Mom Central Archives - Embracing Beauty

Top 10 eBay Gift Ideas for Girls 2012

November 26, 2012 by Ashley 1 Comment

Have you started shopping yet? I’m one of those weridos who shop year round for find the best gifts and best deals on those gifts. I know that most people aren’t like me {thank goodness!} but it’s easier for me to get a head start on Christmas shopping so I can be more relaxed during the holiday season.

My baby girl is the only one that I’ve waited until the last minute to buy for. I was waiting to see what the “hot” items were going to be this shopping season. A few weeks ago I formed my list and sat down at my computer to shop. I’ve found that many, if not all, of the items were cheaper on ebay than anywhere else. I bought a few myself and I’ve shared this list with family members who are looking for gifts to buy.

This year, as they do every year, eBay has those highly sought gifts for everyone on your Christmas list. You can even shop Toys ‘R Us directly from eBay and get access to the same great selection and service you would get at Toys ‘R Us. I LOVE THAT! I’ve also bought hard-to-find unique gifts and cheap tech gifts there this year too! With eBay you get simple, one-stop shopping!

Here are my little girl’s top ten wish list items this year (All are available on eBay and/or the eBay Toys”R”Us store. You can click on the link to go to each item directly.):

– KidKraft Vintage Kitchen – $176.99 This was on my daughter’s wish list…okay, my wish list for her. We’ve already ordered it and it arrived within days. It’s gorgeous!! It did take a while to put together but it is very well made and I’m sure it will last a long time.
– Cra-Z-Art Magna Doodle 3-in-1 Easel – $49.99 + Free Shipping! I’ve always loved the Original MagnaDoodle and now my little girl can play with this awesome 3-in-1 easel. Not only does it have the MagnaDoodle drawing surface but also a magnetic dry erase board, and a paint ‘n Draw board. This easel comes with a double sided magnetic pen, 1 dry erase marker, 6 magnetic stampers, a clip for paper and a storage tray. Plus, the easel folds flat for easy storage!
– AquaDoodle Delux Mat – $29.99 A little boy I use to babysit had one of these and I loved playing with it as much as he did. My grandmother has already bought this for my little girl and all the adults in the family have taken their turn drawing on it.
– Power Wheels Fisher Price Barbie ATV – $49.99 on sale from $99.99! My aunt bought this for my little girl {from ebay} and I can’t wait to see her ride it!!!
– Crayola Pip Squeak Wacky Tip Markers – $4.99 This should make a fun stocking stuffer and perfect for her little hands.
– Angry Birds Air Swimmers – $29.99 This gift is kind of a gift for both my husband and my little girl. How fun! I can already see them playing together.
– Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Magenta – $49.99 + Free Shipping! The adorable classic coupe in a fun girlie shade. We won’t be able to really enjoy this until the weather gets cooler but it will still be a little fun in the house before we put it away in storage until Spring.
– Crayola Large Washable Crayons – $2.99 Large crayons that are great for little hands. Plus, they are washable so I don’t have to try this trick I just learned for removing crayon scribbles.
– Just Like Home Stainless Steel Cookware Playset – $14.99 on sale from $19.99! Absolutely adorable and perfect for the little kitchen I bought her.
– Just Like Home 85 Piece Food Set – $10.99 Plastic and perfect for pretend play.

You can’t beat shopping from the comfort of your own home, can you? While this list is just my girl’s top 10 gift ideas {and I’m sure she could find more to add!}, eBay has put together a much larger Gift Guide to make shopping even easier! You can also access the Gift Guide through the eBay mobile app which makes it convenient to shop anywhere, anytime! You are no longer confined to sit in front of the computer to shop eBay but now you can shop from the comfort of your car {if you’re the passenger!} or the comfort of your living room. You get the picture! If you haven’t downloaded the app, I highly recommend checking it out. I’m all about simplifying and saving money!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of eBay. I received a product sample to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Filed Under: Deals Tagged With: Christmas, Deals, Ebay, Mom Central

Glad Bags Make Clean Up Easy!

November 19, 2012 by Ashley 7 Comments

What’s the first thing when you think of a mess? I usually think of young kid messes, which may be because of the season of life I’m currently enjoying. What’s the first thing you do when you’re about to tackle a big mess? I usually go and grab paper towels and Glad trash bags. Glad Force Flex trash bags want to be the first thing you think of when you see a mess. I was given a box of Glad Force Flex trash bags to put to the test. I’ve used Glad Force Flex bags for years and I won’t buy anything else. I love them! Glad’s Force Flex bags are well, flexible. You can stuff them full of heavy, sharp, items and they will hold up. Honestly, in my many years of using them I’ve only had one bag get a tear in it. Just one! I think that is remarkable.

