family

We are in California

- brandy3 1 Comment

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As I had mentioned before we decided to move 3000 miles from Connecticut to California for better opportunities. Well as of this weekend we are here. I haven’t lived in California for 23 years and it’s a real system shock.
Everything is different and even my favorite restaurants i’ve missed the food isn’t the same.

I am getting use to everything again from the time change, to the weather, skin changes, etc.

The weather here is gorgeous compared to the east coast, but it’s super hot and I am seriously missing the green grass and trees of the East Coast. Plus I am having trouble remembering that every time I go outside I need sun tan lotion and sun glasses. Yes it is that bright outside.

In combination with the sun block and heat, different environment I now have acne issues again. It is driving me crazy, but I hope it’s just a summer thing and will pass.

There are a few things in California that I have learned to love and that I just don’t get at all.

I love that I am around my family again. Although sometimes it can be a lot of Drama, it’s great knowing I have a support system.

I love being so close to San Fransisco and getting to see the sights and some opportunities it brings. Plus where I live everything is newer and pretty.

Dont get:

There is a serious budget problem for schools here. little to no money and I just found out that our new school district dropped there bus program in 2007. So the money that was going to that would go towards education.
I guess I get that education is more important, but it makes it so inconvenient in so many ways.
It’s a pain for me, since we don’t have second car and my kids are young I don’t trust them walking on their own.
The bay area already has a traffic problem and big pollution problem. So instead of having say a couple hundred busses for kids in the district, they would rather have thousands of parents driving their kids to school.

Everything is so spread out. From where I live there is nothing in a reasonable walking distance. All fast food and stores are at least 5 or more miles. We have a Safeway closer but that stores is a bit pricey.

Overall I haven’t made my final decision on my true thoughts on California. It’s a bit to soon, I think. It’s got it’s pros and cons and only time will tell how it will work out.

Have you lived or been to California? What do you think?

Celebrate the Super Hero In your Family This Graduation Season

- brandy3

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own.

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Last year marked a big one for us as a family; my husband graduated with his Ph.D.

It was a long, hard road, but he made it.

He is truly a super hero to me.

He received so many amazing gifts; I made sure that my gift was personalized so he would cherish it while it’s hanging in his office one day.

I got him a personalized frame for his diploma to hang on his wall. Here’s they best part, attached to the frame is a pen holder. He can put a pen there, so he always knows where it is when he needs it.

The two things this super hero in my family will be using more than anything else are pens and a tablet. The pens for writing down data and the computer for logging it all in.

My husband is a molecular biologist so taking notes and writing down data is most of his work, having a good working pen on hand is critical in his field.

Cross not only has the perfect gift in their beautiful Cross Century Collection of pens but thanks to the new Cross Tech2™ Marvel Collection you can find one with a classic super hero design that fits your grad. Is he or she more Iron Man, Captain America or maybe Spider-Man? These ballpoint pens offer a beautiful way to celebrate the importance of the job while still reminding each person of the super hero within.

For those, like my husband, who will find themselves working with paper and a tablet, the Cross Tech2™ Marvel Multifunction pens have a nice addition, a stylus on the top to help navigate touchscreens. The Cross Tech2™ Marvel Multifunction Collection is a heroic combo of a ballpoint pen and a stylus in one.

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Character-themed design details
• Beautiful translucent lacquer finishes with metallic detail
• Presented in a luxury gift box with a Marvel-themed sleeve
• Lifetime Mechanical Guarantee
About the Finish
• A translucent deep blue lacquer featuring Captain America design details and rhodium-plated appointments
About the Tip
• Click-off cap
• Specially formulated ink flows freely like a fountain pen
• Includes 1 Black Gel Ink Rollerball Refill (#8523) in pen
• Can be converted into a ballpoint pen or creamy porous felt-tip pen by changing the refill to the desired type of tip.

I love the Spider-Man pen for my husband because it comes in his favorite bold colors, blue and red. Then there is the story of Spider-Man, a great super hero because not only does he save lives, but his superpowers come from a radioactive spider bite he received in, you guessed it, a lab.

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So which pen would you choose for the super hero in your family?

Peter and The Wolf In Hollywood App Review

- brandy3

Peter and the Wolf in Hollywood is a revival of the classic Peter and the Wolf tale brought to you by acclaimed production company, Giants Are Small. This version brings Peter to Hollywood to meet his hippie grandfather while bringing classical music elements to life. Peter, along with all of the characters in the movie book, are narrated and brought to life by Rock n’ Roll legend, Alice Cooper.

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In the app you can play games, and behind the scene extras, all while following along to this beloved classic. My kids really enjoyed this app. They followed along and laughed while enjoying the vibrant colors and story.

I got to share wth my kids the story about the Narrator Alice Cooper and how I met him several times as a child at church functions and conferences. They were amazed to learn how talented he really is.

