Build-A-Bear: The Grinch that Stole Christmas Review

November 30, 2012 By · No Comments

By now I’m sure everyone has either seen or heard of “The Grinch” as for me, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for him. After all it wasn’t all his fault that he hated Christmas and wanted to ruin it for all, not if you remembered what happened to him.  But he was touched by the magic of Christmas and ended up doing the right thing. Build-A-Bear Workshop has The Grinch now that you can either make or purchase one already made to bring home to sit under your Christmas tree. He soft and cuddly and is dressed in his Santa outfit right down to his red shoes, hat and a red bag. 

The Grinch ($23) knows the true meaning of Christmas. He has a heart that lights up three times, which can be seen through his signature outfit, priced right at $13.50.

The Grinch has made it on my Holiday Gift Guide list because who doesn’t love Build-a-Bear and if you are a collector than he should be on the list. Happy Holidays! 
If the Grinch just isn’t your thing that isn’t a problem, Build-A-Bear also has Merry the Mint Pup which is an adorable white puppy that comes in her little peppermint bows, dress, has a bone, leash and a bed to sleep in. If you have one that loves Hello Kitty they will more than likely love the Gingerbread one. Finally there is Rudolph and Clarice, they make the perfect couple.
Disclosure: We were sent “The Grinch” for review purposes. All opinions and pictures are mine. 
Filed Under: Kids Reviews, Reviews

Max & Ruby Winner

November 29, 2012 By · No Comments

The Max & Ruby winner is….

Samantha! I will be sending an email your way from homemom3@gmail.com You will have 24 hours to contact me. Congratulations! Hope you enjoy your time with your daughter at Max & Ruby!

Filed Under: Giveaways

Camp Blockbuster Kids Pass Review & Giveaway *Stocking Stuffers*

November 26, 2012 By · 32 Comments

I don’t know about you but we are a family that LOVES to watch movies, it doesn’t matter the type one of us is sure to have a favorite.  For me I love to watch Christmas shows all month of December, kids of course love them too but they also like their cartoons. Sometimes the kids love the movies they rent so much they ask me to take it back a day late so they can watch it a million more times.  Do you have kids that love to rewatch the same movie over and over?  Well I was recently given a really great tip about some neat Stocking Stuffer ideas for you. Camp Blockbuster has kids passes you can buy for the kids you know, the passes are good for one month, 6 months or a year. 

This season, Blockbuster is offering special movie rental memberships as a great holiday gift option perfect for gamers, movie buffs and even kids in the family.  From the Blue Ticket, Kids Pass and Total Access memberships, these options provide something for everyone. Just in time for the holidays, Blockbuster is offering 1 month free on the 6-month in-store Blue Ticket pass (now only $74.95) and ½ off of the 6-month Kids Pass (now only $14.95).   

We are going to be talking about Camp Blockbuster as that is what I got and the giveaway I’ll be doing. :)  If you haven’t been inside your Blockbuster lately be prepared for a bit of a change up. There is a Kids and Family section that will remind you of a little camping area. They are clearly marked with Kids & Family and the .99 movie rentals, this includes video games. My kids have a whole list of movies they want to rent, unfortunately our closest Blockbuster is about to move locations so they are selling the cards but not activating them. The good news is they will be opening a Blockbuster in our town in January, which means we will have a full line up of movies to pick from and be able to start at a brand new Blockbuster.

When the kids go to activate their cards they are able to purchase movie candy and of course their .99 movie/game rental.

Blockbuster Kids Pass

-  $4.99* per month
-  Unlimited in-store rentals of all 99¢ Kids & Family movies and games
-  1 rental at a time
-  No due dates for rentals on your pass

These passes are available in 1-month, 6-month and 1-year gift cards, which is perfect for the holiday breaks or summer coming up.

It’s $4.99 per month, so you can buy a one month pass for $4.99 or you can pay $29.94 for the 6-month pass, however right now there is a special offer of ½ off the 6-month Kids Pass bringing the price down to $14.97!

