Author: brandy3

Holiday: Light Up the Room With Uncle Milton Toys #HGG14

- brandy3 2 Comments

Disclosure: No formal compensation was received for this post. A Product was provided for review.

I was able to attend Blogger Bash this year and met with reps fro Uncle Milton Toys as they showcased their new Frozen themed lights. I thought they were so cute and would be perfect for the holiday season.

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Founded in 1946, Uncle Milton creates, produces and markets proprietary and licensed toys that inspire imagination and learning while encouraging kids to explore and discover their world. The flagship Ant Farm brand ant habitat, first introduced in 1956, is a toy industry icon that has delighted generations of families and now includes a full line of live habitat products. Since then, Uncle Milton has successfully expanded into many other innovative proprietary brands. The In My Room brand delivers a range of unique and interactive in-room light and sound experiences that bring your room to life while the fast-growing Fireworks Lightshow brand has expanded into a full line of creative light and sound, firework-like experiences that light up the night. Uncle Milton is also a market leader in the science and educational toy category with a portfolio that includes many top licenses including Star Wars Science, National Geographic, Nat Geo WILD, and John Deere. Uncle Milton, distributes its toy lines through a broad range of retail channels including mass merchant, specialty toy, online, hobby, gift, and department stores nationwide.

I received the Wall Friends Olaf and Mushroom.

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My kids still love their night lights and it can get a bit to much leaving a hall light on, as I prefer the dark. Now they have their own night lights that run on batteries and that they won’t be scared of.

Olaf is so cute he comes with his own remote. He lights up and speaks some of his favorite phrases from the movie, like “Hi I am Olaf and I like warm hugs.” My son actually put this in his room. He loves it.

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The Butterfly mushroom changes colors and has the kids in amazement before bed. My daughter wanted a lava lamp, but I was worried about it getting knocked over or broken. The Mushroom is very light weight and can be put anywhere In the room.

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To see more Uncle Milton toys and browse their catalog visit their website.

Sweetie’s Candy Cottage Spooky Essay Winners

- brandy3 1 Comment

Every year my kids enter a essay contest that Sweetie’s Candy Cottage here in Huntington Ny holds every year. It’ a great way to get the kids writing and spark their creativity.

for the past two years all 3 did not win. It was a bit of a disappointment because they put so much thought into the stories.

This year we entered again with high hopes, as they spent weeks on their stories.

We got the call that someone won. The kids were in my fee waiting to hear the results. As I called back to see who had won, I received the news that 2 of my kids from different age groups were the Sweetie’s Candy Cottage Spooky Essay winners . How exciting!

My middle daughter who did not win instantly burst into tears, but became a good sport and congratulated her siblings.

Hard work pays off. They both won a $15 gift certificate.

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Have your kids ever won anything? This was our first.

Holiday: Earth To Echo Blu-ray and DVD Giveaway11/25 #HGG14

- brandy3 46 Comments

Disclosure: No formal compensation was received for this post. A product was received for being a member of the Fox Home ent. Insiders.

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This wonderful journey, “full of adventure, bravery, excitement, and friendship…has something for audiences of all ages” (Claudia Puig, USA Today). The “lively and likable” (Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times) tale is told through the eyes of Tuck, Munch and Alex, a trio of pals who make an out-of-this-world discovery. After receiving signals on their phones, they meet Echo, a small, but amazingly energetic, alien trying to make his way back to his home planet. As they race to help their new friend, the boys will discover that little Echo has touched their hearts in unexpected ways and changed their lives forever.

We never saw this movie in theaters so my kids were thrilled to watch it. It is a very interesting movie, as most of the movie is shot through a camera on the actors. Kind of like the Blair Witch Project. It is very cute though how they meet Echo and try to protect him from the people who are looking for him, and help him escape. This is a great heartfelt family movie, and would be a great stocking stuffer.

Earth to Echo is a tale told through the eyes of Tuck, Munch and Alex, a trio of pals who make an out-of-this-world discovery. The best friends venture out of their neighborhood to find the true meaning of friendship. After receiving signals on their phones, they meet Echo, a small, but amazingly energetic, alien trying to make his way back to his home planet. As they race to help their new friend, the boys will discover that little Echo has touched their hearts in unexpected ways and changed their lives forever. To prepare you for this adventurous, exciting and heart warming film, we have compiled a list of the best ways to spend time with your friends- outside and away from your cell phones!
Pick Up Games
There is nothing like starting a sports pickup game with all your neighborhood friends. Between sitting in class all day and coming home to do homework, a quick game, whether it is hockey, baseball, basketball or soccer, will let you use up some of that energy you’ve been storing! Not only this, but this is an awesome way to make new friends.
Bike Rides
With your parents permission of course, take a cruise around the neighborhood with your friends! Also, make sure you wear a helmet. You can use your imagination and make fun adventures out of your journey!
Hide N’ Seek
A neighborhood game of Hide N’ Seek is the ultimate outside activity. With permission from your parents, and of course, using the buddy system when it comes to hiding, Hide N’ Seek is sure to be an awesome time.
Backyard Campout
Ask your mom and dad to set up a backyard camp out for you and your friends! Start by setting up a tent and marking your territory with your sleeping bag! You can spend the night telling scary stories and eating S’mores!
Chalk
The most underrated outside activity has to be chalk! It is so much fun to create fun pictures and even games with all your friends. You can play hopscotch or tic-tac-toe or use your imagination to draw wonderful pictures!

