is throw this kit into my bag and i am good to go.

{PROS} The products work and can be purchased separately.

{CONS} I need to buy more now.

{SHOP} Shop Neostatra

Knock Knock Review

I love fun things and Knock Knock has tons of fun things. They have what I would call gag gifts as well as the functional fun things. some of their gag items include a Bleep (insert dirty word that starts with a b) Citation, Nasty Notes sets (draw your own conclusions), and Paper Voodoo. I really like their fun stuff such as Paper Tweets and When Pigs Fly Notes. Knock Knock was wonderful enough to send me two of their items to review. both are functional items but I so needed the help.

First is their To The Market Tablet. I really needed something like this. Usually when I go to the store I just write down everything on a piece of paper and then spend all my time going all over the store trying to get the items on my list. I really like that everything is divided into departments, so to speak. You write all your produce down together, etc. It cuts my time in the store in half and anything that saves me time is great!

Next is the I'm A Parent Journal. I like this item as well. It is a place to record all your parenting moments. At the top of each page is a writing prompt that says "Why I'm A Less-Than-Perfect Parent Today." You can write whatever you want. The bottom has little photos with the slogan "Today's Parental Shortcomings Involved" The journal is also full of great quotes. 

{PROS} Knock Knock has some of the funniest items I have ever seen. You really have to check them out

{CONS} You may laugh so hard that you wet your pants.

{SHOP} Shop Knock Knock

Barielle Review and Giveaway

It's that time of the year! The time where we all shed tennis shoes and boots for flip flops and sandals. Of course if you have feet that look like mine you may not want to show off yours. My heels are cracked and honestly my feet look horrible. I don't know why. I have tried everything under the sun and can never seem to find the product that works.  When I got an email form Barielle and noticed that they were offering a foot cream I jumped at the chance.

The Total Foot Care Cream is a formula that softens and helps to eliminates calluses while healing chapped areas of the feet and contains no peeling ingredients, acids or camphors. I put it on twice a day everyday. First thing every morning and after i take my shower every night. I rub it in real good and then I put plain white cotton socks on my feet. I cannot tell you the difference it has made. My heels are no longer cracked and my feet look better than they ever have before. I know it's the cream because if I forget to put it on even once I can tell the difference right away. This is definitely a cream I will be purchasing more of.

I also received a Ultra Speed Dry Manicure Extender to try out. I love to get a manicure but the problem is that when you use your hands to type all the time that you tend to chip your nails. Of course that is just one problem. Ever try giving yourself a manicure while taking care of your children? The polish just never seems to dry in time. This really helped. My polish dried quickly and my manicure lasted much longer than it would have normally.

I really liked both of the products I received and was pleasantly surprised at how wonderful they were. Barielle has products for your skin as well as your hands and feet. They provide complete care from top to bottom. What more could you want form a company?

{PROS} The products work, the nail polish comes in a variety of colors.

{CONS} Try not to forget to use the foot cream. If you do it's like starting over with the treatment.

{SHOP} Shop Barielle

{WIN} Enter below to win a Barielle product of your own.

Staying Faithful Today by: Alfred McBride

Staying Faithful Today: To God, Ourselves, One Another is one of those great "workbook" type books. The first couple of chapters is about being faithful to God then the book gets into being faithful to ourselves and others . At the end of each chapter is a great little "I will be faithful to God (myslef,etc) by.." then you fill out the spaces. I really liked that, it was a little way of remind you all the ways to be faithful.

For me the marriage chapter was a moot point as I am faithful there. McBride offers a few suggestions such as: keep your promises, remember that marriage matters, feed your love, work to make your marriage grow, and trust each other. All are good suggestions and some may need them. The chapters on being faithful to God and to myself were much more needed chapters.I still have a lot of work on these areas but I am getting there.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Staying Faithful Today - To God, Ourselves, One An. They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.

