Celebrating Vaca Week with 50% Off! #Deals #Coupons #Christmas #Headphones

      Broofy had a few vacation days left this year, so he decided to use them before the year ended.  So he's on vacation this week and I get to hang out with him while he gets a break from his job, which can be pretty hard on a person.  So I thought since I get to spend time with Broofy that I'd celebrate.
      What better way to celebrate than with some 50% off coupons just in time for the holidays!?  Ready?  Of course you are.  Here we go:

      This one's not the funnest of the bunch, but it's definitely useful, it's a magnetic screen door to keep bugs out of the home.  That's pretty neat, I plan to use it this summer.  This coupon lowers the price to $14.98 from now until December 19th.  Your special code is 6JLMYVS6.

     These next two are my personal favorite Christmas items this year.  Sound Intone headphones!  I've got several different codes for you, so hold tight.  First code is for the CX05 Headphones (keep your eyes peeled for a review this next week).  They've got a really neat look to them and come in three colors, green, blue, and red.  Here are your 50% off codes for those: CX05DI50.

     The next code is for the HD980 headphones.  These are pretty sharp looking, I love them.  The codes are for blue and black phones.  Your 50% off code is HD980D50.

     The next one is for an awesome pair of gaming headphones, the G830 phones.  This code is for the yellow pair, the code is G830DI50.

     The next is for the Sound Intone I50 Headphones.  I love these!  These will also be on my review list this next week, so watch for that.  This code is for the red pair.  Ready?  It's I50DIS5.

     And the last code that I have for you tonight is for a pair of 166 Earphones.  It's for the white pair.  For 50% off of these, use the code I66I6612 at checkout.
     Alright guys, I hope you can make some use of these awesome coupons.  I know I will be using at least one of them! 


 
 

The Innkeeper's Christmas Eve Book #Review #InnkeepersChristmasEve

     Around the holidays, it can be hard for Christians to keep the reason for the season at the forefront.  We become so stressed about making sure we have the gifts we need for cousin Betty and Uncle Ned, how much things will cost, whether the house looks okay, whether or not travel plans are set... it gets overwhelming.  It's so easy to get bogged down and forget why we're celebrating.

     Truth is, I haven't made a big effort to put the Christ in Christmas over the years.  Yes, we go to the local Bethlehem and we do the church play.  He gets more recognition in this home during the holidays than Santa.  But in our actual home, I don't do much.  But starting this year, I've got a new tradition.  While everyone reads the Night Before Christmas, I'll be reading The Innkeeper's Christmas Eve by Barbara B. Rollins and Illustrated by Sandy Lewis Carter.  It takes the classic bouncy feel of Night Before Christmas, but the words tell the story of Jesus' birth.

     I think that's pretty neat and I know my kids will like it.  The book follows the Innkeeper as he watched the whole story play out.  From being asked for a room, to watching Joseph make a bed for Mary in the straw, to seeing the start light up the sky and the shepherds leave their sheep to come see the baby.  And no, fellow Christians, the Wise Men are NOT in the book.

     I love how the illustrations vary from page to page.  On some pages, it's colored and on some it's not, some pages look like painted canvas.  But at the same time, they all go together so well.

     I just love that my family has this option.  The wording is easy to read and flows smoothly, the story is accurate to the Bible, and what's extra cool is that the whole story from scripture is in the back of the book.  It's a wonderful addition to our library and we'll be reading it every year from now on.

     Want to learn more?  Check out Silver Boomer Books on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or on their website at SilverBoomerBooks.com.
Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

Holiday Specs Christmas Glasses #Review #HolidaySpecs

     In this house, we LOVE the holidays.  We love seeing family, cooking food, choosing just the right gift for everyone we love and giving them away and seeing the joy on people's faces.  This year we have quite a few pretty awesome handmade ideas if I can manage to pull them together in time.  One is a pretty cool card game and the other is a nice pillow set that a man could totally love.  But I digress, point is, we LOVE the holiday season.

     Our favorite is Thanksgiving, but of course we do also love Christmas.  We love the tree and the lights.  And what would make that cooler than to see the lights in a different "light" so to speak?  Holiday Specs Christmas glasses make that happen.  Where everyone else sees little points of light, you can see snowflakes or Santa, snowmen, even reindeer.

     What's cool about these glasses is that they not only come in flat paper glasses like we had the chance to try last year, but they also come in plastic sunglasses frames, which we love!  So you can choose which type you need.  For instance, my kids are rough on everything, so plastic is definitely the way to go.  Throwing a Christmas party and need goody bag throw-ins?  Paper glasses might be what you need.  And the paper ones come with this great blinking button that is perfect to look at if you want to see the cool designs.

     My photo didn't come out like I'd hoped, but you can kind of see what it looks like.  It's definitely more defined and awe-inspiring in person.  I know it's kind of "infomercial", but the video below gives you a better idea of what it really looks like when you have them on.



