Firmoo Review

So, a couple of weeks ago, I received an email from Firmoo.com about receiving a free pair of sunglasses. If you are anything like me, I go through at least 2 pairs of sunglasses a year because I either lose them, break them, the arm of the glasses loosens up, or I scratch them. I thought that this had to be a scam, because really, who gives away free sunglasses?

I checked out Firmoo.com and found out that they are a totally legitimate company, where you can get your first pair of glasses or sunglasses for free -you just pay shipping. I was part of a Blogger promotion in which I was offered a free pair of sunglasses in exchange for a review of the glasses.

I decided to check out the sunglasses offered on Firmoo.com and found not only a wide selection of fashionable glasses, but many affordable options for glasses and sunglasses. There are many glasses to choose from, including glasses for both men and women. Offered are everything from classic to fashion styles of frames. The fashion frames ran somewhere between $40.00-$60.00, on average, and this does include everything you need. I saw frames for as low as $8.00 and as high as $70.00. So there is really something for everyone!

Since I don't wear prescription glasses and never actually sat down with someone who helped me pick out the perfect frames for my face, I wasn't too sure about picking a pair of glasses online. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Firmoo.com has a virtual try-on feature in which you can use a preloaded picture or upload your own picture so that you can get an idea of how the glasses will look before you buy them.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised when I received my FREE sunglasses in the mail. I received them within a week or so of placing the order. When I opened the box I was greeted by a very nice pair of high quality sunglasses! They were packed and wrapped in a soft cleaning cloth within a a hard carrying case. Also included was a black, soft carrying case, and a little screwdriver kit! This was everything I needed to keep my sunglasses scratch free and in working order.

I have been wearing these sunglasses non-stop for the last few days, and the more I wear them, the more I love them!  They fit very comfortably and the tinting on the glasses is perfect.  They are great for driving or just wearing while I am out taking the kids to for a walk or to the playground.

I guess you are wondering how you get your free pair of glasses????  Here is what you have to do:

1. Be a first-time buyer
2. Go to Firmoo.com
3. Choose a pair of glasses or sunglasses
4. Provide your prescription information (if applicable)
5. Wait for your FREE and awesome glasses to arrive!

If you love Firmoo's website, don't forget to check out Firmoo.com on Facebook too!

Firmoo.com provided me with the otem above in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are 100% mine based on my experience with the product.

TeenyMates Review and Giveaway (Closed)

My husband says that I think that anything that is small is cute.  If that is the case, TeenyMates follow suit and are just about the cutest little Quarterbacks I have ever seen! 

Don't know what TeenyMates are?  TeenyMates are one inch tall collectible sports figures from each of the 32 NFL teams.  These tiny little NFL football quarterbacks are perfect for your child to collect and play.  Tiny enough to fit in your pocket, Teeny Mates come in a package that includes 2 NFL Quarterbacks and 2 two-sided puzzle pieces.  If you collect all 35 of the puzzle pieces, you will be able to create a double-sided puzzle with a TeenyMates football field on one side and a collector mini-poster of all the Quarterbacks on the other side.  

PLUS there are 3 rare figures to collect: a Glow-In-The Dark, a Houston Oilers Throwback, and a Metallic Gold Finish!

Mason loved playing with the packs of TeenyMates.  He loved lining them up, one by one, and ran them down the field.  Although he ran them up and down the field, he mostly crashed them into each other having lots of fun!  He sat, playing for a long while with the little figures and kept asking if we could get more to play with. 

Mason also loved the puzzle.  It is a bit too difficult for him to complete himself, but with a little help from me, he was able to take it apart and put it back together.  He loved counting the TeenyMates on the collector mini-poster.

TeenyMates retail for about $3.99 per pack.  I can see these being a hit this holiday season as a stocking stuffer.  These little Mates would also make great incentive prizes for those who might be using an behavior chart
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Here is a quick summary of TeenyMates:

• 1″ tall, officially licensed NFL figures for kids and collectors alike, ages 4 and up.
• Entering the immensely popular mini-collectible market as the only official NFL figures available.
• Amazing detail for such tiny figures. Great for play, and fun to collect and trade!
• Each foil bag pack comes with 2 random quarterbacks and 2 puzzle pieces, adding mystery and excitement to each purchase!
• Collect all 32 NFL quarterbacks and all 35 double-sided puzzle pieces.
• Plus: 3 hard-to-find rare figures – a Throwback QB, a Metallic Gold QB, and a Glow-in-the Dark QB!
• Double-sided puzzle allows you to build either a collector mini-poster featuring all 32 QBs, or a football field display set.
• Now available at Target, team shops, and sporting goods, gift and toy stores across the nation!
• MSRP: $3.99

Don't forget to check out TeenyMates online where you can print out a football field page and several other coloring pages.  Plus, you can find TeenyMates on Facebook for even more pictures and updates.

