Holidays | Faith and Family Reviews

Archive for Holidays

Bitty Baby American Girl – It’s a Great Gift!

Posted by Brande on December 1, 2013
in Books, Fun Stuff, Gift Ideas, Girl Stuff, Holidays, Kids Stuff, Kids Toys, Shopping, Uncategorized

My daughter just started to get into American Girl dolls. Now she’s obsessed! I’m having a hard time spending so much money when my daughter is only 5. She still tends to be still a little “rough” on her babies. Well, my problem has been solved with Bitty Baby American Girl! They are less expensive and geared toward little girls.

Bitty Babies are 15” in length and her body is soft. Her head, arms, & legs are a smooth vinyl. Each Bitty Baby is dressed in an adorable outfit, cloth diaper, book, and “Sparkly Wishing Star”.

I can’t wait to see the look on my daughters face when she opens her Bitty Baby American Girl on Christmas! You can order yours today on the American Girl Website.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted by html404 on November 28, 2013
in Animals, Family Stuff, Farm Stuff, Holidays, Seasonal Stuff, Uncategorized

Just wanted to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving! We are chillin’ at home as a family. We cooked our turkey overnight now we are in the throws of washing potatoes, making pie dough and preparing veggies. Robert is carving the turkey (which was homegrown and is so yummy!), I’m making cinnamon rolls and dinner rolls and the girls divided up the rest of the work among them and the younger ones.

Things I am thankful for this year are:

Family – near and far – miss those of you in Canada!
The ability to work from home and be here for our children.
God’s provision – financially during this time of unemployment for my husband, leading us to the animals we have (I think we have awesome animals!), giving us solutions to life’s problems
Living our dream. Living in the country, growing our own food, giving our children the privilege of raising animals. I was telling someone this week our children spend more time with our animals than with toys most days.
Our health. So very grateful we are all healthy.
Being nearly a week ahead in blog posts, thanks to my contributing writers’ help!
Time with Friends. I went out with a friend yesterday to look at a Dutch Belted cow for a friend of hers at my neighbor’s (a new friend) and we had such a fun time with stimulating farm conversation! 4 hours worth! Grateful for my farm friends especially this year because they “get” us and what we are trying to do. They also lend a hand and are there for us. Makes me feel like we are finally a part of a community and it’s been a long time since I felt that way, since leaving my native Nova Scotia.

Wishing you a very grateful 2013 Thanksgiving!

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Holiday Craft Ideas from Kid Made Modern

Posted by 278Wife on November 28, 2013
in Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Gift Ideas, Handmade Items, Holidays, Kids Stuff, Reviews, Seasonal Stuff, Shopping, Uncategorized

Arts and crafts projects are always a big hit in our household with my four year old son. They are even a bigger hit around the holidays, since we like to give homemade gifts to grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Kid Made Modern collection is a great affordable option for kids and parents alike, plus they have great holiday craft ideas. Sold exclusively at Target and target.com with nothing over $20! They offer everything from crayons & markers, to craft kits like tie-dye & ornaments.

My son had a blast using the Double-Pointed Crazy Crayons, Mini Colored Pencils, and Washable Markers to color a birthday card. The crazy crayons were nice and thick so they were easy to hold, and had super vibrant colors. My son loved how “crazy” he could color.

I loved how the mini colored pencils were packaged. They came in a tube where the cover easily comes off and you can choose your color. It was way easier for him to get them out of the tube opposed to the traditional box where they are all aligned in a row.

The markers were very unique, too. They had ridges on them like a pencil, but they still felt smooth. It made it very easy to hold and color. Any of these would make great stocking stuffers!

We also had a chance to try one of the Kid Made Modern Faux Stained Glass Ornament Kits. Even though the age on the box says 6+, I figured my four year old could do it with my help. It contained all of the supplies to create six ornaments including the directions.