Rita's Rating:

I love watching British movies and one of my favorite things about them is teatime. Every so often Victoria and I have our own English Tea with Scones. Here is my best recipes for scones. Serve it with whatever tea you prefer in your best china of course.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Flour (preferably cake flour)
• 2 Tsp Baking Powder
• ½ Tsp Salt
• 4 Tbs cold Butter
• 1/4 cup Sugar (1/3 cup Sugar if you don’t plan on eating them with jam and cream)
• 1/2 cup Milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
3. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and enough milk to mix to a soft dough (but not wet or overly sticky).
4. Turn onto a floured surface, knead lightly (don’t over mix) and roll out to a 1 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds and place on the prepared baking sheet. (You can also gently form some balls in your hands and place on baking sheet.)
5. Position rack high in the oven and Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10-15 minutes then cool on a wire rack.

Break open, spread on some clotted cream, and add a dab of jam on top. (If you don’t feel like making clotted cream, just whip some heavy cream until thick.)

Foldtuk Review and Giveaway

My kitchen is small. In fact is more of a kitchenette than a kitchen but I deal with it. The thing I hate the most is that I have so little space. There is only 3 drawers and the cabinet space is limited, even more so once you add dishes and groceries to the mix. That is why I love items that are space saving not to mention can be used several different ways.

Foldtuk is a company that is giving Tupperware a run for their money. I received a Bakeware piece that is not only space saving but can do more than three pieces of my Tupperware. Mine was in black and I have fallen in love with this little dish. Yes it does fold down that flat!! I can cook in this in my oven, up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. It can then go straight from the oven to the table and then to the fridge or even the freezer. It is the perfect all in one! It is air tight and comes in several stylish colors and is microwaveable and dishwasher safe. It is more than perfect for my little kitchen.

Foldtuk also has a line of  Roasters. they are available in either an 18 pound turkey or  20 pound roast size and come in several color choices. Like the bakeware they are of course oven safe. They also fold down so that they take up very little space as well. They fold down to the size of a lid! You could purchase both sizes and still have plenty of room in your cabinets.


{PROS} Easy to use and clean, works anywhere in the kitchen.


{CONS} They currently only have the bakeware and the roasters but are working on other items.


{SHOP} Shop Foldtuk


{WIN} Win a Foldtuk item of your very own. Enter below to win.

Kidlandia

I have searching for a gift for my nephew Reese for a while now. The problem is that Reese has a lot of relatives who buy him things all the time and trying to find the right gift can be hard. He may already have it. When Kidlandia agreed to work with me I knew I had found the perfect the gift for him. Why? Because I could create a one of a kind gift that no one would have already gotten him.

Kidlandia has so many different items that choosing one was very hard. Reese loves Cars so I thought about getting this Cars Gallery Wrapped Canvas but then I figured he had so many different Cars items and I wanted something unique and while this was truly a beautiful piece of artwork I just didn't think he would appreciate it. So my search through the site continued.

Next I considered the Family Tree Poster. I was very tempted with this one. In fact it made my short list. I knew it would be something unique but a the same time I really wanted something fun. This was pretty but no fun and Reese after all is only 3 years old. He wouldn't care that everyone's names was on a tree.

So I kept on searching. Kidlandia has so much to choose from. they have growth charts (he has two already), and door hangers (he's three and don't care about those), as well as characters and other gifts. What I settled on was this amazing Kidlandia Kreechurs Fine Art Print. I named it Reeseland! I was able to include the entire family in the print. His dad is listed as Charlie City and his Mom as Susan Port. Not to mention me as Rita City and Edgar Desert. How awesome is that? I loved that it is completely unique and different.  I also love that he gets a family tree that isn't as structured because to be honest our family tree is a little unstructured. I matted and framed it for him so he can hang it on his wall.

{PROS} Searching and ordering was VERY easy, It does take a few weeks to get your print so be patient, there is a huge selection of products to choose from.

