Find Letters From The REAL Santa at PackageFromSanta.com

"I'll give him four days to reply," uttered my five year old as she placed her letter to Santa into the mailbox. I instantly began to panic. It's the holiday season-- I have 100 things going on. It hadn't occurred to me that she would expect a reply. I began brainstorming ideas but unless I went through all the work of trying to design my own letter from Santa and mail it to her, I was out of luck.
PackageFromSanta.com to the rescue!

PackageFromSanta.com offers three different packages, so you can choose a price point that works with your budget. I received the Silver Package ($24.95) and it includes:

Personalized Letter from Santa

BONUS! Personalized Video from Santa (retail $9.99)

BONUS! Personalized Phone Call from Santa to a cell phone OR land line! (retail $9.99)

Personalized Nice List Certificate

Autographed Santa Claus Photo

Autographed Rudolph Photo

Genuine North Pole Stamp

...and so much more!

It also comes with a 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee.

Z was absolutely in awe when her package arrived in the mail. It came in a shiny envelope, with a Santa stamp, and a return address in North Pole. She kept squealing "this is for me! From Santa, just for me!" She ripped it open and went through the papers one by one. We read the letter from Santa together and she was thoroughly impressed that Santa knew so much about her. Her favorite part of it all was the autographed picture of baby Rudolph and she loves it so much that it is hanging on a wall in her bedroom so she can look at baby Rudolph whenever she wants.

Along with the package in the mail, we also received the free bonuses! The personalized phone calls and video were really simple to set up and even I was in awe of beautifully created they are! They did not have Z's unique name as an option on the personalization but they had "kiddo" as a default option. The video was so incredible that we didn't even realize that he never actually said her name. The bonuses were my favorite part of the whole package. You can check out their award-winning videos on the Package From Santa YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/user/PackagesFromSanta

I am really impressed with PackageFromSanta.com. I was able to place an order from them within minutes and their packages ship within 48 hours. The bonuses are available same day. Be sure to hurry and check it out for your children! The experience and memories of an authentic Santa Letter can last a lifetime, for both the children and the parents. 

Order this holiday must-have for your child at https://www.packagefromsanta.com and save 25% OFF your order when you use FAMS17 at checkout!

Disclosure of  Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." I do use affiliate links on my site so please assume that all links used are affiliate links!

Read More

Personalize Your Halloween With Colortime!

Happy October, y'all! Z and I celebrated the start of the season by getting our house ready for Halloween! Coincidentally, the day we were decorating, we received the best themed package we could! We were sent a really cute Halloween Glow-in-the-Dark Tote Bag and 3 Fabric Markers from Colortime Crafts! My little artist was so excited when this arrived in the mail! She ripped open the package right by the front door and made me take pictures right then and there so she could get to work on her new trick-or-treat bag asap! 

I was really impressed with the quality of the bag and especially the markers! The markers are perfect for little kids-- large and easy to hold, and the coloring point is small enough for the smaller coloring areas but large enough to color a big area quickly. It was easy to use and fun to decorate according to Z! By far, her favorite part of the bag is that it glows-in-the-dark! She's been talking non-stop about how everyone will be able to see it when it gets darks on Halloween! I was pleasantly surprised by size of the bag-- it's the perfect size for trick-or-treating and I have no doubt that she will be able to get quite a few year's worth of use out of it!

A little bit about this company: Colortime is based in Merrick, NY and has provided products to more than 2 million children and adults throughout the country! Colortime also sells pillowcases, shirts, backpacks, and more! All of their products can be colored by your little artists.!They have such a huge selection and would be perfect for a birthday party, scout group, or school activity! 

My readers receive 15% off any order at Colortime Crafts and Markers using code: FGH15 at www.colortime.com

Click on the link below for the latest online special offers and promo codes to Colortime Crafts and Markers!!
http://usfamilycoupons.com/coupon.php?regionid=75&bid=10978&dealid=3413 .@usfg

Disclosure of  Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." I do use affiliate links on my site so please assume that all links used are affiliate links!

Read More

2015 Holiday Gift Guide: Click n' Play Pretend Vegetable Set with Cutting Board

If you're looking for a unique yet affordable Christmas present for any child on your list, you should look at the Click n' Play 12 pc Kids Pretend Play Cutting Vegetable Toy Set with Cutting Board and Knife! This brightly colored set of plastic vegetables comes apart into segments by slicing them, then fit back again with velcro. It's a 12 piece set that includes a cutting board, a knife, and 10 different vegetables.