     I definitely think kids will love these.  They're just the thing to bring just a little more magic to a season that's already pretty great.  When do you start decorating?  To learn more, check out Holiday Specs on Facebook, Twitter, and on their website at HolidaySpecs.com.
Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

Need to Take a Little Break

      Man, am I blessed.  How lucky am I to be able to stay at home and help provide for my family just by telling you guys how good or bad something is?  This is my dream job!  To be able to provide and still stay home has to be the dream of most moms, I think.  But I'm feeling a little bit like I need to pause and take a little break and just put things on hold for a minute.  Later, I'm gonna be telling you about this pretty cool tooth brush from Mother's Vault and a kitchen gadget from VonKitchen, a Mesh Beach bag from Fun Fitness, and even an indoor hammock kit (though that will likely be tomorrow).  But for right now, I wanna share with you a little that's been going on here at home.

     Of course right now I only have Boog at home and I'm not running around crazy like I used to be.  There's no preschool this year or next, so I don't HAVE to visit the school in the middle of the day to pick kids up.  Things should be slow, but they aren't.  Turns out I just don;t want to relax, apparently.  The Bee has been having a hard time being away from me for the whole day at school.  She's one of three kids asking me to homeschool them this year.  I'm not really up for it and none of them are in danger of staying back, so we needed a new plan.

     I decided that I would pick the Bee up every day for recess and bring her back after lunch.  We do something different every day.  One day, we went to the library, another day we went down roads in town that we had never been to before, and another day we went to a town almost a half hour away and still made it back in time.  On Friday, we'll eat out.  She doesn't mind missing recess and my other kids don't complain.

     Although, Streaker did fake sick one day, but it was to avoid a kid she had to sit near in class.  Guess this particular child can't stop talking and it drives her batty, but we straightened it out.  Turns out Streaker is an amazing actress, tears and everything.  She only joined us that one day.  But she got to try out my new blue tooth remote shutter for my phone, which she loved.  She got to go shopping with me and Grammy and eat McDonald's for breakfast, she also got to come with me and the Bee to finally check out the Doggie Beach in town.  But she went back in to school when it was clear that she'd been faking sick.

     She just wrapped up her soccer season and all she has left is her banquet.  She finally got her team shirt last night at the Parents vs Kids game.  No, we didn't play, we're antisocial like that, but we had fun watching.  I don't even know who won, I'm terrible with sports.  But as long as she has fun and learns what being a good team player is, then I will sit cluelessly through as many soccer games and practices as she wants me to.

     The Big One is almost done her season.  She has one more practice and two more games I think before the banquet.  She will then begin the wonderful basketball season.  Did you catch the sarcasm?  Yeah, that's cause I HATE basketball season.  It's in the winter, as if that wasn't enough of a reason.  But there's no real place for the other kids to play, except the really small stage.  It's terrible.  Just horrible.  But we do it because she wants to.

     I think it's good that the kids are getting out and getting social.  I never had the chance to and look how I turned out... shyer than any human should be and watching the game instead of being in it.  That's why I was so happy that Punk was in Girl Scouts.  It also gave the other girls some events to look forward to, things that they could go to.  Unfortunately this year, Girl Scouts has been disbanded until new leaders step forward.  They had a good long run and I wish our vehicles had been more reliable so she could have joined in sooner.  So this year she has no extra-curriculars.

     That's not going to stop us from being busy though.  This year we found a new fun place to go.  It's local and it's called Exoptica Studio.  We went there and did a sculpting class with the owner.  It was really fun and we made some neat things.  The Bee made mostly beads, while The Big one tried her hand at a cup.  The rest of us made our own little nick-nacks and we will go back in soon to glaze them over.  We'll also be going back to paint some gourds.

     The last thing that I have to share is about an event going on on Halloween.  Our school is doing Trunk or Treat again this year.  I've been dragging my heels on it, but I really think we'll do it.  I hope.  Last year we did Harley Davidson, this year we're going to do a patriotic themed trunk with flags, baseball, and Lady Liberty.  It will be fun for sure.  What are you doing for Halloween?
     Well, I guess I've taken a big enough rest, back to work!  Have a great rest of the day, guys!
    

#CowboyHat Dress Up Accessory #Review

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     Halloween is coming!  You probably knew that already.  Are you excited?  I'm excited.  Last year, we did Trunk or Treat at the kids' school and had so  much fun!  It;s not even my thing, I'm a hermit sometimes.  But it was fun and I'm really debating having one this year.  To be able to dress up and play pretend with your kids and not be weird doing it is awesome.

