AllReviews.com

When looking to purchase a product what is your trusted source for reviews to help you decide? Of course I would hope that myself and many other mommy blogs are on your list. But I do know that I do a ton of research before spending any money, especially when it is a large amount of money that we are spending on anything.

I use allreviews.com as another trusted source for us before purchasing anything. For example last month I was looking for a side by side jogging stroller and so of course I wanted jogging stroller reviews. I went and checked out allreviews.com and got all the information I needed to make what I felt was an informed decision on the stroller we were investing in.

Of course they have more then just strollers, they have well pretty much everything.  We will be buying new airconditioners for next year and I fully intend to look there for reviews on that as well as well so much more.  Really I encourage you to check them out and get some great reviews on products before you buy, of course you have to promise not to forget about me too.

Mommy Makeover Dreams

Do you dream of having a mommy makeover? No I am not talking about clothes and hair I am talking about actual surgery on your body to make changes/improvements. Since I have had four kids I see a ton of room for improvement in my body although my loving husband says that I am perfect just the way I am, bless his heart he is either going blind or afraid of a life exiled to the couch.

So what would I change you ask, well maybe you didn’t but I want to tell you anyways.  First thing I would do is have a tummy tuck to take away this baby pouch I am carrying around, it really has to go.  Maybe some liposuction on my butt to get rid of some of the fat there.  My biggest area that i think needs work though is my chest so I would be for sure having a breast augmentation.  I don’t necessarily want them bigger, more like perkier.  So if they could perk me up and make me not so saggy then my makeover dreams would come true.

So now that I have shared all my body hates with you, what would you do if you could get some plastic surgery for youself?  Say you won unlimited surgery what would you use it on?

Pop on Pals Review

Due to my relationship with Team Mom I recently was given the opportunity to try out a brand new play set from Pop on Pals by Spin Master.  The toy we received is geared for kids ages 2-4 and let me tell you Maddisyn at just about 3 and Holden at 15 months both really love it and they play with it all the time, as a matter of fact while I am writing this they are both sitting there fighting over the one little person that comes with it so they can play with it.

As you can see from the picture here there is so much to do with the toy, your little fair going girl can ride the roller coaster, the ferris wheel or the dragon boat.  The set comes with three interchangeable “bodies” so your person can be the strong man with a hammer in hand, have their arms in the air like a true roller coaster rider.  The spot where you set your hammer guy or the ball throw guy make noise when the person is pushed down which absolutely thrilled my kids to no end.  I love this toy because it is prompting them to use their imagination and play at different things.  I also love that you can purchase different sets and all the characters are interchangeable with each set so the sky is really the limit.

To purchase Pop on Pals you can go to Kmart, Walmart, Target, Sears, Meijer, Amazon, or a few other which can all be found on the Pop on Pals website under the buy tab at the top.  The Amusement Park set we received is valued at $34.99 and well worth every penny.  After all it does open up A World of Endless Popabilities.

Key Lime Cove Post #2

Last time I told you about checking in, the money-less wristbands, and of course the actual hotel room.  Today I am going to tell you about the waterpark area of Key Lime Cove.

I did not get to spend much time in the actual waterpark so my picture selection is very limited on this one but I will share with you what I can.

We got to the hotel, got checked in and of course Maddisyn seen the pool and NEEDED to go swimming at that very moment so we headed to the room and got our swimsuits on to take her to the pool.  On our way to the pool I got to meet the great Sarah, the PR rep who arranged my trip to Key Lime Cove, she was awesome although I did not get to talk nearly as long as I would have liked to because Maddisyn was just dying to go swimming lol.

So we got to the pool and right away I am amazed, they have several areas to play in.  There is an area with small slides and not so deep, like 3 ft at most I think, pools.  This was Maddisyns favorite area because she could slide all by herself.  Then there was the big giant waterslide (I did not get to ride this but my sister and her friend did once and said it was a ton of fun).  The lazy river which you started and finished in a wave pool.  When we started going around the lazy river the waves were not on in the pool, but when we came out they were and wow Maddisyn had so much fun floating in her tube up and down over the big waves and yelling wheee.   There was a pool off in the corner with basketball nets in it, we did not go in there at all there was just so much to do and so little time in the pool.  There is also an adult only hot tub for people 18 and older to use.  I was happy to see this although my sister wishes there was one that she could have used.

Right in the center of all of this there is a big giant tree fort type structure with all kinds of water play all through it from squirters to buckets to water guns.  When you climb to the top of this there is a couple of body slides which looked super fun.  There was two small body slides and Maddy loved to play there too.  Also on this tree house is a giant bucket that dumped water what I think was every 5 minutes but I did not really time it so I cannot tell you for sure.

All around the water park area you will find large plastic tables and chairs so you can eat some lunch/dinner from Sharkys Big Bites, which I will tell you about in a minute.  If you are not eating then you can park yourself on one of the plastic lounge chairs and just relax while your little fish swim around.

