reviews

swiss colony: yumminess delivered *giveaway*

**Giveaway is now closed - congrats to our winner, Jen! Enjoy!! **

I recently got a lovely shipment of YUM delivered to my door from Swiss Colony just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Swiss Colony has a lovely assortment of gifts to send like cheese and meat baskets, candies, cookies, nuts, popcorn, and everything you could imagine that are - brace yourself - actually affordable. Every year, I shop for something to send my grandma (who loves chocolate and popcorn) and every year I CRINGE at the prices these places charge. And frankly, most of the stuff I've had from these gifty-type food baskets aren't really all that tasty.

We tried the old fashioned toffee and the mixed nuts and they were a HUGE hit! Super yummy! Everything tasted fresh and was of high quality with no damage from shipping. I can't wait to send these out as gifts for the holiday.

So I was thrilled at what I found at Swiss Colony! I love this Old Fashioned Peppermint Ribbon Candy ($17) and just look at this Gift Box Trio for only $17. How cute is this???

And there is a whole sugar-free section that will be perfect for my dad, who has diabeties.  And wouldn't these swirl cakes be a perfect gift for a relative who is hosting a holiday party far away? But this has to be my favorite... its a family tradition in our house to  have a huge breakfast after we open our stockings on Christmas morning. So look at this:

Holiday Morning Breakfast! HOW CUTE!!!!!!

My experience with Swiss Colony was fantastic and I highly recommend them for your holiday gift giving!

Would you live to give them a try? You're in luck! Swiss Colony is giving one Thoroughly Modern Mommies reader your choice of items from their site! (valued at up to $30, shipping will be free) What a perfect way to get some holiday shopping started! Here's how to enter:
1. Contest ends Monday December 6.
2. Entry #1: Leave a comment just saying you'd like to win.
3. Entry #2: Leave a SEPARATE comment telling me you subscribe to my feed by email or in a reader.
4. Entry #3:  Leave another comment telling me in what way you promoted this contest (i.e., posting about it on your blog or Facebook, Tweeting about it, and/or emailing  friends..
5. Winners will be selected by Random.org, announced back here on this post, and notified via email with further instructions. See official giveaway rules here.  

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Melissa is a work at home mom to 3 adorable, active kids outside Philadelphia. She is founding editor of Thoroughly Modern Mommies and can also be found talking fashion daily at b*Stylish, and dishing about family life on her personal blog, Girlymama. Find her on twitter as @girlymamamel.

disclosure: we received samples to facilitate this post. we were not compensated financially for this post and, as always, all opinions are ours.

TANGLED: 17 thumbs up!

Yesterday, all three kids and I were treated to a sneak peek of Disney's new movie, TANGLED. 

Right after the movie, I asked everybody to rate it using the traditional movie rating scale: (0 Thumbs up = Didn't like it; 1 Thumb up = Liked it; 2 Thumbs up = Loved it). 

After making sure everyone understood the system, Abby (7 1/2 yrs) gave 2 thumbs up. Caroline (5 yrs) gave 3 thumbs up.  And, Ben gave Tangled a whopping 10 thumbs up. I also give Tangled 2 Thumbs Up, for a grand total of ......17 THUMBS UP out of a possible 8.  Great Score!  Also a Great Movie! We loved it!!!

As you would expect from a Disney animated movie, the kids were laughing in parts, scared during some chase scenes (Ben was in my lap for most of the movie), Mom cried at least one time (ok, actually twice), Gothel and the "bad guys" are frigtening, some of the bad guys turn out to be good guys, things look pretty bad for Flynn for a while, and then there is a wonderfully happy ending (whew!).  The songs were fun too, particularly when Rapunzel and Flynn visited the Inn.

