A Mother's Day Gift always appreciated!

I think that one of the best Mother's Day gifts is a bouquet of flowers or a plant. For me the beauty of flowers and plants captures the beauty of a mother.
When I think about it, the only times I received flowers have been when I'm sick and I also got a great plant for my college graduation (which I proceeded to kill, I don't have a green thumb do cut flowers are best for me!).

If you are looking for reasonably priced Mother's Day plants or flowersbe sure to check out ProFlowers.

There are arrangements available at a variety of price points and the flowers are beautiful. Perhaps I should order my favorite flowers, tulips for myself!

Disclosure: I was provided with a giftcard for the purposes of this review and as usual all opinions are my own.

Personal Creations for Mother's Day!

Are you in search for a one of a kind Mother's Day gift for your mom? I know I like to give my mom unique gifts and that is why when I was introduced to Personal Creations I was ecstatic. This online store has gifts starting at just $12.99? Cute gifts that are personalized? Count me in! 

Even the littlest ones can get in on the gift giving and help you make a choice for Grandma! I actually placed an order for my mom....I can't tell you what it is because, mom reads my blog but it is a good one. The order process was simple and I had the opportunity to choose the delivery date for my mom's gift. 


Personal creations is an affordable place for Mother's Day gifts and if you like personalized gifts, they have something for every one! 


Disclosure: I received a giftcard for the purpose of this review and as usual all opinions are my own. 

Are You A Twilight Fan?

The Twilight series was my Mother's Day gift to myself on my very first Mother's Day. I'd gone to lunch with a girlfriend and then headed over to Barnes and Noble. I saw Twilight and having never heard of the series picked it up because it looked like an interesting read. Well, I read that book in a day! And went back to the store to pick up the next book in the series. I was hooked! I joined an online Twilight Moms club - we talked about everything Twilight and even had meet-ups! So, if you are a fan like me, you are surely anticipating the release of the Breaking Dawn Part 1 DVD.   Here is a clip: 





On February 10th starting at 11p.m. 2,700 select Walmart stores will be having an in-store Twilight Party to celebrate the DVD/Blue-Ray release! You will receive Bella's Wedding Special Edition featuring the collectable wedding packaging, a fabric poster of Bella and Edward's big day and music videos from Bruno Mars and Christina Perri!


In anticipation of the midnight event, Walmart shopped can also see a cameo appearance of Rosalie Cullen on the in-store television network. The bakery will have Twilight themed cupcakes and cakes so you can have your own at home viewing party! 


You can find the entire list of participating Walmarts on Walmart.com.

Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and am compensated for my time and honest opinions.

Get on the Shelf at Walmart!

Has it been your dream to get your GREAT product on the shelf at Walmart! Well, now there is a wonderful opportunity for that to happen for you. Walmart has launched the Get On The Shelf contest and you can submit your product and be one of three winners to get on the shelf. You just have to submit a video on Walmart.com, rally your friends and family to vote and if you are the grand prize winner, not only will you get on the shelf, but Walmart will help you with marketing and production! Get your product on the shelf! 





Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and have been compensated for writing this post but as usual all opinions are my own. 

No Fuss For Holiday Parties!

Earlier this year I visited the Bentonville Walmart headquarters with the Walmart moms.  When we arrived we were treated to a sampling of holiday treats. All of which were perfectly suited for those holiday parties that you may want to have but can't find the time (between baking and cooking for the BIG meals) to cook for. 

image provided by Walmart

These Tyson wings in various flavors are sure to be a hit but since I'm not a meat-eater I can't comment on the taste. I can say that my son eats Tyson and enjoys it so I can only assume that the wings are great quality too. I've actually served them at family get togethers and most people went back for seconds so I suppose that is a great endorsement! 

One of the things available at Walmart that I CAN speak about from personal experience are the cheesecakes. And not just any cheesecakes, but a variety pack of cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory restaurant! 

