mommy's reviews

There is nothing like decorating your home for the holidays. I have always enjoyed doing this and am really looking forward to a more simpler decor' this year. Several years ago, we decided that we no longer wanted to get a Christmas tree. It was getting so expensive to buy a tree (and I would NEVER get an artificial tree...ever!) and because we have small children it would be difficult to keep them "out" of the tree. Looking back, that was one of the best decisions we have ever made. I don't miss having a tree at all. The holidays are so much simpler. I do put up garland and pretty lights though and this is enough for my children to get excited about Christmas. This year, I am going to decorate my house in pine boughs, white lights and candles. I have been on the look out for forest themed decorating items this fall and have been really getting excited about how festive my house is going to look. Plow & Hearth is a company that I have worked with in t...

Are you a person who always comes up with the best ideas when you are in the shower or have your hands submerged in dish water? I am...in fact, I have some pretty good conversations with myself when I am in the shower. I also come up with some really great ideas too...the problem is, by the time I get out of the shower I have forgotten and that drives me crazy!! I also find myself thinking about alot of things when I am doing the dishes. My grocery list, things I need to get done, people I need to call, etc. There is always something going through my head at any given time of the day. Well, if you are one of those people who always has to have something to write your ideas on, I have a product today that can go ANYWHERE with you...including the shower! AquaNotes is a waterproof notepad that can get wet and not be ruined. Here is some more info about AquaNotes and the inventor, Mark... The idea for waterproof notepads came from a Shower Thinker who always generated his...

I am going to speak a bit personally today but no worries...it will still be family-friendly!! Does anyone besides me sweat? Just a little? I know it is December, but I still deal with perspiration issues...especially when I wear nylons. Now that we are out of flip flop weather, I am wearing dress shoes and stockings to church and have always had problems with sweaty feet. Wearing stockings seems to compound an already annoying problem so I have been looking for solutions. This next company adds a bit of humor to the idea of taking care of your sweat and friction problems...and I think that they make some really neat Christmas gifts too! Anti Monkey Butt Powder is a personal care powder that helps you keep you dry and comfortable, no matter what you are doing. Whether you are biking, hiking, or just chasing the kiddos around, this powder is designed to keep the friction away and also, keeps sweat a bit more under control for extra comfort. Here is a bit more about this pro...

I am a girl who just loves all things soap. Hand soap , body wash, scrubs, you name it - I love it! My favorite right now has to be handmade soaps though. You just cannot beat the look, smell and feel of soap that is crafted by hand. During this wonderful time of year, it is amazing how many varieties of hand made soaps are  popping up around the market. I love the store-bought soaps but my favorites have to be those that are made by small companies who pride themselves in quality rather than quantity. Today, I am going to introduce you to a company that I have never heard of before but am so thrilled to have met. Wink Soap is a company that was founded by a woman named Mindi. She began her adventure in soap making when she discovered that her sensitive skin needed more TLC than she was getting from store-bought brands. Here is more of Mindi's story... "After using my first bar of handmade soap, I was hooked! Not only did it do a great job of removing dirt, ...

My two oldest children are at the age where they are learning to play board games. Often, I find that most games are way over their heads and too complicated. At 4 and 2, they need easy and simple to understand games that are right on their level. Hubby and I thought Candy Land would be a fantastic game for them but it has proven to be a bit too difficult for them to comprehend. We have put that one away for future enjoyment. :) Recently, I attended the Chicago Toy & Game fair and had a BLAST. If you saw my post on that trip then you know what we did and how much fun we had there. Well, I visited the Endless Games booth there and was sooo excited to find that they make a game that is perfect for little ones! I was thrilled to be able to receive one of their children's games to include in my Holiday Gift Guide. It is not always easy to find good game gifts for children but this one is simply amazing! Cupcake Race is a board game that is geared towards children ag...

I am a huge fan of lip gloss...not so much lipstick because it can be dry and hard to apply. Trying new beauty products is something that I love and because I am a BzzAgent , I get the opportunity to try some of these amazing products. I have always loved giving lipstick-type gifts for people as stocking stuffers because they are small and compact and fit nicely into small crevices for those of us who have odd-shaped stockings. :) Growing up, we had stockings that looked like the full-body long johns, with sleeves and footies. My mom was able to put all sorts of odd shaped gifts into our stockings because of this and chapstick was always a must (typically I found mine in the arm or foot of my stocking). Today, I am going to introduce you to a wonderful lipstick from COVERGIRL that is going to amaze and impress you. Blast Flipsticks enable you to wear two colors of lipstick at once and each color is meant to blend nicely. I had never heard of these prior to this campa...