A Chocolately Halloween!!

So, my BFF’s at Hershey’s sent me yet another delicious treat for Halloween!

It’s not just any kind of chocolately treat though, it’s special Halloween chocolate!

First, I got a two pack of Pumpkin shaped Reeses cups. Those went faster than you can say pumpkin; no kidding!
Then, I also received a bag of Halloween Kit Kats!
When the kids opened up the wrapper and saw that the candy was orange, they actually squealed!
Those pieces were also gone super fast.

The entire bag of orange Kit Kats is practically gone, but it hasn’t been my doing.
Yes, I love the fact that the Kit Kats are Orange. But, personally I am a die-hard fan of dark, brown chocolate and the flavor of the orangie white chocolatiness just doesn’t do it for me. But, both Hubs and the kids had no issue with eating these fun treats! I didn’t even get a chance to share them with anyone else!

So, if you’re looking to dress up your Halloween with some fun, Halloween candy, check out Hershey’s new Halloween Kit Kats!

Hershey also mailed me a bag of Halloween candy for our trick or treaters! The bag includes Whoppers, Mr. Goodbars, York patties, and the good old fashioned Kit Kats.
That bag, I am saving for Halloween night… not for the trick or treaters, but for our party!

Thanks, Hershey’s for your generosity and for the very festive treats!

Need some Halloween ideas? Check out their Celebrate Halloween website and get hints for making treats, costumes, crafts, and much more!

Happy Halloween, ya’ll. I hope you have a spooky night!!

A Precautionary Giveaway

You’ve been to the mall and seen those moms who lather up their kids with anti-bacterial gel as soon as they’re done on the play equipment, yes?  They wipe down the shopping carts and everywhere their kid will touch.  They freak out when someone sneezes and they do their best to hoard the elevator, all the while holding their breath.

I used to laugh at those parents, but now that flu season is around the corner, I am slowly becoming one of them.
We still go to the mall and to the park.  I still “allow” my kids the freedom of using their sense of “touch” BUT I make them wash their hands as SOON as they’re done and they’re not allowed to touch their face or mine until their hands have been cleansed of germs.  I’m trying really hard not to be neurotic!

I am not afraid of the common cold.  In my opinion, the standard viruses that kids pick up at school serve to makes them stronger.  I want my kids to have strong immune systems.  But I don’t want them to be horribly miserable for a week or more!  Because I’ve had the flu.  I had the flu so bad in college in fact that I was out of commission for several days.  I should have been hospitalized!  After days of complete misery, I ended up with pneumonia and I was so sick I wanted to die.  I cannot imagine having to care for a child in that condition!!  I will not have it.

So, I’m using my common sense and taking the basic precautions!  And so should you.
In order to help you, my readers, stay on top of the flu this season, I am doing a giveaway!

Avon has added a new line of anti-bacterials gels to their Naturals line.  They now have SCENTED anti-bacterial gels.  They come in Vanilla, Cucumber Melon, and Peach!

That is my giveaway to you.

A set of all three, just for you!

Here’s what you have to do to win:

1)  Enter your name in the comments and tell me which scent you’d like the best (you’ll still win all three) and why you should be the winner.

2)  Subscribe to my main blog Feed.

3)  Twitter about this contest or share it on the social media application of your choice (Facebook or MySpace or your blog).  If you don’t use any type of social media application, please e-mail at least five people about my giveaway – send them this link (http://wp.me/piohz-2Q).  You can copy me on the e-mail, otherwise you’re on your honor.
(Please provide the twitter confirmation link if you twitter it).

4)  You may enter as many times as you wish.

I will ship to the US or Canada only.

This contest begins now and will end on Wednesday, October 7th at 11:00pm EST. The
winner will be chosen by random selection and will have three business
days to respond. By entering this contest, you, the contestant/winner,
affirm that you are at least 18 years of age and eligible for this giveaway according to
your local regulations. Furthermore, you will not hold MommyWizdom.com
and its administrators responsible for any mishaps due to shipping or use of the products.

