POST CATEGORY : Products & Reviews

Is it Time to Deck the Halls Already?

   I can’t believe it’s almost that time of year again to deck the halls. It’s seems like just yesterday I was packing up all the ornaments and lights and shipping them down the basement. Now, here we go again! It’s amazing how fast time really does fly, ya know?
   Of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without a tree. It really is the centerpiece of all the holiday decorating. After all, Santa does need a good place to leave all the presents! So, it’s only fitting that one of the most exciting parts about decorating for Christmas is picking out a tree. But, if you think all trees are created equal, think again. Whether you choose an artificial or real tree, they really do come in all shapes and sizes and with all different kinds of price tags too! 
    If you take the artificial route, the main thing to consider is the size. You don’t want to run the risk of looking cramped or tacky. While your eyes may want the seven footer, your ceiling may only be able to handle five feet of Christmas cheer! ‘Tis the season to be jolly, so happy shopping and decorating!

It’s in the Bag!


   I’ll admit it. I love bags and pocketbooks. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever met one that I don’t like. As a woman, we have so many to choose from. Thank God! There are the hobo bags, the totes, the clutches, the travel bags…I could go on and on. There’s no doubt there are plenty of women out there who share my affection for a good bag. But, these days, guys are also getting into the bag bonanza. In fact, some bags out there for them to choose from are just as nice as the ones we have. Score one for equality!
   While we tend to throw just about everything into our bags, I’ve noticed the guys bags are a little more disciplined, if you know what I mean. They tend to have specific purposes when it comes to their bags. There are document bags, briefcases, work bags, and totes. The list really does go on and on for them too. In case you’re keeping track, that’s score two for equality!
   I really hope guys get on the “bag bandwagon” because they really don’t know what they’re missing! Women have been doing it for so long, now it’s time for guys to find that “perfect bag”.

Time to “Tie” One On!


   As a woman, we have so many accessories to choose from when we get dressed. Of course we have our necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. Don’t forget the scarves, hats, and pins, just to name a few. But, what do guys have? Honestly, not much. They put on a pair of pants, a shirt, socks and shoes, and are usually out the door. They don’t have a lot of stuff to help them accessorize. There’s not much there to show your creative side or style. That’s one of the many reasons I’m glad I’m a woman! 
    If you think about it, the tie is really the only thing they can pick out to help spice up a special outfit. I actually like to go tie shopping with my husband because sometimes there really are a lot of different ones to choose from. Of course you have your standards solids and stripes, but there are also some really fun ones out there too. There are even ones to go with the holidays or that special occasion. 
   You’ve probably heard the saying “clothes make the man.” I think the same can be said for a tie. So, maybe it’s one to “tie” one on with your man!

Real Men Carry Wallets


   I remember when I was growing up, wallets were always at the top of the list when I had to buy a gift for my Dad. It was the one gift that was always practical and useful. For some reason it always seemed as though my Dad needed a new wallet every time a holiday rolled around.
   These days, not much has changed. As an adult, I still buy my Dad a new wallet every now and again. But, now I can add my husband to the list too. Besides there being another person to shop for, there is something else that has changed too. Over the past few decades there are so many more wallets to choose from. Just like with everything else, they are also much more stylish than they were back in the day. So, there really is something for everyone. Wallets don’t only have a practical purpose.  It also seems like they’ve become more of an accessoryand fashion piece than just something to put your money and credit cards in.
  But, what if the special guy in your life doesn’t carry a wallet? Hmmm. Some people say you better make sure they have some money!

Men are "Watching" Fashion

 I remember back in the day, I didn’t know a lot of guys who were into fashion or designer duds. These days it seems like some men are more into accessories than some ladies that I know. Maybe it’s a designer revolution or maybe guys are just making themselves priority number one and spending more money on themselves these days than they are on their women. Whatever the case, there are plenty of things to dish out your dough on everything from watches to hats, scarves, and sunglasses. Just like with everything else, there’s something for every kind of guy.