My husband loves them too! I usually keep a small stockpile of them but a few months ago we ran out of them suddenly. My husband calls me while I’m out shopping {I won’t name the store} and asks me to pick some up. I tell him the astronomical price of Glad bags at this store that has everything way overpriced unless there is special sale. I ask if he thought it would be okay if I could get the generic brand just until I can go to another store with regular prices. Nope, no way, he loves his Glad bags. I bought the smallest package possible that night and a few days later I went out and bought several boxes to make sure I didn’t run out again. {Note, I’m not saying Glad bags are expensive, they’re not! It just so happens that I was at particular store that has everything overpriced.} I’ve used the Glad bags many times going through out my regular life without really trying to use them. Here is a list of the ways I’ve used them in the past few weeks:

Gathered Summer clothes to put in the attic.
Gathered a few bags of household items to donate to charity.
After I collated dozens and dozens of coupon inserts I had the leftover pages lying all over the living room floor. I gathered them in a trash bag to easily transport them to our recycle bin.
Helped clean up after a baby shower. {FYI, not my baby shower!}
Glad bags also made it easy to transport all the shower gifts to the car.

Most recently, tonight, we’ve used Glad bags to clean up the mess as we put together a kid’s kitchen. The kitchen is going to be adorable and I can’t wait until it’s fully put together. It came in a bazillion pieces and each was individually wrapped in plastic. The Styrofoam in this box seems to be never ending. It keeps coming and coming! We have one Glad bag for the paper and cardboard products to take to our recycling bin and another to gather the massive amount of plastic and Styrofoam.

Not only are Glad bags great for every day but they are an essential for the holidays. On Christmas Eve it was always my grandpa who would have a Glad bag ready to catch the crumbled up wrapping paper and bows. Now that he’s gone to be with the Lord, I’ve made it my duty to hold and take out our Christmas trash. If you’re glad for Glad bags {ha!} make sure you like the Glad “After the Wild Life” Facebook Tab and take a moment to play their ‘Missing in the Mess’ game! Oh, and you can also follow @glad2Wasteless on Twitter too. “I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Glad. I received products to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.”

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: Glad, Mom Central

Join me for the #GladWildLife Twitter Party Today!

November 8, 2012 by Ashley Leave a Comment

Do you have a Twitter account? Do you like to win prizes just for tweeting? If you answered yes to both of those questions come and join us today {11/8/12} for the #GladWildLife Twitter Party from 3-4 PM EST to chat about life’s wild and crazy messes!

Date: Thursday November 8, 2012 from 3 – 4PM EST

Moderator: @MomCentral Assistant Moderators: @StacyDeBroff,@MomCentralChat and @DadCentral Special Guest: @GladWildLife Co-host, yours truly, @Beauty4Moms

Hashtag: #GladWildLife Prizes: 2 pre-party winners and 6 party winners will each receive a $50 gift code and a Glad product sample

TweetGrid: http://bit.ly/YZiWgX

Pre-tweet to Win! Anyone who tweets this from now until the #GladWildLife Twitter Party will be entered to win 1 of 2 $50 gift codes and Glad products!

Come and join in on the fun!!

About the Party: “Throughout the journey of parenthood, we sometimes find ourselves looking at our child and wondering, “Where oh where did this wild thing come from?!” As kids get older, their ability to create more and larger messes never ceases to amaze. From gathering dried up balls of play-doh and large broken toy pieces to picking up after a big team pizza party, we constantly face the task of master ‘picker-upper.’ Glad Bags help make even the most daunting household clean-ups seem manageable. From yard work to cleaning out the garage, Glad Bags prove the ideal companion in tackling any mess. Glad has partnered with Mom of four and reality TV star Tori Spelling to host OMG Extra: After the Wild Life, a fun Facebook series featuring the loveable, messy animals from last year’s mock reality seriesThe Wild Life. Whether a child or spouse who wreaks havoc, we can all relate to messy family members.”