{CONS} You may be tempted to buy more than one. There are so many great items that only choosing one was hard.

{SHOP} Shop Kidlandia

{WIN} Kidlandia has a contest going on right now. You can win an iPad. Head over to enter.

Baby Bedding Zone Review

When you are getting ready to decorate your nursery or child's room if you are anything like me you start researching. I search websites and magazines until I am crossed eyed. I always seem to have the hardest time trying to find the right bedding and curtains. My biggest issue is that I don't like when every single little thing matches. So I end up having to search for some curtains that will go with the bedding but not be the exact pattern.

Well Baby Bedding Zone has helped me out a bit with that. They sent me a set of their Palm Beach Blue Curtains with tiebacks. The valance was not included. These curtains are beautiful! They are very thick and help keep the sun where it belongs, outside of the room. The blue trim is light blue and is the perfect match to Daniel's room.

Baby Bedding Zone has something for every room. Some of the other items I really liked include their cowboy baby bedding. I like that while most people think of boys when they think of cowboys, Baby Bedding Zone has some pieces that are decidedly for girls. Perfect for your future cowgirl! Another set that I really like is the blue and brown baby bedding. Any color and brown is huge right now and the blue is perfect.

Most of the time finding boys nursery bedding is usually much harder than finding something perfect for girls. Baby Bedding Zone has such a great selection that choosing the right one is not an easy task. If you are looking to decorate your baby boy's room then you need to head over to Baby Bedding Zone. I am more than certain you will find just what you are looking for.

{PROS} Plenty of items to choose from, great prices,  beautiful pieces.

{CONS} You all know how I feel about decisions.

{SHOP} Shop Baby Bedding Zone

Dapple Review

I love natural cleaners! I do because I am learning more and more how everything we use affects our bodies and the environment. I remember growing up and the smell of bleach everywhere. I am not against bleach, I just don't want to harm my kids more than I have to. I'm their mother, they are already ready going to need therapy.

That's why I love Dapple! Dapple carries natural baby products, everything from dish washing liquid to detergent. Dapple started because two moms, Tamar Rosenthal and Dana Rubinstein wanted to find products for their babies that was safe for the products babies put into their mouths. There was tons of gentle shampoos and detergents but nothing to clean toys and bottles.

I was sent a package of Travel Toy Wipes and I must tell you I found a million different ways to use these things. They are so perfect and fit right into your handbag or diaper bag. I used them to clean toys that fell onto the floor in the store but I also used them to wipe down dirty little faces and hands as opposed to regular baby wipes. Any and everything my kids came into contact with I used a Dapple wipe first. I simply felt confident enough that they were clean. I have OCD and when I "feel" that something is not clean there is no telling how many times I will wipe and scrub until it feels clean to me. This is the first product I have ever used that allowed me to feel safe just using one wipe.

{PROS} Products that work and are safe. I love it!

{CONS} Travel size wipes may not be enough for me I'm going to have to buy the regular size package.

{SHOP} Shop Dapple for Organic Baby Products

Tow Mater Cookie Treats

In honor of Cars 2 I want to share with you a recipe from Disney/Pixar. This is not my recipe and you can find this and others from Cars 2 on the family site.

YOU'LL NEED:

• Template for Tow Mater Cookies ( found here)
• Sugar cookie dough
• Rolling pin
• Flour
• Wax paper
• Baking sheet
• Cooling rack
• Marshmallows
• Confectioner's sugar
• Kitchen knife
• Decorator's icing
• Tootsie Roll candies
• Green Dots candies
• Chocolate Chips
• Yellow hard candies
• Gummy Life Savers


INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Print the template and cut out the pieces.


2. Roll the cookie dough out to ¼-inch thickness on a flour-dusted sheet of wax paper. For each
cookie, use the template pieces as a pattern to cut a tow truck body, a front bumper, and a side
view mirror bar from the dough. Bake and cool the cookie pieces according to the recipe
directions.


