In June of this year a new company opened it’s doors online and welcomed visitors.  Fortunatley, for me, they found my site and wanted to know if I would be interested in helping them promote theirs an I am ever so grateful.

I’m not sure how it is in your home, but if it’s anything like mine, the nursery was decked out and as the children have gotten older, the decor changes.  Of course it does.  The kids are no longer happy with bunnies and suns and the like.  But for me, someone with no interior design capabilities, I’m unable to look at the kids’ rooms and know exactly what to hang on the walls.

Soon, it’s not going to matter for my daughter because her walls will be filled with every poster she can find of Zac Efron, the Jonas Brothers, and Hannah Montanna, but we have some time before that happens.

There’s nothing I love more than to see art hanging on a wall.  I appreciate it even though I couldn’t tell a Monet from a VanGough but that’s okay.  Prints, watercolors, paintings, photos, it doesn’t matter.  It all spruces up a room.

Magic Pumpkin Art serves a purpose more than just decorating a room.  Magic Pumpkin Art stimulates your child’s imagination with delightful children’s wall decor featuring enticing designs and content that is expressive and creative.  Each print from Magic Pumpkin Art is a substantial cotton canvas stretched over a wooden frame.  From adventurous safari prints to wall art for the sports enthusiast, or pretty, floral designs for your young lady, Magic Pumpkin Art will be enjoyed for years to come.

Purse - Kid's Girl's Theme Wall Art and Nursery Decor, 12"x12"

And it’s so true.  Here’s the one that Samara will find under the tree this year.  Don’t you think that’s fabulous?  I do.  In fact, I have a hard time deciding which one is my favorite on the site, but this one ranks right up there and I can’t wait to hang it up, along with another one that I will order and see how it looks on her wall.

I’m sure it’s going to brighten it up more so that it is now, and for a little bit, I can keep the wall clear of the latest heart throbs.  (Although, I’ll let her keep her NKOTB poster up.)

Magic Pumpkin Art is also a Mom owned business and in today’s world, we’re seeing more and more mothers in business.  We’re smart women and just because we have families, it doesn’t diminish that.  It also allows us a way to make money at the same time as being there for our children.  I don’t think there’s anything cooler than that and a far cry from where our mothers were years ago.

So why is Christine Vogensen, mom to a busy two-and-a-half year old in business?

“I’m looking for some great art for my kid’s room…” That’s what I said to my girlfriend as we walked around the mega mall.  It really bothered me that I couldn’t find any great art for my kid’s room.  That’s how I started Magic Pumpkin Art.  I was a mom with a problem.  My child is bright, curious and creative.  I wanted to give him something fun to look at in his room that we could enjoy together for years.

Problem solved with Magic Pumpkin Art.

So now you get a chance to have some of this fabulous art for your child’s room!  All you need to do is visit Magic Pumpkin Art’s Website and take a look around.  Make sure that you check out “Being a Girl is Fun” because those are some of my favorites.  After you’ve done that, come back here and leave a comment on this post letting me know which one is your favorite. I’ll draw the winner on Monday, November 24th and that lucky commentor will win a print of their choice from Magic Pumpkin Art.

That simple.

You don’t have to be a blogger to win, just make sure that I have a valid email address for you so that I can notify you if you’re the winner and the winner will be chosen at random.

Want another way to win?  Blog about the contests going on over here and link back.  Post another comment with the link to your post and you’ll be entered to win again.  (And while you’re posting about the great giveaways going on here, how about posting about The Housewife’s Holiday Gift Guide giveaway that’s going on too?  Might as well share all the love!)

Now go look.

You’re going to love what you see!

Until next time…

Reading is something that I have always loved.  For as long as I can remember, I’ve been reading to my children, and depsite the fact that they are now almost 12 and 9, I’m still reading to my children.  We’ve gotten lost in so many worlds through books that all of us have over active imaginations.

The difference between my children and I is that I could read forever and be completely happy whereas they don’t like to read on their own.  If I’m not reading to them, it’s like pulling teeth.  Many times, when I get books to review, I am torn with emotions because I know that it’s going to be bitter sweet. I’m going to want to sit there and open the pages and look at the illustrations and want them to read them to me, but it won’t work out that way.

I’ve heard alot about Barefoot Books via the internet in years past and when I was contacted to review some of their books, I jumped at the chance.  I don’t care how old you are, children’s books are still amazing things to read.  They take on a life of their own, especially the good ones, and I can often find myself escaping, if only for a little while.

I received “The Boy Who Grew Flowers” by Jen Wojtowicz and read it from cover to cover the moment I ripped open the package.  The quality of this book is enough to get even someone who doesn’t take time to notice these things excited.  The pages are beautifully illustrated, the paper high quality, and the story wonderful.

