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We’re Going Back To School With Kidz Vuz #KidzVuzBTS

28 Jul

I love Back To School events. A lot of them take place in the summer so parents and kids can get the scoop on all the latest products and fashion that they must take back and wear to school. 

Kidz Vuz Back To School was held this month and we were off to have some fun. I always tell my kids when it’s a kids event they get to network and hand out business cards while I take pics and talk with friends. That’s the easy part. I get to follow up and write all the emails. They agree of course. 

My kids will always be young at heart when it comes to Kidz Vuz events. I love kid friendly brands and enjoy seeing my kids talk to them and tell them what they like about their product. 

There were thirteen sponsors in attendance. Here are the names and you can follow them on social media: 

 Juicy Juice @JuicyJuiceUSA


Classroom Direct @ClassroomDirect

Galxyz @GalxyzLab

Galxyz is an intergalactic science adventure. It provides self-paced, fun and motivational games-based learning with the entire school science curriculum for grades 3-12.


Fin Fun @FinFunMermaid

Domain.Me @DomainME


Philips @PhilipsNA and @PhilipsSonicare


Pips Island @PipsIsland


EZ PZ Patches @EZPZPatches


BackYard Foods @backyardfoodco


Lucky Bar @pickyeatersrule


Bway Zone @BwayZone


Zandra Beauty @ZandraBeauty


Love, Hallie @love_Hallie_

LOVE HALLIE Foundation encourages young people to  get involved in the causes they care about. 


Cartoon artists made Caricatures of us and did a great job. My daughter enjoyed being in the Kidz Vuz spotlight giving her review on the Slinky. 



  And from the gift bag:

@drinktickle – yummy natural sparkling water

@baronfig – bespoke notebook

@nealbrothers – amazing potato chips

@DTailsULike – Adorable jewelry

@storyarcs – Pop Tropica and Galactic Hotdog Books

@MabelsLabels – indispensable write-away labels

@NYIscream – BackPack Squishems

@sillicandy – Awesome baking molds

These brands are going to make back to school a breeze. Kidz Vuz got us covered and we can’t wait to show you what back to school will look like. 

Disclosure: This post is not compensated. Opinions are our own 100% as always. Thank you to Kidz Vuz for the invite. We had a blast! See you next year. 

     

Back To School With Momtrends #momtrendsbts

23 Jul

Kids might not want to hear it but school is right around the corner. I attended Momtrends 6th Annual Back To School Event and I’ve got the scoop on everything from fashion to food and everything in between. 


Brands in attendance or in gift bags were: 

The Nanny League- Need a college educated nanny or on call sitter? Like ok no further. Check @thenannyleague on Twitter for more info.

Mabel’s Labels- Every year my kids and I look forward to labeling school supplies and clothes. Head to Twitter @mabelhood


Nalgene- Making sure my kids drinks are in a spill proof sturdy bottle and they’re lunch doesn’t get soggy or squished makes for a happy day with these products. Go to @NalgeneUSA on Instagram and stock up.


USANA-Nutritional Science @usanainc on Twitter & Instagram  

Vamousse- Non toxic- and pesticide free lice products to treat, prevent and protect children against lice. @vamousselice on Twitter.

Play-Doh- We all love play-doh. You already know the amazing things you can do with play-doh. My daughter can’t get enough of this. Head to @playdoh onTwitter. 

Chewbeads- I fell in love with these amazing chewbeads and I don’t need a baby to own them. They are colorful and go great with anything. I want them all. 100% silicone teething jewelry that’s worn by mommies. Check out @Chewbeads on Twitter for more info. 


KEEN, Inc- Outfoor footwear for the whole family. From the mountains to the city streets. @Keen on Twitter for footwear fashion. 


WallPops- Wall art, peel and stick wallpaper. Amazing wallpaper that can brighten up a room. See what @Wallpopswallart has for you on Twitter. 


Paula’s Choice- Skincare products you can feel confident about buying and using. @paulaschoice on Twitter. 

Joules-Britain’s best loved lifestyle brand. Clothing for the entire family. Take a look at the mini models below. On Twitter @joulesclothing 

Yoobi- Supplies for school, home and office. Very colorful and unique. For every Yoobi item you buy, another is donated to a classroom in need in the U.S. You must check out@Yoobigives on Twitter 


Earth’s Best- Natural and organic products for your growing baby. @EarthsBest on Twitter.

