New Year's & Game Day Treats from Gramma in a Box (Review)

Being a working mom with two young kids is never easy. I still want to do fun projects and make treats with them, but often find myself with very little time to actually do so. Thankfully, I was able to get another Gramma in a Box treat decorating set this month and it was just as fun as last month's!

Gramma in a Box is a monthly subscription service that sends nearly everything you need for three yummy treats!

The only things I've needed to provide on my own have been a spoon and bowl, a paper plate, and scissors. Everything else, from the cookies to the sprinkles to the melting chocolate and pretzels, is in this little box!

The theme of this month's box was New Years and Football.

While my little family isn't really into football, it didn't stop us one bit from enjoying both the making and the eating of these treats!

The first of these treats was the New Year Sparklers, which was pretzels with a white chocolate coating and sprinkles.

My kids and I found a great way to make sure everyone got to participate in this in a way that nobody got burned.

My son would hold the pretzel over the chocolate bowl, where I would cover the end in the melted white chocolate (once again, I needed to use a double boiler to melt it), then he would turn so that his sister could sprinkle the pastel dots over it.

The kids had so much fun, they were a little sad when the sixth pretzel was finished!

The second treat was the Game Day Crunch, which didn't lend itself to being much of a group project, as it was mostly mixing hot, melted chocolate into the add ins, but that didn't stop us from enjoying it once it was set!

The third project, cookie decorating, was easily the kid's favorites. The 8 cookies were plenty for us to decorate, without being too many as to be overwhelming.

As last month, everything was tasty, and my son and I definitely enjoyed the eating part!

Unfortunately, my daughter has a very restricted diet, and couldn't partake in that, but she had so much fun with the making, I don't think she minds too much.

I still think that Gramma in a Box is a great subscription, especially for those who may be a little time crunched, as making all three treats took just under and hour, and that was with a distractable four year old and using the stovetop instead of a microwave to melt the chocolate.

The monthly box subscription has plans starting at $20 for a single box.

To me, not having to worry about going to the store, getting all the supplies, baking the cookies, measuring out the other ingredients, is well worth it!

Just knowing that each month will bring a fun family activity and treats makes the kids and I very happy! 

Gramma in a Box is Kid Tested and Jess-Approved!

http://www.grammainabox.com/
https://www.facebook.com/grammatlcinabox/
https://www.instagram.com/grammatlcinabox/

Review: Warmies Plush Cozy by Intelex

No matter if you are 3 years old or 93, I truly believe Warmies are amazingly comforting and useful. If I could come up with one downside, it would be how difficult it is to choose one!

Both of my girls now have a Warmies Cozy Plush and they are loved on the daily. The day we came home to find the giant labeled box on our freshly moved-in porch, the kids were so thrilled!

Upon opening it, I was surprised to find that the Warmies were much larger than I expected, which was a fantastic surprise. At that point, we had just gotten a new home and were still waiting for our household goods to arrive from Germany, so these loveys were just what my girls needed.

My oldest chose a Flamingo, and my youngest has a brown puppy.

After they came to room temperature (They were freezing from being outside), we put them on a plate and microwaved them for 1 minute, each.

Once heated, they were so snuggly and had a delightfully calming lavender scent. In addition to the calming scent and warmth, Warmies have a weighted body that creates a feeling much like snuggling with a warm live puppy or kitten.

For the past few weeks, they have been heated up every single night before bed without fail.

Additionally, more than once they have soothed a sad child with the simple phrase “Want me to heat up the Warmie?” The Warmies heat to a comfortable temperature that I have no fear of burning when held in one spot, like many other microwave heating pads. They don't stay hot for too long, maybe a solid 30-45 minutes, but that is more than enough time to soothe a child to sleep or help achy muscles.

The quality of the doll is outstanding. No pilling of the fur or pulling of the seams. Heating repeatedly has not had any negative effects either.

I already have a mental list of people I want to purchase one of these for, adult and child alike, myself included!

