Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Do You Have A #Fathead? We Do!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product in order to facilitate this review. Although a product was received, all opinions are my own and my experiences are in no way influenced by any outside means. 

We have always had a love/hate relationship with our boys sharing a room. I love the fact that all of their toys, crap, games, bedding, etc. is confined to one room, but it is really hard to find them both a way to express themselves without leaving the other one out. We tried to divide the room into two "halves", one for Tater, one for Bean, but that didn't work out. So, we were stuck with finding something that would work for both of them. Enter Fathead.com. Problem solved! 

When we got the chance to review one of Fathead's giant wall decals, I was thrilled, but a little worried. Would we be able to find something to fit both boys personality? Could the hubby and I actually pull this off (literally and figuratively), and make it look decent? What if we decide to change their room, could we do that without a big hassle? I wasn't sure, but I was excited to find out! 

Well, we solved the problem of which Fathead to get pretty quickly once we saw that the website had Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles wall decals. My boys are BOTH obsessed with TMNT, and I knew that this would be the perfect theme to blend big boy/ little boy rooms together with ease! We chose the "epic" Shredder Battle scene for the boys' room, and they were both super excited when it arrived! I must say, shipping was super fast, and everything arrived packaged just perfectly, so no worries there! 


Looks pretty cool, doesn't it!! This wall decal is nothing short of amazing! It is an amazing 5'10" wide and stands at 4'3" tall, so it is wayyyy taller than my boys, without a doubt! I also really liked that you get some pretty cool "extras" with your wall decal as well. The photo below shows everything you actually get with your Fathead. This was a great surprise, and gave us enough "extras" to hang stuff on their other walls as well. One wall was already covered with TMNT and Mario posters, so now their room is complete! 


Now, for the real work! Getting this sucker on the wall proved to be a real task! Now, I'm gonna be completely honest, I love my hubby, but we don't work so well together on "projects". (FYI, all of our threats of divorce have come during putting together toys on Christmas Eve!). So, I knew going in that this was going to be a task. In retrospect, it would have been a better idea to get my sister to come help me, or a neighbor to help hubs do it, but no, we decided to do it together. And therein lies problem #1. 

Now, don't think that this means that there was a problem with the actual Fathead itself. The problem was definitely in the operators!! Fatheads are made from a thick durable vinyl, and you have to carefully peel each piece back to stick them to the wall. You have to do this carefully. Some people in my household don't know the meaning of the word carefully, so this was difficult for us.... Now, this particular Fathead comes in three separate pieces, and you have to match them up on the wall to form the big mural. This is great since it doesn't leave you holding this gigantic piece of vinyl, trying to attach it to the wall. 

However, as I said previously, hubs and I are a bit challenged when it comes to following any sort of directions. So, we started out strong, but by midway through the first piece of vinyl, we were in trouble. Donatello's sword was falling over, getting stuck to the back of his head, Leo's leg was bending backwards and getting stuck to his other leg, etc, etc. You can see where this could get very messy, very quickly. I found out right away that once you get the Fathead stuck to itself, it's pretty hard to unattach.  You have to be verryyyy gentle, and carefully peel back the pieces while your husband holds the entire thing up in the air, sighing impatiently. 

Ahhhh, marital bliss! 


But, we made it through! If we get another Fathead, which we are already talking about doing, we will be getting one that is a simple square or rectangle. No crazy cutouts for us! Now, don't let this deter you from getting a Fathead with crazy cutouts. Simply take your time, chill out, drink a beer before you start! Don't rush through it like we did, and preferably  hang it with someone other than your spouse! But, like I said, we finished, and the only real issue was that somehow we got tilted/shifted the other direction, so one of our turtles is kinda up on the ceiling a little bit! However, the boys are none the wiser, and they love it! They think that Raphael is jumping in from the ceiling to fight Shredder, and I'm okay with that! 


I am in love with the boys room now, it looks so much better, and it finally has a "theme", which they both love! I can't say enough good things about how great the wall decals from Fathead are! They have held up just fine so far, no fading, no peeling, no falling. And, the one thing that I REALLY love?? If we decide to move, we can simply peel our Fathead back off, put it back on it's liner, roll it back up and take it with us! That is a great bonus, so you don't have to feel like they are permanent! They can go with you if you move, or they can come off if you decide you want a change, with no damage to your walls! 

Fathead has way more besides just Ninja Turtles too! I think we will definitely be investing in more Fatheads as the boys get older, since I found TONS of celebs and sports figures that I can already see lining their walls when they get older. Can't you just see something like this on a teenage boy's wall? 

