Dresser Revamp

Merry Stockings Needlepoint Christmas Stockings

Can you believe the end of October is near? Once we put away our Halloween decorations, it is time to put up Thanksgiving and really start thinking and planning for Christmas, because really it is going to be here before we know it.

I am beyond excited to pull out all our decorations, set up our Christmas tree, and hang our stockings. Since our family has been growing and we have just been buying stockings as we need them, all of our stockings are mismatched and a little tacky hanging all together. I decided this year would be the year we looked into getting a matching set.

When Merry Stockings introduced me to their new line, I had visions of traditions and Christmas spirit forming. I am crazy about their Needlepoint Christmas Stockings.
Thee gorgeous, personalized stockings are sewn by hand with so much detail it is hard to believe. They measure 6.5" wide by 21.5" long, great for loading up goodies from Santa (and mommy).
I love the classic, timeless look of these needlepoint stockings and the crisp whites and reds. Being personalized with each family member's name is such a sweet bonus. This set is definitely at the top of our list for replacements of our current stockings.
Make sure to order yours soon! They only have a limited number and they will not be restocked! You do not want to miss out on these beauties!

BUY IT!

You can purchase your own Needlepoint Christmas Stocking in your choice of Nutcracker, Reindeer, Santa, or Frosty on sale for $34.99 each (includes personalizing).

This is a sponsored post. I received compensation. These are our honest opinions. Your experience may vary.

Chuggington Over & Under Wooden Railway Starter Set Review

Like all boys, my son LOVES trains. He is a big fan of Chuggington so he was thrilled to receive his new train set with the Wilson on KoKo trains. We have had the starter set for quite a few months and my son and his cousin and friends play with this set probably more than any of his other toys. It's a huge hit at our house.

This 22-piece set features a 2-in-1 Clock Tower: stack for tower or unstack for two separate tunnels! Includes Wilson, Koko, and Vee.

2-in-1 design creates more ways to play

Real wood construction

Exclusive Chuggington Track

Compatible with other wooden track systems

We have an Ikea set that my son uses with the Chuggington starter set and the tracks all fit perfectly together. The set is really high quality and has stayed perfect even through all the rough play that comes with a bunch of three year old boys.

The tracks go together easy enough that my son can do all of it by himself, including the hill. The tunnel is such a fun detail that all kids are sure to love.

BUY IT!

You can purchase the Chuggington Over & Under Starter Kit for $49.99.

We are not compensated for our reviews. We receive product(s) for free so we can provide our experience. These are our honest opinions. Your experience may vary.

SwaddleDesigns Swaddle Duo Review

I am pretty in love with all my SwaddleDesigns products. And when I am in the mother's lounge at church full of mommy's and their nursing babies, everybody else seems to love SwaddleDesigns swaddle blankets, too. They are becoming quite the hit and more and more people are discovering their goodness and for good reason. They are awesome.I love hooded towels for my kids and since the one I got for my baby girl at Target got 2 holes in it after one wash, I was really looking for a hooded towel that would last, make my baby feel comfy and warm, and was as soft as she was. I received the SwaddleDesigns Organic Hooded Towel with Pastel Pink Mod Circles on Ivory. It was everything I was looking for and more. I have had the towel for nearly 4 months now and my 10 month old baby is still loving getting swaddled up in this goodness after every bath.

I also received a couple of SwaddleDesigns fabulous blankets. One of my favorite things about their swaddle blankets is that they include instructions on how to swaddle sewn right onto the blanket. So perfect for new mommies or for people like me who need to be reminded of the same instructions over and over again.
SwaddleDesigns recently introduced the Swaddle Duo which includes their Ultimate Receiving Blanket for moderate to cooler temperatures and the Marquisette Swaddling Blanket for warmer temperatures.
I learned some seriously great information about appropriate temperatures for our babies and how to prevent SIDS. I always knew overheating was a bad idea, but I hadn't heard about being too cold being just as dangerous. Please read:

“The SwaddleDesigns Goldilocks Guide™ ~ baby should not be too hot, or too cold, but just right ~ comfortably warm.”