Apparently I have missed all the previews for this movie because I didn't know Tangled was in 3D!  (Note to self, do not wear glasses to a 3D movie again since wearing 2 pairs of glasses feels weird.) Abby and Caroline were literally squealing/gasping about some of the visual effects in the movie -- "Mom, there is a butterfly flying right out to my eyes! LOOK!!"  They have never seen anything like that before and they were IMPRESSED.  The animation was gorgeous.  The lanterns....just wait for the the scene with the flying lanterns!

A couple of notes for parents with younger viewers: 

1) The 3D glasses did not fit Ben; they were waaaay too large for his face. So, he did not wear them and watched the whole movie without them.  On the plus side, he didn't seem to notice the doubled lines.
2) The movie shows not one, but two characters dying.
3)  The movie had a lot of chasing and action sequences -- so it was borderline too scary for Ben at 3, who usually loves that sort of thing. Abby and Caroline even came over to cuddle for parts of it.

Overall, though, take your older kids to see it -- it's FUN!

_______________________________________________________


Here's a little more information:

Official Description: "RAPUNZEL may have lived her entire life locked inside a hidden tower, but Rapunzel is no damsel in distress. The girl with the 70 feet of golden hair is an energetic, inquisitive teenager who fills her days with art, books, and imagination. Rapunzel is full of curiosity about the outside world, and she can’t help but feel that her true destiny lies outside of the lonely tower walls. Rapunzel has always obeyed Mother Gothel by staying hidden away and keeping her magical hair a secret… but with her 18th birthday just a day away, she is fed up with her sheltered life and ready for adventure. When a charming thief seeks refuge in her tower, Rapunzel defies Gothel and seizes the opportunity to answer the call of the kingdom. With the unwilling Flynn Rider along for the journey, Rapunzel leaves the tower for the first time, and begins a hilarious, hair-raising journey that will untangle many secrets along the way."


Also, Check Out "Found: Rapunzel" on You Tube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8mF5sv7bKg

Disclaimer:  I was provided free tickets of Rapunzel for me and my family in order to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not otherwise compensated for this review.

Come one, Come all and meet my adorable, stylish doggie.

Too cute for words you say?  I’d have to agree!

 I can still remember the first day we saw Ricki…he came prancing up to us sporting a bright red bandana just begging to be adopted and showered with love.  How could anyone resist?  And here we are, over three years later, still head over heels for this little furball.  Needless to say, that moment made dog bandanas a little sentimental for me…especially when Ricki sports one.  So I was THRILLED when Kiss My Mutt  sent Ricki a special package including a Seabreeze Reversible bandana to sport around the neighborhood!

Kiss My Mutt is an online dog boutique, that provides quality and unique products for your four-legged friend.  From plush beds to adjustable leashes, Kiss My Mutt has a stylish solution for every pet.  And every product is made with eco-friendly materials that offer the ultimate in comfort and style!

 

After the initial wrestle to get him to sit still long enough to put on the bandana, Ricki pranced around our driveway for these model shots…even drawing a crowd as two of our neighbors came over to compliment him on his style.

What I say: I love that the fabric is soft and washable.  Within ten minute Ricki had rolled in dirt, but a quick run through the washer and the bandana was good as new!  I also liked that the pattern/colors were modern and simple and that the bandana had was reversible for maximum wear!  The only thing I would change is to order a larger size for Ricki – he has a large neck for a little dog!  I would just like to be able to double-knot the bandana so it will stay put for all his adventures.

 What Ricki says: Mom made me wear a bandana which I wasn’t too keen about wearing.  But then everyone kept telling me how adorable I am.  And petting me.  A dog could learn to live with that!

 Be sure to head to Kiss My Mutt  to find a unique product for the stylish dog in your life!

Nicole is a twenty-something newlywed working in corporate america and is mommy to a adorable, but tiny bit spoiled, puppy named Ricki and auntie to four young cuties. Nicole lives outside Cleveland with her husband and aforementioned adorable spoiled dog and you can find her on her personal blog, Busy Girl and talking fashion as a contributer on bStylish. She can also be found on Twitter as busygirlnicole.

disclosure: we received a sample to facilitate this review. we were not compensated financially for this post and, as always, all opinions are ours.