   A lot of these watches are really stylish, but they don’t exactly come cheap! But, you only live once, so I guess it’s a good idea to splurge every now and again. If your man is one of those who won’t splurge on himself, maybe it could be a good gift too (as long as he is reciprocating!). The holidays are coming and sometimes it’s nice to get one really nice gift than a lot of other small ones. At least a watch is something that will get used every day, unlike some other type of expensive gift. So, maybe there’s there’s no “time” like the present to check them out.


   
   

Make a Date with a Photo Calendar

   As a Mom, you’re probably the one who keeps everything in your house organized. From doctor’s appointments to play dates to haircuts, it seems like there’s always something going on. I used to be really good at keeping all the dates and times in one of those pocket calendars. But, ever since I became a stay-at-home mom, I have to admit that planner isn’t doing much for me these days. It sees the bottom of the diaper bag more than it sees my pen. So, I’ve been relying more on my regular calendar.
   Sure, there are plenty to choose from in the stores, but some of the themes are just plain old dumb. So, instead of seeing a generic picture of a flower or animal, it would be nicer to see a picture of one of my kids or a great family snapshot. Wouldn’t you agree?  Personalized photo calendars are a cool way to go if you want to change it up a bit. Those photo calendars might even make great birthday gifts for the grandparents. What grandma or grandpa doesn’t gush over pictures of their grandkids? This way they not only get to see pictures of the kids, but also get something they can actually use. Perhaps it’s time to pencil in some time to get that calendar made!

Photo Books

   As a mom, we all love to take pictures of our little ones. If you’re like me, thanks (or no thanks) to technology, you have the pictures on your computer. They sit there for months and months, or maybe even years, but  you just never get around to print them up to share them and truly enjoy them. If you’re not like me and do print them out, I give you major props!

  If you have them all printed, what do you do with them? Do they stay in your closet where no one can enjoy them? I’m guilty of that one! Do you put them in photo books? Again, if you’re like me, probably not! So, what are you waiting for? Why not make them into photo books? It sounds like a cool idea, right? There’s really no pictures too small or too big? It really just depends what you want to do.
All you need to do is have some cute and lovable pictures of your little ones that you want to share. I think we all have plenty of those. I think I have hundreds to choose from myself! So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to check out some cool photo books!

Toys R Us= Epic Fail!

   Did you know that shopping for a swing set could be so difficult? I really think it’s harder than buying a car. We started this monumental process four weeks ago (at least) and have yet to make a decision. There are so many things to consider and let me tell you, some places don’t make the whole shopping experience any easier…not even a place like Toys R Us.

   I actually thought we found “the one” in a Toys R Us flier. It had lots of cool stuff and I wasn’t going to have to remortgage my house to afford it. In case you didn’t know, some of these sets can set you back a few thousand dollars, yes, I said a few thousand. But anyway, I’m getting off the point. We went to check it out at the store and noticed a sign that said there was an extra charge for delivery and assembly. We don’t really have the time to put it together, so we thought the assembly could be worth the extra money.

  Before paying up, we wanted to see how much it would cost with all the bells and whistles, including the delivery and assembly. Apparently, at Toys R Us that’s more difficult than finding the winning lottery combination. We waited for more than a half hour while the lady tried to pull up this magic number on a computer that Fred Flintstone could have used. Only when we asked to talk to a manager, did the lady call for help. Then some guy came up and tried to help her figure it out. Mind you, he never introduced himself as the manager, nor did he have a tag that said he was one. After about two minutes, he informed us they don’t put the swing sets together, so that’s why the computer couldn’t spit out a price.



   It took nearly an hour for us to just find this out! When my husband showed him the sign saying assembly was extra, he simply said that was wrong because, again, they don’t offer assembly on those products.



Misleading Sign=Epic Fail!