Warmies Cozy Plush dolls, which are a product by Intelex, are $24.99 on their website. There is also a line of Cozy Plush Jr. to choose from which cost $11.99. Intelex also has numerous other therapeutic comfort items such as, slippers, blankets, wraps, eye masks to name a few. You can also purchase Warmies via Amazon.

I highly recommend Warmies to anyone to whom you want to give the gift of comfort.  We all need more of that, right?

http://www.intelexusallc.com/

https://www.facebook.com/warmiesbyintelexusa/

https://www.instagram.com/thewarmies/

https://twitter.com/IntelexWarmies

Review: Luvsy Blankets

How many kids do you know that have one of those blankies that just won't leave their side for years? I know that all three of my kids have had them. Theirs are soft and satin(y) on one side and minky fleece on the other side. I really wish that they had adult sized ones of them, not that I would carry it around like they do (or would I?)

So, there's a fun company that was featured on Shark Tank awhile ago called Luvsy that has come up with the cutest little blankets and sleep sacks for little girls that I have ever seen! They are so soft, double sided with a design on each side and the inside is so cozy, you could easily curl up and take a nap.

The Princess blankets come in designs geared towards the pretty little princess in your life.

One in Lively Yellow (like Belle from Beauty and the Beast), Perfect Pink (which reminds me of Aurora from Sleeping Beauty), Rainbow (which is well, a rainbow dress) and Brilliant Blue (but of course, like Cinderella or even Elsa from Frozen).

They also have a Unicorn sleep sack!

I was given the Unicorn sleep sack to review and unless you live under a rock, you know how popular Unicorns are right now!

My 5 year old daughter almost had a panic attack when I pulled it out and showed her. She screamed and begged me to let her sleep with it right away. I gave in of course and she carried that thing around everywhere.

On one side of the blanket, there is a happy open eyed Unicorn. On the other side is a closed eyed sleepy Unicorn that we obviously used at bed time.

This review took me a while because, well, I could not tear this thing away from my daughters. They would constantly fight over it and I had to designate days that one could sleep with it and the next to the other sister.

Between the two of them fighting and sleeping with it, I had to wash it (twice). This blanket held up so amazing in the wash. I did not machine dry it, but hung it on the clothesline.

I am not sure how it would hold up in a dryer because there are sequins scattered over the blanket where the Unicorns hair (mane?) is.  It would probably be fine - I just haven't tried it.

Either way, the clothesline worked fine for us and there is no sequin out of place after weeks of constant love.

I cannot even tell you how much I recommend this product for the little girls in your life. Be it your daughter, niece, or granddaughter, you will be the BEST!

The Unicorn sleep sack costs a mere $34.99 and a really cool thing that they do is size it by age. 3-9 years old get one size, while ages 10+ get a bigger size.

The Princess blankets cost you $29.99.  Shipping is free for orders of $50, so get two!

Luvsy also regularly gives away blankets to specific shelters and hospitals around the country, and you can read up on who they're currently sponsoring on their Giving Back page.

According to their FAQ, they can also work with schools and organizations to provide products for fundraisers.

I am so impressed with the quality and designs on this product. I would definitely tell all my friends and family with little girls that they should check this company out!!

www.luvsy.com
https://www.facebook.com/luvsyinc/
https://www.instagram.com/luvsyinc/

Arianna's Magic Boots: Underwater Sea Adventure (Review/Giveaway)

At the beginning of the year, I proudly discussed a children's book called Arianna's Magic Boots by Karen A. Gasperini, which quickly became a favorite in our household.

I have finally gotten my hands on her second book! Arianna's Magic Boots Vol 2 Underwater Sea Adventure has been such a welcomed addition to our children's bookshelf!

Just as the first book, the story follows the adorable Arianna who uses her Magic boots (which are her AFO - ankle foot orthosis) to take her on imaginative adventures. 

This time, instead of the jungle, she stomps her feet three times, says “AWAY WE GO!” and finds herself deep in the ocean -- her boots now a gorgeous mermaid tail! Almost immediately she is greeted by three friendly mermaids.

