Tips To Stay On A Budget For A Designer Nursery

January 22, 2016January 22, 2016 - brandy3 1 Comment

When designing a nursery you want to strike a balance between being feminine and sweet without being cliché and prissy. Moreover, you want to be able to create a luxurious and beautiful environment without breaking the bank! Here are some amazing tips on when to splurge on nursery furniture and save!

Splurge: Permanent Items
For items like bookcases and dressers that you will be able to keep for years, it’s worth splurging on since you will get long term use out of the item. To ensure these items will be able to easily transition into your child’s adolescence, pick neutral colors and classic silhouettes and designs for your luxury baby furniture.

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Save: Temporary Items
Items like bassinets will only last you for the first couple months of your child’s life and while having a beautifully ornate bassinet is ideal, if you are looking to save, this is a great place to do so! This is a great tip in putting together a child’s room over all: if it will only last you six months or less, find an inexpensive option.

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Splurge: Accent Pieces
Having one or two truly stunning items will take your nursery from ‘eh’ to ‘ah!’ in an instant. You don’t need every single piece to be absolutely stunning, but having one or two pieces will do the trick. This tip also applies to ornate accent detail pieces, for example, plush pillows and mirrors.

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Save: Toys!
A nursery is not complete without an abundance of stuffed animals and other little toys to give the room a child’s ambiance. However, with some designer toys ranging from 60 to 500 you could end up spending hundreds if not more on toys. This is something you definitely do not need to do. Pick up some cheap toys and animals, maybe 10 to put around the room but no need to drop a ton of money, you never know, the child may reject the toy entirely!

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Head over to AFK Furniture today to create the perfect nursery for your baby!

The Real Deal Snacks Veggie Chips

January 7, 2016January 7, 2016 - brandy3 2 Comments

The Real Deal Snacks Veggie Chips are the perfect snack! They are made with 51% real green peas, corn and rice, and there is a serving and a half in every ounce. They are Gluten free, kosher, non-GMO and have 80% less fat than potato chips.

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The real deal veggie chips come in three different varieties, original, Aged White Cheddar, and Sriracha.

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The packages come in 6oz packages as well as individual bags for the original only.

I was a bit skeptical that anyone in my family would like these because they are so picky, but I am on a mission to eat healthier so I wanted to try them.
I was surprised everyone loved them even my kids liked them. My husband wanted to make sure he wasn’t being punched and that these were healthier so he compared the ingredients and nutrition facts to our regular bag of tortilla chips. They are so much healthier and better for you. He was really impressed by that and the taste. Let me tell you that doesn’t happen very often.

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You can find The Real Deal Snacks at these locations nationwide.

St.Louis: Dierbergs, Schnucks, Shop N Save
Chicago: Sunset, Roundy’s/Mariano’s, Strack & Van Til, Walts, Woodmans, Pete’s, Caputo’s, & Tony’s
Milwaukee: Roundy’s/Mariano’s, Woodmans, & Piggly Wiggly’s
KC: Cosentino’s, Balls, Queens, McKeevers, Green Acres, Lucky, Checkers, Dillions/Kroger
NY: Wegmans, Shoprite, Price Chopper, Tops, Fairway, DeCicco’s, Gourmet Garage, Zabar’s
New England: Price Chopper, Marketbasket, Wegmans
Salt Lake City: harmons, Good Earth Natural, Smiths
San Diego:Baron’s, Keils Grocery, Albertsons, Whole Foods
OH: Kroger, Whole Foods
Nashville: Kroger, Whole Foods
Atlanta: Kroger, Whole Foods, Earth Fare
Phoenix: Fry’s

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Real Deal Snacks and The Role Mommy Writers Network.

Children’s Place Winter Fashions

January 4, 2016 - brandy3

Winter is here but it has been unseasonably warm, specially here in the north east. While my kids love snow they are happy they don’t have to get out the winter gear just yet. The Children’s Place has some of the cutest clothes just in time for the winter and holiday season.

For the girls sparkles are definitely in this year.

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and of course leggings

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and for the boys plaid id definitely in.

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The Children’s Place has so many different looks and outfits to choose from. My daughter loved the complete outfits and that they could choose either the skirt or the leggings with their sparkly shirt and it would still look good.
My son was very impressed with the outfit and how warm it was, the pants were a bit big but he says they are more comfortable that way.
They have tons of stuff to gear up for the cold weather including winter boots, gloves, and tons of fashionable winter outfits to choose from.