And, I think my sweet little niece NEEDS this princess castle in her room: 

Heck, I even found some wall decals that I like for decorating other parts of our house too!
Umm, instant window for hanging above my desk, or over the sink for when I do dishes? Yes, please! 

And, I would totally hang this beautiful Van Gogh Fathead in the living room!! 
My point is, what you've seen on TV... the giant heads, the monster trucks, the football guys? Yes, Fathead has all of that stuff, but they have way more than that! It's so far beyond giant heads now, it's crazy! Of course, if you are in the market for a giant head, this is the place to get one too, but, you already knew that! So, I'm telling you, before you buy anything to hang on your walls, head on over to Fathead.com, check them out, and surprise yourself! 

Monday, April 22, 2013

Celebrate Crayola's 110th Birthday!!

Can you believe Crayola is celebrating their 110th birthday? That is crazy! To celebrate, the eight original crayons are throwing a huge birthday bash at The Crayola Experience, which is the world's only Interactive Family Crayola Attraction. Right now, we're helping them spread the news, and telling you how you can join the fun! 


How can you join in on the fun? You can FOLLOW the crayons on their adventure, LEARN more about each color and enter to WIN a trip for 4 to celebrate their birthday and the Grand Opening of the all new Crayola Experience this coming May, 2013!

Visit the Crayola Facebook page and click "enter now" for your chance to be first in line when the Crayola Experience reopens.

The new Crayola Experience features four floors of new interactive exhibits and one-of-a-kind attractions that will bring the magic of color and your child's creativity to life! The winner will be among the first to experience the fun, along with a three- night, all-expenses paid stay. It's an experience your kids will never forget - and neither will you!

Disclosure: Crayola provided the information above and will provide me with a box of the limited edition 110th birthday pack!

A Beautiful Spring with Rimmel London #GIVEAWAY! FIVE WINNERS- Smoky Eye Prize Pack!

It's time for a great giveaway! Yay!!! It's spring time, and that means new beginnings, and fresh starts! Nothing better to give you a fresh start than a fresh new look, right? I don't know about you guys, but any occasion to get new makeup is good for me! We have some awesome new products from Rimmel London to share with you guys today, and we are going to give you a chance to win too! Yay! 

Here's how to get the perfect smoky eye! 




The first product that we have to tell you about is the awesome ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner. This eyeliner is really great, it goes on easy and smooth. This eyeliner is perfect for a smoky eye! It's smudge proof and sweat proof, which is great, and it's only $4.49! It also comes in ten different shades! 



Next up? ScandalEyes Eye Shadow Sticks! I LOVE eye shadow sticks, they are so easy to apply, no mess, no stress! These eye shadow sticks are $4.49 each and come in nine different shades. I love the way they look when they go on, shiny and not at all messy! Perfect! 



And, our next product? The new GlamEyes HD Eye Shadows!  I LOVE these, they are so adorable! Each tiny little palette comes with four different shades, and it goes on velvety and creamy. It lasts all day too, you don't have to worry about it coming off! These palettes come in eight different shades, and they are $5.71 each. What I really love about these is that they come with the guide printed on the case, so you know just what to do with each shade! 



And, last but not least? Our final product? Just your new FAVORITE mascara! This is the Rimmel ScandalEyes Show Off Mascara! It retails for $6.99, and it is great mascara for volume and lift! This is my new favorite mascara, and I love it! I know you will too! 


All About Rimmel London/ Where To Buy: 
Rimmel’s extensive range is kept bang up-to-the-minute as it translates the look of London into new shades, products, packaging and advertising. But however creative and fashion-forward, Rimmel products are always easy to use, versatile and accessible, designed to encourage experimentation and self-expression.Rimmel products are available at CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and Target. A store-locator is coming to the Rimmel site soon.

OUR GIVEAWAY! YAY! 
This time, we are going to choose FIVE lucky winners! Each winner will win a prize pack to help  them achieve the perfect smoky eye! Here's what the prize pack will include: 

  • 3 each ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner
  • 3 ScandalEyes Eye Shadow Sticks
  • 2 Glam’Eyes HD Eyeshadows 
  •  1 ScandalEyes Show Off Mascara
That is a super great prize pack, worth about $45! You can't beat that! Go, go, go! Enter now and tell your friends! 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winner will be chosen via random.org for Rafflecopter and winners will be contacted via email. The winners will have 48 hours to contact me via email. Giveaway ends 4/26/13 at 11:59 pm EST. Open to US winners 18 and over. I received sample products in order to conduct this review. All giveaway products will be supplied and delivered by the sponsor. 