My son had a great time painting the ornaments and waiting patiently for them to dry so he could see them finished. Each ornament was individually wrapped with a plastic film to protect it from getting scratched. I found this to be very difficult to remove. It took me a couple of minutes for each ornament. I wish I would have removed all of the plastic films before I had my son sit down for the project. I loved how many different color paint choices came with the box as well as two different sized paintbrushes.

It even included string to hang each ornament. We made one for each set of grandparents and a few for some other family members.

Kid Made Modern kits would make great holiday craft ideas and gifts for children this Christmas season. Check out their array of products at

www.Target.com

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LeapPad Ultra Giveaway!

Posted by html404 on November 27, 2013
in Contests, Deals, Fun Stuff, Gift Ideas, Giveaways, Holidays, Kids Stuff, Kids Toys, Uncategorized

I think toys are on every child’s Christmas wish list. What toys does your child want for Christmas? My friend and fellow blogger, Rachel at Yellow Tennessee, is hosting a LeapPad Ultra Giveaway, which is one of the toys on the Kmart Fab 15 list this year! There are a lot of great toys on the list, that’s for sure!

Rachel’s LeapPad Ultra Giveaway started at midnight and ends on December 11th. Enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

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Moody Sisters’ Black Friday Deals!

Posted by html404 on November 25, 2013
in Coupons, Deals, Eco Friendly Products, Gift Ideas, Handmade Items, Holidays, Personal Care Products, Products for Mom, SALES, Seasonal Stuff, Shopping, Uncategorized

It is that time of year again. Thanksgiving, then Black Friday deals and the shopping frenzy. You can either battle the crowds to get the best deal or you can shop from the comfort of home! Moody Sisters wants us to announce their Black Friday Deals! You can read Kim’s review here. Or visit their website www.moodysistersskincare.com

Moody Sisters’ Mission: To bring skincare back to the basics by handmaking each product using only natural and earth-derived ingredients.

If you are looking for eco-friendly, all natural (REAL all natural) skincare products then you have to check out Moody Sisters! You can follow Moody Sisters’ Facebook page to see when the Black Friday coupon code goes live or subscribe to their newsletter to get the coupon codes early.

Also keep your eye open for a new Moody Sisters’ review and giveaway in the upcoming weeks. Brande will be reviewing some cool products.

So are any of you going shopping on Black Friday? Me? I’ll be nice and toasty warm in the comfort of my home!

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Get What You Really Want This Holiday Season #Slimfessions

Posted by html404 on November 20, 2013
in Blog Stuff, Family Stuff, Giveaways, Holidays, Uncategorized, Weight Loss

It is that time of year again to think about holiday photos for Thanksgiving or Christmas or Hanukkah and how to get what you really want this holiday season, right?

We usually have a photo session of snapping lots and lots and lots of photos of our children or our family just to get just the “right” photo. We have fun, we’ve had tears in the past, we’ve had frustration, but in the end the time and effort is usually worth it.

I love taking photos of our children and sending them to family and friends, even though I haven’t done it in three years….since our last child was born. I usually dread taking a family photo of all ten of us. Why? Because of my weight gain. I probably won’t get what I really want this year but it’s something I am working towards for next Christmas.

Sometimes things we say are different than the things we’re actually thinking. For example: You may say you want to look great in your holiday dress but what you really want is to impress your in-laws that you haven’t seen since last Christmas. Let us know what you really want on Walmart.com, and print a $1 coupon for any Slim-Fast® product and visit the slimfession board here: see.walmart.com/slimfast?cid=sbo.562.6280.1903

Here’s my slimfession:

#Slimfession Giveaway $25 Walmart Gift Card!