Right now The Children’s Place is having 50-60% off winter clearance including other incredible deals. Gear up for the winter here.

Disclosure: No formal compensation was received, a product was provided for review. All opinions are 100% my own.

TxTpressions Bandaids are so much fun Giveaway Closed

December 14, 2015March 1, 2016 - brandy3 6 Comments

We go through bandaids in my house like crazy, my kids always seem to need one. Every scratch or cut, even if it does not seem that bad they feel better with a band-aid. I am always looking for fun band-aids for my kids, but they are to plain or seem to be for smaller kids.
TXTpressions are the coolest band-aids around and even adults can wear them without looking silly.

When I first showed TxTpressions to my kids they looked for a old scratch or some type of cut just to be able to wear the bandage.

I love these designs they are so cute. The small canister is perfect for keeping in your purse, you never know when you’ll need a bandage.

I am giving away TxTpressions band-aid box to one lucky reader.

To enter: Tell me your favorite band-aid design out of the TxTPressions pictured above.

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 12/27/15

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

Brave Girls Book Review

November 21, 2015November 22, 2015 - brandy3 2 Comments

I have 2 daughters and know how hard it can be to build their confidence, with bullies in school and hardships. I try to build their confidence as much as I can, but as they get older it can get harder. I just finished reading Brave Girls and it was very empowering to hear the insights in this book.

After interviewing hundreds of high-achieving businesswomen, Dr. Radin discovered that even the country’s most accomplished female professionals were often hampered by insecurity and afraid of being considered too aggressive in a business world run largely by men. She is dedicated to uncovering the inherent strengths, value, and skills of young girls.

Dr. Radins research showed that girls start to develop harmful thoughts around middle school, when kids start to question their identity.

My daughters are 9 and 10 and they are just entering the middle school age. Although my oldest daughter seems very confident and is a great student, someone saying something mean or bullying her really brings her down.
I try to instill in them that this world can be cruel and you need to be confident and stand up for yourself. Looks at all the powerful woman in this country, who have things said about them that are so rash, yet they ignore it and manage on.
Every chapter of this book makes me feel better as a parent knowing that I can help my daughters be brave Girls and help them grow stronger and have passion, power, and purpose.

Dr. Radin started the Unleashed program to help young girls build the tools needed to be more confident and brave. To learn more about this program and how you can help visit Unleashed.

You can buy the book here.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Pivoting Media. All opinions are 100% my own.

Baskin-Robbins Celebrates Veterans Day

November 9, 2015 - brandy3 5 Comments

Disclosure: This is a compensated post for Baskin Robins and Blog Meets Brand. All opinions are 100% my own.

Baskin-Robbins is celebrating Veterans Day by donating 11 cents from every ice cream scoop sold at US locations on Veterans Day to the USO in honor of service members, veterans and their family members.

Throughout the month of November you can celebrate veterans by getting a delicious camo waffle cone or bowl, with your favorite ice cream or a seasonal favorite like pumpkin cheesecake. The camp waffle cones are decorated and baked with green, brown and tan.

Want a special treat? Go for the camouflage layered sundae, which includes oreo cookie pieces, Carmel praline topping, hot fudge and topped with whipped cream. The First Class Camouflage inspired ice cream consists of chocolate, salty caramel, and cake flavored ice creams. The whole line is a great way to celebrate veterans and celebrate veterans.

I ams o excited that Baskin-Robbins is partnering with the USO and having a fun themed waffle cone and ice cream. My husband is a veteran and I know it means a lot to help those families still serving. We will definitely be at Baskin-Robbins on Veterans Day.