One thing that I was rather disappointed with was when my sister was told that she could not swim because she was not wearing a “swimsuit”.  She was wearing swim shorts that I purchased for her myself from the swimming section at walmart and she was wearing a bathing suit top (think tankini) but she was told that because her swim shorts were not a normal bathing suit bottom she could not wear them.  Although begrudgingly we let it go and just did not really visit the water park much more during our visit which was a bummer.  I was not overly upset about this though until I went up to their swim shop and there was almost the exact same shorts for sale in their swim shop to wear into the pool, then I was very upset.

We spent Saturday out of the hotel anyhow though and on Sunday we went back to the pool and my sister just kinda hung out not really doing much and clearly being bored but smiling so that Maddisyn could swim some more before it was time to head out from there.  On Sunday we had lunch at Sharkys Big Bites, Maddisyn had the chicken nuggets and french fries, she is my picky eater and she ate them all up so they must have been good.  Carley had the hamburger and said it was really yummy, I had the nachos and they were to die for.  The prices were very inexpensive there as well which was great, so all in all you get a lot of great food for a very good price what more could you ask for.

The lifeguards at the water park where always moving, always looking out for emergency situations that they would be needed at.  They were playful too though, walking right in the water in the area around the treehouse (we spent most of our time here) and at once point I even saw a guest splash the lifeguard and he got playful and splashed her back, it was good to see that they could be serious but fun at the same time.  One thing I wish that I would have saw though was a rescue of Timmy but I guess I just needed to spend more time in the pool area to see this.

So I did not post any pictures throughout the post this time, I am going to share them all with you right now though.

My other camera is in my car I will add more pictures to this later.

Bit’z Kids Review

I absolutely love to review kids clothing, although I am mostly apprehensive about getting clothing from online because I am a feel and judge kinda shopper.  I like to touch it, feel the fabric and the quality and all that before I make a purchase but lately I have been learning to let go of that control and trust that what I get will be of equal or greater quality to that which I can feel in store.

Recently I was given the chance to work with Bit’s Kids and to receive clothing for Maddisyn, I had no control over what I received I just had to trust that they would send me adorable clothing that we would love.  I was not disappointed when we received the clothing items that were chosen for Maddisyn.  We received the Lace Romantic Tee and the Short Lace Bottom Leggings both amazing choices and she looks so adorable wearing them.

As soon as the package came I had to put them on her so that she could model it for me before she wore it for play and then I had to wash it because it was inevitably dirty.  The sizing is a little different when your buying number wise but the sizing guide on the website gives you the US sizing to compare their numbers to and I can say that the fit runs a little smaller on the pieces.  Maddisyn usually wears a 2-3t and I ordered her a 3-4 years and it fit her perfectly so I encourage you to measure your child before ordering.

The feel of the clothes was nice and soft, Maddisyn clearly loved it because she keeps asking me to put it on her and bringing me either the pants of the shirt.  I love the pants they are super adorable leggings with white lace around the cuff of them and the top is purple with a decorative lace patch on the chest area.  I have washed the outfit twice and it held up both time through being washed and it did not shrink at all when dried in the dryer which of course is a concern when you spend any amount of money on clothes.  All in all I would totally recommend/purchase from Bit’z Kids again, as a matter of fact keep your eyes peeled because soon I will be reviewing some boys clothes for Holden from Bit’z Kids that is how impressed I am.

Weekly Linky 07/26-08/01

Please enter your giveaways in the following format to make it easier for people to read
BLOG NAME – SPONSOR/PRIZE (ENDING DATE)
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Chevy Equinox Test Drive – For a Week

I’ve had a really hard time trying to write this one, there’s just so many wonderful things I want to tell you about the Chevy Equinox I tested out on my trip to Key Lime Cove. I could honestly write a novel but I’m sure you don’t want to read that much so I tried condensing it but felt like I was then missing things so here is some of the most important information I felt I needed to share with you.

First, Let me start by saying I wish I could have returned my own van and kept the Equinox. It was a dream to drive, very roomy and comfortable and loaded with features. I love that i could just plug in my iPhone and control it through the stereo when listening to music, it had satellite radio but I only used it once as I have a pretty extensive play list on my iPhone. I used the Turn by Turn navigation provided by on-star for a little bit, however we had a technical glitch that prevented that from working properly so I would have to call back every so often to find out what and where my next turn was, a bit of a pain but i still got there without having to read a map so that’s still a bonus in my books.

The Equinox seemed to float down the highway and it was pretty quiet inside (well limited road noise anyways, I was traveling with 2 teenagers and a 2 year old lol) the cargo are had more than enough room for everything we needed for for all 4 people plus a stroller on top of that and I could still see no problem out the back window and even with a large car seat there was still adequate room in the back seat for a 16 year old to be comfortable.

