Purex Plus Oxi Review and Giveaway

We are big fans of Purex in our house. We have been using Purex laundry detergent for the past several months and have been very happy with the price and the performance. So we were definitely on board to try out their latest product, Purex Plus Oxi.

"Purex plus Oxi is the most powerful Pirex detergent available. In fact, it works against over 101 different stains!" With a three year old in the house we are no strangers to stains. And sometimes we don't even know what the stain is because she comes home from school with it! So we are often treating stains with a specific stain treating liquid. Now with Purex plus Oxi I can use my detergent to pretreat and then wash. All I have to do is pour a little Purex plus Oxi onto the stain, rub the fabric together and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Then I can toss it in the wash with the rest of my laundry and add detergent as I normally would.

Using Purex plus Oxi does three things for me. It allows me to purchase affordable detergent that treats my stains and leaves my laundry fresh and clean. It also saves me room in my laundry room to only need one product for stain treatment and regular washing. We have put our Purex plus Oxi to the test on stains from juice, chocolate, paint and more... and my daughter's clothes have come out bright and clean.

Be sure to visit purex.com for additional information. Purex is also hosting a fabulous sweepstakes! Click HERE for your chance to win $1,000!

*Purex provided me with a sample of Purex plus Oxi so I could review it. However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own.


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Boo at the Zoo and Ascarium!

Boo at the Zoo Returns to the 

Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo 

Celebrate a New York Halloween tradition at WCS’s Bronx Zoo Safe, family-friendly activities include: 

The Haunted Habitat Mansion   

Creepy Hollows Hayride   

Costume Parade   

Music, Magic, and MORE

Master Carver Pumpkin carving demonstrations

Boo at the Zoo festivities run weekends 10/20 & 10/21 and 10/27 & 10/28!

Boo at the Zoo returns to the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo for five full weekends of Halloween-themed family entertainment and activities. Attractions and activities embrace the spirit of the season while highlighting wildlife and conservation. 

Children 12 and under wearing a Halloween costume will receive free general admission with one paid adult general admission. All Boo at the Zoo activities are included with the price of general admission with the exception of the hayride and haunted mansion.. The Creepy Hollows Hayride and the Haunting at Habitat Mansion walk-through adventure are included with the purchase of a Total Experience Ticket. 

Guests are encouraged to visit www.bronxzoo.com for a complete schedule of keeper chats, animal enrichment sessions, and family activities.

Want more great Halloween fun? 

Ascarium: A Pirate Adventure, brings a new thematic to the NY Aquarium as a part of this season’s Halloween celebration. A range of pirate themed, kid-friendly, not so scary experiences will be part of this year’s festivities to continue the tradition of providing Brooklyn and area families with a great destination for their Halloween celebration. 

Ascarium combines the fun of this iconic holiday with the NY Aquarium’s mission of connecting people to wildlife. Ascarium will run weekends in October (October 20-21 and 27-28). ONLY TWO WEEKENDS LEFT!

This year’s activities will include: ·         

Haunted Seafari; The Tragic Tale of Captain Paul Looter·         

Pirate School! ·         

Musical Performance ·         

The Sea Gypsies: Dancing Pirate Gypsies·         

Spooky Pirate Storytelling, Mindreading and Juggling·         

Astounding Pirate Feats·         

Pirate Tales·         

Pirate Games of Skill·         

Discover Creatures of the Deep ·         

Pirate Crafts·         

4-D Theater -  Curse of Skull Rock·         

Treat Stations 

Guests are encouraged to visit www.nyaquarium.com for a complete schedule shows and family activities.

Disclosure: My blog is participating in a program for the Bronx Zoo/NY Aquarium. As a part of this program we have received merchandise for placement of this post related to programming.

Ornaments with Love

Christmas is right around the corner and I am beyond excited! Every year the holiday season becomes more and more exciting as my daughter truly grasps the sites and sounds of the holiday. And this year we will be able to add the joy of a newborn baby into the mix! So needless to say, I am in full holiday swing!

Our family loves Christmas ornaments. Every year mom searches high and low for the perfect ornament for each member of the family to add to the tree. I am personally a very big fan of the personalized ornaments. Ornaments with Love is a great site that has a great selection to meet every interest and personality. And they can be personalized for free!

I was very lucky to be asked to check out one of their ornaments up close and in person for this review. I decided to get my daughter something special to commemorate this year. Since this is her first year at her new dance school I decided to get her a personalized ballerina Christmas ornament.

I am so pleased with my selection and the entire experience. My order arrived quickly and packaged nicely so that the ornament was protected. The name and date and clear and large enough to easily be read. Now we have a keepsake to hang on our tree every year and fondly look back at our daughter's first year taking dance classes. She is going to love this ornament, and we are going to treasure it for years to come.