Please be sure follow the specification of USE listed on the back of the product.

If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me.

Let the contest begin!!

Here is a list of the ingredients for each product:

NATURALS Antibacterial Hand Gel

PEACH: ACTIVE INGREDIENT: ALCOHOL DENAT. 60.14% INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: WATER/EAU GLYCERIN PROPYLENE GLYCOL PRUNUS PERSICA (PEACH) FRUIT EXTRACT ALOE BARBADENSIS EXTRACT CARBOMER TRIETHANOLAMINE HYDROXYPROPYLCELLULOSE PARFUM/FRAGRANCE BENZOPHENONE-2 YELLOW 5 RED 33

VANILLA: ACTIVE INGREDIENT: ALCOHOL DENAT. 60.14% INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: WATER/EAU GLYCERIN PROPYLENE GLYCOL VANILLA PLANIFOLIA FRUIT EXTRACT ALOE BARBADENSIS EXTRACT CARBOMER TRIETHANOLAMINE HYDROXYPROPYLCELLULOSE PARFUM/FRAGRANCE BENZOPHENONE-2 ORANGE 4 YELLOW 5 EXT. VIOLET 2

CUCUMBER MELON: ACTIVE INGREDIENT: ALCOHOL DENAT. 60.14% INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: WATER/EAU GLYCERIN PROPYLENE GLYCOL CUCUMIS MELO (MELON) FRUIT EXTRACT ALOE BARBADENSIS EXTRACT CARBOMER TRIETHANOLAMINE HYDROXYPROPYLCELLULOSE PARFUM/FRAGRANCE BENZOPHENONE-2 BLUE 1 YELLOW 5

New Dove Nutrium Moisture Body Wash

I’ve been using this product for about a month now. Dove sent me THREE bottles to try out and do a review! Did I mention that I love blogging?!

The three bottles of nourishing body wash I got were a deep moisture, one for sensitive skin, and one for gentle exfoliating.

I must say, I’ve used other body washes before, and it’s so true what they say in their commercial, that other body washes just “sit” on your skin.

Have you ever come out of the shower feeling slimy? Like you never quite got it all off? I hate that feeling! After a while, that gets old so I go back to using soap, again.

But with this body wash, it’s completely different. There is no “slimy residue” when you come out of the shower… and my favorite part is how nicely it lather’s up. There’s nothing worse than lame, non-lathering body wash, am I right?

The commercial says that only “Dove, [this body wash], contains the ground breaking formula called NutriumMoisture which is soybean oil and natural lipids that can nourish deep down. Whatever it has in it, it’s true. After using it for a month, my skin doesn’t feel all dried out like it has when using other body washes. I couldn’t embed the video, but you have to go here to view it.

I really, really liked this body wash and I highly recommend that you used it. I’ve been meaning to go to the store and see how much a bottle costs, but I keep forgetting. Since I have three bottles, I won’t be running out any time soon! But whatever the cost, I will say it’s probably worth it. And if you don’t like scented body washes, the one for sensitive skin is even unscented. They sure got it all covered, huh?

Try it out and come let me know how you liked it!

Thanks, Dove, for a fabulous product and the opportunity to try it out!

…and the chocolatey winners are:

I want to thank everyone so much for participating in my giveaway!

I wish you all had been the winners.

The winners were chosen by random selection!

Drum Roll, please:

15) Melanie who said: “Reeses cups are the best thing ever, and I can’t wait to try the dark chocolate ones. While it would be nice if I said I would share them, if truth be told I’d hide them. And enjoy them all to myself. Yes, I’m selfish when it comes to chocolate! LOL”

18) Lisa who said: This is why I should win the free chocolates. I love dark chocolate SO much that when I was nursing my infant she would SCREAM at night…

Did Someone Say FREE, DARK Chocolate?!

