Anytime Costumes Review for Infant/Toddler

October 8, 2013 By 13 Comments

One of my favorite times of the year happens to be Halloween, but I hate spending so much money on costumes that either you only want to wear once, or are destroyed after the first use. This is why I was so excited to get a costume for an Anytime Costumes Review.

I let my daughter choose from the list of costumes and she decided that she wanted to be Izzy from on of her favorite shows, “Jake and the Neverland Pirates” She has been obsessed with the show for the last couple of months and I thought that this was perfect for her. Immediately she pointed out the Pixie Dust necklace that is just like what Izzy has in the show. Neither one of us could wait for the costume!
When the costume finally arrived, she could not wait to put it on. I was very surprised with the quality of this costume. I was expecting it to be like all the other costumes we have tried for the girls. Here is little H modeling the costume around the house for you! :)
I was very surprised about the boot covers. Other covers I have personally tried never work, or just plain don’t fit. The boot covers that came with this set are really think and stand up to all of Little H’s toddler activities. They even came off with the boots she had on underneath when she went to take them off. For her, she has a new pair of boots and she doesn’t care that they are really her old boots revamped! They have an elastic band around the bottom to help them stay put and they don’t make it hard for her to walk, which was my main concern.
I was also very impressed with the top! It is very pretty and shiny and matched her perfectly! She is in absolute LOVE with this costume and has already worn it over 3 times. The second time this is what happened:
We have gotten her costumes before but she has never wanted to wear them more than once. In fact, most of the time she doesn’t even want to wear them the one time. We were very excited that she wanted to wear it and we were even more excited about how darn cute she looked in it!
You can find this and other great Anytime Costumes here. I’m sure you can find lots of costumes that your little one will love!
**Disclaimer** I was in no way paid, or obligated to give a positive review, or a review at all for this company. If you would like to read my full disclaimer for reviews you can find it here.
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Filed Under: cute, Disney, Halloween, kids, toddler

Give Your Cat Soft Claws!

July 12, 2013 By 3 Comments
When we first got our kitten one of the first questions that we pondered was whether or not to get him declawed. Until recently I never truly knew what that meant. After doing some research about declawing I knew that there was no way I was going to put him through that.
Did you know that when a cat is declawed not only do they remove the nail, but because the nail is adhered to the bone they must remove the first joint attached to every nail. I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t be very happy if I was missing my knuckle on my fingers either. Just the thought makes me cringe! Declawing in some countries is illegal because they believe that it is inhumane!
So what are we to do if we have a cat, and don’t want our kids or our furniture scratched? Luckily for us there is a safe alternative to declawing that not only makes your cats paws soft, but can make they have a little colored flare!
Soft Claws are little vinyl caps invented by a veterinarian that fit over your cat’s nails so that they cannot scratch you, your kids, or even your furniture! Of course the colors they offer are a major plus (and absolutely adorable!), but what they do is even more amazing. They are easy to put on too! All you do is cut the cap if needed to fit your cats nails, add the included glue, and press onto your cats nails. I did this while he was sleeping and he was perfectly happy! I received clear in the kitten size, and blue in the small size for when he gets bigger. Here is a picture of his paw with Soft Claws!
In my opinion the clear ones look like little LED bulbs. Since I put the Soft Claws on while our kitty was sleeping he didn’t really notice them. On their website they say that each set should last approximately 4-6 weeks, but they also state that it takes a while for some cats to get used to having them on and will pull them off at first. Carbon didn’t really start to pull them off until we went on a 2 day vacation without him, and when we came back he had pulled off 3 of them. Soft Claws says on their website that typically the second box of Soft Claws will last longer than the first as your cat will have gotten acclimated to the Soft Claws.

So what will your cat think of Soft Claws? Soft Claw are painless to your kitty, and are non-toxic! They can also extend and retract their nails like normal. Also when cats shed their nails the caps will just come off, so no extra work on your part to get them off, or worry about their normal shedding. Think of it this way, at least I do, they are very similar to fake nails which for most of us girls do not hurt but they take a little while to get used to. So yes, at first your cat may not be happy or understand why he has caps on his nails but will learn to love them!