Ella’s Kitchen- Healthy and natural organic food for babies and kids. They are on Twitter @EllasKitchenUSA


Disclosure: This is a compensated post. Opinions are mine 100% as always. Gift bags were given. Thank you Momtrends for another awesome event. My kids thank you too. 

Happy #NationalIceCreamDay

17 Jul

It’s time to celebrate National Ice Cream Month in July (and National Ice Cream Day July 17!) with Unilever Ice Cream!Unilever Ice Cream – which includes Breyers, Good Humor, Klondike, MAGNUM Ice Cream and Popsicle – offers a wide range of products and flavors that range from refreshing to indulgent; in fact, in 2016 alone they’ve launched 17 new varieties across the portfolio! Unilever Ice Cream has something to satisfy every craving.

As you already know I love ice cream. Everyone in the family loves ice cream and have enjoyed trying all the brands mentioned. They keep us cool in the summer and are a great treat on the go. There’s so many ways to eat ice cream. We love the variety of flavors from ice cream on a stick, right out the tub, to snack cups. The ice cream cakes are my favorite and the mini Magnum are popular in our house. 

 

For the person who loves…

 – Nostalgic Favorites: Some of the new varieties in 2016 include Good Humor Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich, Klondike S’mores, Breyers Ice Cream Cake, and Breyers Gelato Indulgences Peanut Butter Chocolate.


– Fruity Desserts: Popsicle’s Tropical Paradise variety takes you right to the beach chair, at only 70 calories a pop! Enjoy the refreshing flavors of Tropical Mango, Tangy Pineapple, Fruity Island Punch and Sweet Strawberry-Banana. Additionally, MAGNUM’s Double Raspberry variety offers pure indulgence with rich Belgian chocolate and silky raspberry ice cream.


– Guilt-Free Indulgence: Popsicle’s Sugar Free Red Classics offer the great classic tastes of Cherry, Strawberry and Raspberry without the sugar. And for a frozen treat on the go, Breyers Chocolate Snack Cups and Natural Vanilla Snack Cups come in pre-portioned snack cups.- National Vanilla Ice Cream Day July 23: Breyers offers several varieties: Natural Vanilla (America’s favorite Vanilla!), French Vanilla, Extra Creamy Vanilla, Homemade Vanilla, ½ the Fat, Sugar Free, Lactose Free and more.


Disclosure: This is not a compensated post. Product was given to review. Opinions are mine 109%. 

Family Fun with NY Liberty At Madison Square Garden #ShowUp

13 Jul

KidzVuz invited me and the family to a NY Liberty basketball game at Madison Square Garden. We love sports and basketball is our number one sport, and what better place to watch basketball than at Madison Square Garden. We arrived early to watch NY Liberty warm up before the game started. The kids enjoyed this as we were right on the court. NY Liberty were up against Seattle Storm. NY Liberty is a great team and we were routing for them all the way. We had great seats and my kids and their friends were shown on the Jumbotron about four times. They loved it!! 


The game was nail biting as I though we were going into overtime but there was no need be aside NY Liberty beat Seattle Storm 78 to 74. It was a great game. I can’t wait to take the kids back to plenty more games at Madison Square Garden. MSG is happy to extend a 25% off ticket offer to my readers. The code is NYLMOM and the offer is “Save Up to 25% Off on Tickets!* 

*Offer valid on select seats to all regular season home games”

Disclosure: Huge thanks to Kidz Vuz who provided tickets for my family and I to attend the game. Opinions are our own 100%.

Fashion Alert: kidpik basics launch for girls in sizes 4-14

5 Jul

I was invited to the launch of kidpik basics. The collection comes in super-soft materials and yummy colors. Parents can now stock up on all the essentials that a girl needs in multiples at http://www.kidpikbasics.com

Click the basics tab at kidpik and discover a trend right, colorful collection of not-so-basic-basics, including tops, tanks, shorts, leggings, pants and more. The site is arranged by color, making it easy to shop and replenish your girl’s favorite wardrobe staples quickly and easily at awesome prices.

Basics are an essential part of a girl’s wardrobe.” says Ezra Dabah, kidpik founder and CEO. “We are thrilled to offer a great selection of basics to complement the kidpik fashion collection.”