 

gymboree: more than clothes!

Gymboree: I think of cute, really adorable clothes that my kids love. But Gymboree has something else on my kids' Christmas list this year.


Gymboree Play & Music has over 550 locations in 30 countries, making them the global leader in early childhood development programs. Gymboree programs are specially designed to help young children learn and develop as they play. Their classes also help you learn about your child -- how to participate in and encourage his or her development -- while enjoying the simple pleasure of playing together.

With a huge variety of play, music, art and sports classes, there is something for everyone! We have quite a small house that is brimming with an embarrassing amount of toys, so we've been encouraging family to purchase 'experience' gifts for the kids. And Gymboree Play & Music classes are perfect for my 2-year-old son. He is obsessed with sports and would have a blast! This would be such a fabulous gift from his Grandparents!

If you have a little one in your life, think of Gymboree! A PERFECT holiday gift that will give back forever.

 

VeggieTales: It's a Meaningful Life DVD

**UPDATE: Enjoy a $3 off coupon for Its a Meaningful Life! Click here!**

Just this week, the kids and I were privileged to see the new DVD called VeggieTales: It's a Meaningful Life. It was so adorable - in true Veggie form - and includes a fabulous story just for kids. (and an awesome Silly Song!)

My kids, of course, loved it! It was such a sweet story about a little boy (played by Larry the Cucumber) who learns valuable lessons about what it means to be content and understand one’s worth. When Larry gets to see what life could be like if he had everything he ever wanted, he's surprised that it might not be the best life for him.

And - at least for us - between Christmas ads arriving in the mail already and competition at school for clubs and sports - this is a video that my little ones needed to see. We sat around after and talked about some of the issues it brought up and I was surprised at how much this video spoke to my kids. (And to me, frankly!) This is tackling something that so many of us struggle with - even as adults - and I higly recommend it!!

Melissa is a work at home mom to 3 adorable, active kids outside Philadelphia. She is founding editor of Thoroughly Modern Mommies and can also be found talking fashion daily at b*Stylish, and dishing about family life on her personal blog, Girlymama. Find her on twitter as @girlymamamel.

disclosure: we received a copy of this DVD to facilitate this post. we were not compensated financially for this post and, as always, all opinions are ours.

...featuring norah jones

I recently got to get a special preview copy of ...Featuring Norah Jones. I've been a huge fan of Norah Jones every since she first came on the music scene, so I was thrilled to hear her latest.

This new album the album is a star-studded collection of the multi-platinum selling, multi-Grammy Award winning singer’s musical collaborations from the past decade.

The 18 songs on the album include cool collaborations and duets with legends like Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton (amazing!). And with newer musicians like OutKast and the Foo Fighters. The album spans Norah’s entire career and reveal her astonishing musical versatility, jazz to country, hip-hop to rock.

Norah - as usual - blew me away. This girl is truly amazing. Like most albums, I liked probably 2/3 of the songs. If you're a Norah fan, you must give this one a try!! I LOVE the duet with Foo Fighters, Virginia Moon, and the duet with Ray Charles, Here We Go Again, is heavenly. HEAVENLY. I could listen to it all day!

Highly recommend this one!

Melissa is a work at home mom to 3 adorable, active kids outside Philadelphia. She is founding editor of Thoroughly Modern Mommies and can also be found talking fashion daily at b*Stylish, and dishing about family life on her personal blog, Girlymama. Find her on twitter as @girlymamamel.

disclosure: we received a copy of this cd from One2OneNetwork to facilitate this post. we were not compensated financially for this post and, as always, all opinions are ours.

 

 

Don't forget to visit Norah on her website, Facebook and YouTube.

 

First Juice: organic fruit and vegetable juice for kids

Okay. Who thinks their kids drink too much juice?

