Mommy Day by Day

Megabloks Barbie Build & Play Tropical Resort – Review

Posted on December 20, 2013 by mommydaybyday

When a package arrived in the mail the other day my mother saw it and immediately hid it away from the kids. She mistakenly thought it was a Christmas gift I had ordered and had thrown it in the microwave to keep it hidden. I laughed when I came home from work and saw it in there. Luckily for the girls it was not a gift to be hidden away but a toy that needed to be played with asap.

Amelia couldn’t wait to rip into the Megabloks Barbie Build-n-play Tropical Resort. Unfortunately for her we were so busy last week I made her wait till the weekend in order to open it. She was so excited and everyday kept asking me how many more days until she could do her Megabloks review.

Finally on Saturday morning we sat down together to play with it. Since I have all girls I have very little experience with Megabloks and was eager to check it out. Since I am not the best direction reader BJ jumped in and helped her put it together. It took about 15 minutes to put it together and Amelia at 6 definitely need assistance assembling Barbie’s Topical Resort. Grace 10 jumped in and started helping and was able to follow the directions but had some trouble snapping the pieces together.

Once it was together they had a lot of fun playing with Barbie and her dolphins on her Tropical Resort. Barbie has a perfect vacation oasis. I am a little jealous! It’s the details that make this toy so much fun. The kids loved the little hammock and the jet ski for Barbie to play with. Barbie even has a hat to protect her from the sun!

Amelia loved it so much she has added some of the other Barbie Build and Play Sets to her Christmas List.

Posted in Family, Family Fun, Reviews, Toys | Tagged barbie, barbie build and play, barbie build-n-play sets, kids toys, megablocks, Megabloks, review, toy review | 2 Comments

12 Days of Christmas Traditions: Day 10 The Picture Card

Posted on December 18, 2013 by mommydaybyday

The Picture Holiday Card.

The Picture Holiday Card has become an important Holiday Tradtion. Everyone looks forward to receiving the pictures in the mail and seeing everyone’s family and how they have grown over the year. And of course compare cards…

It’s not an easy job to make a picture card basically it’s just one more thing to add to your to do list for the busiest time of the year. Lots of thought goes into creating the Picture Card.

What kind of pose?

Silly, traditional, or creative…

What location?

On the beach, vacation, playing in the snow, at Disney, with Santa, in front of the tree…

Should you get the pictures done professionally or do them yourself?

Outfits? Should they be Christmas outifts? Black and White? Matching?

So many decisions.

Some years I am super prepared and early on I have a great idea or I go to Target Photo Studio and get them professionally done. Other years December 1st creeps up and it’s as though I don’t own a calendar. Personally, I tend to lean towards to traditional poses and professional photo shoots but I do occasionally do it myself.

This was the year I gave my Picture Card little or no thought. I was happily walking in my cloud when I saw the most amazing deal on Cyber Monday which pushed me briskly into reality and forced immediate action. Cardstore was having the greatest deal on Picture Cards for .49 cents. Really nice cards 5X7 and on cardstock it was an offer I couldn’t refuse. After dinner I threw the kids in black and white- we didn’t even have Christmas outfits yet! I told my mother to get ready and light the fireplace because we were coming over for a photo shoot.

Photo shoots never go as plan and 91 photos later the kids weren’t talking to me but I thought I had some photos I could work with. I sat at my mom’s and tried to download the pictures to Cardstore and they wouldn’t load.

Relentlessly I tried again and again to load my pictures with no luck. What is it they say about insanity… Even though it didn’t work I kept at it but it was getting late I had to stop the madness and get the kids home and ready for bed. realized that I would not be able to get the card done before midnight. I packed it in and went home.

Once I was home I decided to call Cardstore because it was evident I was never getting it done tonight. I called the customer service department and put my phone on speaker and went about my business. Two hours later I had fallen asleep and the phone kept repeating that the next available customer service agent would be with me shortly! Really?! I hung up in defeat.