Even know, as I sit here with the book in front of me as I’m writing, I am turning the pages in awe of what I am looking at.  That in itself is enough to draw me in.

The story was one that both of my children enjoyed.  They’ve even leafed through the catalog and selected a few books that they would like for Christmas.  And for us, we were able to spend a little bit of time, together, with a good book.

Barefoot Books are comparable in price to what you would pay for a hardback book at one of the bookstores and while I can be frugal and not be willing to pay full price for anything, the price on these books are worth every single penny.

So, I want to share with one of you the amazing books from Barefoot Books.  They have been gracious enough to supply one lucky reader a $25 gift certificate to their store.

So here’s what you need to do.

Visit Barefoot Books and leave a comment letting me know a title that appeals to you. It doesn’t have to be the one that you would buy if you win, as you can change your mind over and over again until you check out.

I’ll leave the drawing open until Friday, November 21st and then draw the winner.  You don’t have to have a blog, but you do have to provide me with a valid email address so that I can contact you.

I think you’re going to like what you find.  I know I did.  And I’ve already got a list of things that I can get for Christmas.

And with that being said, there are going to be more giveaways this week because we’re approaching the Christmas season and I know that we’re all looking for things for gifts for those on our lists.  So make sure you subscribe and check back…

Until next time…

There is part of me that’s waiting for my daughter to grow out of Barbie.  She’s always been a Barbie fan, but I know that at some point in time, it’s not going to be cool anymore.  I can remember when one Christmas, everything she got was Barbie.  She loved it.

However, when Barbie and the Diamond Castle arrived on our doorstep, Samara was overly excited.  It was all I could do to calm her down, get her to finish her homework, and then allow her to watch the DVD.  And after it was over, we went to my boyfriend’s house where she sat down with his four year old and watched it again.

I’ve lost count at how many times we’ve watched this movie, so based on Samara’s reaction, the movie was a hit.

Barbie movies over the years have continued to improve and impress me.  There are defined plots and while we have many movies that my kids love, I just can’t stomach them. Barbie and the Diamond Castle isn’t one of them.  A few days after we received the movie, I sat down with the girls to watch it as well.

As with Babrie movies of the past, I was swept into imagining my life as a princess, just like Barbie, with the clothes, the castle, and of course, Prince Charming.

If your daughter is into Barbie, or princesses, then I definately recommend picking up Barbie and the Diamond Castle.  It would make a great Christmas present for your daughter and it comes highly recommened by the girls in this household.

And make sure that you check out the website for more on Barbie and the Diamond Castle where there is more Barbie fun, including instructions to host a Princess Sleepover.  We’ll be working on that one real soon.

Until next time…

When I got to the grocery store, the last thing that I want to purchase are cleaning supplies.

They are expensive.

So what do I do?  Probably what a lot of America does.  I pick up the cheapest thing that I can find.

However, in the past few months, I have been bitten with the green bug.  I’ve not gone all tree-huggery, but I’ve been a little more conscious about what I use in my home.  I’ve already turned to a natural laundry detergent and love it.  The inconvenicence to me wasn’t great, none at all really.

And so, over time, I’ve been working on it and I’m trying to only buy green cleaning supplies from here on out.  It will take me awhile to use up what I have since, you know, I never clean… ha ha.

Kidding.

Kinda.

But, GreenWorks has a new website called 30 days to Natural and it’s a great place to start in taking yourself natural in the cleaning supplies department.  On the site you can follow the video diaries of three women who have traded in their traditional cleaners for Green Works natural cleaners for 30 days.  The women vary from a small town mom to a single mom in an MBA program and cover various regions of the United States.

The site also offers tips that can be delivered to your cell phone or via email to help you work your way toward green in 30 days.  There’s even a handy kitchen checklist that you can print out.

Want to know how you can get started?  It’s simple!  Just visit http://www.30daystonatural.com and plant a daisy.  Planting a daisy puts you among all the other people in the world who are taking the challenge right along with you.

And who doesn’t love a good challenge?

Last night, me, the brave soul, descended upon the movie theater with thirteen kids, aged 5-14 to see High School Musical 3:  Senior Year.

The kids were excited as we milled around the lobby of the theater waiting to be allowed to be seated.  Collectively, we had four large tubs that we could refill with popcorn for 50 cents and I, being the incredibly intelligent one, brought Tupperware containers so that we could distribute the popcorn and just keep filling up.

Popcorn is the best part of the movie.

The kids, were settled and saving seats as I waited for the last girl to arrive and there was constant chatter among the crowd while we watched the previews.  All movies that my daughter wants to see as soon as they come out.

I pray that she forgets about them until they make it to DVD.

And when the last preview played, each child had been to the restroom, refilled popcorn and drink and the lights in the theater dimmed.

That’s when the screaming started.