Filed Under: Life Lately Tagged With: Mom Central, Twitter, Twitter Party

Scott Shared Values Program = Free Coupons & Rewards

October 15, 2012 by Ashley 1 Comment

Scott^® Shared Values is a new program that offers unique deals and rewards to its members. Signing up is free and only takes a moment. Once you sign up you can pick and choose what values are right for you and you’ll instantly be offered a coupon for 75¢ off Scott® Bath Tissue or 75¢ off Scott® Towels! To make it better, if you share your savings, then you’ll be offered $1.25 off select Scott® brand products. Simply share the value of Scott® Shared Values with 3 friends or post to your Facebook page. Win-win!

Awesome bonuses that members will receive:

Exclusive Deals and Rewards The Scott brand is all about value, and that’s why they’ve created Scott Shared Values, a program that provides savvy consumers with exclusive access to exciting deals and rewards.
Value Sense– The Scott Shared Values program was developed for savvy consumers who know the difference between paying more and getting more – that’s Value Sense
Exclusive Coupons – Through the program, consumers will gain access to special coupons toward Scott bath tissue and paper towels
Cool Deals – Additionally, consumers will have an inside track to unique deals from top brands, like Blockbuster, Hertz and free admission to participating family attractions nationwide. Offers currently on the site include:

– Blockbuster
– Family Fun
– Every Day with Rachel Ray
– Fitness Pass at participating clubs, including Anytime Fitness
– Coupon: $1.00 off of two Scott Naturals Flushable Wipes Tubs or Refills

Best of all, sign up is quick and easy! I love programs like this because they help me save money on products I’m already using and offer me fun bonuses along the way! Just click here to get started and begin enjoying your rewards!

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Scott. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating and am able to earn additional rewards throughout the campaign.”

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Coupons, Mom Central, Scott

Kellogg’s Start Simple, Start Right Cereals

October 14, 2012 by Ashley 15 Comments

Recently my family was asked to participate in Kellogg’s “Start Simple, Start Right” Campaign. We’re big fans of Kellogg’s so we gladly accepted! Kelloggs sent us five boxes of cereal. One of each of the following cereals:

Kellogg’s Raisin Bran – Yum!!
Kellogg’s All Bran – Healthy goodness!
Kellogg’s Corn Flakes – Perfect plain or with strawberries!
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Original -Snap, Crackle, Pop!
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Gluten Free – Gluten free? I couldn’t tell.

Our family was eating all of these cereals anyway…well, with the exception of the Gluten Free Rice Krispies.

Kelloggs

My Morning Routine Each morning I drag myself out of bed, take my meds, and we all scurry downstairs. My little girl eats her cereal and I pour myself a bowl of cereal. I’m not a morning person. At all. I would love to say that I make my family whatever they want for breakfast but that’s far from the truth. I know moms that do that and take orders from each family member but I just can’t bring myself to. That’s terrific that they can but it’s not for me.

Cereal is the simplest breakfast I can throw together but it’s also a very nutritious one one so I don’t feel too guilty. I love that I can feed myself and my family a quick, wholesome meal and give them a great start to their day! I know how important eating breakfast can be for their body and even concentration. It took a while but I even have my husband eating breakfast before he heads out the door. I don’t want my family to feel hungry before lunch and end up distracted or snacking on something unhealthy. Feeding them cereals that I know are nutritious guarantees that they’ll be fuller longer.

Not all cereals are created equal! Some brands have a ton of added sugars {some have on the upwards of 40% sugar!}! Not to mention all of the words that I can’t pronounce. Kellogg’s has reintroduced a line of cereals that are as simple as can be! They are made from well-known ingredients like wheat, rice, corn, and other grains and are made with only a handful of simple ingredients. Isn’t that awesome! I feel confident feeding my family a cereal where I can read every ingredient in my food. Don’t you love simplicity?

You can show your family these short videos about the food they are eating:

Follow Kellogg’s process on how they take grains from Seed-To-Spoon. Here’s a great infographic that explains it all:

What’s your favorite Kellogg’s cereal?

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Kellogg’s. I received sample products to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.”

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: food, Kelloggs, Mom Central

Life…Supplemented WannaBeWell App Review

September 28, 2012 by Ashley Leave a Comment

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am forgetful, very forgetful! I stay busy but honestly, even if I didn’t have much on my plate I would still be forgetful. I have an amazing planner that helps keep my organized but I don’t have a daily reminder to exercise, call my mom, or take my vitamins. There is a new app from Life…Supplemented for iPhones and iPads that can help take the worry out of forgetting to take your pills. You will have to find another reminder to call your mom though.