I am giving away a Blu-ray Copy of Earth To Echo just in time for the holidays.

To enter: Tell me the best way to get your kids to play outside?

Extra entries:

Put No Time Mommy button on your site-13 entries
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Blog about this giveaway-9 entries
Leave a comment on any non-giveaway post-7 entries unlimited
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Enter any of my other giveaways-3 entries
post this giveaway on Facebook-2 entries (can be done daily)

Contest ends 11/25/14

Easy to Implement Winter Warmer Methods

- brandy3 3 Comments

Fall and winter can be two of the most beautiful seasons but those plummeting temperatures mean extra effort is required in order to keep warm indoors. There are plenty of effective ways to stay cozy during the chillier months and they shouldn’t put too much of a strain on your household energy bills.

Take a look around your home to see if you can prevent unnecessary heat loss and don’t forget to invest in some low cost heating products such as that essential electric blanket.

Block out those draughts

If you’re feeling a chill around your home it could mean that you need additional insulation for your doors and window frames. Thick curtains are one of the simplest ways to keep these draughty areas well-insulated but covering gaps by using insulation tape will work just as well. Consider adding a thermal lining to your curtains to provide extra protection. You can reduce heat loss in the home by as much as 20% by draught proofing your home in this manner.

Warm your home the natural way

Letting in the sunshine is the most inexpensive way to heat your rooms. Keep your blinds and curtains open during the daylight hours and close them as soon as it becomes dark. Don’t forget to shut doors in rooms that are not being used as this will help to further insulate your home. A fair amount of heat can be lost through an open chimney area and an inexpensive chimney balloon is an excellent way to block up that vent when not in use.

Snuggle up at night

There’s nothing better than getting into a pre-heated bed and electric blankets have long been a favorite during the colder months. Electric over or under blankets can be bought to fit your specific bed size and come with features such as a timer if you require heat for a set period. A major bonus when using this product is that you can forgo those costly bedroom heaters and this will help to save money on fuel bills. You can now also purchase heated throws to keep you warm and cozy during the evenings.

Insulate your loft

Your roof area can be one of the major contributing factors to heat loss in the home. Loft insulation is an inexpensive product that’s easy to lay and will keep your house warm in the winter but cool during the summer. Consider the latest aluminium bubble foil, which is versatile enough to insulate lofts, floorboards and wall cavities.

These easy to implement winter home warmers will ensure you stay toasty indoors and can bring significant savings on your fuel bills.

Holiday: Planes Fire and Rescue On Blu-ray #HGG14

- brandy3 2 Comments

Disclosure: No formal compensation was received for this post. A product was provided by Disney.

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Planes Fire and Rescue is a new comedy-adventure about second chances, featuring a dynamic crew of elite firefighting aircraft devoted to protecting historic Piston Peak National Park from raging wildfire. When world-famous air racer Dusty (voice of Dane Cook) learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of aerial firefighting. Dusty joins forces with veteran fire-and-rescue helicopter Blade Ranger (voice of Ed Harris) and his courageous team, including spirited air tanker Dipper (voice of Julie Bowen), heavy-lift helicopter Windlifter (voice of Wes Studi), ex-military transport Cabbie (voice of Captain Dale Dye) and a lively bunch of brave all-terrain vehicles known as The Smokejumpers. Together, the fearless team battles a massive wildfire and Dusty learns what it takes to become a true hero.

Bonus Features:

  • Exclusive Animated Short “Vitaminamulch: Air Spectacular”
  • Welcome To Piston Peak
  • “CHoPs” TV Promo
  • Air Attack: Firefighters From The Sky
  • Deleted Scenes With Filmmaker Intros
  • “Still I Fly” Music Video By Spencer Lee
  • Plus More

 

***Planes Fire and Rescue is now on Dvd and Blu-ray and its the perfect holiday gift for any Planes/cars fan in your house. My son couldn’t wait for this movie to come out. He loved Cars and Planes. Planes Fire and Rescue is action packed and will leave you on the edge of your seat at times. The movie is not just for kids though, there are a lot of jokes that adults will get and enjoy. One of the things I loved the most is it has a great storyline and plot. First off at the beginning of the movie it says it’s dedicated to all the Firefighters who risk there lives everyday. In the movie Dusty learns that life is not all about being selfish and famous or popular, it’s about helping others even when it’s dangerous. He learns that after having his life saved.