Z absolutely adores this colorful cutting set. She loves to "help" me cook so playsets like this are a huge lifesaver for me. While I'm slicing vegetables, she can now slice her own vegetables with her own play knife. The vegetables included are a carrot, green pepper, eggplant, cabbage, lemon, tomato, lettuce, broccoli, avocado, corn, and an onion. All the vegetables are very colorful and Z loves practicing her cutting skills by slicing each vegetable in half. 

The company prides themselves in "developing products that encourage creativity and build self-confidence through play." This brightly colored set of plastic vegetables comes apart into segments, so children can pretend-slice vegetables. Our 14 piece set includes a variety of 12 different vegetables and a plastic knife that makes a realistic cutting sound along with a cutting board.

The  Click n' Play Cutting Vegetable Toy Set helps develop childrens' minds, creativity, and thinking ability. It helps train their hand-eye-coordination and hand flexibility by their own operation. This cutting set helps kids develop fine motor skills so it would even be great for OT (occupational therapist). I'm going to buy another set because this would be an AWESOME thing to donate to Toys for Tots.

Overall, we're extremely happy with the Click n' Play Pretend Vegetable Set with Cutting Board and I would highly recommend it as an affordable and fun gift option for the little love in your life OR if you're just looking for a unique idea for a Toys for Tots gift. 

Buy your own Click n' Play Pretend Vegetable Set with Cutting Board on Amazon!

Disclosure of  Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Read More

Unique Valentine's Gift-- Collage.com Photo Pillow & Giveaway

I cannot believe that tomorrow is already February and on top of that, I'm surprisingly excited for Valentine's Day this year. I never particularly loved Valentine's Day until I became a Mom. Now, I love sharing the day with my family and celebrating love together. In case you didn't know, we are BIG Collage.com fans in my house and I have worked with them several times on this blog and they've never disappointed me. I've noted before that Collage.com would make great Christmas presents but they would also make such great Valentine's Day (or Anniversary) gifts! Nothing says "I love you" like a thoughtful, personalized gift.

Collage.com did not disappoint with this custom photo pillow! The quality is absolutely gorgeous and I'm really surprised at how clear the photos turned out! I covered the pillow with photos of Z because this is going to be my Valentine's Day surprise for her. I cannot wait to see the look on her face when she sees it! She's at the age where she loves looking at pictures (especially of herself) so she is going to go nuts when she sees it!

Liven up your living room with your own premium photo pillow. These soft woven pillows feature a hidden zipper and a removable, machine-washable cover. The pillows come in two sizes (16" x 16" and 18" x 18"). I received the 16" x 16" pillow and its a really decent size. It is so soft and a surprisingly neat feature about this pillow is the hidden zipper. the cover is removable and machine washable.

I cannot say enough how much I love the quality of products from Collage.com and this photo pillow was no exception. I'm just constantly amazed by the variety of customization options. I just cannot get over their gorgeous background choices for projects; they are  unlike anything I've seen on other photo sites. So, if you're looking for a present for any loved one, you simply have to check out all that Collage.com has to offer and I promise you will not be disappointed!

Connect with Collage.com on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. 

 If you hurry, Collage.com is offering my readers a 50% discount (and FREE shipping) on a Photo Pillow so order your own Collage.com Photo Pillow here!

One lucky I'm No Domestic Goddess reader will win their own Personalized Photo Pillow below! This giveaway is open to US only. Enter using the Giveaway Tools form below, all terms and conditions are listed on the bottom of the form.

Entry-Form

 Disclosure of  Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Read More

Great Stocking Stuffer Idea-- Wild Republic Audubon Birds Review & Giveaway

Kids are naturally curious about the world around them, at least mine is. A great deal of Z's first words were things she saw outside; cloud, grass, sun, airplane, and bird. Wild Republic has created an assortment of different bird stuffed animals that make real bird calls to help engage and enthuse young children and encourage their natural curiosity about birds!

Wild Republic is the nature toy brand at K & M International Inc. which is headquartered in Twinsburg, Ohio. That's right near my in-law's home so this business is local to me and I love that! Nothing makes me happier than supporting companies that are close to home. K & M is actually the leading provider of nature themed toys to the specialty toy and gifts market.

"Licensed by the legendary National Audubon Society, with real bird calls provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, these birds have become one of the hottest collectibles in the toy market. They sell well to both children and adult bird enthusiasts. Each bird is carefully researched, and comes with an educational hang tag that includes information about its appearance, eating habits, habitat maps and sound information. Avid collectors will be delighted that we've introduced a new series, Baby Birds."

