mommy's reviews

 Hi everyone!! I wanted to let you all know that I have been so overwhelmed with the response I have received for my Holiday Gift Guide that I have decided to extend it into December! This is a really good thing so please stick around with me for some more really great product features. Thanks again for being such wonderful readers and for all of your comments and giveaway entries! Here is a happy face to help you through your weekend. :)

Lip care in the winter months is so important for me. I get very dry lips if I don't keep a moisturizer on them and there is nothing more annoying than dry, cracked and chapped lips. Did you know that licking your lips dries them out even more? I have noticed that my children in particular have a difficult time with dry lips and my daughter LOVES to use lip balms. As a child, I remember always getting a lip balm of some sort in my stocking on Christmas morning and it's no wonder...they make the perfect, small and compact gift for any stocking! When it comes to stocking stuffers , it can be difficult to think of the perfect gift. Well, today I am going to tell you all about Carmex's newest member to their lip care family and this product will be a PERFECT stocking stuffer for anyone! Carmex Lip Conditioner is the latest and greatest from Carmex and as a member of the Carmex Blog Squad, I have been given the wonderful opportunity of sharing this product with you a...

In October, I found out that I was going to be able to go to the Chicago Toy and Game Fair and I was SO excited!! I have never been to ChiTag before but had heard of it and have always wanted to go. You can imagine my excitement when my blogger friend Lori from At The Fence , let me know that I could join her and her family there this year...for FREE! You see, bloggers are able to get in as media and therefore, do not have to pay admission. Oooo! It was even more exciting to be able to take the family. So, a little over a week ago we packed up our little family and hit the road. Our trip to Chicago was wonderful and the children were so well behaved...even little Isaac, who had never been on a road trip this long before. It took us about 10 hours to get there and we were happy to arrive after a loooooong trip. Lori's family and our family enjoying breakfast together. Our morning at ChiTag began with a lovely, complimentary breakfast at Navy Pier. It was nice to be able to sit and r...

I remember when Hannah was a baby and I was a first-time parent. It was so much fun to dress her up and get her all of the mile-stone "clothing". You know, graduating from onesies to outfits and from socks and booties to shoes and slippers. Her first pair of slippers were so darling...little froggies that had rattles in them. A good friend gave them to her and I put them on her all the time. Now, it has become a tradition that whenever the weather gets cooler, we head to the store and buy each of them a cozy pair of fun slippers to keep their tootsies warm. My house doesn't get that cold, but it still is nice to have something on their feet. Well, if you are looking for a super cute gift for a child this Christmas, make sure you check out this next product! I don't know a child who would not want THESE slippers! :) Stompeez is a company that makes cute slippers for children. These are not just any ordinary slippers either...their ears flop up and down w...

There is just something so comforting about a hot cup of tea. Whether you are enjoying a cup to help you get through some sort of illness, or you are just trying to unwind after a long day, having some tea can do so much to help relax and comfort. I have never been a huge tea lover, but do enjoy a cup every now and then. My husband actually has been drinking tea lately because he heard that it is good for him. He is not the most healthy eater so you can imagine how happy I was to hear that he was doing something that was good for him. I have been thinking about what a great gift idea tea is. I mean, you can make some really gorgeous gift baskets for tea lovers ...mixing and matching bags of tea and adding a few tea biscuits wrapped in colorful cellophane. Because of the large selection of teas available, you would have no trouble finding the perfect flavor for that picky person on your Christmas list! Best International Tea is a company that I found recently and I have really...

This post will be a bit different from my other Holiday Gift Guide posts, but I think it will still be a blessing to you.  :)  My memories of Christmas are wonderful. Growing up, my five siblings and I were taught by our parents that the reason we celebrate Christmas is because it is Jesus' birthday. Now, I do not believe that Jesus was born in December but I am glad that the world takes time to recognize that He was indeed born and was born to die. Because of our belief in Christ we were never taught that Santa Claus lived in the north pole, had little elves running around making gifts, flew a sleigh around the world on Christmas Eve delivering gifts and was the reason we received gifts on Christmas morning. Our parents made sure that we understand that Santa Claus was not real and was not a part of our celebrations. On Christmas morning, we would wake up and sleepily gather in the living room. Some of us (me!) would bring our pillow from bed and snuggle under ...

My children love getting presents. Every year, we come home from the grandparent's houses with a car FULL of stuff...mostly gifts that the children have received. It is always so great to watch them open their presents and play with them. The funniest part is that the children tend to love the packaging more than the actual gift itself. I actually enjoy watching them get gifts rather than get gifts myself. Hubby and I sit on the couch on Christmas morning watching them, while our gifts sit unopened next to us. Anyway, I love giving personalized gifts. There is just something so very special about getting a gift that has your name on it and I think that giving these types of gifts to children is wonderful. They have them for keepsakes and (if they don't ruin them) will have them to enjoy in the years to come. I See Me is a company that creates some really fantastic personalized gifts for children . This company is owned and operated by a husband-wife team (Maia ...