One of the best aspects of this book is the inclusivity and diversity. In addition to the main character's corrective wear, two of the fellow mermaids also allow readers to relate to several experience they or their friends might have. 

Destiny has a cochlear implant and Carmela wears glasses. There is only brief mention of these, when Arianna acknowledges that there are similar items back on land as well. I like that it wasn't a massive part of their story, just a nod to these characteristics, but they are clearly much more than their differences.

Destiny, Carmela, and Xzayah ask Arianna to help locate items on a list needed for a bracelet to be gifted to their oldest sister, Lillian. 

I liked where that was going as it appeared it was going to have an added aspect of counting, which my kids love in books. In one part, the mermaids need five seashells which was easy to count on the page. 

However, in the next part they need six white pearls. There are many pearls shown on the page, but, unless I'm overlooking it, I can't find 6 white ones. This just seems like a simple missed opportunity - and also frustrated my kids!

However, that was such a small thing, and truly doesn't distract from the amazing message of these books!

At the end of the story, the mermaids present Arianna with a special seashell bracelet of her own. Finally, she leaves her new friends, spinning around three times saying, “AWAY WE GO” and when she opens her eyes, she is back on the beach with her parents, and completes their sandcastle.

The fellow mermaids in this book are inspired by Karen's real life nieces, just as Arianna is modeled after her daughter. I love that this family has these books with their likeness in them - how special that must be for them!

I'm not sure what could be better than a series of childrens books filled with characters of color, who are differently abled, and sends a wonderful message! I am saving space on the bookshelf and crossing fingers the story continues many more times.

The book is available on Amazon for $10.99 or Kindle for $4.71

Karen has graciously offered a signed copy of Underwater Sea Adventure AND an adorable seashell bracelet only available through giveaways, book launches and meet and greets. Read on to see how you can enter to win!  

https://www.facebook.com/Ariannasmagicboots/

One winner will receive a signed paperback copy of Arianna's Magic Boots Vol. 2: Underwater Sea Adventure, by Karen A. Gasperini, and a child's seashell bracelet.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment in this entry as instructed by the Giveaway Tools Entry Form below. This will open up additional optional entries to increase your odds of winning. (If you don't leave a comment, any additional entries will be void.)

This giveaway is open WORLD-WIDE and will end just before midnight ET on 8/1. 


The winner will be notified by email 24 to 48 hours after the end of the giveaway by email. In order to claim the giveaway prize, the winner will need to respond within 24 hours of notification, or an alternate winner will be selected.

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Arianna's Magic Boots - Children's Book Review/Giveaway

I recently reviewed a pair of AFO (ankle-foot orthosis)s for baby dolls and expressed how important representation is for children. I'm so pleased to discuss another item that helps my daughter see herself in the things she loves. This time, it's a book!

Both of my children each have bookshelves with hundreds of books between them.

Reading is so special in our house and I'm always looking for new stories to share with them!

Arianna's Magic Boots by Karen A. Gasperini is a heartwarming story about a young girl who uses her imagination, and her AFO's, to go on a wonderful adventure!

The character in the story is based on both the author herself as well as her daughter Arianna, who both have a few disabilities including Clubfoot.

My three year old, Penelope also has clubfeet so I love showing her that she's not alone.

The magical aspect of this book is too sweet.

Arianna starts her day just as any other kid. She has breakfast and gets dressed.

Then she goes off to her Physical Therapy appointment, which is very relatable for many children with disabilities.

While in the doctor's office, she notices a new colorful poster of the jungle. Using her amazing imagination, Arianna stomps her feet three times and says “Away We Go!” which is what initiates her adventures.

We had so much fun reading this and following Arianna and a slew of adorable animals on this journey.

I am a huge fan of toys and books that make Penny feel like her boots or braces are not the enemy! While she no longer wears show inserts, she still related this to her night time brace.

That said, I believe this book is for all children, not just those who have experience with AFOs or other hardware.

While I find it incredibly important that children have books with characters they identify with, I also find it just as important that my children are reading about diversity and learning about the people who are different than them as well.

Arianna's Magic Boots goes a long way toward gently explaining to fully ablebodied children some of the experiences their friends or classmates might be having, and can be a launchpad to a good discussion.

Arianna's Magic Boots is available on Amazon for $10.99 in paperback or for $9.99 on Kindle, and it is available at not cost via  KindleUnlimited!

Keep an eye on their Facebook account for an upcoming interview the authors have with Rhode Island Channel 12 WPRI news.

I'm so excited to know that Arianna has more adventures in store for us! Volume Two, currently in production, will be about underwater exploring!

Coming Soon!

Karen A. Gasperini is giving away one SIGNED print copy of Arianna's Magic Boots to one of our readers worldwide - read on to see how you can enter to win!  I think you'll find this is a good addition to any child's bookshelf.

 https://www.facebook.com/Ariannasmagicboots/

 Availabe on Amazon

One winner will receive a signed paperback copy of Arianna's Magic Boots, by Karen A. Gasperini, valued at $10.99.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment in this entry as instructed by the Giveaway Tools Entry Form below. This will open up additional optional entries to increase your odds of winning. (If you don't leave a comment, any additional entries will be void.)

This giveaway is open WORLD-WIDE and will end just before midnight ET on 1/27. 

The winner will be notified by email 24 to 48 hours after the end of the giveaway by email. In order to claim the giveaway prize, the winner will need to respond within 24 hours of notification, or an alternate winner will be selected.

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Max On Snax Subscription Box (Review/Giveaway)

A while ago I decided to home-school my 6 year old son and finding things to add in his curriculum that would be educational but also fun and hands on can sometime be a challenge.

I love the idea of getting monthly boxes that will help take some of the prep work off my hands, so having the opportunity to check out Max on Snax made both my son and I very happy.

This program gives my son a fun and awesome way to learn how to prepare healthy snacks and recipes. Max on Snax is also helpful to mothers and daddies alike to teach the value and benefits of eating a more healthy lifestyle.

This was a great way to get my six year old excited about working in the kitchen and making healthy snacks vs fruit gummy snacks.

For this review I received the Starter Kit ($25.00 value) and the Garden Pack ($25.00 value)

The Snax Maker Pack (which should always be the first box received on a new subscription) includes:

A Snax Hat
A Snax-maker Apron
A Sandwich Shaper
4 weekly Charts
Membership Card
Salad Recipe
Big People pack with stickers

My son loved wearing his apron and hat and even insisted on wearing it each and every time he was allowed to be our little chef.

The First thing he made was scrabble eggs for breakfast and he even named himself Chef Deiondre.

The Sandwich Shaper was fun to use, though I found myself having to eat a lot of the leftovers through out the week win-win since he always wanted to make sandwiches and experiment with how much he could put into a sandwich and cut with the shaper.

The salad recipe included was not to our personal liking, but we did manage to eat some of the ingredients on different days. So in place of that, we made a veggie side salad with our dinners on some nights.

The Garden Fun Box includes:
Butterfly Activity
Patch for Apron (Carrot)
Coloring Book
4 weekly charts
Membership card
Big People pack with stickers
Garden Game
Garden Pail
Butterfly Sandwich Shaper
Garden Snax Recipe
Basil Seed

This is the box where I fell in love with Max on Snax. I was able to break this up into a week's worth of assignments dealing with healthy eating and how to grow things that are healthy for you.

As I also love to grow our own herbs and veggies, I was pleased to see a basil Seed packet inside of the box.

Regrettably it did not take. I blame the very changeable weather in Germany, but my son loved adding his very own seed to our garden window.

He decided to use the Garden pail to store his starter seed and though it was a fail this time we did buy more seeds to try again.

(This is, after all, one of the lessons of gardening.)

The coloring book gave him a great chance to keep busy for our shopping trips, as I had him color each vegetable he saw in the book the same color he saw in the store.

Doing so made him aware of the correct colors some veggies can be so each time he had to color a picture with these vegetables he would color them correctly.

And after he colored and had eaten each of the vegetables in his coloring book, he earned the Master of the Veggies patch included in the box. We decided to sew on his Carrot Patch to his apron. Though you can easily iron on the patch I wanted to sew it down to insure it stays put when the apron was washed.

 Next was the butterfly activity and this activity was fun for him to do and work on his cutting skills, it was easy for him to follow along and do solo. I used this as an art assignment and he enjoyed being able to hang it in the curtains as if they are about to land on some of our plants.

Another favorite of mine was the weekly charts, tracking our eating habits. For this family, the first week was an eye opener to just how much we are lacking of the recommended food groups.

Over the course of a month it became a challenge we all seemed to want to conquer and
fill the chart up each week.

We used a dry eraser marker so we could reuse them. The charts also have an exercise reminder at the bottom, and that too became something my son wanted to make sure he was able to check off.

Apply this to our everyday life and it's now to the point where my son can go to the kitchen and decide on what he will have for lunch or for a snack depending on what he was missing on his chart.

Plus, with the award of having some of his favorite sweet awards at the end of the week for additional motivation.

Last, but one of my son's favorites is the Garden Game.

In the beginning, we would play this game after dinner and he really enjoyed watching his mother skip around the room.

Though I would add, the game is much better with more then two people playing, but over all anything that gets our children excited about eating healthier and learning better eating habits is a win for us all.

The Max on Snax boxes are a for sure win in our household and when you give it a try, you will love it as well. And I can truly speak for everyone here in our household that we can not wait to receive our next box.

Max on Snax kits are available as one-time purchases with a variety of themes for $25 each, or as a monthly subscription for $25 per month. If you buy a kit as a one-time thing, I recommend buying the starter kit along with another box so you can have more activities to do.

The current seasonally themed box is the FALL Box, and Max on Snax is letting us host a Giveaway! One of our readers in the US (including APO addresses) will receive this box chock full of seasonal learning and fun!

To see how you can enter to win, read on!

www.mymaxpack.com
www.facebook.com/maxonsnax
www.pinterest.com/maxonsnax

One winner in the US (including APO/FPO Addresses) will receive the Max on Snax Fall Box, valued at $25.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment in this entry as instructed by the Giveaway Tools Entry Form below. This will open up additional optional entries to increase your odds of winning. (If you don't leave a comment, any additional entries will be void.)

This giveaway is open to US RESIDENTS (INCLUDING APO/FPO) ONLY and will end just before midnight ET on 12/1. 

The winner(s) will be notified by email 24 to 48 hours after the end of the giveaway by email. In order to claim the giveaway prize, the winner will need to respond within 24 hours of notification, or an alternate winner will be selected.

Good luck!

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CozyPhones Review/Giveaway

I first learned of CozyPhones around Easter when a friend of mine posted the obligatory night before Easter basket pictures. Many people commented inquiring about the adorable headbands that were draped over each of the four baskets.

Based on those comments, I think she helped CozyPhones make many sales that Spring!

As for me, I was so ecstatic to get the chance to try them for my own kiddos as well! So, what are they?

CozyPhones are just as they sound-- cosy headphones that fit snuggly and safely over the ears!

I have two kids, 7 and 2, and I can't even tell you how much I needed this product without knowing it existed. We are a technology fueled household. Between just the kids there are laptops, and MP3 players and tablets.

Particularly with kids, technology comes with NOISE. My older one is ok with a pair of earbuds but often complains that they fall out too much.

They are made for adults after all, and even then rarely fit inside ears comfortably.

But without headphones, we are always ushering kids to their rooms due to volume levels while playing on them, and dread when they want to take them into the car.

Thanks to CozyPhones, those days are over. Play on, children!