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The app is great but I think geared towards the younger age. I would love to see them add a more educational side to the app and a few more games or quizzes about the story for older kids.
I do love the resources that it adds for parents to learn more about the story and features throughout the app.

You can learn more about Peter and the Wolf In Hollywood app here.

Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored campaign with Giants Are Small and MomSelect. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Little Chickies (Los Pollitos) Book and App.

- brandy3

My kids are all taking Spanish in school, it’s actually a class that is required and offered, not a elective at all. I think it’s great growing up in AZ and not knowing any spanish was really hard as a child. Even my son who is only in second grade is starting to learn and the new Little Chickies book and app is helping him along the way. It seems like it may actually be for younger kids, but it is still helping my son and even helping me learn a little Spanish.

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Little Chickies/Los Pollitos is based on the Los Pollitos Dicen/Little Chickies Squeal nursery rhyme/song and is an homage to the demanding nature of babies and unconditional love, care and warmth given by their moms.

The Author/illustrator Susie Jamillo explains: “As a Latina mom exposed to songs and traditions from both the US and my native Venezuela (I traveled back and forth between the two countries throughout my childhood), I’ve had a hard time finding books and apps of the nursery rhymes I grew up with and, in talking to people in both Latino and non-Latino communities, I realized this was missing from bookshelves and digital platforms. In addition to promoting bilingual/multilingual learning, I hope the books, apps and videos also promote a sense of community and connect kids, especially Latino kids, to their culture.

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This app is just too cute, and the book even has been helpful one side is all Spanish and the other all English. I didn’t even tell my kids at first and quizzed them to see what they knew. I was cheating by looking at the english version, but they got most of it.

The book is very bright and would keep the focus of a small child, it is also a lift the flap book, which has been very entertaining for the kids.

You can get the Little Chickies/Los Pollitos book here and the App here or Android.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, all opinions are 100% my own.

My Kids Always Seem To Be Sick

- brandy3 94 Comments

As a Mom with 3 small kids in school, I have someone complaining about some kind of sickness constantly. No matter how much I clean, keep them germ free, my kids always seem to be sick. As a mom its to be expected, specially since they are in school and that is where a lot of the sickness gets transferred.

My daughter who is in 5th grade had perfect attendance for 4 years, she changed schools and now she has already missed school 5 times to fevers, stomach aches and more. I have seen it all between my 3.

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The easiest sickness to me is just a small stomach bug. The kids will have a stomach ache, and light fever, but they just fight it off by resting and getting plenty of fluids. It keeps it quiet around the house and they get everything they need.

My Kids Are always getting sick

The worst has to be a full on flu, fever, vomit, everything. My son had some kind of bug last year, the doctors couldn’t even explain it. No fever, he felt okay, but he could not stop throwing up. This occurred for almost 2 weeks non stop. That is the worst because he was feeling week so sometimes he couldn’t even make it to the bathroom and then you have to clean up Vomit.

Sometimes when life gets hectic which lets be honest having 3 kids is everyday, all I want is to have just a minute to myself so I can relate to this video, as I am sure a lot of moms can.

Lately the biggest sickness to hit my house is just the runny nose and then the hacking. They build up so much mucus and it’s hard to break it down. Thank goodness for Robitussin® it relives chest congestion and cough. It has helped so much in this house.

Do you have sick kids in your house?

I am giving away a $25 Visa gift card to help purchase Pfizer products to help your kids feel better.

To enter: Tell me your mommy tip for making your kids feel better?

Extra 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 1 time per day)
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 1 time per day)

The video and gift card have been provided by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. All thoughts and reviews are my own.

Pfizer Products helps Keep Kids Healthy 4/20

- brandy3 59 Comments

Having three kids someone in my house is always sick. It gets really stressful because they are just so helpless and have to miss school. The biggest sickness this year has been the flea and coughing. I am learning to keep my kids healthy with Pfizer Products.

Pfizer products help your kids with all illnesses the products include, Children’s and infants Advil, Children’s Robitussin, and Childrens Dimetapp.

Pfizer Products

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Waterpik Complete Care 5.0 and Cordless Freedom

- brandy3 1 Comment

Waterpik Complete Care 5.0 and Cordless Freedom are two brand new products from Waterpik.
I have always had sensitive teeth and unfortunately bad teeth due to genetics and trauma as a child. It’s hard for me to floss my teeth with regular floss, as it hurts and I have even made cavity bigger. I have been using a Waterpik flosser for a few years and have seen so much improvement in my teeth.

Waterpik Complete Care 5.0 combines a water flosser and sonic toothbrush technology in one to create a perfect daily care routine. Brushing and flossing is now possible with one convenient device that saves counter space and power outlets. And it’s perfect for anyone with braces or implants, and those with crowns, bridges, and veneers.