"This image from Baskin Robbins photo shoot of 2014 Q4 POP images. Shoot date: Week of JUNE 9th, 2014, photographed by Michael Indresano Photography Inc., 33 A St., Boston, MA 02127, 617-269-2400, www.indresano.com. Ansira job #: BASK200-1002. Licensed to Dunkin Brands, Inc. Per Indresano Photography, Inc. usage terms are as follows – Term: Perpetual (unlimited), Permitted Materials: Any and all point of purchase, print and Internet materials; Permitted Media: In-store, print and Internet; Territory: North America, including the commonwealths, territories and possessions of the United States; use on the Internet shall be worldwide. Indresano retains ownership and copyright of all images and grants the client and Ansira a license to use the images. See Indresano 2014 Agreement for all terms and conditions." — “This image from Baskin Robbins photo shoot of 2014 Q4 POP images. Shoot date: Week of JUNE 9th, 2014, photographed by Michael Indresano Photography Inc., 33 A St., Boston, MA 02127, 617-269-2400, www.indresano.com. Ansira job #: BASK200-1002. Licensed to Dunkin Brands, Inc. Per Indresano Photography, Inc. usage terms are as follows – Term: Perpetual (unlimited), Permitted Materials: Any and all point of purchase, print and Internet materials; Permitted Media: In-store, print and Internet; Territory: North America, including the commonwealths, territories and possessions of the United States; use on the Internet shall be worldwide. Indresano retains ownership and copyright of all images and grants the client and Ansira a license to use the images. See Indresano 2014 Agreement for all terms and conditions.”

More information about the USO:
The USO strengthens America’s military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country, throughout their service to the nation. For nearly 75 years, the USO, a private, nonprofit organization, has served the men and women in the U.S. military and their families throughout their service – from the moment they join, through their deployments and as they transition back to their communities. Learn more about the USO at uso.org.

You can text THANKYOU to 50555 to send a special note to our men and women serving our country.

Visit Baskin-Robbins for more information or their for locations.

Barnes and Noble Mini Maker Faire Giveaway Closed

October 28, 2015December 14, 2015 - brandy3 667 Comments

Disclosure: This is a compensated post.

We all know Barnes & Noble is a national bookseller, but did you know they’re committed to building all forms of literacy for our children – reading, art and technology? As part of that commitment, they’ve partnered with Make: Magazine to present a Mini Maker Faire at every single Barnes & Noble store across the nation Friday, November 6-8.
Maker Faires are community-based learning events that inspire everyone to become a Maker and connect with people and projects in their local community. Guests ages five and up can experience hands-on learning and making opportunities in creative thinking, art, design, construction, programming, coding, and 3D printing. The Mini Maker Faires will consist of three main areas:

• The Make Workspace: Attendees will experience the latest technologies in 3D printing, robotics, coding and programming, including: da Vinci Jr. 1.0 3D Printer from XYZprinting, Ozobot, The Slipstream Drone from Protocol, and Meccano Meccanoid from Spin Master.
• Meet the Makers: Leaders and top brands will discuss the latest trends in designing, building, creating and making.
• Make & Collaborate: Guests can immerse themselves in the process of ideation, rapid prototyping, circuitry and more. Among the featured products for children are: Electronic Snap Circuits from ELENCO, littleBits, Maker Studio™ from ThinkFun, and LEGO® Bionicle Bricks.
You can contact your local store to find out what special guests are participating during the Mini Maker Faire, or visit www.bn.com/storelocator.

We know its important to keep our children engaged and to expand their minds in new and wonderful ways, and the first-ever Barnes & Noble Mini Maker Faires provide an incredible opportunity for both children and adults to experience creativity and learning in an authentic, hands-on event.

I have a $50 Barnes & Noble gift certificate to give one lucky reader.

To enter: Tell me if you will be attending?

Extra entries:

Contest ends 11/29/15

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Are You Prepared?

October 26, 2015 - brandy3 1 Comment

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease, offer information and support to those affected by breast cancer and raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure.

Both of my grandmothers suffered from Breast Cancer, both of them were survivors. Not only that but we have had other families aunts and cousins who have suffered from breast cancer as well as other cancers. It scares me because that means that my chances could be higher since it’s on both sides of my family.
My grandmother was diagnosed and have a full mastectomy, and even though it was really hard on her and she had so much going on she pulled through and flew to my family when I went through a bad accident. She was a survivor for 21 years until she passed at the age of 91.

I love to send care packages to family and friends that have or are going through this horrible stage in their life. My care packages always include one of their favorite foods as well as books, crossword puzzles, and as much personal letters and love as I can fit in the box.

Everyone should get checked whether you do it yourself or go to the doctor.
The American Cancer Society recommends the following for early breast cancer detection in women without breast symptoms…..
Women age 40 and older should have a mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health.
Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam as part of a periodic health exam by a health professional preferably every 3 years.
Breast self-exam is an option for women starting in their 20s.

Knowing where I stand with the chances of getting breast cancer and knowing we would never be able to afford the costs, I started hearing about cancer insurance policies.

