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February 17, 2010
Johnson’s Baby Shower
Unlike most people, I love shopping for people's showers. I love that I am getting a friend exactly what she wants instead of what I think she needs. Baby showers are especially fun because of all the cute and cuddly little baby things.
I also like to do theme gifts…instead of just picking out a few things that fit my budget, I like to buy gifts that fit together. My standard baby shower gift is a bath time gift. I start with the baby tub and fill it with the bath time products on the registry. That usually includes a hooded bath towel, pastel washcloths, Johnson's Head to Toe wash, baby powder, (my favorite diaper rash cream) Desitin, and now the new Bedtime Bubble Bath & Wash. I pack them all together in the baby tub, shrink them, and then add some nice bows. Voila a! A beautiful baby shower present with practical products.
The new Bedtime Bubble Bath & Wash is a great addition to my baby shower gift. The light scent is relaxing, so much so that I wouldn't mind it for myself, either!
Next time you're shopping for baby shower, consider a theme gift using all the best of Johnson's. The classic smell of the Head to Toe wash is that "baby smell." And you have to try the new Bedtime Bubble Bath & Wash! Check out all of their great products here.
TKDDaughter gives Johnson's a:
I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Johnson’s and received samples of Johnson’s Baby products to facilitate my review.
December 11, 2009
Hickory Farms
I have a very distinct memory of being a little girl during the holidays and my dad coming home from work. He often would show up with fruit and candies from gift baskets from clients and vendors. But, the one thing I remember more than any others was how he would come home from work with something from the Hickory Farms basket. Cheeses, summer sausage, crackers-yum!
When asked to do this review, it's the first thing I thought about-Hickory Farms equals Christmas to me. When I think about gift baskets with variety, I think Hickory Farms. I was able to sample numerous cheeses, a mustard, crackers, all from a beautiful basket. This year we have even more people to buy for and Hickory Farms is our solution. The cheese are a rich and creamy texture of high quality. Crispy crackers with a tasty mustard. There are a number of price points to choose from from the nice hostess gift to softening up the boss.
Need someone to buy for this year but don't know what to get them? Check out the Hickory Farms website and choose from a bunch of different options. With a long history of providing memories for families, Hickory Farms has shown year after year that they are your go to gift provider.
TKDDaughter gives Hickory Farms baskets a:
"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a Hickory Farms gift basket to facilitate my review."
November 28, 2009
Nancy’s Appetizers + Giveaway
Every year, my husband and I host a cocktail party for our friends at Christmas time. It's the one time each year that we get all of our friends together from all parts of our lives. This year it will be even bigger as social networking with the past has become much easier. When it started, we hosted around 50 people-now? We're looking at close to 100. In the past I have always supplied all of the food, but this year, with everyone scrimping, I have elicited some help…from Nancy.
Nancy who? The Nancy of Nancy's Appetizers. Nancy's has just about everything you would need to host a nice cocktail party without the fuss of phyllo pastry sheets and long hours of standing in the kitchen. I tried the Three Cheese Spinach Stars. They are a fabulous blend of Neufchatel, Feta, and Asiago cheeses. YUM! They will be perfect to pass around at our party! I also plan on purchasing the Petite Quiches, the Seafood Crab Cakes, and the Cheese Souffles. I'm a huge appetizer girl, so I can't wait to try them all!
I'm so glad to have found Nancy's Appetizers to make my holiday party so stress-free! YOU can have the chance to try Nancy's, too. Leave a comment between now and December 4th to have your name entered into a drawing for one coupon for a Nancy's appetizer.
For making the holidays so much easier for me, TKDDaughter gives Nancy's a
I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Nancy’s Appetizers and received 2 coupons to facilitate my review and a $20 thank-you gift certificate.
November 17, 2009
Kellogg’s Fruit Loops and Apple Jacks
Some days, every meal consists of a dry cereal. It's not that I don't provide well-balanced meals, because I do (well, most of the time), but some days my son just wants cereal. Sometimes it's because he hates whatever I am providing , sometimes it's because he doesn't want to take the time to sit down and eat, and sometimes it's just because he loves cereal. What's a mom to do?
Well, cereal has just gotten a bit more nutritious! Kellogg's has taken two of their staple children's cereals (for the record, there is nothing "kid" about these two-I'm a huge fan of them both!) and added in something that is void in so many people's diets-fiber. Did you know that nearly 9 out of 10 children and adults do not have enough fiber in their diet? Wow! By adding fiber to the whole grains of the cereal, you can feel a lot better about letting cereal be a go-to snack or meal!
I was initially concerned about flavor-not so much for my son, but for me. I tried both varieties, and I have to be honest that the fiber tastes almost exactly the same as the regular. If I wasn't doing an actual taste test, I doubt I would have noticed there was a difference.
I plan on making a Christmas snack mix with the Apple Jacks with fiber for my son's preschool class. It's below if you'd like to try it out…it makes a ton (5 quarts) and kids love it. What a great way to re energize the preschool troops than with a favorite cereal in healthier form?
TKDDaughter gives Kellogg's Fruit Loops and Apple Jacks a big thumbs up for providing moms another healthier snack option:
"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Kellogg’s and received boxes of Froot Loops and Apple Jacks and a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate."
7 cups popped popcorn
4 cups Crispix
4 cups Apple Jacks cereal
2 cups salted peanuts
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
In a large greased roasting pan, combine the popcorn, cereals and peanuts; set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup; bring to a rolling boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Cook, without stirring, until mixture turns a medium amber color, about 8 minutes.
Remove from the heat; quickly stir in vanilla and baking soda until mixture is light and foamy. Immediately pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated.
Bake at 250° for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread mixture onto waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Cool completely. Store in airtight containers.
Yield: 5 quarts.
November 10, 2009
Lakeshore Christmas (The Lakeshore Chronicles) by Susan Wiggs
“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by MotherTalk on behalf of Lakeshore Christmas and received a copy of the book to facilitate my candid review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”
What is it about small town America that draws us towards it? Is it the simple life that we really all desire, or is it the honest people we imagine living there, or the great sense of fellowship? I find myself drawn to stories set in these small towns, being pulled into a life I think I would enjoy immensely.
Lakeshore Christmas, part of The Lakeshore Chronicles by Susan Wiggs, delivers that small town feeling at a time of year that reminds us what friends, faith, and simplicity really mean in our lives. The characters are typical, but that's what makes them so endearing to us…the reserved librarian with a past, the Hollywood star/rocker with a heart of gold, the struggling teenage mom, the bad teenagers who find the right path. And of course, the conflict…
At the heart of the story is the town Christmas pageant, the one thing that can save the characters and the heart of the town. In the end, miracles will happen and it makes the reader believe again in the goodness of others.
Lakeshore Christmas makes you want to get those decorations out and start baking cookies. Grab a cup of tea and your coziest blanket and enjoy a heartwarming and fulfilling novel! Thanks for MotherTalk for hooking me up with yet another delightful read!
TKDDaughter gives Lakeshore Christmas a:
Getting Rave Reviews
BlogHer Review
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