When I say scream?  I mean scream.

I can liken it only to a muted version of the NKOTB concert that I went to.

I’m dead serious.

The opening credits hadn’t even popped up on the screen and they were that excited about the movie starting.

Then Troy Bolton flashed his smile and it got even louder.

Yes, the prepubescentness was in abundance last night.  I’m wondering if we disrupted those seeing W in the theater next to us.

The music was good, and like a concert, there were those that were clapping, stomping their feet, and waving their arms.

There was clapping, lots of clapping, and when Troy and Gabrielle kissed, for the first time in three movies, every single teen and tween in that place secretly wished they were in the place of Gabrielle.  They swooned.

Swooned, I tell you.  It was the biggest erruption of excitement during the movie except when Troy took his shirt off.

I must admit, even I got a little excited.

I don’t care how old you are or how young he is, Zac Efron is HAWT.

Besides, he’s at least legal.  It doesn’t matter that I’m 10 years older than him.

All in all, the movie was the best of the franchise.  While production was good on the first two that were released as Disney Channel origionals, this one was stepped up and I was glad.  Disney knows the popularity of the movie.  They knew that people were going to come and see it.  It’s High School Musical.  It could’ve been done very poorly, but it wasn’t.

The story line was sweet in that gross, wholesome way, but I have to admit, a little unrealistic for an adult.

For a teen/tween, it was exactly what they wanted to see.  But, me, being the cynic, told all of them as we left the theater, “you know real life doesn’t happen like that, right?”

The last thing I want is for my daughter to think her life is going to play out like that of Gabriella Montez.  For one, we don’t live in New Mexico, heh.

No, I’m not really that bad.  And I supposed that girls should dream, but for me, the story line was a little too sweet.  But I also know that I ate it all up, because it was a good love story, and I’m a sucker for a good love story, and hot guys.

I highly recommend seeing it even if you don’t have a tween.  Seriously.  It was that good.

I predict that the DVDs will be released right around Christmas, if they are smart, so that Santa can deposit a few until the Christmas tree.  I can tell you that we will own it and add it to our collection.

And watch it 5,000 times.

Until next time..

Remember how I told you a while back that the 70s called and they want my stove back?

Well, I still haven’t returned it.  The Smithsonian calls daily but that piece of history is still located within the walls of my overly tiny kitchen.

It still cooks everything hotter than it should and it still only has one working burner.

I’m waiting on my friend to remodel her kitchen so that I can buy hers.

And I’m waiting.

So I decided to take matters into my own hands.

Electrolux Appliances is ponying up a brand new stove and I want it.

I think it would make me want to cook and cook well.

See?  Wouldn’t you want that too?

Well, you can enter to win it just like I did by popping over to http://www.electroluxappliance.com and enter your best Turkey Tale.

For me, I’ve got lots of tales of cooking, but shockingly enough, I can cook a turkey.  Don’t ask me why the cooking Gods have bestowed this gift on me, but they have.

So, if you’re looking for something funny, not here today, but my entry was about defining the perfect turkey.

Let me know if you have one!  I’d love to hear about it!

Gobble Gobble!

As a child, I believed, wtih all my heart that all I needed to solve anything was faith, trust, and pixie dust.  Seriously.  I even had Pixie Dust, which was comprised of special dust that I collected from the fairy patch behind the shed that housed the “man tools” outside of the house.

The Fairy Patch was a special place.  Tinker Bell’s relatives lived there; it’s where she hailed from.  And from there, I would collect my Pixie Dust, scooped up with a special scoop that was absconded from my mother’s kitchen and stored in the “man shed” for times when I need to collect.

I would collect my Pixie Dust, put it in my purple velvet pouch, which was purchased at the Smithsonian with rocks in it.  The rocks found a home in the bottom of my toy box the day that I realized that I needed a special pouch to carry my Pixie Dust around.

My Pixie Dust went everywhere with me.  It was in my backpack when I went to school.  It was in my pocket when I was outside playing.  I took it to the store.  I took it to church.

And when things got rough, or I needed a change in the events surrounding me, I would simply pull my purple velvet pouch out of my pocket, state that all it takes is faith and trust and pixie dust, sprinkle some around and go about my merry way.

It was that simple.

My pouch was never empty.  As soon as it got low, I would make sure that I had time to escape to the back of the “man shed” and collect my dust.  I would alert the fairies that I was there, even though I couldn’t see them.   I didn’t want to scare them off though as I was afraid if I became the enemy they would desert their home, taking their pixie dust making powers with them.  And I needed my pixie dust.

Eventually, over time, as I got older, I out grew my pixie dust infatuation.  Perhaps the reality of life set in and I realized that pixie dust didn’t make a difference.  Or maybe it was the fact that soon I was being made fun of because I would sprinkle what was really saw dust from my dad’s big saw and call it Pixie Dust.