I highly recommend Soft Claws to anyone that has cats or kittens, especially with kids around. They make your cats paws soft and gentle and it is amazing! My husband and I have decided that this is one of the few products that will be purchasing for the remainder of the cats life. They are an absolute must in my family!

You can find Soft Claws on their website here. Check them out! You won’t regret it!

**Disclaimer** I was in no way paid, or obligated to give a positive review, or a review at all for this company. If you would like to read my full disclaimer for reviews you can find it here .

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Filed Under: cute, fun, home, Kitty

Matte Gel Nails Tutorial

July 1, 2013 By 3 Comments
So you all know of my Senstionail obsession, if not you do now! Anyway, for the longest time I have wanted to try a matte finish nail polish but did not want to give up on my Sensationail nails. So I have solved this problem by figuring out how to get a matte finish using one Sensationail products!
So this is the design I chose. I also added some clear polish on the top to create a cool design. But enough of that, lets get to the good stuff! Here is my tutorial:
To elaborate a little further, in case the picture above is a little confusing.
Step 1: paint your nails like you would normally. You can choose any design or any color you would like and it’s not the color that produces the matte finish. I decided to do a pink gradient.
Step 2: Make sure to add an extra coat of clear. We do this because you don’t want to lose any of your color when doing step 3.
Step 3: Take the softer end of a nail file and gently buff your entire nail. You don’t want any shine showing otherwise you will lose the matte effect. Make sure you cleanse your nail with the gel cleaner afterwords.
Step 4: If you would like you can add a design on top of your nail like I did to create a 2 dimensional look. All you do is take your clear coat either using a toothpick or any other nail tool you would like and draw your design. You could also just paint the tips for a french manicure look. Remove the tacky layer with your gel cleanser and viola! You have a Matte Gel Nail Design !
Let us know if you tried this and be sure to post pictures letting us know your results! We love seeing new designs!
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Filed Under: beauty, cute, nail art, nails

Ellie Workout Clothing

June 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment
I know I am not generally the one that you will find exercising every day, but this is something I have been trying to change. I have decided that I have been lazy for far too long when it comes to my health. Now that my girls are a little older it is a little easier to get away for a minute to get some much needed exercise time in.

Before finding out about Ellie I would have a hard time working out in public, or even in my own home! Not only because I felt weak compared to the others around me but also because of what I was wearing. Sure for some I’m sure this could be a form of motivation, but for me it’s just another way to tear me down. How am I supposed to lose weight if I don’t even feel comfortable in the outfit I am wearing?

This is the exact reason why I am so in love with Ellie! They strive to make us look great so that we feel the motivation to look even better! I promise I am not completely naive, I do realize that working out is not the most glamorous process. Of course you are still going to sweat and look exhausted (because generally you will be) but that’s no reason to look worse with an ugly, uncomfortable outfit that you don’t want to be seen in even if you are not working out. I received the Double Threat Tank and the Double Decker Capri to review and I can honestly say that this is by far the best workout outfit that I have ever owned!

The Double threat tank has a built-in-bra that I was very surprised to learn that it actually fit me! I am a 36DDD and it is very hard to find anything that will not only fit my midsection, but will also fit my chest. While it may not be as supportive as a regular bra it is still great compared to similar shelf bras. I love the way this top is designed! It looks like two pieces but is really one. I also love the grey and coral color combo.

The Double Decker Capris are also wonderful! They have a wide waist band that can be worn two different ways. You can wear it up so that it is just the coral color at the waist, or you pull it down so that it is grey at the top and coral at the bottom. They are super soft and stretch pretty far, I was worried that they would feel too tight but they not feel like they felt amazing once they were on.

Waist Band Folded Down
Waist Band Pulled Up

Both pieces are made with flat seems that prevent chafing, and has a four-way stretch that moves with you. I find this part super important because otherwise you will be tugging and pulling on your outfit during your workout which can be completely annoying. Once I had this outfit on I didn’t have to adjust anything throughout my workout which was very important to me! They also have moisture wicking to help keep your clothes dry when you work up a sweat. I love that I don’t have to worry about nasty sweat stains showing anymore!