   For the love of Christmas! Why would you have a sign that was misleading? To make matters worse, you have employees who don’t know that! A big company like Toys R Us can’t afford to print out a new sign or at least black out the part that was wrong? Epic fail! To make matters worse, we never even saw the manager and were never offered anything to make up for the mistake or the nearly one hour of time we wasted just to get a price. That’s a big no-no in my book.

   It would have been nice if they at least acknowledged the mistake or did something that would have helped us to walk away happier than we did. I don’t think Geoffrey the giraffe would approve of what went down in one of his little stores. Needless to say, we left without buying a swing set.  You can bet we won’t be getting it from there once we finally decide on one. I can tell you one thing…I don’t wanna be a Toys R Us kid!

UPrinting.com Giveaway!

We all have those special photos and pictures we’d like to showcase in a special way. What a better way then with a canvas print. I’m taking part in a giveaway with UPrinting.com and you can too. UPrinting.com has lots of options when it comes to Canvas Prints including a very cool rolled out canvas that takes only one day to print! They’re great for your home or to give as a gift. Scroll down to find out how to enter to win a free one.

Prize Information

16″ x 20″ Rolled Canvas Print for one winner
With 2″ border or No border
1 Business day print turnaround time
Free US shipping only
Restrictions:

1. This giveaway is open to US residents only, 18 years old and above.
2. No prize substitutions allowed.
3. Winners are allowed to win once over a six-month period.
4. Only email addresses used for the giveaway will be eligible to claim the prize.
Disclaimer
“You should assume that I will receive free print products in exchange for the post. Any and all reviews posted are based solely on my own experience and may be atypical. Please practice due diligence in making any related purchase decisions.”
To Enter:
Like UPrinting on Facebook
Deadline : May 3, 2012

Hey, Your Baby Can Read… Really?

 
   Okay, I’m coming clean. I became so mesmerized with the “Your Baby Can Read” commercial that I actually ordered the reading system that promises to help your child learn to read. But, it wasn’t just the commercial that made me run to jot down the number and grab my phone and MasterCard. During my daughter’s last well visit, the pediatrician asked how many words were in her vocabulary. My husband and I looked at each other, trying not to laugh. Vocabulary? Um, she was 15 months at the time. She doesn’t really have a vocabulary. Then it got me thinking. Is she behind? Is she a slow learner? What’s the deal? Maybe I need some help.
   We read together constantly and she really seems to enjoy it. So, I thought “Your Baby Can Read” would be the perfect next step to help move things along. In case you’re not familiar, the set comes with several DVDs, books, and flashcards all aimed at teaching words and promoting reading. I guess you’re supposed to start when the kids are younger, but the guy over the phone said it was o-k if I started now, and gullible me said o-k.
   I should have known something was up when I called and they said the $14.95 price advertised was just for the 30 day trial. If I decided to keep it, they were going to charge my credit card three monthly payments of 60-something-dollars. Again, I said o-k. I really believed this was the key to my child becoming the next Einstein.
So, the huge box arrives. There were so many DVDs and books, it looked like I robbed the library. I started reading the parents’ instructions and off we were with the the first DVD.
   Problem one…I couldn’t get my daughter to sit still to watch two minutes of the dumb DVD. So, I watched it and thought how does this stuff really work? Hmmm. Next were the flashcards. Attention span…5 minutes. We tried this routine for the next four days. Then, I finally decided I’m wasting my time and hers. She’s not buying this, and now I’m not either. (At least she’s the smart one!).
   When I called the company to get information to return it, the rep asked me if I wanted more time. I said no, my daughter is clearly not interested in it. She won’t sit and watch the DVDs. Then the lady said, “Well, are you watching them with her?” Really lady? I bit my tongue and simply said yes, but told her I still wanted to return the stuff.
   Days after sending it back, I heard on the news that the FTC is questioning the company’s reading promises and has filed a complaint claiming “Your Baby Can Read” uses deceptive advertising. I could have told you that one. My baby may not be able to read yet, but she sure knows a scam when she sees one.
Just curious, has anyone had success with this program?