The Goldilock’s Guide helps new parents remember the importance of keeping baby comfortably warm.

SwaddleDesigns strives to help new parents care for their baby by providing accurate and up-to-date information, so parents can may make informed choices. SwaddleDesigns Safe Sleep Program includes recommendations from the AAP and the NIH as the company strives to increase awareness of Safe Sleep practices and help parents reduce risk of SIDS.

According to leading SIDS researchers, both overheating AND overchilling are risk factors for SIDS. In addition, it’s important for parents to understand that when baby is too cool during sleep, baby will use valuable energy to stay warm instead of growing and thriving. Over the past few years some juvenile product companies have over focused on overheating as a SIDS risk factor, and there has been a lack of balanced conversation regarding insufficient thermal insulation – the danger of baby being too cool - as a risk factor for SIDS. It is time for a balanced information where parents are educated and reminded of their important responsibility to make sure baby is not too hot or too cold, but comfortably warm.

Visit http://www.swaddledesigns.com/safe-sleep for more information.

BUY IT!

SwaddleDuo available in 17 styles with MSRP of $38

We are not compensated for our reviews. We receive product(s) for free so we can provide our experience. These are our honest opinions. Your experience may vary.

Telephone Chair

My mother-in-law hooked me up with this awesome telephone chair. I love it. Like really, really love it. The lines and design are so chic. The fabric was in great condition, but I wasn't totally loving the wood stain. It was beautiful, just not my style. So, one day I just decided to spray paint it.I covered the upholstery with plastic bags and painters tape and then dragged it outside. My initial plan was to sand the shiny finish off, but after sanding the same spot for about 10 minutes and not making a bit of difference, I decided to test just spraying the drawer without sanding. To my surprise, it looked and stuck great so I continued spraying the rest of the chair.
At first, I thought just the silver looked kind of cool, but after a couple days it started reminding me of tin foil. I found exactly what I wanted to do here and decided to add an antiquing glaze.
The antiquing glaze really gave it a finished look and now I don't think I would ever guess it was spray painted. I plan on adding a little more glaze and adding some big flowers to that "vase", but was too excited about how it has turned out so far so I had to share! I'll post more pictures once it is all totally completed.

Be Food Safe.

Do You Practice Food Safety?

Do you think about food safety; if so, when? Do you only think about it when you go out to eat? Have you considered your own food practices and ways to prevent food borne illnesses in your home? I have food safety permanently drilled into my brain due to my education and training as a dietitian. My family and friends witness me practicing food safety during our gatherings that involve food; don’t most all gatherings involve food?! They may think “she’s so helpful to quickly help clean up and put the leftover foods away.” But in reality my mind is calculating the time it’s been out at room temperature. If it’s to be eaten again, I want it back in the fridge well before the time limit of 2 hours. Two hours at room temperature gives bacteria a chance at growth and making us sick.

Recently, the US Department of Health and Human Services has launched a “Be Food Safe” campaign to educate the public on 4 food safety areas: Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill. The Ad Campaign created funny and memorable TV commercials for each category. You can check them out at http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/basics/ads/index.html For more food safety information that you can apply in your home, the American Dietetic Association has teamed up with ConAgra Foods to create the “Home Food Safety” website: http://www.homefoodsafety.org I’ve included some of my personal kitchen food safety tips for you:
Clean:

• Start with clean hands and clean surfaces (counter tops, cutting boards, cooking dishes, etc.)
• Always have dish soap and hand soap next to the kitchen sink. Try to keep the kitchen sink for cooking tasks (I direct my husband to the bathroom sink when he comes up from the garage with dirty hands).
• I keep a stash of disinfecting wipes and sanitizing spray next to the kitchen sink. I wipe the counter down with the wipes when I have chicken, meat, or egg juices on the counter. I mostly use the sanitizing spray to spray down the sink (after defrosting chicken in a bowl with running water, throwing the egg shells in the sink to go into the garbage disposal, etc.).
• Wash ALL fruits and vegetables even if you are going to peel or cut them up; you can drag bacteria that is on the surface inside while the knife slices through.
• I love using my salad spinner for washing small fruits like strawberries or blueberries. I fill the container with the basket still inside with water to soak the fruit (for about 2-5 minutes). Pull the basket out to drain the water off, return to the spinner and spin off more water, and then put on a clean dish towel to finish off the drying process.
• I keep a vegetable scrub brush near the sink and have it clearly marked with “Veggies,” so it doesn’t get used for regular household cleaning tasks.
• Regularly wash your reusable grocery bags and wash the one that meat is transported in more frequently.

Separate:

• It’s best to have two separate cutting boards: one for your meats/poultry and one for your fruits/vegetables. However, I know two cutting boards may not practical for all kitchens. My grandmother’s smart solution was to use a permanant marker to write “meats” on one side and “fruits/ vegetables” on the other side of her cutting board. Cut the fruits/ vegetables first and save the meats until last to prevent their juices from contaminating your fruits and vegetables.
• Keep your “drippy” things, like meat and chicken, on the bottom shelf with a bowl or plate under them to catch the juice; you don’t want it to drip on your other foods.
• Make sure your “drippy” things get bagged separately at the grocery store too.

Cook:

• Buy a meat thermometer. They are not very expensive and you don’t have to memorize what type of meat has to be cooked to what temperature because it will have it on the thermometer dial. Don’t forget to use it!

Chill

• Living in hot Georgia, I worry about the transportation of my perishable foods. I keep a neoprene market tote in my car so I always have an insulated bag for my cold items. I have a cheap Styrofoam cooler and ice packs (in the freezer) at work so I can pick up some grocery items during my lunch break and know they can survive the drive home with the stop by daycare to pick up my daughter.
• Remember my above 2 hour time limit? Get perishables in the fridge in less than 2 hours. If it’s a large batch of food, you will want to put it in several small dishes or in a shallow dish to allow it to cool quickly. The 2 hour rule also applies to outings like picnics or tailgating. You may want to limit your perishables (and eat them first) or make sure you have a way to keep them out of “the danger zone” (40-140 degrees F).
• Now once that food is safely in the refrigerator, how long should it stay there? That’s where this handy-dandy “Refrigerator Calculator” is a great thing to have. You can download yours here: http://www.homefoodsafety.org/pages/utilities/docs/calculator.pdf I wish it was available as a magnet (hint, hint Home Food Safety).
• Home Food Safety also has a refrigerator/freezer storage guide for fresh food here: http://www.homefoodsafety.org/pages/utilities/docs/rf_storage_chart.pdf

I hope you have learned something new or remembered something forgotten. For more food safety tips, go to http://www. homesafety.org

“For helping spread the word about the importance of home food safety, I was entered into a drawing for a $15 Starbucks gift card and an iPad through Summertime Food Smarts, a contest run by the American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods' Home Food Safety program. Home Food Safety is dedicated to raising consumer awareness about the seriousness of foodborne illness and providing solutions for easily and safely handling foods. Learn more at www.homefoodsafety.org"

-Dinisha

Affresh Stainless Steel Cleaner Review-Part 2

In my last review of the Affresh Stainless Steel Cleaner, I shared that while I was impressed with its cleaning ability of food and previous cleaner residue, I was slightly disappointed with the amount of smudging left behind, particularly on my refrigerator.

The Affresh team stood behind their product and immediately wanted to help me remedy my problem. They sent me a fresh bottle of cleaner in case my original bottle had been defected in some way.

To my pleasant surprise, a new bottle made a huge difference. My guess is that my original bottle might have been out in the hot Georgia sun for too long the day it arrived.

While my refrigerator is still not perfectly smudge-free, I actually really love the Affresh Stainless Steel Cleaner and have converted to this brand over my previous cleaner that left greasy residue.

Some tips I found to be particulary useful while cleaning my stainless steel appliances with the Affresh Stainless Steel Cleaner are as follows:

Use a towel, not a paper towel or sponge.

Spray sections and wipe instead of spraying all over.

Even though the bottle says to leave spray on for a couple minutes on particularly dirty areas, i found spraying and wiping and repeat to be more effective.