Kidpik basics are available for girls in sizes 4-14. Prices range from $6.50 – $17.50. Enjoy free shipping on orders of $50 or more. Orders under $50 ship with a $5 flat rate fee.  


Walking into the showroom was very colorful and kid friendly it reminded me of a box of crayons or a rainbow. There were even colorful bagels to match. My daughter and I love how soft the clothes are and she’s able to play without stiffness and the colors don’t fade. I like to dress her in bright colors when I take her to the park or public places so I can spot her easily. These colors are perfect. 


Everyone was rewarded with 4 pieces of clothing and I took home 2 lace shirts, a lace cardigan and a pencil skirt for my daughter. She loves it and can’t wait to wear. Looking forward to the fall collection subscription boxes. 


Nina kids shoes fall and spring 17″ are amazing. Gladiators, wedges,sandals, baby shoes, and boots are just some of the footwear to keep an eye on. My daughter already picked out a few dozen pair. Check out @kidpik on Instagram 


Disclosure: This is not a compensated post. Opinions expressed are mine 100%. Clothing was given for review. 

American Girl Doll Launches Wellie Wishers At Momtrends Event

30 Jun

My daughter recently turned 9 years old and I’ve never taken her to the American Girl Store. I’ve never been there myself. We’ve passed by it plenty of times but I’ve never had the time till recently. The only problem is that she still hasn’t been there. I attended an event given by Momtrends for the launch of the new dolls Wellie Wishers. 


Wellie Wishers are a group of sweet and silly girls who each have the same bug bright wish to be a good friend. They are rocking cute colorful garden boots and are cared for by their wonderful Aunt Miranda. 

They are finding out that “good deeds” such as cooperating, sharing, taking turns, respecting feelings and making it right aren’t always the easiest things to do but they are just the right things to do to make beautiful friendships bloom. 


Walking into the American Girl Store was wonderful as I followed the footsteps up to the third floor where a tea party awaited. It was beautifully decorated and I met author Valerie Tripp who has written over 40 books for American Girl. She spoke about the Wellie Wishers and other books and also gave everyone signed copies of a Wellie Wishers book. We also got to choose a Wellie Wishers doll. I chose Ashlyn for my daughter. That was her first choice and it kind of rhymes with her name Taylinn. The description of Ashlyn is: She’s the generous soul of the social circle. Her fancy-free party themes are just the right thing to turn a friend’s frown upside down. I picked the right one. 


If Ashlyn wasn’t your choice there was Emerson, Willa, Kendall and Camille. They’re all adorable. 
The dolls are 14.5″.They retail for $60. You can also purchase matching outfits for your daughter and her doll, wellies, socks, doll houses, etc. I purchased socks and a ladybug hairbrush for my daughter. The boots (wellies) don’t come in her size. If you order online there’s free shipping through 7/31. http://www.americangirl.com/shop/dolls/


Now you know I have to take my daughter to Ametican Girl Store because I’ve been and I want her to experience it with her doll and have a tea party as well. She was very happy with her doll and accessories. 


To explore the world of the Wellie Wishers through books, online games and more check out http://www.anericangirl.com/play/welliewishers

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. Opinions are mine 100% as always. I was given a doll and book for my daughter. Thank you Momtrends and American Girl for everything. 

#TheBFG Movie Review 

29 Jun

Do you know any Big Friendly Giants? I surely don’t but if I did I would hope to know the one in Disney’s new movie The BFG. There are giants living in Giant Country and one of them is the friendliest giant you could ever meet. We were invited to a screening yesterday in Times Square. 



Sophie, a little orphan girl opens the curtain and spots something she shouldn’t see and is taken on a journey to Giant Country by a ginormous giant. Why did this giant take Sophie? He tells her he doesn’t want her to tell anyone about him because he doesn’t want to be locked away. 

BFG’s language isn’t quite the English language you’d expect to hear which is what makes it even more funnier when he speaks. He’s never had schooling but he can read. He’s never even had a grind or compliments for that matter. Listen closely for the unusual words he use.

BFG is a dream collector and can turn your dreaming into a friendly or evil one. He’s bullied by even more bigger incompetent Giants who can’t do anything for themselves and bother BFG for no reason. 