With many styles available, CozyPhones are one size headbands made of super soft fleece.

I will say I wish they weren't entirely 'one size'.

Both of my kids have fairly small heads, or so I thought but its pretty stiff on either of them. I'm hoping that over time they loosen up, but fleece isn't exactly stretchy.

A younger child as well as older child size option would be great.

On the inside of the back there is a slit where the cord comes out. The headphone unit is completely removable for easy washing.

The headphones themselves are ultra thin inside the fleece and super simple to move around to lay flat wherever your child's ears fall. The headphones are good quality with braided cords. One thing I'm not sure of despite searching their website is if they sell replacement headphones.

Each of the styles currently in stock range in price. For the few months I've been watching this company, they have had a retail of around $30 lined out with a sale price ranging from $14-$20.

CozyPhones aren't just for kids either! But perhaps you don't want the pink bunny with floppy ears on your forehead.. That's ok! They have three difference styles available for adults.

The first two are a soft fleece. The Original series comes in black, grey or violet as well as leapard print or camo print, and would be perfect for sleeping with.

The newer Contour series version comes in black, grey or violet and includes a more contoured shape so they'll stay put while sleeping and is made with a cool mess lining so you don't overheat when the weather is warm.

Both of these are usable as a sleep mask as well by simply moving them down over your eyes.

The second is a lightweight lycra mesh sure to make your next workout perfect!

Nothing sucks more than having to stop on the elliptical to catch fallen ear buds that never want to stay in place!

The  lycra mesh version even comes with a handy drawstring pouch perfect to throw into your gym bag.

In addition to relaxing and gym use, I also love to listen to my podcasts in the car (as a passenger - don't wear headphones while driving!) or while doing dishes and other housework, and some of the subject matters aren't particularly kid friendly.

Cozyphones let me do my thing without disturbing others or having to constantly readjust earbuds.

The Lycra Mesh Cozyphones are available in black with 4 trim choices: black, blue, white or pink.

The downside for me? I have the same complaint about this one as I did with the kids version – They seem a little tight and a pain in the butt to get on.

I like to throw my hair up in a bun for the gym and I feel like I have to put my headphones on beforehand or it will mess it all up trying to put on.

Oddly, although they feel tight getting on, they are almost too loose once in place. Since they are a lightweight slippery material I kept feeling like they were going to slip down, yet they didn't.

I think it just takes some getting used to.

Also, I really disliked the company label on them. I'm all for advertising yourself but how about putting it on the side or back?? Right smack on my forehead felt super dorky.

This style retails for $29.99 but have been on sale for $19.97 for as long as I've been watching.

I have washed all three of our pairs, the Active Wear ones more than a few times, and I'm not seeing any damage done or shrinkage. I lay them flat to air dry as instructed.

Regardless of my issues over size, I truly love this company! My kids couldn't be more happy with their adorable accessories and I'm happy to not hear Super Why on loop non-stop as they so very seem to enjoy.

Cozyphones are just great for road trips, airplane rides, the gym, or just around the house, and you just can't beat the cute factor of the kids versions!

And yes, we have a giveaway! Cozyphones will send one of our readers worldwide a Cozyphone of their choice, adult or child version - read on to see how you can enter to win!

www.cozyphones.com

www.facebook.com/cozyphone

https://twitter.com/cozyphones

https://www.instagram.com/cozyphone/

https://www.pinterest.com/cozyphones0412/

One winner worldwide will receive a a pair of CozyPhones in the style of their choice from among those currently in stock at the end of the giveaway.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment in this entry as instructed by the Giveaway Tools Entry Form below. This will open up additional optional entries to increase your odds of winning. (If you don't leave a comment, any additional entries will be void.)

This giveaway is open WORLDWIDE and will end just before midnight ET on 8/11. 

The winner will be notified by email 24 to 48 hours after the end of the giveaway by email. In order to claim the giveaway prize, the winner will need to respond within 24 hours of notification, or an alternate winner will be selected.

Good luck!

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