I love all the tops that Ellie has to offer! It was EXTREMELY hard to pick just one top. I have never seen another company with designs like Ellie’s and I am so glad that they design the tops so that everyone can look great in them! Another great thing about Ellie is that they are always coming up with new designs, and they even offer a subscription program! Yes, that’s right! You can always have the latest and greatest workout gear delivered to you for a great price! You can get two pieces from their collection for $49.95 a month! Of course you can buy each piece separately as well.

As I’m sure you have heard from previous posts, you can get 20% off your purchase from Ellie just by clicking this link. So what are you waiting for?

Want to look good and feel great? Save 20% on Ellie.com.

**Disclaimer** I was in no way paid, or obligated to give a positive review, or a review at all for this company. If you would like to read my full disclaimer for reviews you can find it here .

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Filed Under: beauty, cute, favorite, health, wellness, women

Get Ready, Get Set, Get Blast Zone!

June 8, 2013 By 3 Comments
Having two toddlers can sometimes be very tiring. Anyone with a toddler would know how hard it is to keep them occupied for longer than five minutes without the typical “Mommy, Mommy!” and a tug on your shirt or pants. Luckily for us, it is summer and with summer comes all of the fun outdoor activities our children love. Of course we can rent some of these activities for parties or special occasions, or thanks to companies like Blast Zone we can now buy these great toys for great prices and use them all summer!
We received the Sidekick Castle Bounce House to review for you guys and could not be happier with this product! At first I was worried that it would be a major hassle to put up and take down. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it only took about 10 minutes (if not less) to unfold, stake down, and hook everything up. I was even more surprised to find that it blew up within a matter of a minute!
Somewhat patiently waiting for the new toy!
It was so easy, that I could put it up by myself! Taking it down was a little more tedious just because you have to push all of the air out before you can fold it up and put it in the bag. Even so, it still took less than 15 minutes to put it away and it still fits in the bag! While the bag may not be tiny, I still was amazed that the whole thing fit!
I was a little worried about my girls playing in this with bigger kids, but because of the design I feel more comfortable than ever! Normally my girls are afraid of being in small spaces with lots of kids, but because of the open design they were not afraid of being inside with others. I also noticed that since the material is a little different than a commercial bouncer that while it is bouncy, it does not transmit the bounce as much. Which I LOVE because you can have a big kid jump next to a toddler without knocking them over!
Both of my girls, as well as all of their friends love this bounce house! They will play with it until it’s dark outside and then will beg to play longer. All of the kids run back and forth between the ball pit, the slide, and of course jumping around. It has given them hours of entertainment and we are so happy to have it.
Having a blast in the ball pit!
We have a big family and always have tons of kids to play with. So I love that this is so simple to take out for whenever we need it. My youngest daughter (pictured above) just had her birthday, and it was so nice to be able to just set the bouncer up and let them play instead of dealing with a rental company and random people at my house. We have already saved so much money having this bounce house, and I’m sure it will continue to save us money!

We have only had one problem with this bouncer, when we go to take it down there is this really loud noise we can’t seen to get rid of. But it’s okay, the noise just comes from the kids being so upset that they can no longer play in the bounce house. Which eventually goes away until the next time we set it up.

I highly recommend this bouncer to anyone that has kids, or even anyone that has family with kids that stay at their house. It is so simple, and affordable that it’s perfect for everyone! You can find this and other great bounce houses on the Blast Zone website here.

Let us know which bounce house you would love from Blast Zone in the comments below!

Here are some more pictures of this wonderful toy! :)

Ball pit :)
Almost set up
About to go in for the first time!
Night-time play

Slide!
View from the porch

**Disclaimer** I was in no way paid, or obligated to give a positive review, or a review at all for this company. If you would like to read my full disclaimer for reviews you can find it here .
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Filed Under: cute, favorite, home, kids, princess, toddler, toys

Abbie’s Birthday Bash Bounce House Giveaway! *Closed*

May 29, 2013 By 119 Comments
It’s finally here! Your chance at winning an AMAZING bounce house from Blast Zone and Star Focal!
This Sidekick Castle Bounce house can hold up to 6 kids at a time! It comes with the bounce house, the blower, instructions, tote bag and even a repair kit! Your kids will have a blast playing in this thing for hours! Stay tuned for a review of this bounce house on Star Focal

Giveaway: One person will win a Sidekick castle by Blast Zone. Open to US only.
Giveaway Dates: May 29th- June 29th, 2013
Make sure to come back daily for the daily entries! Good luck guys!