Enter my Reese’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Giveaway!! on this post.

Do you know why I love blogging? Because once in a while, I get to try out really cool stuff and then tell you all about it.

For instance, did you know that The Hershey Company is now producing Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups?

Now, I am not a big fan of peanut butter. Yep, my secret’s out. Peanut butter is gooey and sticks to the roof of my mouth… I don’t eat it out of the jar like so many people I know do. Yet, I have never turned down a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup; never! There is something about that combination that makes a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup irresistible, am I right?!

So, now imagine, for a moment, that same amazing taste only with dark chocolate?!

I received Reese’s Miniatures Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups and several packets of the large cups in the mail last week. I was on cloud nine all day!!

I could have hogged them all to myself; hiding them in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator – trust me, no one ever looks there! But, instead, I shared them with family and friends to see what they thought of them. This was the conclusion: If you LOVE dark chocolate the way I do, then you will absolutely LOVE this new line!! But if you do not like dark chocolate (which doesn’t make any sense to me), then it may not be for you.

Dark chocolate comes in so many different concentrations. The Reese’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup is the perfect concentration. It is not bitter at all, but it’s not the overly sweet, sweet taste of the milk chocolate cup. Once you eat one, you get the great peanut butter flavor along with the aftertaste of the dark chocolate, and it stays with you, until you eat the next cup. It really is wonderful! C’mon, who eats only one cup?!

Just to show you how wonderful this product is, the Hershey Company is going to send FIVE lucky winners FREE Reese’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups! That’s right, FREE. And if you think chocolate cannot be mailed, think again. They pack them using these really cool, reusable, freezer packs that keep the chocolate nice and cool until they can finally melt in your mouth!! And it’s all yours to keep!

So, if you’re a dark chocolate lover like me or if you want to surprise someone in your life with this incredible treat, you definitely want to enter this giveaway!

Here’s how it works!

You may enter as many times as you want; that’s right, enter away!

Here’s what you need to enter:

Leave a comment about why you should be the winner and if you will hide your prize in the vegetable drawer of the fridge or share it with others. Leave a valid e-mail address so I can contact you if you’re the winner, and be ready to give me a snail mail address. The chocolate will be mailed to you directly from The Hershey Company.

US residents in the continental US only, please.

You must be over 18 to participate.

If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me.

I will close this giveaway on Friday, 08/14/09 at 11pm EST. The winner will be chosen by random selection and will have three business days to respond. By entering this contest, you, the contestant/winner, affirm that you are over 18 and eligible for this giveaway according to your local regulations. Furthermore, you will not hold MommyWizdom.com and its administrators responsible for anything that goes on between you and the The Hershey Company due to this giveaway or otherwise.

Thanks for entering this giveaway! Yum, I’m eating a cup right now; munch, munch!!

Need a shave?

Personally, I prefer to wax over shaving, because it lasts longer and it’s cleaner. But, lately, I haven’t had a chance to have 20 minutes to myself let alone to heat up wax, lock myself up in the bathroom and remove unwanted hair off my body. So, I’ve had to resort to razors.

I didn’t do any kind of research really. Razors are all the same aren’t they? So I was just going for what was on sale.

I was very disappointed to discover that the only razors on sale were the disposable ones. I was aghast at how companies push disposables! Of course, so you can buy, buy, and buy more of them each time. Hello?!?! Clearly they do not care about our landfills and about how wasteful that is! I could not consciously buy them. So, I settle for one that looked good and was reusable.

The Schick Quattro for women was in a pink, breakaway package with little flowers on it.

I was pleasantly surprised at how smooth my shave was with this razor. Of course it had something to do with the fact that it was a new razor, but still. Try as I might, I didn’t cut myself a single time. It also provided a very close shave.

I would definitely recommend this reusable razor.