Can you say YUMMY! When two cheesecakes arrived at my house I was sure that someone was trying to foil my holiday get fit plans but was totally surprised to learn the cheesecake came from Walmart! I was a good girl and left the cheesecake intake but will be bringing both to a dessert party I'm attending this evening. I believe in indulging but I left the cheesecake in the freezer until I could share it with friends! 

Walmart has these easy options available for you this holiday season. Make life simple, pick some up on your next trip! 

Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and have been compensated for this blog post but as usual all opinions are my own! 

Holiday Stocking Stuffers Haul!

I love the holiday season! The baking, cooking and time with family is always joyful but I am especially pleased that this year, thanks to Walmart I've been able to be a blessing in the lives of others. For my final donation of the year, I was challenged to purchase stocking stuffers with $25 and of course I'm donating them. I visited the wish list for the Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children and was pleased to see that they needed toiletry items for the gifts they prepared for their clients. I went to Walmart with $25 in hand and just see what I was able to purchase! 



I truly believe that the holidays are about giving and it has been my pleasure to have so many opportunities to give this season because of Walmart. Not only am I doing something for others but I am instilling in my son the idea that giving to others is also a part of the holiday spirit. He shops with me and when I tell them the items are not for us it is always a teachable moment. I know as he gets older he will appreciate having the ability to give to others too. Thank you Walmart! 


Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and was compensated for my time to prepare this video and blog post but as usual all opinions are my own. 

Walmart Introduces Shoppy Cat

You may be asking - what in the world is Shoppy Cat? I wondered the same thing so when Walmart gave me the opportunity to try it out and provide feedback, I said why not? Shoppy Cat is a new facebook app that assists you in purchasing gifts for family, friends, whoever! If a person is on your facebook friend and has the app, Shoppy Cat will give you a list of things that the individual might enjoy as a gift. 


Shoppy Cat utilizes the things that are listed in your profile as your interests. Obviously, the more interests a person has listed, the more recommendations Shoppy Cat provides. One of the best features in my opinion is that the gifts are not only from Walmart. I think this is a fabulous idea. It reminds me of the movie Miracle on 34th Street, Santa sent people to stores other than Macy*s! Even though the management thought it was a bad idea, it actually encouraged folks to shop at both Macy*s and the other stores. Simply ingenious! 


Shoppy Cat is currently in Beta but I think it is worth trying out! As more people sign up it will be even more effective! Happy Shopping! 

Disclosure: I am a Walmart Mom and have been compensated for spreading the word about the Shoppy Cat app but as usual, all opinions are 100% my own! 

How The Grinch Stole Christmas comes to the Fox!

Everyone is familiar with the Dr. Suess story, well everyone that is except my son Mekhi! This was a totally new experience for him because we've never actual read the story about the Whos of Whoville and The Grinch stealing Christmas. This uproarious musical was perfect for my four year old with a running time of about an hour and a half with no intermission. The singing was great, the set design was simple and true to the Dr. Suess book. 


One of my favorite aspects of the show was the audience participation and my son cheerfully laughed out loud on numerous occasions. For you to fully appreciate this, please understand that the show was at 8:00 PM and actually started about 8:20 but my son was a trooper! I highly recommend this family show but be quick! 


The show is only around for 6 days and ends on Sunday. Ticket prices start at $28.00 and it is truly a show the entire family can enjoy! 


Disclosure: I received two tickets to the show for purposes of my review but all of the opinions are 100% my own. 

Party on a Budget

I must admit that I never thought $100 would be enough to host a party for approximately 11 children and 15 adults so when given that amount by Walmart I just knew I'd be supplementing with my own money.

Well color me surprised because not only was I able to purchase all of the food, I also got all of the paper goods and party favors for $88.00 at Walmart!

As the main dish we ordered out for pizza and the cake was from another source but I could have purchased the cake at Walmart and stayed on budget too!

My favorite find was the pre-packaged party favors, we purchased bags and filled them with favors. In addition to everything for the party I was also able to get thank you cards.

I know exactly where I'll be shopping for my next party!