I would highly recommend you check out Ornaments with Love. Their selection is fabulous, their service is great, and their products are high quality. I will definitely be looking to them for personalized ornaments in the future.

Secret of the Wings - Now Available on DVD and Blu-ray!

Now Available!

My daughter has been a big fan of Tinker Bell and all her fairy friends from Pixie Hollow for quite some time now. Each movie has brought a new adventure and taught us new things about Tinker Bell and her friends. So you can only imagine the excitement when Secret of the Wings arrived on our doorstep for review!

My daughter was very aware that there was a new Tinker Bell movie coming out because she had seen it in commercials. But she had no idea that she was going to get a sneak peek! So as soon as it arrived she was anxious to pop it in and make a movie day of it. It was a rainy day here, so it worked out perfectly.

You can always count on Disney to truly bring magic to life. This movie really demonstrates that with the incredible scenery. The characters are really brought to life with bright and vivid colors, and the beauty of the winter woods took you to a magical place.

As always, Tinker Bell is often to curious for her own good. So crossing into the forbidden winter woods doesn't go smoothly. Tinker Bell discovers something about herself that encourages her to travel deeper and deeper into the winter woods, even though it is dangerous. But this is just the beginning of a truly heartwarming tale.

What Tinker Bell discovers in this movie is something more magical than all the pixie dust in the world, it's that she has a sister, Periwinkle! She also encounters some new fairy friends, but don't worry.... the old favorites make their appearances as well!

Aside from being a fun and magical film, it is also filled with valuable lessons for kids and adults alike. You witness a sisterly bond that defines unconditional love and a connection that is truly magical. You also learn about just how strong and caring Tinker Bell is. She is willing to take chances and make sacrifices in order to protect those that she loves. While her new sister is instantly important to her, she doesn't forget her friends or where she has come from. Family and community are so important to Tinker Bell, and that is so important to teach our children.

I would highly recommend checking out Disney's Secret of the Wings. It's a fun movie that the entire family can sit down and enjoy together. It is filled with adventure, but also heartwarming to the point where you might need to keep some tissues near by.



* I received a copy of this movie for review purposes. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Chicken Soup for the Soul - Married Life

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Married Life!

101 Inspirational Stories about Fun, Family and Wedded Bliss

Marriage is a wonderful institution, and in this fresh collection of stories, husbands and wives share their personal, funny, and quirky stories from the trenches. This book will inspire and delight readers with its entertaining and heartwarming stories about fun, family, and wedded bliss, Whether newly married or married for years and years, readers will find laughter and inspiration in these 101 stories of love, romance, fun, and making it work.

My Thoughts:

Ah, wedded bliss. I remember the giddy feeling of being engaged. The excitement of starting a life together. The illusion of playing house like a couple out of the 1950's. Leave it to Beaver was the standard I wanted to live up to. 

Then we got married and reality sunk in. Don't get me wrong, married life is great. I get to see my best friend every day, I have someone who helps around the house, I don't feel lonely at night. It's great, but it's not easy. 

We have been married for 6 years now and it doesn't seem that long at all. I feel very lucky to be in a strong, happy marriage with someone I truly enjoy spending my time with. But we definitely have our ups and downs. So I really enjoyed reading this book and entering into the lives of other married couples. It made me realize that I am very lucky, that my husband is a great guy, that our ups and downs are normal, and that marriage is work.

I loved reading stories about new marriages and the unforeseen challenges, and old marriages that have survived countless trials and tribulations only to come out stronger. The book truly is inspiring and comforting for couples young and old. This would make a great wedding shower or anniversary gift! 

SodaStream - Review

I never really imagined myself making my own soda. And even when I learned about the SodaStream Soda Maker I had my doubts. Could you really make soda at home that tasted as good, if not better, than what you could buy at the store? And what would making my own soda offer me in terms of benefits over just buying it? Isn't running into the store more convenient than making my own?

All I can say is that SodaStream has changed the way I look at soda and my shopping habits. I had no idea that this machine would offer soda that tasted so good and took such little time. Not to mention all the ways it has saved me money and energy.

A major plus with the SodaStream is that you can make soda as you need it. You don't need to have it sitting around the house taking up space. We don't drink soda on a daily basis, so buying a bottle and having it open often leads to waste as it goes flat. With the SodaStream I can make a reasonable amount of soda the day that I need it and enjoy it at it's freshest. 

And now SodaStream has even more to offer in terms of drinking options. I was really excited to learn that they had flavors to add to your water to make the yummiest sparkling water. And now they are offering Country Time and Crystal Light, giving me even more opportunities to use my SodaStream and have some variety on hand.

SodaStream has saved us a lot of time and money. I no longer have to lug 12 packs of soda to and from the car. I'm not throwing out a quarter of a bottle of soda that has gone flat. And I'm not creating nearly as much recycling. I can use the same bottle over and over again as I create tons of refreshing drinks.