The first thing I noticed about this app is that it’s free!! You can get the WannaBeWell app from the iTunes store absolutely free. The app has ton of neat features! I’ve already mentioned my favorite though – the reminder to take (or restock) on supplements. You can also create your own personalized Wellness Coach by choosing from a selection of customizable characters who will deliver daily motivational and educational messages. I think these little guys are cute and it’s a fun way to be reminded to live a healthier lifestyle. Did I mention you’ll receive “Healthy Mission” tasks given by the Wellness Coach and you have the opportunity to collect trophies for successfully completing missions? How fun!

On top of the entertaining ways to be reminded and encouraged about living healthy this app is packed full with supplement resources. If you download the app, be sure and take a few moments to browse the Suplement Resource Center which gives information about vitamins and other daily supplements in a simple format and an easy to understand language. I haven’t looked at them all but I’ve heard that it has thousands of articles and insights designed to help make users as informed as possible about their dietary decisions.

LifeSupplemented.org also offers several tools to help keep us readers at our ultimate health. They have a quiz called “My Wellness Scorecard” which gives an initial wellness assessment and free tips for improving your health! Through this test you can find out if you are a AlphaWELL, WannaBeWELL, or an OhWELL. Which do you think you are? I got WannaBeWELL! I’m on the road to wellness.

LifeSupplemented.org also has a blog that provides a forum around topics such as a healthy diet, supplements, and exercise. This forum is ran by an expert panel of bloggers. This is an interesting way to keep up to date on the latest trends and it often helps give a fresh look at old topics. The website also houses the information wealthy Supplement Resource Center that the app has.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this app! I have reminders to take my vitamins, a wealth of knowledge at my fingertips, and my own personal trainer. What more could I want?

On top of all the benefits this app has for you, with each app download, they’ll donate $1 (up to $13,500) to Vitamin Angels. Vitamin Angels is an organization that gives children under five years old the vital nutrient, like vitamin A, that they need. Did you know that just one vitamin A capsule taken every six months can prevent blindness and reduce the mortality rate of children under five by 23 percent? It’s true!

"Life Supplemented WannaBeWell app review"

So what are you waiting for? Go download the WannaBeWell app now!

If you’ve already downloaded the Life Supplemented WannaBeWell app what did you think? What did you get on your scorecard?

“I wrote this blog post while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Life…supplemented. As a thank you for participating, I received a $25 promotional item, and a $25 donation was made on my behalf to Vitamin Angels.”

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: Charity, Freebies, Life Supplemented, Mom Central, vitamins

Provella Probiotic Dietary Supplement Review

September 25, 2012 by Ashley Leave a Comment

My little girl is over a year old now and I’ve been trying to focus on taking better care of myself. I haven’t neglected my family, by any means, but I’m trying to purposefully care about/pamper/better myself. That’s a good thing, right? I’ve been trying to lose weight, get more sleep, drink more water, and slow down and enjoy life. A few weeks ago I was added Provella to my diet and it has made a pretty big change.

Provella is a probiotic dietary supplement that was specifically designed for women. Provella knows moms are busy and often have a lot on their plate. They’ve combined a unique blend of beneficial bacteria that will promote feminine and digestive health and boost the immune system. That means that it will help keep moms healthy and energetic for all the duties that come with being a mom.

I’ve been taking Provella for just over two weeks now. At first I didn’t notice any difference but I stayed with it and lately it’s been pretty great. I don’t want to get into details because that’s just not my personality but I will say that things have been working regularly lately. No upset stomach, no reaching for a bottle to deal with the pain, it’s great. I haven’t exactly noticed an increase in energy but remember that I have the sleep disorder hypersomnia and that could account for the lack of extra energy.

Provella is available over the counter so you don’t need a prescription to get started! It’s available at retail pharmacies nationwide and is also available on drugstore.com. PLUS, if you’re interested in getting started right away I have a coupon for you!!! A $6 Provella coupon to be exact! Provella is designed to help promote digestive, feminine, and immune health. What’s not to love? For more information about Provella please watch the video below. Oh, and men can take it too!

Disclosure: “I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Provella. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: Mom Central, Provella, Review

Boys and Girls Club – Tools for Back to School

August 28, 2012 by Ashley Leave a Comment

Back to school season is here, whether we like it or not! I’m sure I’m not the only one who has mixed emotions about school starting but it’s happening. What are some of the things you do to prepare your kids to go back to school? A big shopping trip, one last weekend of vacation fun, or maybe a quick refresh of last year’s studies?