Once the bullies find out BFG is hiding a human they won’t stop until they find her. Sophie is a fighter though and a smart cookie who with the help of BFG enlist the help of The Queen of England.(Queen Mum) to get rid of these giant bullies for good. Do they succeed? I guess you have to check out the movie coming to theaters July 1st. Check @BFGMovie on Twitter for more info. 

Steven Spielberg did an amazing job. Ruby Barnhill plays Sophie and she’s so cute. She was perfect for the part. 

A Snozzcumber is a disgusting vegetable that BFG eats in Giant Country. It’s the only food he has. When you see it you will see why it’s disgusting. 


We enjoyed this film very much. We had a GLORIUMPTIOUS time. 


Disclosure: We were invited to attend screening by Disney. Opinions are mine 100% as always. 

Easy Party Planning With BJ’s Wholesale Club #ShopTheClub #ad

24 Jun

Things I love about the month of June.

*My daughter was born. 

*Summer begins

*School ends

*Graduations/Promotions

I also love to throw parties and break out the grill. The best place to get all the things I need for my parties are in my favorite one stop shopping store BJ’s Wholesale Club. I throw a celebration every year for my kids who get promoted to the next grade or are graduating. I know I’m getting my money’s worth when I walk into BJ’s because bulk is what I need and I go in with my list and coupons ready to shop till I drop. 

My son is being promoted to the 8th grade and my daughter is being promoted to 4th grade. This time I decided to let BJ’s do the party planning for me. The party platters are great. I just put in an order and that’s it. Easy breezy. 

Here is what will be served at the party:

Wellsley Farms®
Sandwich Ring Serves 12 – 15
Wellsley Farms® Deluxe Sandwich Ring with Honey Ham,
Smoked Turkey Breast and Swiss Cheese, include
sliced Tomatoes and Lettuce.

Wellsley Farms ® Entertainer Platter
Serves 20 – 25
Wellsley Farms® Honey Ham, Roast Beef, Oven-Roasted
Turkey Breast, Oven-Roasted Chicken Breast, Provolone
Cheese and Land O’Lakes® American Cheese


Wellsley Farms®
 Mini Croissant
Sandwich Platter Serves 10 – 15
Contains 30 Mini Sandwiches. Wellsley Farms®
Roast Beef, Oven-Roasted Turkey and Honey Ham. 


Can’t forget the dessert. BJ’s has great sheet cakes and ice cream cakes. Prices are amazing. You can also get a full sheet custom cake hat serves 60-75 people for under $40. Yes, you heard me right. Where else can you get a custom made sheet cake for that price? If you need a smaller cake that feeds 12-16 or 15-20 people you’ll spend less than $20. Amazing!!! 


I grew up on ice cream cakes and love Wellsley Farms Ice Cream Cake – A delicious sheet cake featuring
premium chocolate and vanilla ice cream blended with chocolate
cookie crunch. Sizes small and large. Kosher.


For those who want cookies, Wellsley Farms Cookie Platters – One example is Wellsley Farms
® Brownie & Cookie Tray that serves 36 – 48. Something for
everyone! Includes a premium assortment of 48 freshly baked Wellsley Farms Cookies — Chocolate Chunk, Oatmeal Raisin and
White Chocolate Chip — PLUS 45 Wellsley Farms Brownie Bites. Rich,
chewy and delicious, they͛re our most popular treat.


Plastic cutlery , paper plates and cups are also a must for my guests for easy cleanup. Don’t forget to use the coupons for even more savings. 

 Berkley Jensen Premium Heavy Duty Clear Cutlery – Made from clear
super premium heavyweight plastic. Full-size design is perfect for any
occasion. Includes 180 forks, 120 spoons and 60 knives. 

 Berkley Jensen Premium Heavy Weight Dinner Plates – These
durable plates come in two sizes (ten 10.25-inch plates and ten 7.5- inch plates) and can hold plenty of food, so you don’t have to worry  about taking that second piece of pie you’ve been eyeing. Includes 20
Berkley Jensen heavy weight premium plastic plates (ten 10.25-inch plates and ten 7.5-inch plates). Also, be on the look out for new Berkley Jensen Printed Paper Plates to add color and flair to your table.  

 Berkley Jensen Premium 18 oz. Cups – These 18-oz. cups are perfect
for serving cold beverages. They are made from premium plastic in a classic red color. Great for parties. Includes 240 cups.  