Enter the Slimfast giveaway below by leaving your Slimfession and you can win a $25 Walmart gift card! Two winners. US only. Contest ends on December 6th. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Bundle Up with Restaurant.com’s Holiday Gift Guide

Posted by html404 on November 20, 2013
in Contests, Deals, Family Stuff, Food and Treats, Fun Stuff, Gift Ideas, Giveaways, Holidays, Restaurants, Uncategorized

Delicious Ideas for Every Budget

At Restaurant.com, the nation’s largest dining deals site, we love surprising our diners with fun ways to save. This holiday season, we’ve handpicked delicious dining experiences and gift ideas for every budget and compiled them into an exclusive Restaurant.com Holiday Gift Guide. Simply pair any Restaurant.com Gift Card with one of these gift bundle ideas below for the ultimate dining experience and holiday treat:

1. The Movie Buff: For the movie-quoting, obsessed friend, surprise them with two tickets to a movie on their must-see “Oscar” list and a $25 Restaurant.com Gift Card. Enjoy a night of appetizers and plot-dissecting debates! Ready to splurge? Stop at the concession stand for some candy, drinks, and a jumbo popcorn to share! Create your own >

2. The Workaholic: To help someone on your list find much needed tranquility, pair a $100 Restaurant.com Gift Card with soothing bath salts, lavender mist, and a face mask to create an affordable, at-home spa treatment. Ready to splurge? Add a spa gift card and make Dinner reservations for a nice, relaxing evening post-massage. Create your own >>

We don’t drink but for those who do….

3. The Wine Fanatic: Bring Napa Valley to every wine lover on your list! Pair their favorite wine with decadent cheeses, crackers, and of course chocolate. Then, cleanse their palate with some late night dessert and a $25 Restaurant.com Gift Card. Ready to splurge? Instead of dessert, make it dinner and BYOB at thousands of Restaurants nearby! Create your own >>

4. The Romantic: Add some romance into your holiday with a $50 Restaurant.com Gift Card, bouquet of roses, some irresistible chocolate covered strawberries, and a candlelit dinner for two. Ready to splurge? Pick up some bubbly on the way home for a classy touch. Create your own >>

5. The Theatre Lover: Add some dramatic flair to the holidays with two tickets to their must-see show and end the evening with our $100 Restaurant.com Gift Card - perfect for dinner and dessert. Ready to splurge? Buy them a memento from the show and two drinks during intermission! Create your own >>

Sweepstakes Giveaway Details: Five (5) lucky Facebook fans will have a chance to win one of the gifts featured in our gift guide every Wednesday beginning November 20, 2013 and ending December 18, 2013

Follow Restaurant.com on the following social media channels:

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Restaurant_com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restaurantcom
Blog: http://thedish.restaurant.com
Google+: +restaurantcom

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Replacement Sweeteners

Posted by html404 on November 19, 2013
in Family Stuff, Food and Treats, Health, Health and Nutrition, Holidays, Recipes, Reviews, Uncategorized

Did you know many replacement sweeteners are not healthy or even safe for long term use? Did you know that many websites including the Mayo Clinic say that artificial sweeteners are generally safe, even for pregnant women? Personally, we have stayed away from artificial sweeteners. Aspartame always left a weird, icky taste in my mouth and so even before I knew of the dangers of it I never liked it. We also try hard to stay away from High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) as well. We use organic cane sugar, raw honey, molasses and maple syrup for the most part.

I participated in a Twitter party last week for #Switch2Swerve – Swerve Sweetener (granular) – and these are some facts I learned about refined sugar and artificial sweeteners:

1. Artificial sweetener Aspartame is genetically modified, toxic to brain cells and makes you to put it bluntly…fat. (I hate that word!)
2. Americans ingest 200 calories of high fructose corn syrup daily and 130 lbs per year.
3. Some high fructose corn syrup is laced with mercury which is a metal linked to heart disease and autism.
4. Sorbitol & erythritol can have a laxative effective if you consume too much. Family members with diabetes consuming products with artificial sweeteners have have found this to be true, but I don’t know which artificial sweeteners.
5. Someone went to a maple syrup farm, and was told 90% of store maple syrup really has none in it at all!
6. Sucralose (Spenda) is passing through our bodies found in waste water treatment plants. It has potential to harm food supply.
7. 21.4 teaspoons of sugar equals about 16-25% of total caloric intake. Currently only 5% of sugar is recommended.
8. Safe sweeteners include: Swerve, Stevia, xylitol, sorbitol, erythritol, raw honey, blackstrap molasses, & maple syrup
9. It is important to note that naturally occurring sugar in fruits, veggies etc. are all acceptable and should not be avoided.

