Cozy Winter Days and Nights

A complimentary Puffy Blanket was provided to enable this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. 

December 1st: A little early in the season for my liking but here in NEO, it is a blustery and snowy day. The kids are glad to be home on their first official snow day of the school year. It means a day filled with cuddling up to read and to watch movies and television. This means that everyone will grab for their favorite blanket as they look to stay cozy while the snow blows around outside.

Blankets have always been a big deal for us. I think it started when I was a kid. I had that special afghan that Grandma made me and I remember using it in the family room as we hung out watching tv, curling up under it while I read and sleeping tucked in beneath it at night. When I got my first apartment, having a cozy bed with fluffy and cozy blankets was a must. It was part of my vision for my new place. When we became homeowners and went on vacation, a blanket was the souvenier of choice on more than a couple of trips. Last year, I had the opportunity to learn to make a chunky knit blanket and then came home and helped my daughter make another one for herself.

Blankets are a great add for themed gifts too. A popcorn bucket, some candy and a pack of popcorn, a couple of DVDs, a cozy blanket and socks for watching movies is one example of a basket that I have put together for friends. One year, I did a Christmas themed basket for friends that just bought a new house. I filled it with a Christmas print blanket, a new home ornament, some candy canes and hot chocolate and two mugs. Another theme where a blanket is a great addition is a Picnic theme basket. Of course, here we need to do an indoor picnic at the holidays. Start with a blanket, include a bottle of wine, a couple of glasses, a corkscrew and some crackers and a charcuterie board.

This year, we have a new family favorite blanket - the luxurious faux fur Puffy Blanket

My daughter was quick to adopt this blanket when it arrived right before Thanksgiving. She describes it as big, cozy and warm. It is the perfect size for using on a bed or covering up while watching your favorite show or reading your favorite book. When I asked what she liked best, the two different sides with different textures to keep you warm. She often debates which side should be on the inside - my answer, whichever one feels best to you.

This blanket is warm, with a cozy texture and available in multiple sizes, making it a perfect gift option for those that long to be cozy. It makes a great housewarming basket gift or a straight up gift to someone that loves blankets like we do.

A complimentary Puffy Blanket was provided to enable this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Holiday Preparations #BJsHoliday2013

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. I was offered the opportunity to take a tour of the club and received a gift card from BJs.
It is so hard to believe that we are just days away from Christmas and that New Year's Eve is next week. Are you ready?

Whether you are planning and hosting a gathering for family and/or friends, or looking for that last minute gift or a hostess gift to take with you, you can find several options to fit your needs at BJs. From Buffet Servers, to cocktail mixers, to Lindt Lindor Milk Chocolate or Peppermint Truffles, to Gift Sets, they have a variety of options that can help make your holiday prep less stressful. Looking for more holiday decor? They have that to - from LED Christmas Tree to a Wreath and Garland Set to a 12 Ft. Snowman Lightshow. They also carry wrapping paper and gift tags.

We have been members at BJs since the kids were born. It was hard to dismiss their value advantage, not only can you buy in bulk typically for a better value than you can find at the grocery as with most club/warehouse stores, but you can also use manufacturer's coupons to help further reduce those prices. This was a huge opportunity when the kids were in diapers. At the time (can't speak to current packages) there were three inner packs in the diaper boxes, which meant that we could use three manufacturer's coupons on each that we purchased - allowing us to typically save an additional $3 per box. The same held true for baby food and other things that we were buying. To us, it made the switch an easy one.

BJs carries more than just bulk pack items and the things that we purchase at BJs has evolved, now that we don't need to pick up diapers anymore. They have a wide assortment of books, DVDs, CDs and toys for the kids. They offer sheets, towels and clothing, as well. In fact, the trench coat that I wear to work in the spring and fall, is one that I picked up at BJs a few years back. When my daughter was younger, we also were able to find a lot of dolly and me type pajama sets for her at BJs. They carry electronics - from telephones to TVs. They have kitchen accessories and party needs, paper goods and plastic ware. They have a nice selection of branded offerings, but also offer some products under their own label - in fact, we almost always purchase their brand of paper towels - we find it performs similar to the branded, but is a better value.

About BJ’s Wholesale Club
BJ’s Wholesale Club is a one-stop shopping destination for name brand, high-quality food and merchandise at
prices that are significantly lower than supermarkets, supercenters, department stores, drug stores and
specialty retail stores.
Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, BJ's is a leading operator of warehouse clubs in the eastern
U.S., currently with 200 clubs and 113 gas stations in 15 states. Learn more and shop online at BJs.com, and
for exclusive content visit Facebook or Twitter.
BJ’s is one of the lowest cost operators in the retail industry. BJ’s values are compelling, especially when
people are looking to save money. BJ’s is able to pass the savings onto its members in the form of lower prices
for the following reasons:
* BJ’s is extremely efficient in shipping and handling goods
* BJ’s does not have expensive displays, fancy buildings, or high advertising costs
* BJ’s annual membership fee also helps eliminate factoring operating costs into pricing
* With such a large committed base of loyal Members, BJ’s merchandising team is able to negotiate with
vendors to bring Members the consistent value

BJ's carries the most product variety of any other wholesale club with more than 7,000 items, including
supermarket-sized staples.