 

Release date: November 4, 2014

Running Time: 84 minutes

Rating:9

 

Holiday: Maleficent Flies to Blu-ray and DVD #HGG14

- brandy3 3 Comments

Disclosure: Product was provided.

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In the beginning you see the magical wonders of the Moore where Maleficent lives with all the fairy tale creatures. She soon meets a human boy Stephen and becomes smitten. They keep meeting, but he starts to become greedy. The king also hears about Maleficent’s power and starts a attack to destroy her, so he will be the only one powerful.
He fails and falls ill, he announces his successor will be the one who defeats Maleficent. He comes back and pretends to be in love with Maleficent, but one night while she is asleep, he tries to kill her but can’t so cuts off her wings instead.
Fast forward to him being king and announcing the birth of his daughter.
From there it is much like the fairy tale sleeping beauty. She curses the baby and the 3 fairies hide in the woods until she is almost 16 and she escapes, pricks her finger and falls into a deep sleep.

Bonus Features:

  • Aurora Becoming A Beauty
  • From Fairy Tale To Feature Film
  • Building An Epic Battle
  • Classic Couture
  • Maleficent Revealed

Aurora: Becoming A Beauty – Maleficent Blu-ray & Digital HD Bonus Clip

Elle Fanning talks about playing Princess Aurora and what drew her to the role. MALEFICENT – Own it on Blu-ray and Digital HD 11/4! Pre-order: http://di.sn/rhf Like Maleficent on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DisneyMaleficent Follow Disney on Twitter: @DisneyPictures Follow Maleficent on Twitter: @Maleficent Instagram: http://instagram.com/disneystudios Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/disneystudios/maleficent/ #Maleficent


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When I was little I was never really a big fan of Sleeping Beauty, I thought it was a bit more dark than all of the other Princess/fairy tale movies. I could just never get into it.
My kids seem to see past the darkness and just love the Princess, danzel in distress aspect off the movie.

When Disney announced Maleficent I just thought it was going to be pretty much the same movie, plus I have never really been a fan of Angelina Jolie. I didn’t even plan on seeing the movie.

I WAS WRONG. I love this movie. It is dark and their is a bit of violence in it. It really is the modern day version of Sleeping beauty. It’s the back story you have always wondered.

This movie will make you laugh, cry, and have you on the edge of your seat.

Maleficent flies to Blu-ray and dvd on November 4, 2014.

Running Time: 97 minutes

Will this be on your holiday gift list?

Playing With Our Food For Halloween #HormelFamily

- brandy3 2 Comments

Disclosure: ’ve partnered with Hormel Foods as part of the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger Program. Throughout the year I’ll be receiving product, coupons, giveaways and promotions. However, no payment was given or expected for posting about the program, and as always, all opinions given here are fully my own.

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Halloween is tomorrow and when I was making dinner I was looking at all the ingredients and thought this would make a good pumpkin face.

SO I LET MY KIDS PLAY WITH THEIR FOOD!

So gave my kids a bunch of ingredients and let them have fun. I was making Cactus salad and pizza. Hormel Pepperoni and Dona Marie Tender cactus were used to make the fun faces.

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They had so much fun and we were still able to have our cactus salad afterward

What foods are you making for Halloween?

Gearing Up For Thanksgiving with Butterball Giveaway Closed

- brandy3 827 Comments

Disclosure: No formal compensation was received for this post, Product was provided for giveaway by Butterball.

Thanksgiving is a month away and I am already planning exactly what we will be doing this year. I want everything to be perfect, I always overcook or undercook everything.

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Thankfully, Butterball has tons of tips on their website to help you make the perfect turkey and sides of course.

  • Be prepared-let them know what you will be cooking and how they can help. Mix up the routine a little for their enjoyment.
  • help them feel like a cooking whiz-let them feel the part with a cooking apron and hat, plus let them have their own plastic measuring spoons and utensils.
  • safety first- remind them that the stove and knifes are adult jobs and they shouldn’t lick spoons, and always wash your hands.
  • assign the right tasks-assign tasks that are age appropriate and they can handle.
    have a blast-cooking can be a great way to bond with your child so relax and have fun.
  • If you have trouble at all on Thanksgiving, you can call the Butterball Turkey Talk Line 1800-Butterball (1800-288-8372).

What are your plans for Thanksgiving this year?

I have 2 Butterball giveaway gift checks. FREE TURKEYS

To enter: Tell me if you are cooking this year?

Extra entries:
Put No Time Mommy button on your site-13 entries
Subscribe to my feed- 12 entries
Blog about this giveaway-9 entries
Leave a comment on any non-giveaway post-7 entries unlimited
Follow me on Bloglovin- 6 entries
Follow me on twitter-4 entries
Tweet this giveaway-4 entries (can be done daily)
Pin, Google + or stumble share-3 entries
Enter any of my other giveaways-3 entries
post this giveaway on Facebook-2 entries (can be done daily)

Contest ends 11/17/14

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