If you’ve tried it, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

To rinse or not to rinse

I received Afrin PureSea (Thank You, Afrin!!) in the mail last week to try out because of my nasal irrigation post back in January ’09 (check it out for more information on nasal irrigation).  Afrin PureSea is a hydrating nasal rinse which is supposed to promote clean nasal passages.  It is a non-medicated isotonic product and  it is 100% natural-source purified sea water; which means it’s probably better than tap water.

I was really excited about receiving my samples because wouldn’t you know it, Virginia was at the peak of allergy season and the pollen count was through the roof.  That’s the professional term folks!

Needless to say I was miserable.  My sinuses were going crazy.  I didn’t help matters any by spending a lot of time outside and not irrigating my nose regularly.  I got three samples, the Medium Stream, the Gentle Mist and the Ultra-Gentle Mist.   I immediately opened the medium stream box and tried it out!  I was so excited!

There were two parts in the box, the bottle with the fluid in it and a spout, a different color for each strength (the color matches the label).  All you do is attach the spout to the bottle and spray away.  I went to the sink, I blew my nose and I sprayed the medium stream into my nose.  It wasn’t what I’m used to; in fact, it was a very mild spray and it was sort of timed, so that if I didn’t hold down the nozzle it kept going for about a second and then it tapered off into a fine sprinkle until it was done. You can hold down the nozzle for a longer spray too.  The first thing I thought was, this would be perfect for my husband to try.  He does not have allergies but it has been so bad around here that even he, the man of steel, got a sinus infection.

For the most part, I liked the medium stream one for myself, so I thought Hubs would like the Gentle Mist one.  Unfortunately, he wasn’t willing to try it.  I think it would have been perfect though, because it’s not the mass amount of water that I use with my regular bottle so it’s not overwhelming.

Next, I tried the ultra-gentle mist bottle on my son, who is almost two.  I must interject here for a moment to say that I will never tell you to stick anything in your child’s orifices, which includes the nose, the ears, the eyes, and any other parts you can think of…  babies and small children are very fragile and you can cause accidental damage.  However, Buddy is almost two years old and he has a history of nasal problems, already!  Doesn’t that stink?   He’s gotten such bad sinus infections that they spread to his eyes and he gets pink eye.  Nasal irrigation has helped him immensely.  Of course, he is not very fond of the idea, so I only do it on a very limited basis and only as a desperate measure.

The ultra-gentle mist was very gentle (I tried it on myself first with the medium stream nozzle that I had already used), but it still had that extended one second or two misting factor, so when the flow started, he turned away and it sprayed him in the face.

The instructions say to lay the child down on their side to use the spray.  I’m sorry, but I don’t think they actually tried that with a real infant.  No child will lay down willingly and allow you to poke, prod, or otherwise do anything to them without squirming around so much it’s futile.  I stand Buddy up on a stool over the sink and tell him to open his mouth and say “ahhhh.”  Saying ahhh keeps them from inhaling the water.  This works best  if the flow is short and quick.  He’s really little so a short mist is all he really needs.  Then I use the booger sucker to clean him out and voila, he’s all set!

My final synopsis is that I would recommend this product to anyone who is contemplating using a nasal cleanser but is afraid to try the Neti Pot.  This is a perfect starter and it works very well.  My only issue with this product is that it is not refillable, so once you’ve used up all the water (which I did quickly), you have to throw away the entire thing and buy a new one.  However, it is not possible to make this item refillable as it has the pressure sprayer feature on it.  There’s probably a sanitary issue as well.

I would definitely buy this product for use on a trip, where I couldn’t take my normal accoutrements for nasal irrigation with me or for use at work when my allergies are really bad.

If you ever have a question about using such a product, you should always consult your physician.

I hope you’ve found this review helpful.  If you try it, please come back and let me know how it worked for you!

The Sippy Cup Saga

My daughter drinks more than the average Josephine; she always has.  When she turned four, I decided to step up from the standard sippy cup and move up to one with a straw.  I thought this would be an easy feat.  But, it was not a smooth transition; for me.