But for many years after I rid of the purple velvet sack from the Smithsonian that once contained polished rocks, I would still mutter the phrase “faith, trust, and pixie dust” to calm me in a situation that required it.

Faith and Trust and Pixie Dust.

Wouldn’t it be nice if things were that simple now?

This is a compensated post as part of the BlogHer Reviewers.  Look for the new Tinker Bell movie to be released on October 28th.

Buy the Tinker Bell Movie now or in Blu-Ray

Thanks to Laundry Tree for donating the prizes…
The winners are
Imelda and Arika

And I just got an order with another sample pack in it, so I’d like to send that out to Erin

Check your email for one from me!

Thanks to all who played along, and again, a special thanks to Lisa at Laundry Tree. When it comes to customer service… she’s the BEST!

Until next time…

Ah yes…

I love infomercials.  So when I was asked to review Spot Shot, and the kids asked me to video tape the demonstration… I said yes.

It’s not quite as good as the ones on TV, however, I can tell you that the stains came out and even this morning, they haven’t shown back up… nor can I smell the ammonia, which I had no idea why I was even spraying the ammonia until the end.  It’s because this product not only eliminates stains but odors too.

Ammonia has an odor.

Big duh moment.

Captured on video.

Tonight, I’ll be dashing around the house trying it on the rest of the stains that my children have blessed me with because this appears to work better than any of the other stain removers I’ve tried in the past.

So back to the how I got caught part of the story that I started here.

We went grocery shopping one night and I pranced around the store displaying products that I found and asking my brother to play pricing games with me.

While normal children might have been able to play that one off, as in telling your mother that you were just trying to spice up the otherwise boring trip, I couldn’t.

“Watched TV today, didn’t you?” she asked.

The look on my face gave away my guilt before any verbal retort could escape my twelve year old lips.

Busted.

There ended my days of watching the Price is Right.  Sure, we got our TV privileges back, after being grounded from the TV at night as well for awhile, but it was never the same.

But secretly?

I still think it would be cool to be a Barker Babe, even though, the Price is Right has moved on.

For now, I’ll stick with my homemade infomercials and be happy with those, knowing that stardom isn’t on the horizon.

Until next time…

How to get to Sesame Street?

While you hum that little tune in your head, let me tell you about something about Sesame Street.  Growing up, we had a black and white TV, 13 inch, until I was Samara’s age, nine or so.  I remember this because that Christmas we got a big console color TV AND a VCR and I was convinced that there was a Santa because my father would NEVER purchase these high ticket and unneeded items.

My mother often said to us as we got older that she felt sorry for us while we were watching Sesame Street, a favorite of ours, because when they would tell us to “touch the red square” we would look at her, not knowing what to do.

It’s amazing that we turned out highly intelligent and college graduates.  Ok, so the highly intelligent part is questionable.

Sesame Street is a staple, and has been for years, in many homes.  Who doesn’t love Cookie Monster, Grover, Elmo, or Snufalufagos.  (I know that I spelled that wrong.)  And yes, we even have come to love the grouch.

And while kids love Sesame Street, more often than not, kids like to build things too.  Which is why the partnership with Sesame Workshop and K’Nex makes perfect sense.

K’Nex is huge in our house.  HUGE.  It’s almost better than Legos and that’s saying something.  I picked up a tub for Matthew a few years ago because I found a deal online and he loved them.  (And the bucket that they came in?  Fabulous.  It’s even where they hid my Christmas present this past year.)

But K’Nex has now branched out, partnered with Sesame Workshop and has a new line of Sesame Street themed building sets for kids ages 2-5.

But my kids?

Loved them!  For about 10 minutes until they put Ernie together and realized that they needed to go get the big box of K’Nex out which is still strewn about the living room floor.

Each building set is filled with colorful, chunky Kid K’Nex rods, connectors and blocks, and also includes engaging and interactive educational content such as tops for parents and fun activity cards for kids.

And if you have a little one ages 2-5 who loves building and Sesame Street then I’ve got the thing for you…

I have the Bert and Ernie Building Set up for grabs. Pint sized building buddies can construct their favorite Muppet duo with this building set.  Forty-six vibrantly colored parts, including blue and red sneakers, molded hair and striped blocks for the pair’s colorful sweaters come together to create impressively accurate characters.  It includes three fun, educational activity cards and a sheet of additional building ideas as well as come packaged in durable storage containers.  (Does K’Nex know Mom’s or what??)

Simply leave a comment on this post letting me know who your favorite Sesame Street character is or your favorite Sesame Street memory and you’ll be entered to win.  Contest is open to bloggers and non-bloggers alike, but for US residents only.  Comments will close on Monday at midnight and the winner will be announced Tuesday.

Until next time…