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Olay Fresh Effects= Perfect Beauty Products!



I always LOVE to check out new products, and I am especially partial to health and beauty products! I think every girl is, aren't they? So, I was beyond thrilled when I got the chance to try out some of Olay's new Fresh Effects products! 

Here is a little bit about each of the new products and what they have to offer: 








Va-Va-Vivid!- Powered Contour Cleansing System: This powerful brush with super-soft, supple bristles gently massages your skin for a healthy-looking glow and a full-face cleansing.

Shine, Shine Go Away!- Shine Minimizing Cleanser: This cleanser has all the purifying power of a mask, but lathers and rinses like a daily cleanser to remove 2X more dirt, oil, and make-up than basic cleansing.

Bead Me Up!- Exfoliating Cleanser: Foaming bubbles and exfoliating microbeads come together to gently purify and lift away dirt, while softly scrubbing your skin for a beautifully fresh, healthy look.


S’Wipe Out!- Refreshing Make-up Removal Cloths: These special pre-moistened cloths are covered in cottony-soft cleansing pockets  to lift away dirt and makeup – even waterproof mascara – in a flash.

Long Live Moisture!- Satin Finish Lotion: Lose the shine and get satiny active moisturizers keeping your skin soft and smooth for up to 24-hours!

BB Cream!- Skin Perfecting Tinted Moisturizer with Sunscreen: An all-in-one solution for instantly brighter-looking, smoother-feeling, more even skin tone.

I tried all of the great new Fresh Effects products, and I love them! The BB Cream was definitely my favorite! I have bought two more tubes of it since using my samples, and I love the way it makes my face feel! Also, it is a great way for me to remember to use sunscreen, since that is a big problem for me! 

The Shine Minimizing Cleanser is also one of my favorites, since I always have issues with my greasy skin. 

Bottom line? I would highly recommend these great products to anyone looking to jazz up their beauty routine! These Fresh Effects products are a great way to do just that! And, they are super affordable, between $5-$15 each, so you can try them all out without breaking the bank! 

Follow Olay on Facebook, and on Twitter for news and special offers.


Disclosure: The Olay Fresh Effects product, information, and gift card have been provided by Olay.

Friday, April 12, 2013

The Kitchen Is More Fun With Mats From Consolidated Plastics! Plus #GIVEAWAY!




Most of you that know me, know that my hubby is the cook in our family. He is the one who works in a restaurant, he is the one that makes up delicious recipes in his head without ever looking at a cookbook or pinning a thing to Pinterest like me! He is the brains and the brawn in the kitchen, and I am very lucky to have a guy that likes to cook, and better yet, is good at it! However, the one thing my hubby does complain about is how uncomfortable our kitchen is. After spending all day in a fancy, commercial kitchen, our little tiny kitchen is just too small for him. The other thing he complains about is how much his feet hurt. At his job, they have special anti fatigue floor mats that are approved by their corporate offices to make sure they help keep their feet from hurting, and don't slip. However, at home, we just have our regular old tile floor. When my hubby comes home from a long day at work, and wants to cook dinner, he goes from standing on those nice mats, to standing on our hard floor, and it doesn't take long for his feet to start hurting. 

That was then, this is now! When we got the chance to review some awesome floor mats from Consolidated Plastics. Consolidated Plastics is an awesome company that makes some great therapeutic mats for both commercial and home use. When we got the chance to try out one of their Ultra Comfort Mats, I was thrilled! I knew these would make a big difference in our home! We received one of the extra large Ultra Comfort Mats in chocolate, and it matches our kitchen perfectly! I was really happy with this mat! It looks great, not at all what I would think of for a "commercial" floor mat! It matches the decor perfectly, and looks just like a normal rug! But, it's like standing on heaven! LOL! It really does feel like standing on a cloud! This mat was big enough to go in front of our stove, sink, and even part of our counter! (Told you we have a tiny kitchen!) But, I love it, because I can do dishes without my feet hurting! 

My hubby was so shocked when he came home and saw this mat! He loves it! He thought it was a normal rug at first until he stepped on it! I love that this mat has a rubber backing so it won't slip. The face of the mat is soft and velvety, but it is durable and hides stains well! My hubby loves to cook when he gets home now, he doesn't dread his feet hurting like he did before! And me? Well, I won't say I LIKE washing dishes, but it sure is better than it was before LOL! 

Consolidated Plastics has other mats too! We also received one of these great Majestic Half Oval Entrance Mats, and I love it! The best thing about this mat is that it is eco friendly! The carpet top is made from 100% post consumer PET plastic drink bottles, and the bottom rubber backing is made from 15% post consumer recycled tires! I LOVE that! Plus, this mat looks great, and it has these great grooves and ridges that helps to get all of the dirt off of my boys' shoes (and believe me, there is a lot!) when they come in the door! These mats are really great, I love the way they look, and I have gotten a ton of compliments on this one! I am really liking this one, and thinking of buying a few more in different colors soon! 

Okay, now for you guys! Consolidated Plastics has given us another of their great Ultra Comfort Mats to give away! This one is dovetail grey and it is gorgeous! It can really make your kitchen a better place to be! If you want to enter to win, just leave a comment below and tell me why you want to win! Leave your email address too so I can contact you if you win! Contest will end in one week, so hurry! 

I received a review product to facilitate this post, however, all thoughts are my own! 

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Our House Is Loving #Transformers #Beast Hunters!



With two boys in my house, it is no secret that we have to try every new toy for boys as soon as it comes on the market. That is just the way it is! So, when the new Transformers Prime Beast Hunters were announced, the boys knew they just had to get their hands on them! There are several new toys coming out right now, and they are all awesome! There truly is something for everyone!  The new toys include, TRANSFORMERS PRIME BEAST HUNTERS DELUXE Assortment (Approximate retail price: $14.99) TRANSFORMERS PRIME BEAST HUNTERS VOYAGER CLASS Assortment (Approximate retail price: $19.99) KRE-O TRANSFORMERS BEAST HUNTERS RIPCLAW STRIKE Building Set (Approximate retail price: $16.99). Buy them HERE!





I knew that my boys would LOVE these new Transformers, and I was right! We were sent the Predaking figure to try out, and the boys were soooo excited! Here's some important Predaking info if you need to know:



Take your Transformers adventures to the next level with this incredible Predaking figure and his twin Hydrafire blasters! Whether he’s in robot mode or dragon mode, he’s a scary enemy for any Autobot, and his twin Hydrafire blasters give him huge firepower against his Autobot enemies. Attach his hydra heads in dragon mode, where his tail becomes a sword! Keep converting him back and forth so he can handle whatever you throw at him!  Figure comes with accessories.

This guy is awesome! While he was a bit too much for my little guy (Transformers are recommended for ages 5 and up), my big guy was the perfect size for him! Transformer or Dragon? What's the best way? We couldn't decide, and I bet your kiddos will have a hard time deciding too! Bottom line? These new Transformers Prime Beast Hunters toys are great, and if you have a boy that you shop for, make sure that these are on your list! You can get all the new Transformers Beast Hunters HERE, and make sure you follow on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest news and updates! 


Disclaimer: I am part of the Mom It Forward blogger network. Mom It Forward and Hasbro partnered in support of this campaign. Hasbro compensated me for participation in this campaign. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

My One Year Heart Surgery Anniversary

I was reading an article the other day about the NYU Cardiac Center and all the great work they do there, and it got me thinking. March 29 was my one year heart surgery anniversary. The whole process was so surreal to me and I still can not believe that it is one year out from the surgery. I was so so scared and I just couldn't even process my feelings on that day. But, now, one year later, I am just extremely and incredibly thankful for the way that science has progressed and made things better for my whole family. 

The whole process of the surgery in and of itself was just so surreal and strange. I was awake for the whole procedure, although I napped on and off during the six hours it took to get things done. I felt the catheter being put in,I felt the wire as it went through my groin up to my heart. I actually felt the doctor burning the extra pathways off of my heart. It was the most surreal and crazy thing I have ever experienced in my life. I remember the songs that were on the radio in the operating room, and when I hear them today, it takes me back to that very moment. So weird! 

I'm so grateful that technology and science has advanced so much in the past. My doctor told me that if I had needed this surgery ten years before, it would have been full on open heart surgery with them cutting my chest open, and it would have required around a week's stay in the  hospital. This time, it was just overnight, and I had a tiny little pinhole in my thigh. That's all. Crazy to think how much things have changed. I am so grateful that my heart is fixed and I am now able to live my life with my boys the way I always wanted to. I feel a peace that I have never felt in my life, and i know now that it is because that extra pathway in my heart is finally gone, and I can finally breathe easier. Literally. So, next time you go to the doctor to have a procedure done, just take a few minutes to think about how amazing technology and science actually is! It is wonderful, and I speak from personal experience! 

This has been a sponsored post, all thoughts are my own. 

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