We received a cute little Eastern Bluebird (pictured above) and I was happy to see that his tag had a ton of information about the species. We learned things like what states consider the Eastern Bluebird their state bird (Missouri & New York fyi) and there was a map of its migration patterns. We are happy to announce that Eastern Bluebirds can be found in Michigan during the Summer. We will really be keeping our eye out next Summer! 

Z is absolutely tickled by her new friend and giggles every time someone presses its belly. This toy is incredibly soft and the bird call sounds really authentic. My favorite part of course is how education this little toy is. I would recommend this as a great stocking stuffer for pretty much all ages! They are cute, the real bird calls are really cool, and they are educational! I really, really want to collect them all (they even have a super cute turkey) until I have a complete and super cute flock of birds!

www.wildrepublic.com

Follow Wild Republic on Twitter and Facebook!

One lucky I'm No Domestic Goddess reader will win a Wild Republic Audubon Bird of their very own (picked at random by the company). I also want to note that you most likely will not receive your prize before Christmas and I'm No Domestic Goddess is not responsible for prize fulfillment. Giveaway open to US only.

Entry-Form

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Disclosure of  Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Read More

NOAH- A Wordless Picture Book

This lavish reimagining of one of the greatest stories of all time will fascinate children and adults alike. Nuanced and playful, yet meticulous in following the biblical narrative, Mark Ludy’s world-class art digs deeper than the Sunday-school tale of cuddly animals, exploring noah’s relationship with his family, the natural world, God - and a formidable engineering challenge.

It's true what they say, a picture is worth a thousands words. The pictures in this stunning book are so meaningful and gorgeous, that there isn't even a need for words at all. In case you haven't caught on, NOAH is wordless picture book filled with 64 pages of truly stunning pictures drawn by Mark Ludy. Part of me feels embarrassed that a children's picture book has me so fascinated but you really have to see it to believe it. Everyone knows the story of Noah's ark but no one has every told it quite like this before.

Z and I can spend an hour just looking at and talking about the pictures. And as an added bonus, you can find Squeakers the mouse on every page (and let me tell you, its not always easy! lol). This book is going to be a treasure to have in our house and I look forward to many hours of talking about it with my kids. I recommend this book for all ages and it would make such a wonderful Christmas present this year!

"Immerse yourself in this stunning wordless epic. Whatever your age, you’ll never read this story in the same way again."

About the Author:

Mark Ludy has written or illustrated eight children’s books including The Farmer, The Flower Man, The Grump, When I Was a Boy I Dreamed, When I Was a Girl I Dreamed, and Jujo the Youngest Tribesman. When he’s not immersed in his sketchbooks, you’ll find him in schools promoting art and literacy. He lives in Colorado with his wife, daughter, and two sons.

Mark’s website: http://www.markludy.com

Official NOAH website: http://www.plough.com/en/ebooks/n/noah

Disclosure of  Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Read More

"I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly" Storybook & Music CD Review and Giveaway! {CLOSED}

One of the most iconic children's songs in the English language, written by Alan Mills more than 50 years ago, is featured in a new release from The Secret Mountain: I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. The colorfully illustrated picture book with musical CD includes the title song and other simple, singable tunes about numbers, letters, and hilariously funny animals. Singers Thomas Hellman and Emilie Clepper breathe new life into old traditions, performing rootsy renditions of jaunty songs composed by Alan Mills in the 1950s.

About the author:

Alan Mills takes his place in history as a renowned Canadian folk artist, circa 1950-1960. Best known for writing the classic nursery rhyme, “I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly,” Mills saw a successful career that included CBC radio shows Folk Songs for Young Folk (1947-49), series The Song History of Canada and radio program Songs de Chez Nous (1952-55). RCA released his first notable recording in 1949. He also went on to record 20 albums with Folkways Records. The New York Times ranked two of his albums on their top 100 list: O Canada: A History in Song (1956) and Songs of the Sea (1957). Nursery rhyme “I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” has seen numerous recordings by distinguished artists such as Burl Ives, Pete Seeger, and Peter, Paul and Mary.

About the singers:

Born in Montreal to a Texan father and a mother from Southern France, bilingual singer-songwriter Thomas Hellman (A Gift for Sophie) won the prestigious Felix Leclerc award in 2007. His music is influenced as much by the French “chanson” as by American folk and roots traditions. Emilie Clepper’s roots in music are sunk deep in the folk and roots traditions she heard almost every day growing up listening to her father, Texas songwriter Russell Clepper. She has performed frequently at the Montreal Jazz Festival and the Festival d'été in Quebec City.