Because TeenyMates are so small, they could pose a chocking hazard.  TeenyMates are  recommended for children aged 4 and older. 

Would you like to win some TeenyMates of you own?  Fill out the form below for a chance to win.  Three winners will be chosen and will each win a set of 3 TeenyMates packages!!!  The Giveaway will run from 10/1/12 at 12:00pm until 10/8/12 at 12:00pm.
 

Thanks to Party Animal Inc for providing samples of TeenyMates for review and the Giveaway.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Pumpkin Pancakes...A New Tradition

So, Mason has started pre-school! I am so excited for him and so far he LOVES it. Each day he goes to school, he comes home singing another song and babbles on and on about what he did.

I remember the first day of school with fond memories and would like Mason to have the same memories.  I wanted to make the first day of school extra special so I decided to make him a batch of pumpkin pancakes that just screams the first day of school.

I can't take credit for coming up with this recipe all on my own.  I looked around for different recipes, but in the end, I decided to use the recipe from Martha Stewart.

Directions:

• Whisk 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons sugar; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt; 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg; and a pinch of ground cloves.
• In a separate bowl, stir together 1 cup milk, 6 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 egg;

• fold mixture into dry ingredients.

 

• Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat; pour in 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.
• Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side; serve with butter and syrup.
• Makes 8 to 10.

These pancakes turned out to be quite delicious.  They were a big hit with the whole family.  The pancakes were fluffy and moist, not at all heavy.  The pumpkin taste was just right and the spices added a feeling of fall that was perfect for the first day of school.  They were very simple and I wound up freezing the leftovers so I have them handy whenever I need a quick breakfast.

A New Favorite Recipe..Pumpkin Muffins!

Recently, I was perusing some of my favorite sites for super easy and quick recipes.  Here is a great recipe I found on That's Country Living for Pumpkin Spiced Muffins that require only two ingredients.  Yes, you read that right, two ingredients!

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Spiced Cake Mix
• 1 can Pumpkin (15oz can)

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2. Combine both ingredients in a bowl.  I also added about 1/4 to 1/2 cup water to moisten it a little.  You can add it to your liking if you wish.
3. Blend until well mixed together.
4. Spoon batter into greased cupcake pan.
5. Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes (or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean)
6. Let cool and enjoy!

We have been enjoying these treats for a couple of days now.  They are so yummy and don't last long, so I will be making more next week!

FREE Fall Printables

The leaves have already started to fall off of our trees, a sure sign that the seasons are changing.  Not only are the leaves falling, but the kids are going back to school, and I am pulling out all my Fall decor and best pumpkin recipes. 

Here is a roundup of some free Fall and Autumn printables to enjoy with your kids.

Click HERE for free Fall coloring pages from ColoringPagesforKids.com

Click HERE for free Fall printables including dot to dot, word searches, mazes, coloring pages and more from printactivities.com.

Click HERE for free Fall printables from RaisingOurKids.com

Click HERE for free Fall printables from apples4theteacher.com

Click HERE for free Fall coloring pages from educationalcoloringpages.com

Click HERE for free Fall printables from makingfriends.com

Click HERE for free Fall activities from holidays.kaboose.com

Getting Back On Track With Back To School

It's the most wonderful time of the year.....oh wait, that's not right.  Unless you have spent the entire Summer, everyday with your kids, you might not be happy that the kiddies are going back to school.  Then there is the group of parents who are dancing as the school bus pulls away, taking their loves off for another school year. 

I am somewhere in between.  I LOVE being at home everyday with Mason and Amanda, but on the other hand, Mason is ready for pre-school.  The benefits of pre-school far outweigh Mason being home with me everyday.  This is the first time we will really have to follow a schedule.  I mean, I loosely follow one each day, but we kind of just go with the flow. 