3. For each tow truck, place a marshmallow on a piece of wax paper dusted with confectioner's
sugar and use a rolling pin to roll it as thin as possible. Then use the template pieces to cut out a
marshmallow windshield and two marshmallow teeth.


4. Likewise, roll flat the Tootsie Roll candies (if the candy is too stiff, you can microwave it for up to
5 seconds to soften it). Use the template pieces to cut out a candy mouth and windshield trim for
each cookie.


5. To assemble each Tow Mater treat, first use dabs of decorator icing to stick the windshield and
mouth pieces in place. Then top the windshield with the trim piece. For eyes, slice two circle
shapes from a green Dots candy. Then press a chocolate chip, tip down, into the center of each
circle. Use dabs of frosting to hold the eyes in place atop the windshield. Next, stick the teeth
atop the mouth. Add a yellow hard candy for a "shining" headlight and a Gummy Life Saver for a
broken headlight.


6. Use decorator's icing to attach a front bumper to each truck. Then stick the side view mirror bar
to the back of the cookie so that the ends extend beyond the cab above the headlights. For
mirrors, slice another Tootsie Roll in half vertically and stick one halve to each end of the mirror bar.

Cool Gear International Review

Being green is easier than you think. If you start by making small changes the big ones don't seem so hard to make. I started by having us use reusable plastic cups whenever possible. When Cool Gear International agreed to work with me I was thrilled for a couple of reasons. First it meant my husband could have his own cup and not have to use mine all the time and second it meant I wouldn't have to throw away all those dang plastic cups that always seem to be in his truck anymore. Cool Gear International sent me 2 cups from their Eco2 Go line.

First was their 19 oz. Coffee Cup. We got it with the brown EZ Grip wrap. Hubby really likes this cup. He can take a cup of coffee with him in the mornings on his way to work and not have to worry about anything spilling or the cup breaking. I love that he is helping the environment. It's of course insulated so it keeps his coffee hot and the EZ Grip wrap means he's less likely to drop it while driving. At $9.99, it's a great price. I once was going to get him a refillable cup int he gas station to save him on coffee prices but the refills were only 2 cent less than if you used a paper cup and their plastic cup was $12.00.

If your husband works construction like mine you more than likely have seen the inside of his work truck. It's not the cleanest truck in the world to begin with but when they guys start drinking those fountain drinks from the store they have cups everywhere.  I hated that! All those cups piled up. What I have learned is that when you give a man a reusable cup he likes, he not only brings it in to be cleaned at night, he doesn't throw it in the floorboard. I found this out by giving hubby his very own 20 oz. Chiller with Graphics cup. He got the one with blue on the left. it comes with it's own straw and is only $8.99. No BPA, keeps his drinks cool. What more could you want? All he does is take his cup in the store and fill it up. Easy as pie!


{PROS} Great cups, plenty of selections, great prices, SAVE the Earth!

{CONS} I wish the other guys wives would get them cups as well.

{SHOP} Shop Cool Gear International

Cars2 Reviews and Prize Pack Giveaway

Guess what? Saturday we got to go see Cars 2!! It was a huge hit with the kids. I can do no wrong for a little while. I am a Cars fan as well. They are just so dang cute and my favorite character is Guido. Don't know why but I just fell in love with him when I saw the first movie.

I don't want to give anything away but let me say that Cars 2 is better than the first. There is plenty of action and I love that Micheal Cane is one of the voices. My children haven't stopped talking about since Saturday night when we got home.

{FREE} Disney/Pixar has come up with some great fun crafts for you and your family.  like the above Tippy Tracter. You can download all of them here.

{WIN} In honor of the release and my getting to go see it a little early. I have a prize pack to giveaway. It inlcudes:

A YOUTH tee in size S,M,L, or XL

Set of 3 Bumper Stickers

2 Sheets of Temp. Tattoos

Puzzle

Enter below to win: