Jumpin-Beans

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I am all about trying to give thoughtful gifts.  It means so much if you really think the person will like it and you are not just giving a gift to give one.  You know what else is pretty awesome?  When the gift is more than the gift to the recipient.  Don't know what I mean? Well, at World Visions, when you purchase a gift, it is doing more than just being a gift from you to the person that gets the physical gift.   It also provides for families around the world.  Let me try and explain even further: Balinese Multi-Strand Necklace   You see this necklace?  It is a beauty!  (Even more so in person!) If you donate $85 (or more) you will receive this gorgeous necklace that you can keep or give to a loved one.

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I know books are not for everyone, but around here, we love them!   Books are great gifts not only for the story they tell,but also for the education (they are reading you know!)  I remember growing up, my Nana would make me read the newspaper to her.  If I did not know a word, she would make me look it up in the dictionary and learn it.  No, I did not read the WHOLE paper to her, but she would pick an article out and make me read it to her.  I think that was what started my love of reading.  You know, you can find many things out by reading about it.  Another way my love of reading grew? Frequent trips to the library!   She lived near the library, so you better believe we made daily trips there during the summer!!!!  Now

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. We were so lucky to receive several hand me downs when we found out we were having a girl.  I was so thankful and even now it amazes me how lucky we really are.  (When Broxton was born, we had one friend give us like 15 outfits,so very thankful, but that was all in the hand me down department.) With Savannah, we have been given several dozen outfits, shoes, toys and more. Can you tell we are super thankful for having a niece a little older than Savannah?  Yes, we do have plenty of things for her and this girl has more shoes than I know what to do with... but the fact remains that she had not ONE PAIR OF SHOES to fit her at her age now.  For real, she has about 40 pairs of shoes, but they are all for when she is a bit bi

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I hope your house is much better than ours.  Towards the end of October, Broxton started not feeling well.  At first he just said it was his throat. Of course with Halloween, he miraculously felt better... I mean, what child doesn't want to participate in trick-or-treating when it only happens once a year?  He enjoyed that night, but then he started in again about not feeling well.  I knew he was really coming down with something when he wasn't feeling well when he was with his friends and did not even eat pizza. (He can pretty much ALWAYS eat pizza!)  Once we got home that night, we busted out our brand new exergen smartglow thermometer.  He had a fever of 103.9.  Broxton has NEVER had a fever that high, so I k

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Do you fill stockings for your children?  I know Santa comes and brings things, but do you do stockings and stuff them from family?  The reason I ask is because the last couple years, Broxton's school did a stocking for each child in the class and we all sent in different treats for them to have for Christmas.  That got me thinking... So last year I did stockings for all the boys.  You know what is good for them?  Hygiene items... and new toothbrushes.  They don't live here, so they don't have toothbrushes that they leave here (We tried in the past, but they would argue over who had what color, so we quickly ended that one!)  I figure it is nice to fill their stockings with things they need (and a fun g

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. A little over a month ago, I was driving down the street and noticed that there was a new pizza place getting ready to open.  I stopped by and spoke to the owner.  He seemed to be a nice guy and I LOVED that he was planning to be so involved in our community.  I tell you, it is people like this that makes you proud of where you live!!!   Well, they opened up and seem to be doing great, so we finally got the time to go and check it out.  Come to find out, there are Marco's Pizzas all over the place and seems like everyone I know has been to one and has nothing but great things to say about it.  It was our first (and for sure not last) time there. Now, I get to share with you about the one that just opened up in Powder

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I am a proud mama.  There is no denying that, no hiding it or anything.  I have  a sweet and smart boy and besides his talking too much (he gets it honest!)  he really is a good kid.  The latest thing to make me even more proud of him?  His love of math and how he actually does really good in it. (That would be from his papa and his uncle!) He is always asking what this plus this is... or that minus that...  Not wanting to crush his love of numbers, but it gets difficult to do the math he is throwing out when he is going 90 to nothing with what is 64 +7+19+82?  I am okay in math, but this boy can talk FAST and he wants the answer then...  Now, I can tell him to get his watch out to figure the answer out.   We were sen

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Have you ever received a gift and the gift giver be so excited that they could not wait??? That is what happened with this review!   We were sent the latest Kidz Bop (number 30) along with number 29 and the Christmas version.  The recipient of these CD's?  My sons school. Between the school gym teacher using them for P.E.  (talk about a great way to get kids moving... He incorporates push ups / jumping jacks in with the whole Whip-Nae Nae song! ) to the PTA using them for school functions.  This was a great gift for the holidays!!!   He was so excited that I had to snap a picture on my phone, in the car as soon as we opened the mail because he was ready to give them right that minute!      Kidz Bop should be on

This is a Sponsored Post.   10 Ways to Save Money During the Holidays When it comes to the holidays, the final quarter of the year is full of cheer, excitement, family and friends. But for many folks, the holiday season also means a lot of extra expenses that can be hard to prepare or plan for, especially if you have little ones running around. The holidays don’t have to mean the undoing of your budget and a bank account panic! Our friends over at Got Bugs? put together this awesome list of ways to save money during the holidays ­­ all without having to sacrifice the excitement and fun that comes along with them! 1. Make a budget in advance.  This seems like a given, but one of the best ways to reign in your excessive spending this holiday season is to make a budget well in advance of your holiday planning­­ and it’s not too late! Figure out exactly how much you want to spend­ and can afford to spend this holiday season. Be sure to include money spent on:  ● Gifts ● T

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. As Christmas gets closer and closer, I know some are looking for perfect books to add to their gifts.   I normally give Broxton a book or two for gifts, but the last few years, we started doing a countdown to Christmas.  With that, I take old books we already have and mix in new books that are gifts for him.  Once I numbered them 12 - 1.   Normally The Night before Christmas is number 1... then, I let him pick one to open.  (You can number them to be opened a certain way, or just let them pick one each night to open, totally up to you. There is no right or wrong way to do this.  Some people do it each night in December, we have done that before too.   Oh yeah, I have mixed in Christmas books with others and we have a

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Are you on that loves flowers, or could you care less about them?   I remember before I was married, I thought it was so sweet when my co-workers husbands / boyfriends would bring them flowers when they came to see them.  When Marc and I married, I was so excited the first time he walked in with flowers for me!!!!    Through the years, I have been surprised with flowers from time to time and even now at 6 years old, Broxton knows a great treat for me would be a special thing of flowers.  No, it doesn't have to be a fancy arrangement, I love the weeds from the yard, because that means he was thinking about me.  (That does not mean I don't love the nice flowers too, I am just saying I love ALL flowers!)   When I lea

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Image Credit - It'Sugar There is no denying that candy is a big part of childhood for many people.  Maybe you did not get to eat it often and it was a special treat to have a piece when you went to grandma's?  Maybe you all shared a box of sweetness when you went to the movie?  As a child, I remember walking to the local store with my Nana and us buying some candy from time to time.  You know, back when you could get a little brown paper bag and have an assortment of treats that were like 5 cents each or something!  (Am I showing my age now?)   Well, if you have classic memories like that, you might want to take a trip down memory lane and head on over to IT'SUGAR to see what all they carry.   I think