Don’t forget about Wellsley Farms Organic Tortilla Chips, Salsa and Macaroni Salad. 


Browse through BJ͛s Party Planning brochure, then fill out an order form in-
Club — or download one at home from https://www.bjs.com/deli-bakery.content.services_deli_bakery.A.services-then, simply drop it into  the kiosk at your local club. Your order can be ready for pick-up in as little as 24 hours!  

. 

 To help ease consumers’ pain in the pocket, BJ’s Wholesale Club is offering non-members a Free 90-Day Membership available now through Sunday, July 3.

 · Shoppers can print the coupon at http://www.bjs.com/savings.content.minisite_map.D and visit their local BJ’s club to activate their trial. Once enrolled, shoppers are given a membership number and will receive a membership card upon visiting the member services desk. 

 · BJ’s is also currently offering a 15 month membership for $40 now through Sunday, July 3 plus a coupon book with more than $2,000 worth of savings.

Follow @BJsWholesale on Twitter for more info. 


I also carry free membership coupons in my purse incase someone could use one. That happened to me before and I gave a husband and wife a free coupon to join. They were so happy. 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I am a BJ’s Ambassador. Opinions are mine 100% as always. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Secrets of The Sewer Exhibit at Liberty Science Center 

20 Jun

Lion and tigers and bears Oh No…. not at this event but there were lots of Turtles. We got an invite from Momtrends to attend Liberty Science Center for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Secrets of the Sewer Exhibit. Open May 28, 2016 to September 5, 2016. 


This summer you can visit the underground lair of your favorite shelled crime-fighters and enjoy hours of creative play as you leap into action and solve puzzles, mazes, and obstacles.


Shoot pizza at enemy targets, navigate a rope maze without triggering alarms, and peer through the Street View Periscope to see Turtles on the NYC street above you. Then crawl through sewer pipes to discover hidden artworks, practice skateboarding skills on balance board skateboards, test your knowledge of the Ninja Turtles’ history in an interactive game, and more! Liberty Science Center is the first stop on the exhibition’s first-ever national tour.


My kids and their friends were all over the place. There were real live baby turtles and huge tortoises. We had a pizza party and attended the cooking demo and “Science of Pizza” event with Donatella Arpai and the TMNT characters. My daughter rolled real pizza dough. The kids took home a Certified Pizza Ninja Certificate and we tossed fake pizza dough up in the air. 

We stayed after the event and explored Liberty Science Center with friends. It turned out to be a great day and took a short time from Manhattan to get there. My kids are already asking to go back. I’m all for it. 

Check out http://www.lsc.org for more info and on Instagram @libertysciencecenter

Disclosure: This is a compensated post. Opinions are mine 100% as always. 

Finding Dory Review #FindingDory #JustKeepSwimming 

16 Jun

I finally got to see Ellen Degeneres in person. Well, sorta in person or shall I say more like on the big screen and as a blue fish. We were invited to an advance screening of Disney Pixar’s Finding Dory in 3D. I’ve always been a fan of Ellen so if this is as close as I can get to her then I’ll take it. My kids and I have been waiting for Finding Dory and we were very excited to see how the movie played out. 


Dory is so cute. She’s not annoying to me at all. She just suffers from short term memory loss. What’s wrong with that? I would still love to have Dory as a friend because when she puts her mind to something she can remember things. She’s actually pretty smart.

Dory is on a mission to find her parents with the help of her friends. She was separated from them when she was younger. She goes through a lot to try and remember her childhood and where she lived so she can get back home. She’s one tough little fish. 

It was good to see Marlin and Nemo. Destiny the nearsighted whale shark was also a fun character. 

Everyone will be talking whale by the time they leave the theater. We enjoyed this film as we knew we would. We all still hope one day to meet Ellen in person at a taping of her show. 

http://movies.disney.com/finding-dory

Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PixarFindingDory

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/findingdory

Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.com/DisneyPixar

Voice Cast: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O’Neill, Hayden Rolence, Kaitlin Olson, Ty Burrell, Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy.

Finding Dory is swimming to a theater near you June 17, 2016. Get your tickets now! And let me know Have You Seen Her?

Disclosure: We were invited to attend this screening. This post is not compensated. Opinions are mine 100% as always. 

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