*raises hand*

I totally have too much juice on my long list of mommy guilt items. So I was thrilled to try out First Juice—the first organic fruit and vegetable juice beverages designed just for kids.

What they say:

• First Juice offers four juice flavors that are made from organic produce
•  lower in sugar than comparable products
• sold through more than 300 Babies R Us and Toys R Us stores as well as outlets including Whole Foods Market, Ralphs, Amazon.com and Diapers.com.
• The flavors include: Apple & carrot, Banana & carrot, Blueberry & purple carrot, Peach & purple carrot
• The company’s juices are available in 8 oz. reusable and recyclable, spill-proof, BPA-free containers which feature a patented no-spill sippy-top for on-the-go use as well as in 32 oz. bottles for home use and refills.

What we say:

My kids really liked this juice. It was nowhere near as sweet as our typical juice -- and MUCH less sweet than undiluted juice boxes and such that we usually end up with when we're on the run. My son usually only likes diluted apple juice. Period. But he drank the blueberry & purple carrot right up! I was amazed!

My daughters said, "This juice tastes a little different," but they said they liked it. And they especially loved the easy to-go sippy top bottle. Both of them asked if they could get them in their lunch boxes!

As a mom, I LOVE that companies like First Juice are coming around and offering healthier choices for busy families on the go. I saw this juice in my local grocery store the other day and picked up several for our road trip to New England over Thanksgiving. These are perfect for traveling!! Give them a try!

Melissa is a work at home mom to 3 adorable, active kids outside Philadelphia. She is founding editor of Thoroughly Modern Mommies and can also be found talking fashion daily at b*Stylish, and dishing about family life on her personal blog, Girlymama. Find her on twitter as @girlymamamel.

disclosure: we received a sampling of products to facilitate this review. we were not compensated financially for this post and, as always, all opinions are ours.

Libby's Feeding America Virutal Canned Food Drive **GIVEAWAY**

**The giveaway is now closed! Congratulations to comment #24 - Shannon!**

Its that time of year! Libby’s Fruits & Vegetables is currently hosting their second annual Feeding America Virtual Canned Food Drive. This year, Libby’s wants you to help families in need get back to the table through the Virtual Canned Food Drive supporting Feeding America. At Libby’s Fruits and Vegetables, they passionately believe that every capable family should help those less fortunate. This is why they partnered with Feeding America for the second year in a row to empower you, your family and your community to give back to Americans who are food insecure.
 
This online food drive encourages families and friends to form teams and engage their communities to support them.  Teams that raise $1,500 or more for Feeding America will get their pantries stocked with a year’s supply of canned vegetables from Libby’s.  How amazing is that?!?
 
Even if you don’t have time to create a team and rally donations – it’s still important to give back and help someone in need this holiday season.  So we’re trying our best to encourage anyone to donate to the drive!  Libby’s will match up to $40,000 of donations raised until December 13th, 2010, which will help provide 525,000 meals for families in need.  Every five dollars donated helps provide 35 meals for families struggling with hunger. This is a cause we hope everyone will stand behind!

FEEDING AMERICA FACTS:

• Today, one in six Americans is struggling with hunger.
• Feeding America is the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity.
• The Feeding America network includes more than 200 food banks that serve all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
• The network distributes more than 2.5 billion pounds of food and groceries annually.
• More than 700,000 people volunteer each year to help the Feeding America network feed the hungry.

More information is available at www.feedingamerica.org.
  
If you’re interested in creating your own profile, you can do so here.
 
To help spread the word about this fabulous cause, Libby's is giving on lucky Thoroughly Modern Mommies reader a Wolfgang Puck Casserole Dish with Lid - just in time for your holiday entertaining! Here's how to enter:
1. Contest ends Monday, November 15.
2. Entry #1: Leave a comment just saying you'd like to win.
3. Entry #2: Leave a SEPARATE comment telling me you followed @LibbysTable on twitter.
4. Entry #3: Leave a SEPARATE comment telling me you subscribe to my feed by email or what way you promoted this contest (i.e., posting about it on your blog or Facebook, Tweeting about it, and/or emailing  friends.
5. Winners will be selected by Random.org, announced back here on this post, and notified via email with further instructions.

crazy for cookies: brace yourself!