Christmas Price Match

One of the concerns during holiday shopping is purchasing an item too early and seeing it go on a dramatic sale. This year, Walmart is adopting the Christmas price guarantee. If you make a purchase from November 1st until Christmas and you see the price reduced at Walmart or another store - you will receive a refund or a price match! Check out this video for more specifics - the only departments excluded are food and grocery and of course, Black Friday sales....






Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and have been compensated for writing this post but as usual all opinions are my own.

Holiday Cookies

Mekhi and I made cookies using Wilton recipes, cookie cutters and I attempted to make decorating bags. Ahem. The cookies were a simple sugar cookie that I let set overnight after baking.

We mostly used pumpkin shapes because I didn't want to get too complicated with the decorating.

The following day I made a meringue based icing and colored it orange. I kept it simple.

I did try to make pastry decorators but that was a disaster. I couldn't get it right. Overall I'm happy with the final outcome and perhaps I will have my girlfriend teach me decorating techniques in the future.

The cookies were delicious and we took them with us to a Falloween party where they were enjoyed by all!

Disclosure: I'm a Walmart mom and was provided with compensation for this post.

Walmart is Bringing Back Layaway - Video!

And here is my video explaining Walmart's new Layaway! 





Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and I've been compensated for spreading the word about this program. As usual all opinions are my own.

Walmart is Bringing Back Layaway!

The holiday season is fast approaching and it is no secret that we are in the midst of difficult financial times. I have heard anecdotal stories that although the holiday season is supposed to be the happiest time of the year, it is the time when people suffer from the highest rate of depression. It makes sense when you think about it, in an effort to make friends and family happy we have a tendency to over spend and have to deal with the repercussions at the beginning of the new year. 


I remember as a child I would join the Christmas Club at the bank to save money for the holiday season and I also can recall lay-a-way which virtually keeps you from overspending because you pay for items that might be pricey over time. I am happy to announce that Walmart is bringing back Lay-A-Way for the holiday season! 

It begins on October 17th and you have until December 16th to pick up and pay for your purchases. With a $5 service charge and a minimum $50 total purchase (each item $15 or more)  this is going to help countless families this year! Layaway is available in toys, electronics and the jewelry departments. If you have your eye on a few holiday gifts and want to pay from them over time, layaway is just for you!

Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and I've been compensated for writing this post but as usual all opinions are my own. 

Essie's Got A Brand New Bag!

I've blogged about essie in the past and shared my long standing love for this nail polish.  Well, for Fall essie has some great colors with names inspired by handbags. There are six new colors in the collection, my favorite is Carry On, a magnetic mulberry merlot. Love it! But all of the colors with the exception of power clutch (a green that I'm not sure will look great with my complexion) I will be rocking this Fall. 





Although I'm unable to afford to purchase actual handbags in all of these colors, having the nailcolors will provide me with diversity in color and serve as a great "accessory" on a daily basis. This entire collection is available at your local Walmart, I'd love to see what you choose as your favorite color! 



Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and was sent the essie Fall collection and provided with compensation for this post.

Crayola and Back to School

My four year is extremely creative. He loves to draw and is now beginning to learn his letters. He was thrilled to try out the new Crayola Dry Erase crayons and activity center. You can see what he creativity garnered! 

He is intently working on his masterpiece in this photo and here is his finished product! We used the Crayola Dry Erase Crayons and enjoyed being able to wipe and start a new drawing if he was unhappy with what he'd done. 

In addition to the 3D effect, we also have a dry erase board that he loves which is filled with activities. I let him go at his own pace and choose what he wants to do on any given day. This is just a supplement for what he is learning in Pre-K and I've found that he does much more when I don't push him and let him tell me when he wants to practice letters or just draw. You can see more of the Crayola dry erase in action by checking out this video. 



Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and was sent the Crayola dry erase line to review and compensated for my time. As usual all opinions are 100% my own. 

Sun-kissed glow without the sun! Video

It is summertime and I love makeup but it is just too hot for foundation, powder, etc. So, I make things simple. I use concealer and bronzer to give my face a sunkissed glow without using heavy makeup or worst, sitting out in the sun! I tried Neutrogena's bronzer with blush, perfect!