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Beat the Winter Blues With Nintendo

- brandy3 1 Comment

We have been stuck in the house for days and school has been canceled,my kids have been going stir crazy and hate the snow. So to beat the Winter Blues I introduced the kids to some new Nintendo games for the 3DS.

Mario and Luigi Paper Jam:

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When Luigi accidentally opens a mysterious book hidden away in Peach’s Castle, he gets more than he bargained for when characters from the Paper Mario universe spill out of the pages and start running amok. Players must take control of the terrific trio of Mario, Luigi and Paper Mario to defeat Bowser and Paper Bowser and bring the Paper Mario characters back to their original world.

Maro and Luigi’s Paper Jam is a fun game featuring the original characters. They go from level to level trying to collect all the paper characters and put them back in the book. The game does have a lot of talking from the characters which can take a while to get from level to level, but still fun.

Yo-kai Watch:

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The popular Japanese sensation YO-KAI WATCH has come to the United States with hundreds of cute, spooky and mischievous Yo-Kai (physical beings that inhabit the world and represent different personalities and fears). Explore the world to find Yo-Kai, befriend them and turn them into a team to battle other Yo-Kai

Yo-Kai Watch is a monster catching game and while it looks a lot like Pokemon, but it is very different. I am not any good at these games when it comes to catching and battling. It was struggle for me. My kids were trying to show me how to play and I am slowly starting to understand the game more. It has been interesting. After a few levels the game became more interesting as you need find healing items and game money. You will love the mini games and hunting down all the fun Yo-kai with their own personalities.

Snowed in or having the winter blues, you can find both of these games retail for around $39 for Mario and Luigi Paper Jam and Yo-Kai Watch.

Disclosure: No formal compensation was received for this post, products were provided for review.

Sams Club Last Minute Gifts On Sale

- brandy3

There is only 2 shopping days left before Christmas. Sams Club has some great last minute gift ideas and you get a great deal on them.

Gift Cards:
$50 iTunes Gift Card – $42
$30 Starbucks Gift Card Multipack – $28

Kids:
Neenah Paper Astrobrights Journal, Ruled, 5 1/8″ x 8 1/4″, Green, 240 Sheets – $7.50
Disney Frozen Elsa Shaker Pendant With Chain – $38.00

Tech:
Sharper Image Visual Charge 6 Port USB Charging Hub – $29.98

Sweets:
Dark Chocolate Butter Toffee Almond – 18 oz. – $9.98
Stockmeyer Shortbread Cookie Tins (14.1 oz., 4 pk.) – $9.98
Gift-wrapped Belgian Chocolate Truffles – $9.98

Fashion:
Elizabeth Arden Red Door Eau de Toilette Spray – 3.3 fl. oz. – $35
Expandable Stackable Bangle – $35

These are all awesome gifts and perfect for everyone in the family. Everyone loves gift cards, and the Starbucks gift card comes in a pack of 3. You can give out 3 $10 gift cards to different family members.
I received the Disney Elsa Shaker Pendant and it is absolutely gorgeous, plus the box it comes in makes it feel like your getting something expensive. It’s the perfect gift for any little girl that loves Frozen.

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Disclosure: No formal compensation was received. Products were provide for sharing this post. All opinions are 100% my own.



Have Fun This Thanksgiving Week With Nintendo

- brandy3

With Thanksgiving Right around the corner have a fun healthy and competitive week with your family, playing some new and fun games from the Nintendo family.

Nov. 23: Dress in crazy sweaters and play the warm-and-fuzzy Yoshi’s Woolly World.
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Nov. 24: Test each family member’s creativity in a Super Mario Maker best level-creation challenge. As a family, judge each other’s Super Mario Maker level – the most creative or hardest one wins the competition.

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Nov. 25: Pit family members against each other in a messy Splatoon competition for the ages!

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Nov. 26: Make your Thanksgiving day special by hosting Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash matches with your family and friends! Play both singles (1v1) and doubles (2v2) matches as your favorite Mushroom Kingdom character. Throw in a twist by asking competitors to play each other and select a random amiibo as a partner. See who wins!

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Nov. 27: Come together as a family and call dibs on your favorite Animal Crossing character in Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival. Challenge each other in fun mini-games!
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Nov. 28: Who is Bowser? Employ the ancient art of rock, paper, scissors or eeny, meeny, miny, moe to determine who will play as Bowser in Mario Party 10. In the new Bowser Party mini-games, you can play as the big bad boss himself and face off against up to four others playing as Mario and friends.

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Nov. 29: Create a fun Mario-themed family party with Mario Kart 8 as the center of the high-octane action. Head to the Play Nintendo website to print tournament brackets, and even design awards. And while you’re there, check out the fun food ideas. Learn how to create yummy Mario-themed snacks such as Super Star cookies and Mushroom Kingdom deviled eggs.

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If you like these fun ideas and are interested in doing more family activities, check out the holiday website.

Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post.

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