A cancer insurance policy can be used not only for treatment expenses not covered by major medical insurance, but also for extra child care that may be needed, transportation to and from the doctor or treatments, and even everyday living expenses, such as mortgage payments or groceries.
If you or a family member does end up being diagnosed with breast cancer, or any cancer, you want to be able to focus on recovery not finances, and a cancer insurance policy can help you do just that.

Aflac is helping woman through their fight by not only offering great Cancer insurance policies. They are also Supporting breast cancer by teaming up with the American Association For Cancer Research for it’s “The Duck Wears Pink” campaign. They will also be selling merchandise with all proceeds going to the fight against cancer.

Knowing that breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the US, millions of woman are surviving thanks to early detection. 99% of woman are surviving, learn how you can give back by visiting “The Duck Wears Pink” campaign.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Advanced Biobanking Is The Newest Way To Bank Cord Blood

October 23, 2015October 26, 2015 - brandy3 1 Comment

Disclosure: This is a compensated post. All opinions are 100% my own.

I have shared several times how important Cord Blood banking is to me, and how life saving it can be. I have always been a advocate for donating to cord blood bank, but now there is a more advanced way of doing it.

I didn’t know much about Cord Banking when I was pregnant, but after getting the devastating news my daughter might have Spina Bifida I looked into it immediately. Medical research shows that the stem cells in cord blood have transformative potential and are used to treat more than 80 different diseases and are being studied for the treatment of dozens more.1 But cord blood is only the beginning.

Thankfully I didn’t have to use it for my child but we still decided to cord blood bank, for the sake of our family and more.

I love seeing people Cord Blood Banking and LifeBankUSA has taken their experience and leadership in stem cell research and development to deliver a new generation of advanced, first-in-class biobanking services.

Baby sleeping on pregnant woman's stomach — Baby sleeping on pregnant woman’s stomach

Don’t know much about it?
The placenta is an immune privileged organ with unique regenerative properties that offers opportunities for the treatment of immune disorders and self-repair strategies.
The placental blood contains various types of progenitor stem cells that play a role in stimulating the body’s own repair mechanisms to heal previously damaged tissues or organs.
Scientists are exploring the use of progenitor stem cells in a wide range of diseases including cerebal palsy, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and spinal cord injury.

Placental Blood also contains Stem Cells, which is offering breakthroughs in medical conditions through Science.
My husband talks very highly of preserving Stem cells, as a scientist they do help and are being studied through various research.

You have 3 options when choosing LifeBankUSA you can….
just bank your cord blood only, guaranteeing the purest stem cells.
Bank cord blood as well as tissue. Tissue is also a great research tool in medicine.
Bank your cord blood, tissue, as well placenta blood, this will guarantee the most treatment options for your family.

LifeBankUSA also offers affordable payment plans and is the only company that is backed by the innovation and strength of Celgene, a leading global biopharmaceutical company.

Follow LifebankUSA and find out more:
Twitter
Facebook

Have you thought about Cord Blood Banking? Ever tried it? What are your thoughts on it.

Chibi-Robo Zip Lash For 3DS Review

October 22, 2015 - brandy3 1 Comment

Disclosure: No formal compensation was received. Products were provided for review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Chibi-Robo Zip Lash is a tiny hero. Chibi-Robo must swing his plug to whip enemies, reach far-off platforms and solve environmental puzzles, as well as collect upgrades to extend his plug for getting hard-to-reach collectibles and uncovering hidden areas.

*** This game has been so addicting for me, I am just determined to beat a level. Every level and world is totally different with different challenges. Chibi Robo uses his Zip Lash to defeat enemies, as well as swing from area to area and more.
My kids love this game is challenging but fun and that you can use the Amiibo with it and change Chibi-Robo up.

We are still in the process of getting through levels, but one thing I don’t really like about the game is you don’t get to choose the level to play. You spin a wheel and that chooses how many spaces you move. So we have been stuck playing the same levels that have already been completed. You can buy panels to add to the wheel to make sure you get to the level you need, but that becomes a pain. If you get really stuck on a level you can choose to pay through it with the coins that you have collected.

Find out more about Chibi-Robo Zip Lash here

This game is available now at retailers nationwide. Visit Nintendo for more information and other new games available like Mario Maker and Yoshi’s Woolly World

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