About the illustrator:

Artist, illustrator and author Pierre Girard (known professionally as PisHier) was born in Jonquière, and has been residing in Quebec since 1996. His illustrious career spans more than 10 years combining various art genres such as comic strips, numerical pictures, painting, illustration and graphic design. He is one of the founding members of the popular publication False Fanzine.

I used to sing this song all the time when I was a kid so I was really excited to get the chance to share it with my daughter. This story book has wildly exceeded my expectations. I only expected the story book to include I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly but the book itself features lyrics for all of the songs! I love how the illustrations really help bring the story to life. Since I loved this story so much as a kid, I was so excited to see it brought to life in a whole new way for my own kid to enjoy.

The CD duration is 39 minutes and the hardcover book is 44 pages, they both feature 12 songs. All of the songs are catchy and fun. This is Z's newest form of entertainment and she absolutely loves it! Her favorite story/song included is "My Father's in the City." She doesn't even hide the fact that she's a Daddy's girl and all day long while Daddy is at work she continually sings,"Oh, this is how I'll play!" Basically, we absolutely adore this CD and we recommend it to any child who loves music as much as we do!

Songs Include:

1. I Know and Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
2. Animal Alphabet Song
3. Heel Toe and Away We Go
4. 123 ABCD
5. My Father's in the City
6. Sailing Over the Sea
7. Once I Had an Old Red Hen
8. Per Fiddler
9. The Hungry Goat
10. Sing a Little Song Along with Me
11. Twelve Kittens
12. The Twelve Months of the Year

This Storybook & Musical CD set are recommended for ages: 3 to 8!

Connect with The Secret Mountain by following them on Facebook and Twitter or visit their website!

The "I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly" Storybook & Music CD just became available on September 1st, 2014! This would make such a great gift for a music or book loving child!

Win It!: One lucky I'm No Domestic Goddess reader will be lucky enough to win their own "I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly" Storybook & Music CD!! This giveaway is open to the US and Canada only.

Entry-Form

Disclosure of  Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Read More

Kidecals Review

I was so excited to get the chance to try out Kidecal Labels! Kidecals are high quality personalized labels that are dishwasher, washing machine, and dryer safe!  Plus they stick to any surface. You can use these stickers on clothing, backpacks, tupperware, devices, and anything else you can think of! Plus, there is free shipping always.

The site is super easy to navigate and it was breeze finding what I wanted. It took longer to pick out the design than to customize it. When customizing the labels, you have the option to customize everything from the color to the placement of the text on most designs. One of my favorite features of their website is that you see a live preview as you customize your labels! Even if you don't need any name labels, I love that there are still  a lot of different types of labels to choose from! 

The Kidecal wall decals are printed on a really cool new phthalate free (non PVC, BPA free), self-adhesive material (it’s actually a tightly woven fabric!) with ecosol inks. Their waterproof name labels are printed onto a really durable self-adhesive vinyl with ecosol inks. I love that you can put their labels on anything, including fabric! Even after going through the wash numerous times, the label will still be stuck.

First, I chose to get a sheet of Date Labels and I customized them to say "Leftovers" (Kidecals gave me the idea!) and since we have leftovers practically every night, I have used them numerous times since receiving them! I absolutely love these labels! They stay in place even after going through the dishwasher.

Next, I chose the Chalkboard Label Plaque Sheet and I used some of them to label Baby Z's Activity boxes! I haven't decided what I'm going to use the rest for yet. I'm thinking of buying glass jars and labeling them sugar, brown sugar, flour, etc. How nice would those look on the kitchen counter or on top of the fridge? I have always wanted chalkboard labels because the possibilities are endless and they look so nice!

Last (but certainly not least) I chose a cute little No Soliciting sign. My sister-in-law just moved into her first house so I thought this would be perfect for her front door! You can customize it to say whatever you want, maybe you want it to say "unless you have wine and would like to do my laundry" or something else. The selection of signs like this that Kidecals carries is bigger than I would've expected. I've decided I have to buy the Naptime one that says "If you ring this doorbell and wake my baby, I will cut you." Haha

When I think about the companies that I want to support with this blog, Kidecals is at the top of my list.  Their products are of very high quality, the labels are worth the money, it a woman/mom-owned business, and they are constantly working to find the best and greenest materials, and printing processes available while trying to keep their kids name labels and decals affordable and local.

Go to their website!  There are literally hundreds of designs and purposes. I'm sure there is at least one label that would fit your needs!

Connect with Kidecals on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram!

Buy It: You should check out the whole selection of Kidecals on kidecals.com! If you sign up for the Kidecals newsletter you get a 15% off discount code!

Disclosure of  Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Read More