Mason and sleeping have never gone together.  Since he was a baby, he was a cat napper and is still up several times through the night.  So, I know that getting him to bed and having him get enough sleep will be our biggest challenge.  We have a bedtime routine of bath, pj's, brushing teeth, stories, etc.  And we have always tried to stick to it, even through the Summer. Most days we were successful, others we gave in to a later bedtime. So how do we get back on track?

A gradual transition of establishing your child's school routine is probably best.  It will allow for your child to reset their internal clock and in turn, get enough sleep.  Hopefully, this will put off the dreaded bedtime battles that surely ensue.

According to a recent article from Parents.com, most elementary school students need 10 to 11 hours of sleep, while most teenagers need 8 to 9 hours of sleep nightly. Inadequate sleep leads to irritability, impaired focus, and can heighten symptoms of ADD/ADHD
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Here's some additional suggestions from Parents.com on how to re establish your child's bedtime routine just in time for school:

• Begin the transition by setting up a 30-minute routine of pre-bedtime activities.
• Use a checklist to help your child take ownership of her routine.
• A good pre-bedtime routine helps a child slow down and prepare for sleep. Plus it helps set the stage for a smooth start in the morning.

Here are some ideas for pre-bedtime activities:

• Review the next day's agenda
• Pack the backpack and set it out
• Set out clothes for the next day
• Bathe
• Put on pajamas
• Do a quiet activity that does not include the computer, video games, or TV.

Transition gradually. Start the pre-bedtime routine 10 to 15 minutes earlier every few nights. It may take two weeks to adjust to going to bed an hour earlier. But consistency is important in establishing the routine, so try to follow the schedule on weekends as well.

Following a transition plan will help prepare your child for a new school year with as little stress as possible -- for the whole family.

Homemade Granite Counter Top Cleaner

I have recently come across some interesting information regarding the chemicals in household products we use everyday.  I will be discussing this in another post.  But, I have been inspired to become more green conscious in my home.  OK, I have all said I am going to do it, but do I ever really? Is it worth the time, hassel, and money? I am here to say it is and it is so easy that I am sorry I never did this before.

Recently, my husband and I remodeled out kitchen. With that remodel came the decision between a granite counter top, another natural stone or formica. In the end, we chose the granite. For us, the benefits of granite out weighed the other natural stones or formica.

On the day of installation, the counter top was so shiny and perfect. Then the reality of keeping it clean set in. I only use a soft cloth with mild dish soap and water as suggested, but I find that it leaves water marks and that drives me crazy! I decided to go to the local hardware store and purchase granite cleaner. On the tune of $9.00 per bottle, decided that I needed to find a better solution to cleaning my counter tops and fast.

I completed my research of what to use and what not to use on granite counter tops. Here is my summary:

Like marble, granite, and most natural stones, using acidic cleaners, citrus based cleansers (such as lemon) or vinegar will dull and etch the counter top. Check. Warm water and mild detergent or alcohol seem to be the best cleansers. Check. Using Windex will take the sealing agent off sooner that it would normally wear. Check. Granite cleaning cloth or chamois are recommended because of the ultra smooth nap, it will make for a streak free finish. Check. If you do not have a chamois or cloth, paper towels will work just fine and leave a streak free finish as well. Check.

Ok, now that I am armed with the proper knowledge and feel like I am back in chemistry class, I was ready to mix the solution. Below is the receipe I liked best:

     1/4 cup rubbing alcohol (you may also use vodka)

     3 drops of dish detergent

     1 cup water

     a few drops of essential oil (to help mask alcohol smell). I used Caramel
     Apple.

Add the ingredients to a spray bottle, gently mix, and you are done!

I tested this new concoction and could not believe how pleased I was with the results. An added bonus I noted was that the counter top was not prone to fingerprint marks after cleaning with this solution. This is so easy, cheap and the greenest way I know how to clean a counter top. You can also use this natural cleanser on appliances. But, most importantly, it is effective. The alcohol will kill bacteria and this is safe to use around children and pets, as long as they do not drink the mixture. So go ahead, save some money AND make a green cleaning product for your home!



Disclaimer: ALWAYS check a small spot for effectiveness before you clean any surface.