This is a perfect look for summer and I don't have to worry about my makeup melting off in the heat!


Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and have been compensated for this post but as usual all opinions are my own. 

Calling all dog lovers!

I am a dog lover.  When I was four and five I used to ride my grandfather's great dane Zorba like a horse and we both loved it! My granddaddy always had a dog and I even gave him one as a father's day gift one year. It wasn't until I was 17 that I became a dog owner too. My mom and I adopted a Chow Chow puppy that we named Ling Ling and she was the love of our life. Although Ling Ling is no longer with us my love for dogs still remains and when my son is old enough to care for a dog I will get one too. Seems like dog lovers run in my family, he will always ask to "pet the doggies" we see dog owners walking their dogs!

Although I am not a dog owner now, the one thing I remember is the importance of choosing the correct dog food. Ling Ling was very picky but once we found a food she loved we stuck with it. If you are a dog owner, will you please complete this quick five question survey to help determine what you look for when you are shopping for dog food? 

Here is the link - http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9PC5S96

Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and have been compensated for getting the word out about this survey. 

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Strips -Video Post

Thanks to Walmart I had the opportunity to try Sally Hansen's Salon Effects Nail strips. When I used to have my nails done on a regular basis I was always intrigued by Minx nails, nail strips in metallic and exotic designs. I didn't have it done but I did admire the nails of women that I saw having them put on in the salon. 


Recently Sally Hansen released the Salon Effects nail strips that are very similar to minx nails. No polish, simply prep your nails and apply the strips. I chose the color "raise a glass" which is a metallic gold. It is simple, elegant and classy but if I were feeling a bit more adventurous there are wild colors available in the line. I believe the pricing was somewhere in the $8 range and if indeed my manicure lasts 10 days it is certainly worth the price. Minx nails run about $40 in the salon I used to go to.


I found the application of the strips to be fairly easy. There is a bit of a learning curve because you don't want to crinkle the strips and although I was nervous the application was quick. I think the more practice I have the better I will get at application.


I would certainly recommend trying Sally Hansen Salon Effects. When you want an interesting nail design on a budget, these work wonders. One day I will try something on the wild side but for now, I am extremely happy with my metallic gold manicure. I know I'll be trying this product again.




Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and have been compensated for my time and provided with a product sample for review. 

Gas Rollback!

Yesterday Walmart announced a gas rollback from June 29- September 30, 2011. For these 90 days you will be able to save 10 cents per gallon on gas at participating Murphy USA and Walmart gas stations! What a relieve, with the gas prices finally going down, the additional 10 cent rollback will make a big difference.  I don't know about you but the gas prices have certainly been killing my pockets! 


To get the discounted pricing, all you have to do is utilize a Walmart re-loadable giftcard, reloadable Walmart money card or Walmart credit card. This discount is effective in the following states: 

Arkansas Georgia Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kentucky Louisiana Michigan

Mississippi Missouri New Mexico North Carolina Ohio South Carolina Tennessee Texas Virginia

Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and I have been compensated to help spread the word about this rollback. 

30 Days to Sanity

I had the opportunity to test drive the 30 Days to Sanity program by Stephanie Marston. This online webinar is designed to help all of us - Moms and women to live more focused lives. I must say that I found the interactive program extremely helpful and it was very in depth. I liked having the opportunity to pick up where I left off and go at my own pace. 


I have to admit that I probably would need to keep at least a year subscription because my life is insane and I actually need more than 30 days to complete the program! Some days I'd forget, others I was just too busy. But mainly I have learned that it is important for me to take time for me. Sometimes that happens in the context of the online webinar but I also think I help maintain my personal sanity by exercising, taking long baths in my whirlpool tub and even just reading a book simply for entertainment. 


Overall, I'd recommend Stephanie Marston's program for anyone working on getting their lives in order. And really, the 30 Days to Sanity Program. You can thank me later! t is all of is. So, I say make the investment in yourself and sign up!


Disclosure: I am participating in a Mom Central blog tour and received complimentary access to this program and compensation for my participation.