Giveaway

PRIZE: 3 winners will get (1) 6 month pass

RULES: Tell me what movie you think your little one would want to rent if you won?

(Remember to leave a link for posts you share, tweet, or FB share. Do not forget to leave an email.)

Extra entries:

“Like” Blockbuster on Facebook

“Like” The Life of a Home Mom on Facebook

Follow Blockbuster on Twitter

Follow Homemom3 on Twitter

Tweet this post (can be done daily):  Visit @homemom3 to win a 6 month Kids Pass to Camp @Blockbuster http://tinyurl.com/c4bml6h #giveaway

Share this post on Facebook (Can be done daily).

Blog about the giveaway

Deadline: December 10th, winner will be announced at noon. The winner will have 24 hours to respond to my email (homemom3@gmail.com), if there is no response a new winner will be pulled. The winner will be determined through random.org.

Disclosure: We were supplied a 6 month Camp Blockbuster Kids pass in order to write up this review.

Filed Under: Giveaways, Holidays Tagged With: , , ,

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping

November 22, 2012 By · No Comments

Whether you’ve already made your Thanksgiving meal and side dishes this year or still need one to make.  This slow-cooker sweet potato casserole is sure to be a crowd pleaser, whether for a holiday meal or a casual family dinner. So if you’ve already made your meals, you can make this tomorrow. Now if this were my dish I’d have to do it without the pecans but I’m sure it would taste just as good. I have had the pleasure to go through the latest “America’s Favorite Food” cookbook created by MyRecipes and will be talking about it and other recipes in the next few weeks. Here’s a sample of one which is perfect for Thanksgiving.

  • 2 (29-ounce) cans sweet potatoes in syrup, drained and mashed (about 4 cups mashed)
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preparation

  1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add whipping cream; stir well. Pour into a lightly greased 3-quart slow cooker.
  2. Combine pecans and remaining 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle over sweet potatoes.
  3. Cover and cook on HIGH 3 to 4 hours.

Used with permission from MyRecipes.com pg 212” to “MyRecipes “America’s Favorite Food” Cookbook”

Filed Under: Holidays

Make a Healthy Thanksgiving Dinner & a Giveaway

November 21, 2012 By · No Comments

It’s time to fill up on all those yummy dishes. But maybe this year you are looking for something a little healthier. Here are a few tips that I plan to use this Thanksgiving.  GeoPalz has some great tips and a giveaway!  (Geopalz website!)

1. Snack sparingly throughout the day, choose a healthy option if the kids have to snack. Opt for a full meal instead of high-calorie snacking. It’s difficult to monitor how much the kids are eating when they’re grazing the buffet.Click to Tweet!

 2. Create colorful fruit salads and fruit-based desserts for a healthy way to satisfy your kid’s sweet tooth. Make an apple or peach pie using whole-wheat flour instead of white flour.Click to Tweet!

3. Fill your kid’s plate with half veggies, a quarter potatoes, and the rest with meat. Help your kids learn portion control by using normal or undersized portions. Encourage them to fill their plates with healthy and colorful food. Click to Tweet

4. Have fun and play games together! Promote playtime with fun and physical activities. Play a game of touch football, Frisbee, or kickball together. With younger kids, play hopscotch, jump rope, or tag. Click to Tweet!

GeoPalz wants to help you make healthier decisions and this Thanksgiving holiday they have children’s pedometer!  Follow the 12 tips for a healthier and happier Thanksgiving meal.  Tweet and share them with friends to be entered into a Healthy Family Thanksgiving Giveaway!

At the end of the month, GeoPalz will pick one lucky parent who’s shared these tips via Twitter with a Thanksgiving prize pack including 4 GeoPalz pedometers for your kids and a $100 Target gift card for you!

Here’s how to enter:
1. Click the included link to tweet your favorite tip!
2. Follow GeoPalz on Twitter to find out if you’ve won.

For contest rules and regulations, please visit the GeoPalz blog.

***Disclaimer: I will be receiving a product in exchange for this post.  All opinions expressed are my own.***

Filed Under: Holidays
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