The next day I called again and was on hold for an hour this time. When the customer service agent did finally pick up I was at my wit’s end. Frustrated that I had missed the sale and aggravated that I had been on hold for a total of 3 hours I was ready to rip her head off. However, before I even had the chance she cut me off and apologized for all the trouble I was experiencing. She was so nice and sincere she really made me feel better.

Even better than her pleasant attitude was the fact that she said Cardstore was honoring the CyberMonday promotion for anyone who called who had experienced problems with the site and were unable to order their cards. She explained that they were just overwhelmed with the traffic to the site. I guess I wasn’t the only one excited by .49 cent cards.

I have to be honest even with the new code I was skeptical over whether the site would work after the disaster from Monday. Happily I was able to make my cards and oder them using the CyberMonday coupon code. 100 hundred cards for $49.00 I was thrilled!

Even though it started out bumpy I was really happy with Cardstore and their customer service was terrific. They recognized the problem they had and fixed it quickly. Once it was working the site was easy to use and there was a large selection of cards to choose from.

My cards came out great and they were delivered in three days. Cardstore will even mail your cards for you. I am a little too controlling and need to mail them myself but for those of you out there a little less crazy this is a great feature. You can upload your addresses and they only charge you for the postage.

Here are some outakes that didn’t make it onto the card…

This is not a paid review for Cardstore. I didn’t receive anything for them in exchange for this review.

Posted in DIY, Holidays, Life, Shopping | Tagged cards, Cardstore, Cardstore.com, Christmas, Christmas Cards, Customer service, CyberMonday, Greeting card, Holiday Cards, holiday traditions, Mail, Photo shoot, Target Photo Studio, The Picture Holiday Card | 2 Comments

12 Days of Holiday Traditions Day 11: The Tree Hunt

Posted on December 15, 2013 by mommydaybyday

The perfect Christmas Tree.

It’s a challenge every year to find the perfect tree. Each year we head off to the Old Homestead Tree Farm in Lehighton, PA in order to accomplish this challenge. Off into the fields of trees we go and each year I think “This is the year I find my tree in 10 minutes.” Of course I never find the tree in ten minutes more like 60 minutes.

Old Homestead Tree Farm

It all starts with the annual debate over what type of tree we should get. I insist we always get a blue spruce because of the sturdy branches and he argues that I am wrong that it’s fraser fur. By this time my mother and father in-law as well as my sister in-law and her family have already found their perfect trees and are in the process of cutting it down while we are still debating which type of tree to get. Once we agree on fraser fur the hunt it is on.

So naturally the pressure starts to build and sometimes a few tears are shed as we argue over which tree to choose. The second argument is over size. I imagine I live in a castle and would like a ten foot tree. My husband, more based in reality, tries to persuade me by yelling that it will never fit in the house. Meanwhile the kids lose interest in helping us and head off to check out how the other family members are doing. More likely than not they are done and waiting for us.

All the trees are beautiful but it is so difficult to find the perfect tree. We walk up and down the aisles with measuring sticks in hand and hunt for a tree that is both fabulous and that we can both agree on. They are either too skinny, too fat, too short or too tall. Eventually a tree is chosen and my part is done now my husband has to cut it down. Now since height is a huge issue for me I continually remind him while he is cutting to cut it close to the ground so as not to lose any height. As you might have guessed that doesn’t go over real well.

My husband cutting down the tree and my father in-law supervising.

Once the tree is down we haul it to the main building. There they take our “perfect tree” and shake it to knock off all the lose and dead needles and from there it goes through the bundler. All of these things you can find at any tree farm, but what sets The Old Homestead apart from the other tree farms is that they drill the trees. Anyone who has experienced the heartbreak of a fallen tree can appreciate this. Fallen Christmas Trees are horrible with broken glass, broken branches and they are a huge mess to clean up. At The Old Homestead each tree is centered and drilled to be placed on a spiked tree stand, that can be purchased there. Putting up the tree when we get home is a breeze. It’s been centered and drilled so we pop it on the stand and it is both straight and sturdy.

The grounds are really scenic and there are many nice spots for photo ops.

The Old Homestead is the greatest tree farm. It is such a fun family friendly business. They have wreaths, bows, and stands and even a food truck like you would find at a carnival with things like chicken & fried oreos. Best off all are the prices my tree was 8ft and cost $42. If had bought an 8ft tree on Long Island it would have cost way more and not been as fresh.