What I loved the most about the Equinox was the fuel consumption, I drove the entire trip, there and home, which was about 2000km or 1240 miles and only burned about $120 in gas. (Here’s a little more about the engine and such copied from GMCanadas site)

Powerful Or Fuel Efficient? Or Both?
With Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing (VVT) on both the standard 182 horsepower 2.4L ECOTEC four-cylinder engine and the available 264 horsepower 3.0L V6 engine, power and fuel efficiency are both maximized. At 6.1 L/100 km highway fuel efficiency and a driving range of up to 1100 highway kilometers, the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox has better highway fuel efficiency than Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and even Ford Escape Hybrid.** And the standard six-speed automatic transmission further improves fuel efficiency, with an ECO button that allows you to switch to a fuel-saving mode on models with the 2.4L engine. Advanced technology – for the power you need and the fuel efficiency you demand.

The sound from the stereo is rather impressive too, nice and clear and more than loud enough for me, I`m not one for loud music but that was one of the first things Lee tested out and now he wants to change the speakers in the van yet again lol.

Probably the only thing I didn’t like about the equinox was the small storage compartment that was above the stereo on the dash, it was very convenient for ID and sunglasses and small items like and it blended seamlessly into the dash adding a little to the look of the interior, however that part I didn’t like was the button to open it was very shiny chrome and the angle of it seemed to pick up the sun all the time shooting the glaring reflection into my face. It was rather distracting while driving into the sun most of the way home. It would have been nice if it was black or dark gray.

That being said I still absolutely loved the Equinox and would for sure consider buying one for our second vehicle maybe, I would consider it for our primary however at this current time we need to fit at least 6 people in sometimes so a mini van or similar is our first option solely for that reason.

Kranich’s Jewelers

I love jewelery I am not ashamed to admit that I spend a ton of time drooling over rings, necklaces, earrings and the like.  All simply gorgeous pieces that I could only dream of owning.  I love all the rings I have because they are all full of sentimental value from when I received them.  This though does not stop me from really wanting new gorgeous pieces to show off and brag about.

I was recently introduced to Kranich’s Jewelers and now I have found more pieces that I want even more, they have a gorgeous mothers ring that I am absolutely in love with and am lusting over, I have wanted a mothers ring forever and now I think I may finally get one.  On top of the mothers ring let me share a few more pieces with you that I really love.

First of all there is the Belle Etoile Jewelery which I think is really funky and cool, I also firmly believe that everyone needs a piece of funky jewelery in their box.  I explored that collection and I really liked the Belle Etoile Enrapture Rubber Collection Necklace there is just something about them it that draws me in I think it is a very pretty piece.  Belle Etoile sterling silver necklace pendant with black rubber and a wavy row of white CZs on an 18 inch black cord.

My next favorite piece I found on there is an engagement ring and while I am already married there is no reason a girl can’t look still haha.  I fell in love with the Simon G. diamond ring which is a simply gorgeous Trillion Cut Diamond Ring.  This one is a very far fetched hope but still again a girl can look.

Last but not least before I stop talking because I keep drooling on my keyboard is the very cute Diamond Initial Necklace I have never really liked the way my inital J was made to look like when made into an inital anything, it just seems so plain next to all the other fancy letters, this is one time though I can honestly say I would buy and wear this necklace.

I think you should all go and look and check it all out, I will be sharing the Mothers ring I previously mentioned with you at a later point and if you stay tuned I might just have a great giveaway for you all too.

Walmart Gift Card Winner

We have a winner of the walmart gift card and she is already confirmed, thank you everyone who took the time to vote.

Walmart Helps Mom Save Money

We all know that family vacations can be expensive, and the further away from home you go the more they cost.  We also know that Orlando is a very big hot spot for summer vacations and Walmart recognizes this as well and is striving to help you save money while you are on vacation.

Here are a few ways moms can save money on their Orlando vacation this summer:

• Walmart is a great resource for discounted park and event tickets, including the first-ever Walmart Ticket Bundle, which features discounts on tickets to the most popular attractions at Disney, Universal and SeaWorld. This Walmart-exclusive discount can help families save $15-$32 per ticket bundle.

• Walmart provides unbeatable prices on all top souvenirs, including character apparel and theme park memorabilia, including the newly opened Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios.

• With everyday low prices at Walmart, moms don’t have to worry about the rising checked -baggage fees or the 8 oz. liquid rule on airlines because they can purchase basic travel items at Orlando-area Walmarts.

With five Walmarts in the greater-Orlando area, moms are sure to find a convenient location to meet their travel needs and budget.  I plan on looking up and mapping out the Walmarts in Florida to find the closest one to me when we go on our vacation there.

In addition to this great post I was sent some very adorable “Walmart Summer Vacation Package” that I get to giveaway to one of my very lucky readers.  The package includes essential Central Florida vacation items like a Mickey Mouse toy, salt water taffy, Harry Potter t-shirt, Banana Boat sunblock and more.

~WIN IT~
I have been sent the Walmart Summer Vacation Package, pictured above (blanket not included), for one of my lucky readers to win.

~TO ENTER~
Tell me how you save money when your on vacation.

~BONUS ENTRIES~
Please make sure to leave seperate entries for each thing, if it says you get 5 entries please leave 5 comments.

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