I love cookies.  REALLY love cookies.  I'm not really into pies, cheesecakes, or even salty snacks. I don't even love store-bought cookies that much, except for maybe Girl Scout peanut butter patties and Berger bakery cookies from Baltimore.  But I love a good homemade cookie.  And, with the exception of a little Amelia Bedelia-like baking mishap when I was about 12 (directions said to grease the bottom of the pan....so I greased the outside bottom...), I am a now a skilled cookie baker and grease the appropriate side of the pan every time.  I really hit my stride around Christmas time -- shortbread, Russian tea cakes, chocolate chip, raspberry thumbprints, butter spritz with almonds....ah...I can't wait.  

I am the proud owner of at least five large, dough-splattered cook books devoted exclusively to this important culinary art, one of which is titled 1001 Cookie Recipes.  Clearly, I have more cookie recipes than I can ever bake.  But, I can't help myself.  We're talking about cookies here. And, I just received a brand new cookie cookbook, Crazy About Cookies: 300 Scrumptious Recipes for Every Occasion & Craving by Krystina Castella that I really like. The author also has a second creative cookbook on the art of cupcake baking that she previously published called Crazy for Cupcakes.

Why do I need this new set of over 300 cookie recipes??  Because these are super cute!  Not only does this cookie book have some interesting twists on traditional cookies, but this cookbook really differentiates itself by a great selection of super creative cookies -- the recipes are more like cookie art projects!  Edible, adorable cookies with ideas for all occasions, holidays, and even every day. Wow-'em ideas that are perfect for cookie exchanges or classroom parties or care packages. And, if you're new to baking, there is also a thorough basics section on doughs, toppings and decoration techniques with some tips that I hadn't read before.

One of my favorite cookie in this book is a twist on the traditional peanut butter cookie.  Instead of the normal circular peanut butter cookie that you criss-cross with a fork (also included on p.80), you roll out the cookie dough and cut out the cookies like a tiny pieces of bread -- and then after they come out of the oven, spread a little jelly on the top of half, and a little peanut butter with honey on the top of the others, and the cookies look exactly like the two halves of PB&J sandwiches. SO CUTE!  And there are so many other super fun ideas in here too, like German chocolate cake cookies with pecan filling, and thumbprints with mocha icing, and black & white cookies and cocktail party cookies on skewers and on and on. Yum yum yum. 

OK, I think I need to go bake something chocolaty now. 

Cecelia is a mom to three adorable kids in the Philadelphia suburbs. An environmental engineer by trade, she works part-time as a lacrosse umpire and blogs about some of her family's exploits on her personal blog, Searching for CC, as she finds ways to reclaim the "non-mom" within.

Disclaimer:  I was provided a copy of Crazy About Cookies to facilitate this review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

make time for change campaign with frigidaire

At any family gathering, it's easy to predict where the loudest laughs and silliest squeal will be coming from- the kid's table! Just like turkey and all the trimmings, the kids' table is a holiday tradition where good times rule. This year, Frigidaire and Jennifer Garner are asking everyone to set a place at their "virtual kid's table" for a child in need.

 

This great new campaign supports Save the Children's efforts and ensures that kids have access to healthy foods this holiday season and all year long. Starting today, at MakeTimeforChange.com, when you set a place at the virtual kids' table, Frigidaire will donate $1 to support Save the Children's work to help children in need in the U.S., as part of their $500,000 commitment to this worthy cause. 

 

This is such an amazing campaign! I hope that you can take a few minutes to head over and enter!

 

disclosure: i was entered for a chance to win the gift as part of the Frigidaire program in exchange for this post.