Boys and Girls Club of America and Disney have partnered to launch the Tools for Back to School initiative. This initiative features a pop-quiz style game, where supplies are donated to BGCA for correct answers. It’s fun, easy, and it only takes a few minutes! Plus, it will help prepare several kids with the supplies they need to start school.

Boys and Girls Club of America also has a few tips to help your kids have a great start to their new school year. There are tip sheets and educational content for parents to take advantage of. Go to BGCA.org to check them out. Simply visit their site, click “Get Ready” on the sidebar to begin browsing the free info.
BGCA has also partnered with JCPenney – and in August you can join JCP Cares and round up your purchase at the register to benefit BGCA. Visit JCPenny.com to find out how to ‘round up’ if you visit JCP during August!

Do you know if you have a BGCA in your area? If you do, what have they done locally in your community?

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Boys and Girls Club. I received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: Charity, Mom Central, Tips

Dreyer’s/Edy’s Slow Churned Ice Cream

August 10, 2012 by Ashley 6 Comments

Forgive my interruption of your summer fun, but I wanted to bring you some more summer fun! What do you think about when you think about June, July, & August?

I think about vacation.

At the beach.

At camp.

And heat.

And swimming.

And ice cream!

While I am not someone that thinks ice cream is something you should overly worry about calories and fat (it’s a treat, right?) Dreyer’s/Edy’s has amazing varieties that will suit the kiddos, the big kids at heart, and even someone trying to maintain a healthy diet. Yes, even if you are watching your waistline, there are many delicious flavors to enjoy without overindulging in a side of guilt.

Dreyer’s/Edy’s Slow Churned ice cream has 1/2 the fat and even 1/3 fewer calories than their regular ice cream! It’s amazing, it really is! I don’t have a need to buy a regular carton of ice cream again. This is so creamy and wonderful and if it didn’t say so on the package I would never know that it was reduced fat.

Dreyer’s and Edy’s is the same brand. West of the Rockies, this ice cream is marketed under the Dreyer’s brand name and east of the Rockies, it is marketed under the Edy’s brand name.

Now, here’s what I’m really excited to tell you about! For every smile that is uploaded on the Dreyer’s Facebook page, & Edy’s Facebook page, they will donate $5.00 to Operation Smile! I’ve already uploaded my ice cream smile. Ice cream makes me smile and helping great charities like, Operation Smile, does too!

I have even more good news. Of the photos submitted, ten lucky smiling faces will be featured in a Dreyer’s Slow Churned print ad! Aaaand, one picture will win a spot on the cartons of a Slow Churned limited-edition flavor, which will be re-introduced to store shelves in early 2013! How cool would that be? Haha, get it? Ice cream is cool! Anyway, go upload your ice cream smile now. : )

Disclosure: “I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Dreyer’s / Edy’s. I received a coupon to purchase product samples and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Dreyer's, Edy's, Mom Central, Review

Sign Up for Scott Product Coupons and Free Rewards!

August 6, 2012 by Ashley 3 Comments

I am overly excited to share an amazing savings opportunity with you! If you sign up now you’ll be one of the first to get high value Scott product coupons and you can even earn freebies too! My family is a user of Scotts products and I’m thrilled about this new program that they have recently unveiled.

It’s completely free to sign up and only takes a few moments. To get started, simply sign up and you’ll immediately receive your first coupon. You can print the coupons you would like and you can even select a current reward that you want. How awesome!

Here are a few of the current Scott Shared Values rewards that you can take advantage of. I think the Free Admission Family Fun Pass has to be my favorite freebie right now! All you have to do is answer a quick question and you’ll get a free admission pass to your favorite attractions. You can choose between go carts, putt-putt, bowling, zoos, museums, and so much more. These freebies are easy to claim and don’t expire for two to three months from the time you claim them!

Here’s how to get started:

Sign up via the widget above
OR click this Scott Shared Values link to sign up.
Fill out your info and print some coupons (two high-value ones)!

Right after you sign up you’ll receive a welcome email from Scott Shared Values. From there you can log into your account and share offers with friends and family to earn more coupons and be able to claim a reward. Easy peasy!

This program is amazing! It not only has coupons and free offers but you’ll also be able to pick up some great cleaning tips too! Who couldn’t use a cleaning tip to help save them time?

This program is only available for a short time so hurry and sign up during this introductory period! You must be 18 years or older and a US resident to participate. Click here to sign up now!

Disclosure: “I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Scott. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating and am able to earn additional rewards throughout the campaign.”

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Coupons, Mom Central, Scott