**Bloggers sharing this giveaway are in no way responsible for shipment, or for any problems you may have with the entry form. For any problems contact Amberlee at love@www.dreampilot.net **
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Filed Under: cute, favorite, fun, Giveaway, home, princess, toddler, toys

Get Fit and Get 20% off!!

May 23, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Star Focal has recently partnered with Ellie, a company that sells some really cute workout gear, to get you 20% off any order on their site.
So how do you get 20% off? Just click the picture about or click here, and start shopping!

Comment below and tell us your favorite outfit! Also, be on the lookout for a review of their wonderful workout gear! If their clothing is even close to the wonderful things we keep hearing I’m sure it will be great!

Happy Shopping!

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Filed Under: cute, health, wellness, women

Nickelodeon Holiday Gift Guide Review!

December 24, 2012 By 1 Comment
Looking for the coolest gifts for your kids this year? Make sure to check out all the great things Nickelodeon has to offer! From toddler beds to coloring books they have you covered! With great quality, and great designs both you and your young one will be happy!

With our youngest finally ready to make the switch we could not be more excited about the Dora Toddler Bed!
Normally I am not a HUGE fan of Dora products mainly because of the colors, but I was really impressed with the toddler bed I received. Another thing that I was impressed with was how simple it was to put together. In about 30 minutes the bed was ready for my toddler to jump in and go to sleep. I know a lot of us want our toddlers to have the nice wooden beds, but with the price and how plain they are I’m not sure its worth it. With these beds not only do they last a long time, but they are inexpensive and have your childs favorite characters on them. Our oldest daughter has had this same bed with a different character on it for over a year and it is still standing strong, so you really get your monies worth with these beds.
Another thing my girls were excited about was the Spongebob Squarepants Giant Coloring Pages coloring book.
My girls love to color! One breaks the crayons while the other one eats them, which is pretty awesome but a big mess. I love the Giant Coloring Pages because they can both color the same page without getting upset about having to share. There is plenty of room for them both to color! It also has a code on the package that lets you create coloring pages from your favorite photos. I think it would be awesome to let the girls color our favorite family photo.
Lately my 2 year old has been absolutely obsessed with my makeup so I have been searching for a good makeup kit for her. Nickelodeon offers a great makeup set called the Winx Club Glam Makeup Case.
I love how solid the case is! It was definitely not something I expected! I also love that it comes with makeup applicators. My little one is always trying to take my makeup brushes to use with her pretend makeup. Another thing that is great about this case is that you can place all your little ones other makeup products underneath the slide out palettes. This will be keeping my daughter entertained for hours! This is something that you won’t regret buying that’s for sure!
One of my daughters obsessions other than just makeup is lip balm. I was very happy when I saw this next set.

Not only does this set come with 4 different lip balms with Dora on them, but it also comes with a little tin to hold them in. My daughter is obsessed with purses and things so she is super excited about the tin. I’m glad that this set comes with actual lip balm too! We got a makeup set not too long ago that came with lip jelly. I’m still not quite sure what lip jelly is, or how to get it out of my carpet so this set makes me really happy! It also comes with different flavors so your little one can choose their favorite!

Mommy is obsessed with having her nails painted, so of course the girls want to paint theirs too. Since they can’t use mommies nail polish this next set is perfect!

This is the Kiss It Paint It set. It comes with two bottles of nail polish and two tubes of lip gloss and something to carry them with. I love that the colors are not too bright so my girls can paint their own nails, and if they mess up its not a big deal. It is also really thick so that if the bottle tips it wont spill everywhere. Another great thing about these last two makeup sets is that they are very inexpensive. You don’t have to spend a fortune to make you princess happy.
You can find these and other great Nickelodeon toys at a store near you! Or you can find Nickelodeon on their Facebook, Twitter, or on their website here.
Happy Holidays!
**Disclaimer** I was in no way paid, or obligated to give a positive review, or a review at all for this company. If you would like to read my full disclaimer for reviews you can find it here .
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Filed Under: cute, fun, gift guide, kids, toddler, toys