Our perfect tree!

Posted in Family, Family Fun, Holidays, Life | Tagged christmas tree, Cut down your own tree, fresh cut trees, holiday traditions, Old Homestead Tree Farm, perfect tree, Tree | Leave a comment

12 Days of Christmas: Day 12 Jim Thorpe, PA

Posted on December 14, 2013 by mommydaybyday

We are now fully immersed in the holiday season. And with the holiday come a flurry of holiday traditions. My family kicked off the holidays with our annual trip to Jim Thorpe, PA over Thanksgiving weekend.

Jim Thorpe is a quaint old town in Pennsylvania where my family starts off there holiday shopping. This annual trip is always the Saturday after Thanksgiving which works out perfectly because it coincides with Small Business Saturday. In addition to taking advantage of holiday sales, shortening our lists we are also helping out local businesses.

We pile the kids and cousins in the mini van and head to Jim Thorpe. We always start at the Mauch Chunk 5 & 10. A 5 & 10 is a rare find these days and never disappoints. Chock-full of goodies holiday items, gloves, hats, toys everything and anything you might need at reasonable prices.

From there we head down to the Gem Shop, by far my favorite shop in town. The Gem Shop has gorgeous jewelry as well as hats, gloves, shoes, and accessories. The Gem Shop is a fabulous find because they carry quality trendy jewelry at reasonable prices. Many a gift has been purchased for my friends and family at the Gem Shop throughout the years.

Not all the stores are family friendly and the kids definitely get a little ancy as we make our way up the main drag of town but the promise of candy at the end of the journey usually keeps them in line. Aptly named End of the Rainbow candy store the kids have their choice of handmade chocolates and candies. However, my kids usually pick nerds rope and gum- there is no accounting for taste.

This year an added bonus was a scavenger hunt many of the stores were hosting. This was new to us and the kids and adults enjoyed the fact that they were kept busy and searching for the scavenger hunt pictures.

Missing this year was the horse and carriage ride through town. Normally you can take a horse and buggy ride and the kids all climb on in their Santa hats and take a ride around the town. Great photo op and the kids love it they even know the driver and the horse’s name they have done it so many years. I hope they bring it back next year.

Posted in Community, Family, Family Fun, Shopping, Travel | Tagged holiday shopping, holiday tradition, holiday traditions, horse and buggy ride, Jim Thorpe, Jim Thorpe Pennsylvania, Mauch Chunk 5&10, shopping, Small Business Saturday, The Gem Shop | Leave a comment

Kidz Vuz Holiday House Party #KVHoliday

Posted on December 12, 2013 by mommydaybyday

At the start of the Holiday Season my daughters and I were lucky enough to get invited to the Kidz Vuz Holiday House Party in NYC. We loved this event last year and were looking really looking forward to it this year.

The Holidays are filled with excitement and my daughters love to go into the city. We headed into Manhattan and the traffic Gods were smiling and we made pretty good time. Once we arrived we were immediately drawn into the party atmosphere. It was intoxicating as we browsed the two floors of the penthouse filled with fabulous sponsors and hot Holiday gift ideas. Kids Vuz is a site all about kids by kids. It’s a place were kids are allowed to have their say. Since they are all about kids they don’t miss a beat when they plan this event they make sure to make it fun for the kids.

I love mingling and talking with the sponsors about the products but my kids really enjoy getting a chance to try out all the games and toys. I was thrilled because my youngest had put “Zoomer” on her list and I had no idea what that was. Well apparently I was living under a rock because it is the hottest toy for the holidays.

Here are my top 10 fab finds from the Kidz Vuz Holiday House Party.

1.) Zoomer the Dog from Spin Master Toys. By far one of the most popular toys we saw that day. A robotic dog ingenuous! All the great things about having a dog without all the cons; the dog hair, allergies, poop, training, etc. We were able to try him out and give commands and it worked really well Zoomer was able to respond to our commands. You always worry with voice commands if they are actually going to work as well as they do on TV but no worries here Zoomer delivers. Zoomer is going to be a big hit Christmas morning.