These drinks are also offering some health benefits. For me, eliminating aspartame in my diet soda is huge! That is one of the main reasons that I cut back on diet soda. So knowing that SodaStream flavors use Splenda for sweetening makes it much sweeter!

The best part of this, however, is the fun that it has brought into our home. My daughter gets so excited when we are having people over or it's a special pizza night and she knows she gets to have some soda. She goes to pick out what the flavor of the night will be and gets so excited when there is a new one to pick from. Then she helps me to make the soda. Her favorite part is when we press the button to carbonate and it makes the buzz sound. It's a hands on experience that she really enjoys and makes the night a little more special and fun!

People do seem skeptical when they come over and I whip up a bottle of soda. I am seeing that more and more people have heard about SodaStream, but haven't had the opportunity to try it. So I am excited to give them their first taste and see what they think. Everyone has been pleasantly surprised by the flavor and very impressed with the benefits that this machine offers. 

I would recommend you check out SodaStream and all the flavors and options available. You might just find that it would make a great addition to your home!

Minted Giveaway!

The holidays are really coming up quickly this year! The stores are decorated, the ads are starting to come out with the holiday deals, and the kids are starting to plan their letters to Santa. But a big thing on my mind is the holiday card.

Ever since having my daughter, photo cards have been my thing. I search high and low for the perfect card to go with the perfect picture. After all, this is the one time a year that many of our distant friends and family get an updated photo of our family.

Minted is a great place to look for the perfect card for your family. They have a wide variety of Christmas photo cards, non-photo holiday cards, and more. There is something for everyone!

What better way to kick off the holiday season then by winning a $50 gift certificate to Minted. You will also receive free shipping! This will definitely come in handy this holiday season.

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CPRCertification101.com

I have always felt very strongly about being CPR certified. My dad is a fireman and he has always encouraged us to become certified and keep up our certifications. He feels that you never know when you could use it to save a life. Being certified became even more important to me when I became a teacher and was entrusted with the care of other people's children. But nothing made it more important than when I became a mother myself. It only takes a second for an emergency to arise, and the best thing you can do is to be prepared.

CPR and first aid training and certification gives you the skills to be able to respond to an emergency situation while waiting for emergency responders.  Those moments could make the difference between life and death. I have always been trained and certified at a class, but I find it very interesting to learn that you can take CPR training classes online. This is especially convenient for those who are being recertified after having already taken a class. CPRCertification101.com is a great place to go to find information about the different types of certifications, as well as first aid training.

I would strongly recommend that you visit CPRCertification101.com to learn the benefits of being certified in CPR. They have lots of resources for you to learn about CPR and first aid training. They also provide information about the history of CPR and what it stands for. This is valuable information and training that could save a life.

*This is a sponsored post, however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Jake and the Never Land Pirates: Jake Saves Bucky

On DVD Today!

Yo ho, let's go! Set sail with Jake and his crew on a full-length, high speed adventure on the high seas. According to the Never Land Pirate Code, Jake and his crew must race Bucky against the Jolly Roger and the sneaky Captain Hook. But if Bucky loses, he'l belong to Hook forever. Of course, Hook uses every trick in the book and wins the race. But, Jake and his crew might have a way to get Bucky back. With the help of Peter Pan, the young pirates embark on an adventure across Never Landthat includes getting past a fire-breathing dragon. With your help, Jake's crew can save Bucky from the devious Captain Hook. In addition, enjoy four more exciting Jake and the Never Land Pirate episodes. Overflowing with music, swashbuckling action and seafaring fun, Jake and the Never Land Pirates: Jake Saves Bucky proves that being a hero comes from teamwork, determination and friendship!

My Thoughts:
My daughter and I are huge fans of Disney Jr. It's the channel we turn to first when we are looking for a fun show to watch together. That is where I was introduced to Jake and the Never Land Pirates for the first time. I was impressed with this show since the first time I saw it and my daughter has been a fan ever since.

Jake and the Never Land Pirates focuses on three friends, Jake, Cubby and Izzy. Oh, and of course, their trusty parrot, Skully.  I love the dynamic of this team. They truly act as a team and always put their friendship first. They are constantly finding themselves running into trouble with the mischievous Captain Hook and his side kick, Mr. Smee. But they take their viewers along for the adventure, enlisting them in help solving puzzles. They work together and earn their gold doubloons for solving pirate problems.

My daughter thinks the characters are fun and often laughs at the sneaky but silly Captain Hook. So I knew she would really enjoy a full length adventure with her friends. And having Peter Pan show up was an added bonus! She was engaged with the show from beginning to end and was anxious to tell her daddy all about how she went on an adventure to save Bucky from the mean Captain Hook.

I think this is a great show to share with your preschoolers to teach them about friendship, working together, right and wrong, and getting some educational skills along the way.