I went to the store and checked out the selection.  The Nuby Sippy Cup looked good and it had gotten decent reviews online.  It boasted spill-proof-ness, easy cleaning capability, and good travelability.

I bought it. And, I immediately hated it.  Let me tell you why.

First of all, the packaging was horrible!  It came in a two pack very similar to this package.   Just when you thought we were making progress in the “saving wild life” scene, you open up a Nuby Sippy Cup two-pack.  The package was made up of two, soda-sized holes, side by side, in very hard plastic, without perforations or any means of breaking apart the holes.  Any penguin that gets stuck in this sucker is a goner for sure.  I was ready to call Greenpeace!!

After conscientiously cutting up the packaging in hopes of saving a penguin or two, I took apart the sippy cup and put it in the dish washer.  When I pulled it back out, I couldn’t put it back together.  The spill proof spout is on the bottom part of the lid.  Because of the flip lid, you have to slip the straw back in through the bottom, it doesn’t go in through the top.  After much finagling, I was not able to get the spill proof spout to alight properly as it had been when it arrived.  It simply wouldn’t snap back into place!  So, I hadn’t even used it yet and already I had endangered wildlife by buying it and now I couldn’t even use it properly.  That sippy cup was not my friend! I was very disappointed.

I went to the store again.  This time, I found the Playtex Insulator Straw Sippy Cup.  It is the same idea but the package was eco-friendlier and it didn’t have as many parts on the lid.  I bought it.   This sippy cup is the best.  It still has a flip lid and a built-in straw, but the straw is only one part, not two.  And the spout is not removable.  So, when you clean it, you simply use a Q-tip to get into the nooks and crannies of the top part of the straw; the same procedure I use for standard sippy cups.  The straw part can be fully replaced and the rest of the cup is normal.  This sippy cup is portable, easy to clean, and as eco-friendly as plastic packaging can be.  The only down side to this sippy cup is that it’s not BPA free… the Nuby may have been, I don’t remember.

This review is brought to you by a mom who’s kids drink and ride.  Sippy cups should always be spill-proof.

Baby Essentials

It’s time again for the quarterly, Bloggy Giveaways.  I am running two giveaways, one on each blog.  This giveaway maybe be small, but it’s a bare essential.  It can be scary to cut a baby’s nails, in particular a newborn.  This nail care set is the best one I’ve found yet.  You can use the scissors which have a safety lip to cut long nails and then switch to the tiny emery board to finish off the job.  It’s really perfect!!  Then, when baby gets older, you can switch to the nail cutter.

I have also included a set of rattle slippers, size 12 months.  My MIL brought them directly from Singapore.  I never got around to putting them on my son and now they’re too small.

So, I guess you wanna know how to win?!

The rules for my giveaways are simple.

To enter my giveaway, simply subscribe to my main blog HERE on the sidebar AND leave a comment on THIS BLOG with the answer to these two questions and let me know you subscribed.

Do you find blogger reviews helpful?!  Why or why not?

One entry per person only.   Please provide a valid e-mail address so I can contact you if you’re the winner.

You don’t have to be a blogger to enter.  I will only ship within the continental US though.

I will close the drawings on Sunday, February 1, 2009 at 10pm EST.

The winners will be chosen by random number generator and will be notified via e-mail. They will have three business days to respond.  If they do not respond within the alloted time, I will
choose another winner.  The winners will be notified/posted as soon as possible.
I must have a way to contact you if you are the winner.

GOOD LUCK!

To check out my other giveaway on my main blog, please click here.

Click here to check out what others are giving away during this quarter’s Bloggy Giveaway Carnival!  Who knows what you could win?  Thanks for playing!  Enjoy the Carnival!

Thanks for your interest!!  Comments are now closed for this giveaway.

Discover High Quality Bargain Shopping

I am very excited to share with you about my most recent experiences at T.J.Maxx and Marshalls this Holiday Season!