It dries pretty quickly so to avoid smudging, work quickly.

Buff with a dry towel.

From the Whirlpool Corporation:

Affresh® Stainless Steel Cleaner gently cleans the fingerprints, smudges, and residue left behind from daily use. The cleanercombines commonly used cleaning agents with special ingredients that, when used as part of a normal maintenance program, can help prevent the formation of residue that can build-up on stainless steel surfaces.

You can purchase your own Affresh Stainless Steel Cleaner for $6.99 a bottle.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of affresh and received product samples and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Affresh Stainless Steel Cleaner Review

Upon moving into our new home, I saw that our provided stainless steel appliances were a mess. They were smudged with what appeared to be an attempt to clean them. They looked terrible and dirty, not giving off a beautiful stainless steel vibe at all. I figured there had to be an appropriate way to clean them to make them look new and shiny so my mother-in-law and I went to work trying to find a product that did the job.

After trying four different products that each gave a different, but not effective results, including more smudges, greasy residue, and spray marks; I was pretty thrilled to be given the chance to try Affresh Stainless Steel Cleaner.

With a claim on the front of the bottle stating that it is recommended by the #1 selling major appliance manufacturer in the world, I was sure it would make my appliances look amazing.

I was actually really impressed with how well it removed the greasy residue left behind from other cleaners.

Unfortunately, I was left with some pretty bad smudging, particularly on my fridge. I tried using more spray, then less spray, I tried wiping with paper towels, then a cloth. My results did not change.

I have considered that this result may be possibly from so much previous residue left on my fridge from other cleaners and from daily use so I am going to continue using the Affresh spray to see if continual use will make a difference. Expect to hear more results soon.

From the Whirlpool Corporation:

Affresh® Stainless Steel Cleaner gently cleans the fingerprints, smudges, and residue left behind from daily use. The cleaner combines commonly used cleaning agents with special ingredients that, when used as part of a normal maintenance program, can help prevent the formation of residue that can build-up on stainless steel surfaces.

You can purchase your own Affresh Stainless Steel Cleaner for $6.99 a bottle.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of affresh and received product samples and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

BuildASign.com Review & {GIVEAWAY!}

When BuildASign.com contacted me about reviewing their products, I was pretty excited. They have a ton of great commercial items, but I found some fun and beautiful items I wanted for my home.

I first chose a birthday banner because I wanted something a little more special to celebrate my family's birthdays than the average dollar store purchase. I really was impressed with just how much you can customize at BuildASign. I was able to choose the material the banner would be printed on (I chose vinyl for durability), size (I did 3ft x 6ft and it is giant), and how many sides you want (I chose single). In addition, I changed the design of the banner. I centered the cake, made it beige, changed 'happy birthday' to black, and added an explanation mark. It is simple and I love it.

I also chose this gorgeous art print which I had printed on polystyrene, which is like a thin, bendable plastic. I am still waiting for my husband to make a frame for it to hang in our kitchen since I went with 36"x 48" and buying a frame that big wasn't really an option for us. I am so excited to display this. The quality is unbelievable and I am so glad I went with this option.

Lastly, I chose this adorable road sign on aluminum for my son's room. I customized the colors to match his room. I love the metallic paint used on the sign. My son loves that there is a child with a ball on a street sign in his room. It is so cute and perfect for his car themed room.

WIN IT!

The first 9 people to e-mail me with their address will win a justformeandyou2.blogspot.com bumper sticker like the one pictured below (awesome, I know). It really is pretty dang cute.

We are not compensated for our reviews. We receive product(s) for free so we can provide our experience. These are our honest opinions. Your experience may vary.

Shirley J Cooking Made Easy Review & {GIVEAWAY!}

I am not much of a cook, but my husband is a big eater and loves a home cooked meal. I try to provide, but if I can find a short-cut, I'll take it. I was so happy when a representative at Shirley J contacted me. Their products give you a short-cut that doesn't taste like a short-cut, in fact, everything I have made using their products are really yummy!
I received the Shirley J Universal Sauce. It is such a great idea, seriously. Here is a bit from their site that perfectly describes the brilliance,

"Shirley J Universal Sauce is a just-add-water cream sauce that makes for Alfredo, gravy, soups, sauces, dips and delights. It can be seasoned, salted and garnished, or mixed with cheese, tomatoes and veggies—for starters. Shirley J Universal Sauce never separates, lumps or curdles, providing a no-fail base for countless saucy servings."