     If we do Trunk or Treat this year, it's going to be an American themes trunk.  Maybe we'll call it Old Glory or something.  I did start getting decorations so that if I decide to hop in last minute, it won't be a big budget breaker.  And I was thinking for costumes, we could go with Cowgirls and Cowboys.  Cause the American West is definitely pretty American.  Originally I was going to do a pirate themed trunk, but decorations were scarce.  So red, white, and blue it is.  I know it will be pretty darn easy to come up with that.  And the floor of my van will be blue denim, which seems pretty fitting.

     Cowboy and cowgirl hats actually seem harder to find this time of year than they are regularly, maybe that's because trick-or-treaters search them out.  We actually looked all over Walmart the other day and found nothing.  But luckily we did get a hold of a Cowboy Hat and Sheriff's Badge Bundle from Express Novelties Online.  It's a child's sized black hat with chin ties and a silver colored small metal badge with a safety pin in the back.

      What I loved most from the whole kit was that the badge was actual metal and felt like a real badge.  It isn't a cheapie plastic one with a clip that you can only place in certain areas.  This is rugged with a safety pin that can let you place it anywhere.  You can put it on a ribbon around the hat or onto a bandanna.

     The hat is pretty nice for being a dress-up children's hat.  As you can see in the photos, there was some crinklish areas that look like creases.  They aren't creases, more like bubbles in line form.  That was the only flaw.  It holds it's shape well and is a nice black material that fur and hair don't stick to overly well.

     Although Boog looks pretty happy in these shots, he ended up not being a super big fan of the hat, which is a shame, since it;s his Halloween Costume.  It's also strange because he LOVES hats.  But I don't think it's anything to do with the hat itself, but maybe just the style of hat... boy's not a fan.  The girls are though, they love it.

      So, to be perfectly honest... if this were at a costume store and I saw it, would I buy it?  I honestly don't know because of the wrinkly looking bit, it might turn me away.  It's perfectly fine structure-wise and looks fine from a distance and will be fine on Halloween in the dark or for most dress-up purposes.  It may very well be just this one hat with that defect.  But since I do own it, I am definitely going to use it and I like it a lot.  So I guess if you're going to go out and buy a hat, this one is about as good as any other for the price.  What do you think?  What costumes are you looking to buy this year?
     To learn more, check out Express Novelties Online on Amazon.
     





Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

Anytime Costumes Wicked Wench #Pirate Costume #Review

     Each year as Halloween gets closer and closer, I start to panic a little.  The idea of keeping track of all my kids in that type of environment and the thought of keeping track of all the costume pieces for the weeks leading up to it, then getting everyone dressed and out the door in orderly fashion... it stresses me out. I like simple.  I used to go all out and hand make all the costumes, but now I just want easy.

     So last year and again this year, I'm going to go with pre-made costumes.  I bought Boog a store made one, which of course didn't fit and certainly won't fit over warm clothes, so I'm returning it for another.  But min fits.  It fits soooo well.  It's the Wicked Wench costume from Anytime Costumes.  It's a plus sized pirate inspired women's dress.

     I was actually quite surprised by the quality of the costume.  Though it isn't handmade quality, it's far better than the junk you get at the mass market stores, like Walmart.  The first thing that I noticed about it was the quality.  I expected it to be cheap, honestly.  Though, this isn't the first time that I have gotten a costume form Anytime Costumes, so I'm not sure why I expected that.

     When I took it out of the package, I first noticed the bodice, it has a lovely textured fabric where the eyelets are.  It looks great and gives the feeling almost like it's a real dress, not just a costume.  The fabric below that is a soft velvety material that opens to reveal the skit beneath.  The skirt itself is shorter in the front and longer in the back. 

     The bust area and the inside of the bodice is an off-white, creamy color and is really nice  The scrunch on the bust area prevents too much cleavage from showing, while still being sexy.  Also something that adds some femininity, is the lacy sleeves that have slits on the ends and do not cover the shoulders.  Honestly, they were a touch on the scratchy side, so if you are hypersensitive to certain textures and such, this won't be something that you like on it's own.

     The costume has a zipper that covers the whole back area, down to the skirt.  I honestly didn't even need to use it, it was easy enough to just slip over my head.   Obviously, I'm gonna need some boots or boot shoe covers and a hat to complete the look.  Anytime Costumes carries that type of stuff and carries quite a large assortment at that.  I couldn't believe how many different styles of knee high boots and pirate hats that they had.

     Also, a note: I'm a pretty short girl.  So if you are looking at the above photo and thinking, 'Geesh, that looks a bit long!'  It's only because I'm so short.  I'm 5 even, if that.  But I love the way it looks, and I think you would too.  I'm very happy with it and it will stay in my collection of a very select few keeper-costumes.
     Do you go out for Halloween?  Do you dress up?
     To learn more, check out Anytime Costumes on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Amazon.


Except for the product(s) given to me for the purpose of reviewing, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.