I’ve always loved shopping at T.J. Maxx!  Ever since I discovered the store back in high school.  So, when RocketTxl sent me two $25 gift cards for T.J. Maxx and Marshalls to do this review, I had to pinch myself to make sure it was real!    Thanks so much, T.J. Maxx and Marshalls!

I don’t know about you, but I spent the three days leading up to Christmas desperately shopping for my family and friends.  I already had a budget laid out, but I still had to do the shopping.

Here is what I bought for $50.  I bought my daughter, BG, a light blue (her favorite color) snow suit for $20.  I bought my son, Buddy, a blanket from his favorite material, for $7, and I got a pirate ship for $30.  I also bought BG some underwear and I got a couple of books for Buddy!

I couldn’t pass it up, so I also bought Buddy a snow suit ($23).

Both suits are OshKosh.  They are the full body overalls that have the fitted interior pant that cuffs at the bottom with a side zipper!  Then the jacket has a removable hood, the sleeves also cuff, and both suits are water resistant.  Anywhere you go, you can’t find a snow suit like this within season for $20!  Especially not an OshKosh!

*What I like about T-J-Maxx and Marshalls is that they both have very high quality items.  There are big name brands at low prices.  Have you ever wondered how they do that?

They call it opportunistic buying.  Basically, these two stores are off-price stores.  Which means they sell the same brand names and high quality labels you’d see at a department store.  The difference is that they paid less for the items, therefore, they can pass that savings onto the consumer; that’s us!

*What I like about TJMaxx and Marshalls is that I can find a better variety of seasonal and currently fashionable items than I can at a department store.

How often have you been to the mall looking for a particular dress or pair of pants, only to return home empty handed after a long day of walking around.  I can’t tell you how often that’s happened to me.   Off-price stores buy merchandise from around the globe year round.  They receive more than 10,000 new items each week!  That means they have all the clothes you’d see at three or four different department stores under ONE roof!

How do they get them so cheap?  Basically, they swoop in on deals that have fallen through.  Think about your favorite department store.  Let’s call it Store X.  Store X buys merchandise according to season for all it’s stores.  So, right now, in December they are already buying for their summer lines.  As soon as the season is over, they return the clothes that didn’t sell and they put out the next season’s items.

Off-price stores don’t do that.  They don’t buy their merchandise in advance.  And they don’t ever return anything.

So, let’s say that back in August or September, Store X bought 100,000 snow suits for its store to stock in November.  Suddenly, something happened and the deal fell through.  They no longer want 100,000 snow suits, they only want 80,000.  What happens to the other 20,000?

They end up at Marshalls or T.J. Maxx for 60% of the retail price that you’d be paying at Store X.  It’s the same exact, high quality product, only now you’re paying less for it!

Isn’t that a great deal?

*What I like about T.J. Maxx and Marshalls is that they are better than “discount stores” because their products are high quality.  A $20 shirt at a discount store was made to sell for $20.  But, a $20 shirt at Marshalls or T.J. Maxx was made to sell for double or even more.  Discount stores generally sell items under private labels, versus off-price stores that sell well-known labels.

*What I like about T.J. Maxx and Marshalls is that they do NOT sell damaged or irregular products.  They pride themselves in selling the great quality products they know consumers want at lower prices.  And what’s even better is that both stores sell different merchandise from each other.  So, you won’t see the same merchandise at both stores.

*What I like the most about T.J. Maxx and Marshalls is that no matter where I go, when I wear clothing I’ve bought there, I always get compliments!  Always!  What’s better than that?!

Jargon aside, I hope I’ve convinced you to try shopping at either (or both) of these stores.  You can never go wrong with a high quality items bought at a reasonable price.

Shopping at T.J. Maxx and Marshalls is not only good for you wallet, it’s also fun for you.  You never know what great surprises you’ll find on a weekly basis!

Go check them out and tell me how you did!

Happy Holidays!