2.) Nerf Rebelle from Hasbro My girls loved these nerf guns. They had such a great time shooting the crossbow and guns. They had no trouble figuring them out and were sharp shooters by the time we left. Fun for all ages.

3.) Furby Boom from Hasbro.

Furby is back with an interactive twist. Furby can now interact with a free app on your ipad. In addition to taking care of Furby you can collect hatch and raise furblings with the app. Everytime my 10 year old was out of eyesight I found her playing with the Furby Boom. Both of my younger daughters have Furby Boom on their list.

4.) Twister Dance Rave from Hasbro Although we did not get a chance to play this game I love the idea of it. This twister game integrates dancing and music with no mat but rather colored dots. You can use your own playlists by plugging in your Ipod/ Iphone. What a great idea. It looked like it would be a lot of fun a dance twist on a classic game.

5.) The Official DC Superhero Cookbook published by Downtown Bookworks. My husband is a real superhero fan so I just couldn’t resist this cookbook. Can you just imagine Superman in the kitchen wearing an apron measuring out ingredients and following the directions? I love it. More than 50 easy recipes a great gift for superhero fans of all ages.

6.) Crafty Pants Clever Costumes published by Downtwon Bookworks. All moms at one time or another have fashioned a costume from things around the house. It’s part of what we do which is why I thought this book craft kit was awesome. This book has over 50 clever DIY costume ideas and includes the duck tape, satin, double stick tape and supplies you need to make them. Perfect gift for crafty moms and kids.

7.) Samsung Galaxy Tablet Everyone who knows me knows that I am an Apple Girl. I have Iphones, Ipads & Imacs. Therefore I didn’t expect to be too impressed by the Samsung Galaxy Tablet, but I have to tell you I was! It had really great features. You can circle an internet site with the stylus and it bookmarks it for you. You could write a contact down with the stylus and it converts your handwriting and adds the person to your contacts. It was those little things time saving features I really liked. I might have to start rethinking my tablet purchases!

8.) Samsung Galaxy Tab 37.o for kids. Samsung has this tablet designed for kids. It is slightly smaller than their regular tablet and is very kid friendly. Although not included I also liked the bumper case. It seemed as though you could drop it and it wouldn’t be cause for heartbreak. It had a kid friendly interface, parental controls and great apps and games. I also liked that you could convert it to a standard mode when the kids are done playing.

9.) Clear Start fromDermalogica My favorite part of Christmas is the stocking stuffers. I love all the fun things that you find in your stocking. I thought this Clear Start gift set would be the perfect stocking stuffer for my teenage daughter since it is never to early to start taking care of your skin. Everyone wants clear and healthy skin and Dermalogica promises to deliver. However unlike other skin products they are gentler on your skin.

10.) Activity Books from Iscream. Another great stocking stuffer this time for tweens. It’s sometimes difficult when girls are at that “tweeny” age to find appropriate gifts for them. These activities books were fab and my ten year old loved them. There are several to choose from and each features different activities games and puzzles.

Other great sponsors worth checking out

1. HomewoodSuites by Hilton (@HomewoodSuites) Our Title Sponsor wasthe affordable, all suite, Homewood Suites by Hilton– coming to NYC soon! Congrats to Adam Cohen (aka DadaRocks) for winning a $100 Fresh Direct gift card from Homewood Suites by Hilton!
audible.com (@audible_com)Take your whole library with you!
Nintendo America (@NintendoAmerica)- Family games like the awesome Mario franchise, Wii, WiiU, Wii Fit, 3DS, 2DS.
Spin Master Toys Featuring the wonder of Flutterbye Fairy, and the super cute Kawaii Crush! (@kawaii_crush)
The ESRB. (@OKtoPlay) Making sure you know what your kids are playing.
The Broadway League -(@TheBwayLeague) bringing Kids Night on Broadway to theatres around the country.
@FairwayMarket, @StonefireNaan, @GoGreenMustache @ChloesFruit, @Zico. Yummy, healthy food and drink!
@FuziPop – making it a party!