My family loves anything Mexican. My son loves to dip. We devoured almost an entire pot of this delicious queso dip in one night. Lucky for me, it only took about 5 minutes to make and tasted like it came from a restaurant. I was really impressed that the dip stayed creamy instead of thickening or clumping. Even when I pulled out our little bit of leftovers the next day, it was still a smooth cheese dip and warmed up to taste completely fresh.

Shirley J Queso:

Ingredients:
1 lb. Velveeta cheese, microwaved until soft
1 cup Shirley J Universal Sauce
3 Cups water
2 cups pico de gallo
1 cup Jalapenos, finely diced

Directions:
1. Mix Shirley J Universal Sauce with water. Blend with wire whisk. Bring to a boil.
2. Add microwaved cheese to mixture.
3. Add pice de gallo and jalapenos and stir.
4. Continue to heat on lower setting until desired consistency is reached.
5. Serve over nacho chips or use as dip.

We just recently cut red dyes out of my son's diet. I didn't really want to have to say goodbye to Kraft macaroni only because it was so easy, but I knew I had to commit 100%. I was pretty thrilled to find Shirley J had a recipe for homemade macaroni and cheese using their Universal Sauce. Best of all, it only took a few minutes of prep time and 30 minutes in the oven. Approve-by me and my macaroni and cheese loving toddler.
I also received the Shirley J Chicken Bouillon. Perfect for an insane amount of recipes.
I used the Universal Sauce and the Chicken Bouillon to make these delicious chicken enchiladas. They were so creamy and full of flavor. My whole family loved them!

The Universal Sauce has definitely made my life much easier when it comes to cooking. It is something I will insist in always having in my kitchen from now on.

From Shirley J:

Shirley J has just partnered with Soldiers' Angels, a non-profit organization that benefits our servicemen, women and soldiers, to provide Americans with the opportunity to purchase online and send cooking products and ingredients to troops serving abroad, including those who Americans don't know personally. Our products are just-add-water and yield hundreds of recipes, qualifying them as ideal for soldiers' conditions and us as a perfect partner for Soldiers' Angels.

You can read more here: http://shirleyj.com/support-soldiers/

Or have product sent here where Soldiers' Angels will assemble larger care packages and take care of shipping to Afghanistan, Iraq, etc.:

Soldiers' Angels
4408 N PanAm Exprwy
San Antonio, TX 78218

WIN IT!

Shirley J has generously offered one of our very lucky readers a 4 lb. bag of Universal Sauce.

Mandatory entry:

Visit Shirley J and then come back here and let us know something you are dying to try.

You must complete the mandatory entry before doing any extra entries.

Extra Entries (Leave a comment for each entry):

1 Entry: Like Shirley J on Facebook.

1 Entry: Follow Shirley J on Twitter.

1 Entry: Follow our blog publicly (found on right sidebar).

1 Entry: Subscribe to our blog via reader.

1 Entry: Become our friend on Facebook AND update your status with link to this giveaway.

3 Entries: Post about this contest with a link back to our blog AND a link to Shirley J (Leave a link back to your post in your comment).

1 Entry: Follow us on twitter and tweet about this contest. You may do this once daily (always leave the link in your comment).

2 Entries: Add our button to your blog.

Good luck! Contest ends on June 26th at midnight. Winner will be announced June 27th.

Winner will be chosen through random.org.

Please be sure to include your e-mail or have it in your profile so I can contact you if you win. Thanks!

We are not compensated for our reviews. We receive product(s) for free so we can provide our experience. These are our honest opinions. Your experience may vary.

The First Years Ignite Stroller Review

I actually received The First Years Ignite Stroller by accident, but I am thinking now that it was fate. It is, no joke, the best lightweight stroller I have come across.