BJ's is the only wholesale club to accept all manufacturers' coupons in addition to in-club coupons and for
greater convenience, offers the most payment options including EBT.

If you’re not a club member, you can still shop and save. The wholesale club is offering a Free 60-Day Trial Membership, which can be activated until December 31. The risk-free, trial membership consists of full-member benefits and no surcharge.

So, as you prepare for your holidays, consider a stop to BJs to help you wrap things up.

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. I was offered the opportunity to take a tour of the club and received a gift card from BJs.

Glass with a Twist

A few weeks ago, while exploring on Pinterest, I came across a really fun site called Glass with a Twist. I can remember getting engraved glassware as party favors in college, but we always seemed to have to order hundreds of them. One of the things that I liked when I started to explore Glass with a Twist was the fact that you could order just one or you could order more - the choice is yours. Now, as you would expect, the cost does go down as you order more, so there are advantages to ordering several, but not a requirement. I also really like that most of their glass base is produced domestically by Libbey Glass. (not that it matters, but I bought all of the hurricane glasses for my wedding centerpieces directly from Libbey in Toledo, Ohio when I was planning my wedding. Love supporting Ohio companies.) Their engraving is primarily done with sandblasting, "which produces the best possible effect on glass. Our engravings are deep, even, and permanent." The engravings are fully customizable. You can take one of the glasses on their site and tweak it to fit your needs or add clip art (they have a wide selection and on some you can upload your own!) or you can consider the glass your canvas and create your own.

I think this could be a fun gift to share with others.

Know someone that bought a new house or built a new bar? What a fun way to personalize the bar than a customized beer glass or a set.

Getting married? What a fun gift to give to your groomsmen, a commemorative beer mug.

Part of a Mommy's group? This could be a fun option for a girl's night out.

Know a coffee addict? Or a fan of Irish Coffee?

There are so many options and varieties to choose from. They offer beer glasses, wine glasses, shot glasses, coffee mugs, and more.

Glass with a Twist

PERSONALIZED GLASS

- Permanent engraving
- Fully customizable
- Fast turnaround time
- No setup charges
- No minimum order

Thanks to Glass with a Twist, I have the opportunity to offer to one A Busy Mom of Two reader a chance to win a set of 4 glasses. (Glasses must be same style, single sided engraving. Names can be individualized by glass.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway will remain open through August 22nd. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. Glass with a Twist is providing the set of 4 glasses for the winner. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

Toy State's New Car Collection

Toy cars are a timeless classic. It seems that every child enjoys toy cars. From the simple to those with lights and sound, there is just something appealing about a car and the way that it moves.

Toy State has a new set of cars that will appeal to children of all ages - including grown ups - check out the 007 cars, what fan wouldn't want to add one to their collection?

CAT® Mini Take-a-Part Trucks: Pull-back driving action and engaging Take-a-part play with classic Cat machines.

Styles include: Dump Truck, Wheel Loader and Skid Steer. (Suggested retail $9.99 available on Amazon.com)

Road Rippers® Hatchbacks: Free-wheeling rides with a unique rotating speaker bed feature on the new Road Rippers Hatchbacks! Perfect for the ages 3+, take the car for a spin, pop the hate and enjoy cool tunes matched with each of the 3 unique speaker bed designs.

Styles include: Ford Fiesta and Mini Countryman WRC. (Suggested Retail: $9.99, available on Amazon.com)

DUB® Garage Blazers: Lights, lights and more lights-hit the music and watch the new Blazerz design glow! Signature DUB Edition styles with motorized driving action, custom music, lights and sound. Perfect for ages 6+ its lights and sound action make Blazerz stand out from the crowd.

Styles include: DUB Edition DH5 (Sports Car), DUB Edition D17 (Muscle Car) and DUB Edition Dz8 (SUV). (Suggested Retail $24.99, available on Amazon.com)

007™ Secret Agent Cars: Motorized driving action complete with working head and tail lights on all the 007™ models, realistic vehicle sounds and the classic James Bond Theme music. Perfect for ages 6+.

Styles include: Aston Martin DBS (Quantum of Solace), Aston Martin DB5 (Casino Royale) and Lotus Esprit (The Spy Who Loved Me). (Suggested Retail $9.99)

We recently received the Aston Martin DBS (Quantum of Solace) car. The box has a brief synopsis of the show and a 007 Secret Fun Fact. The car uses 3 AAA batteries, but fortunately it comes with a set of batteries for immediate play. With the push of a button, you can hear the car lock, hear the theme song or hear the car start and watch it race away. For added fun, the push of each button is accompanied by lights.

