Friday, August 31, 2012

Psi bands on travel


 From the Company:

Psi Bands (pronounced "Sigh Bands") are acupressure wrist bands for the relief of nausea due to morning sickness (pregnancy), motion sickness/ travel, chemotherapy, and anesthesia.

Unlike any product on the market, Psi Bands are: Drug-free, Adjustable, Comfortable, Fashionable, Waterproof, Reusable, and Affordable.

FDA-cleared Psi Bands are a stylish alternative for those who suffer from nausea. Check out "Our Mission" to learn more!
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I have to say when I received these bands that I was not sure what I was supposed to do with them and how such little cute bands could help my son with his car sickness.  I was soon to realize how wrong I was.  We planned a recent trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee where we were going to stay in a chalet. Anyone who has been to Gatlinburg knows those roads to get to your destination are very curvy.  So, I decided to have my son wear the Psi Bands to see if they would help him out.  I requested blue Psi Bands since that was his favorite color. When they arrived with flowers I wasn't sure he would try them.  He did and I'm so glad because during the entire to Gatlinburg and up the mountain to the chalet he didn't even get queasy like he usually does.  I was shocked.  These little bands are awesome!

Here are some retailers that sell the PSI Bands. http://www.psibands.com/retailers



The only thing I would have changed would of been to get a more masculine design.  They have several designs to choose from...I would recommend these Psi Bands for anyone who suffers from nausea.  I even tried them myself on a recent trip to a local amusement park with several fast spinning rides. And no nausea! Did I mention that these things are awesome?

I really like the black one with the squares. It looks pretty cool.

(Disclaimer: "I received a product to review as a member of the Living Your Moment {http://livingyourmoment.com} review team. All opinions are mine and mine alone. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255 concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising."

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Sports Illustrated Parent of the year contest

click here If you would like to to Sports Illustrated Kids magazine




Check them out on their website  http://www.sikids.com/
Like them on facebook https://www.facebook.com/SIKids



The “2012 SportsParent of the Year” Grand Prize Winner will receive a $1,000 gift card to support his/her child’s or community team’s sports needs! The winner may also be featured in an upcoming issue of Sports Illustrated Kids magazine and/or onSIKids.com.

SI Kids is providing their August tablet issue COMPLETELY FREE! The tablet edition has everything that the print magazine has, but also includes bonus photos and interactive features like games and sports cards that kids will love! Simply download the SI Kids app on iPad or Kindle Fire, and use these credentials to access this latest issue:

·         login: trialissue@sikids.com
·         password: free2012


disclosure: I will receive an SI Kids goody basket and a year subscription to Sports Illustrated Kids in conjunction with this post.

Bloggers Free Sign Up: $150 Paypal Cash Giveaway



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Monday, August 27, 2012

Purex Sweepstakes


http://insiders.purex.com/soft-scrub?id=44379t

This is soft scrub gentle sweepstakes. Check it out.




Saturday, August 25, 2012

You've Got A Friend movie day!


In 1976, 12 year old BOBBY GRAHAM, a recent orphan, moves to Albuquerque to live with his aunt and uncle. Determined to follow in his late father's creative footsteps, Bobby defies his uncle and teams up with the town recluse, Vietnam Vet JIM KLECAN, to build a soap box racing car and compete in the derby

Hallmark has done it again for a really great family movie.  That teaches you that There's No Limit To Your Dreams!  I really liked this show, It is a charming film about family, friendship and determination.  Bobby Graham (McLaughlin) is a twelve yr old boy who recently lost his parents in a car accident so he goes to live with his Uncle and Aunt. He and his dad had a dream of building a soap box car.  His Uncle thinks he is wasting his time but Bobby is a boy who won't let his personal problems get in the way of his dreams.  Even with all the odds stacked against him.  Bobby remains determined to prove himself with his new found confidence.  It is a story that will take you on an exciting race all the way to the finish line.  Will Bobby win the derby? Watch it and find out.  