Not only is the design super cute, modern, and comfy, this stroller has some pretty thoughtful features to provide the ultimate ride without all the fuss of giant strollers.

We throw this stroller in the car for every outing. It works great for both of our children. Our 7 month old baby can recline back and be brought back up with an easy to use pull. Our toddler can ride with lots of spacious room and a foot rest that is appropriate for his height. My husband and I love it because the handle bars are extra tall, making it really comfortable for us to push, being that we are both tall and often have to slightly bend to push our other strollers.

Because this has become our go-to stroller, I actually got rid of our full size stroller and our umbrella stroller since they no longer get use now that we have our Ignite Stroller. I would 100% recommend this stroller to everyone! You will love it!

The Ignite stroller offers:

Durable frame, rated for use to 50lbs

Taller handles and multi-position recline

5-point harness for a safer ride

Large parent console and lower storage basket

Easy one-hand fold, and weighs only 14 lbs.

Dimensions: 34.5" L x 18.5" W x 39" H

We are not compensated for our reviews. We receive product(s) for free so we can provide our experience. These are our honest opinions. Your experience may vary.

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Help You Live Healthy.

Recently, my family and I have discovered the importance of living a healthy life. We have moved back to Georgia near Stone Mountain and have made a goal to do something active as a family at least once a week. Today, we were able to walk around the mountain and play tag. We have also planned several hikes in the near future.
We have also found a local Farmers Market where we developed a new love for deliciously healthy food. We picked up a whole shopping cart full of fresh fruits and vegetables. We are so excited to eat it all up.
I am no where near ready for the swim suit season, but I'm hoping these healthy changes will make me feel and look better.
Because I can't always go to the Farmers Market and need healthy options that are quick and easy, but will still keep me on track, there is Weight Watchers Smart Ones. Their products provide a variety of delicious,convenient, and portion controlled meals and snacks that contain lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. And now they are offering two new breakfast items- like the new Egg,Sausage & Cheese Wrap and the French Toast with Turkey Sausage. Plus, the packaging tells you the Weight Watchers Points Plus values in each serving, allowing you to conveniently plan for the day.
Visit www.eatyourbest.com for more information.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Weight Watchers Smart Ones and received a promotional item and coupons to facilitate my review.”

Fine with Frumpy

I realize there is nothing interesting about this outfit. I am essentially wearing a gray potato sack. And yet, I love it. So incredibly comfortable. And I can be bloated like a blow fish, and no one would even know. Which is why I felt completely justified when inhaling that plate of cookies three minutes ago.

Dress: Calvin Klein

Necklace: Free People

Shoes: Steven by Steve Madden

Shop Similar: Dress

Date Night Duds

Usually when going out in a dress the length of a shirt, I throw on my leggings and some shoes. However, this tends to trend toward a less sophisticated/more hooker look. Which, surprisingly, last night I was not in the mood for. So, I experimented. I put my leggings on per usual, then threw some fun tights on top. Pulling this look off required me to stretch my leggings over my toes, which was a rather restrictive sensation that took some getting use to, but I am happy with the end result. The Mister wasn't complaining either.

Dress: Rachel Roy

Leggings: TJ Maxx

Tights: F21

Shoes: Juicy Couture

Shop Similar: Dress, Tights, Shoes

Candy? What Candy?

Yesterday I did a massive Target run. Did a little birthday party present shopping (the kids have two to attend this week), a lot of grocery shopping, and even picked up two giant bags of peanut butter M&Ms for the playgroup Easter Egg Hunt this Friday. I'm awesome.

The Mister came home from work and started scrounging around the cupboards, whereupon he discovered my carefully hidden bags o' chocolate. Except one bag was nearly empty. "When did you buy these," he asked accusingly. "Today," I replied sheepishly. "And you are already giving them away to the kids?" Yes honey, that is absolutely correct. The kids ate every last one of those heavenly filled eggs. Heathens.

Top: Maxstudio

Cargo Skinnies: Joes Jeans

Scarf: F21

Shoes: Juicy Couture

Shop Similar: Top, Scarf