These cars are all currently available and would make a great Christmas present for the kids (or kid at heart) in your life. In fact, I'm thinking of getting one of the 007 Secret Agent Cars for my youngest brother - he is a big Bond fan and I think his son would enjoy playing with the car too.

No compensation was received for this post. Information for this post and a complimentary 007 Secret Agent Car was provided for my family to experience. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Holiday Gift Guide - DIY Cookie Trays

One of my favorite gifts to share at the holidays are my homemade cookies. I enjoy making a variety of cookies and enjoy that I can give them as gifts to others. Each year I experiment with new recipes (you can find many of the recipes over on A Busy Mom of Two in the Kitchen). Assembled together on a plate (or in a tin), they are nice to share with others.

When it comes to neighbors and co-workers as a whole, my goal is to help spread holiday cheer. For my neighbors, I like to put together a small plate of baked goods to share with them. I drop them off along with the Christmas card. It allows for a quick visit, during the cold time of year where we tend to see less of each other because we aren't outside playing. I also like to take a large platter of baked goods to work to share with everyone (although, I find myself eating more than one!).

For the kids teachers, I know that they are getting a number of gifts and try to avoid filling their life with more clutter. When my kids were first in daycare, I struggled with what I was going to give their teachers, I have a friend who is a teacher and she said - no apples, no smelly stuff and no mugs. Okay, that helped narrow things down a bit, but I still wasn't sure what to give.

So, I thought, why not make a plate of tasty treats that they could eat or share with friends and family that visit during the holiday season. For the teachers I decided it would be better to give them a plate that they could use over and over again, instead of the typical paper plate I use when giving plates of cookies to neighbors. I headed out to the store and found some really cute little square plates.

They were winter themed, not just holiday themed. I piled them with our homemade holiday cookies and candies,

>placed them in food gift bags and tied them with a tag.

I got a nice of lot compliments and thank you notes from the teachers. I've had teachers who didn't have my kids express disappointment that they didn't have one of the kids in their class at Christmas, so they could get the holiday treats. Now that the kids are older, they help me with baking the cookies and making the candies. Which, of course, makes it an even better gift for them to give to their teachers, because they helped make it. Homemade treats and a fancy plate as a Christmas gift for teachers works for me.

This post shared at Works for Me Wednesday.

Christmas Wish Lists

When I was little, I remember there being large store catalogs - Sears and JC Penney are the two companies that I remember sending out catalogs. I used those catalogs to help me generate a Christmas wish list.

Now, as a mom, I rely on the toy books that are sent out by Walmart, Target and Toys 'R Us to get input on what the kids would like for Christmas. Fortunately, we seem to wind up with two of each book, so I am able to give one of each to each child. They put their name on the front of the book and then start to explore.

When we first started this, they had a tendency to circle everything! This year, I made sure to tell them to only mark the things that they really want or they might wind up with the things that they only sort of want.

It took them a few weeks to fully identify and circle their wish list of toys and games, so it is good that the books come out in early November, giving them plenty of time to make their selections.

I usually have some level of idea of what they will get for Christmas, but want to make sure that those ideas are amongst the things that have been circled. For the most part, the things that they mark do not come as a surprise to me, but sometimes there are a few things that do surprise me.

Before I head out to shop, I reference their books to see what is on their wish list. This tool also works great because it allows me to more easily generate ideas to send out as lists to family members. Otherwise, I feel like the only ideas that I have are the things that I was planning to get or clothes.

Having the kids circle the items on their wish list works for me.

Christmas Gifts

When my kids were first in daycare, I really struggled with what I was going to give their teachers for Christmas each year. I wanted to give them something personal to say thank you, something practical that wouldn't go to waste, and something that wasn't typical. I have a friend who is a teacher and she said - no apples, no smelly stuff and no mugs. Okay, that helped narrow things down a bit.

Then I thought about what I gave to other people outside of my family to help spread holiday cheer. For my neighbors, I like to put together a small platter of baked goods to share some holiday cheer. I also take a large platter to work to share with everyone. I thought, why not make a plate of tasty treats that they could eat or share with friends and family that visit during this holiday season.

Now, for my neighbors, I generally am just using a paper plate - economical, convenient, but for the teachers I decided it would be better to give them a plate that they could use over and over again. I headed out to the store and found some really cute little square plates. They were winter themed, not just holiday themed. I piled them with our homemade holiday cookies and candies, covered them in some plastic and attached a big bow.

I got a nice of lot compliments and thank you notes from the teachers. I've had teachers who didn't have my kids express disappointment that they didn't have one of the kids in their class at Christmas, so they could get the holiday treats. Now that the kids are older, they help me with baking the cookies and making the candies. Which, of course, makes it an even better gift for them to give to their teachers, because they helped make it.

Homemade treats and a fancy plate as a Christmas gift for teachers works for me. For more tips and tricks, check out Works for Me Wednesday over at We Are THAT Family.