Dr. Mercola has issues with store bought honey, not raw honey, and agave. He has a great article on sugar substitutes. Discovery Health even has an article on artificial sweeteners. So I won’t go into any more risks of using artificial sweeteners because you can do your own research and find out a ton of information instead of taking my word for it.

Enter Swerve, a product I just learned about and tried recently.

Swerve

I like the fact that Swerve contains no artificial ingredients, preservatives or flavors! It is non-GMO and has no calories. Swerve is non-glycemic and is actually good for your gut by helping you grow beneficial bacteria. You can learn more facts when you visit Swerve Sweetener (granular)

I have only tried Swerve in my tea so far but it tasted good. Not too sweet at all. We received an 8 oz. canister of Swerve Sweetner and I want to try it in one of our holiday recipes to see how it makes dessert taste. Swerve has lots of recipe ideas that look delicious. I am especially looking forward to trying their blueberry muffin, fudge and pumpkin pie recipes.

3 Swerve Sample Packets are available for just $1.00, plus you get a $2.00 coupon for your next order, if you are interested in trying it. Right now they also have a sale going on for aCanister 4pk for $20 + Free Shipping.

For more information on Swerve Sweetener visit them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest (more recipe ideas).

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Christmas Lights, Etc.

Posted by html404 on November 14, 2013
in Family Stuff, Food and Treats, Holidays, Home, Seasonal Stuff, Shopping

I know we haven’t even celebrated Thanksgiving yet, but Christmas is also on my mind lately. It’s also just around the corner and I am feeling a little unprepared. We like to decorate and get our Christmas tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving. What I am realizing is we are probably in need of more things than I can remember and I’m not sure what to do about. That’s why I’m creating a post about it!

Here are the things I know we need to buy:

1. Christmas lightsetc, etc. We bought our Christmas lights the first year we were married and they lasted a good long time. They were just from Sam’s Club. However, the last few years we have discovered more and more strands are no longer working.

2. Christmas tree. We used an artificial one for many years and once the children were getting older switched to a real tree. We tossed our artificial tree a year or two before we moved here. We have a couple of places to choose a live tree from and thankfully one is just down the road, which should be an easy enough buy if we find the right size.

3. Shopping for Christmas gifts. I don’t even have our extended family’s gifts yet, let alone something for all of our children. Especially since I gave the children the few board games I recently bought. Wrong move, if I wanted to be ahead in gift buying. (Rolling eyes at self!)

4. Christmas baking supplies and trimmings. I know by December we will be in need of more baking supplies to accomplish any Christmas baking we want to do, plus the trimmings for Christmas dinner. We’ll have our turkey and our potatoes, which we grew ourselves, but the rest we’ll have to make or buy. We usually have a traditional Christmas dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, carrots, butternut squash, rutabaga, cranberries, stuffing and homemade pie for dessert. Cranberry pie and apple pie are our family favorites.

5. Christmas cards or letters. If I even have time.

What about you? What is on your Christmas list of to-do’s and when do you decorate for Christmas?

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Melissa & Doug Terrific 25 List and Giveaway

Posted by Brande on November 14, 2013
in Baby Products, Contests, Crafts, Education, Free Stuff, Fun Stuff, Gift Ideas, Giveaways, Holidays, Kids Stuff, Kids Toys, SALES, Seasonal Stuff, Sports, Uncategorized

Enter Melissa & Doug’s “Terrific 25 Gifts” giveaway! They are giving away one item everyday (started November 5th), then on “Black Friday” one lucky person will all 25 gifts!

Here are just 1 of the prizes you could win! It’s the Turn & Tell Wooden Clock