This is a movie for the whole family.  I think this movie is about fatherhood also since Bobby had lost his father and misses him so much. He really wants a father figure and when his uncle dashes his dreams. Bobby turns to the town recluse that was once a soap box derby champion.  Bobby wants his uncle to help him build a soap box car but when his uncle refuses he then feels like he has no choice but to lie and say he is staying after school to play baseball when in fact he is visiting the former soapbbox derby champion.  When his uncle finds out, he is not happy but with the help of his teacher from school his uncle realizes that he never gave Bobby a chance to be himself. Also teaches you not to judge others.   The story is really a heartwarming, that teaches you to believe in yourself and your dreams can come true.


(Disclaimer: I received a sample of the above mentioned for review purposes only and all opinions are 100% my own)

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Knot Genie Detangling Brush



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Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Having fun with Gutzy Gear!


I can't believe that it is almost time to go back to school, so to "celebrate", we decided to have a GutzyGear party!
Everyone loves getting a new back pack for school but..does every one show off their back pack with style?  Introducing Gutzy Gear - a cool and fun way for kids to express themselves.  Gutzy Gear is a pair of straps that you velcro around the straps of your back pack and it also has velcro patches that you can buy to add onto the straps - so moms...so frets or fears - no iron ons or sewing involved - just stick it onto the velcro strap and you are good to go. The really awesome thing is the kids can collect them or trade them or just show them off.

You can see all the different patches that the kids can collect there are patches for girls as well as boys.  The cool thing is that this is such an awesome way for kids to show off their unique personalities, or just express themselves.  Both of my boys love these patches.  Check out http://gutzygear.com/ and like them on FB https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gutzy-Gear/158590874176485 
 
 
We had a great time with the GutzyGear games! This one is a domino game where the kids had to find the images to match.  They really had fun with this game.  Everyone was racing around the house trying to locate matches.  

 
 Here they are still looking for matches.  The pictures were hidden pretty good.

The matches have been found.  Time to move on to the next game called Gutzy which is like bingo except you don't call out bingo -  you call out G-U-T- Z -Y. The kids loved playing this game also.  

 
The kids had a great time with the G-U-T-Z-Y game. Dad and a couple of kids went to get pizza.  Here is what the the G-U-T-Z-Y board looks like.  Sort of like bingo but with awesome pictures of patches.

 
G-U-T-Z-Y game made them hungry, so time for pizza.  The girls were acting silly with their pizza.

Even Rio the parakeet had to check out the guest list.  Probably looking for crumbs from the pizza :)

Ok, wow - time has flown by and the kids have had so much fun - now time for cupcakes.  I made the toppers, can you guess my sons favorite color.  You got it, blue.  Well it's almost time to go so better hand out G-U-T-Z-Y GEAR for everyone so that they can enjoy showing off their brand new back pack for the first day of school.


Everyone smile and say Go Gutzy!


Here is my son's back pack for his first day which is Wednesday 8/22/12 He is already to go and loving his Gutzy Gear.  So moms and dads - get your kids some Gutzy Gear! They are so much fun.

I received Gutzy Gear for review purposes only all opinions are 100% my own.  Thanks Mom Select and Gutzy Gear for a great pary.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Hotel Transylvania video



HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA opens in theatres on September 28, 2012. 

Check this video out this movie is really fun.  I  can't wait to take my boys to see it.


Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Family Trip to Gatlinburg at Mountain Laurel Chalets!

Ah, the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee! This was our third year in a row visiting the Gatlinburg area. The great thing about this area is that you can decidedly make it your own experience. Whether spending the day hiking in nearby Great Smoky Mountains National
Mountain Laurel Chalets Office
Park, enjoying an exciting family adventure ziplining through the trees, or catching one of the great attractions in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, there is definitely plenty to do for everyone in your family.

Our family adventure in Gatlinburg began at the office of Mountain Laurel Chalets (www.mtnlaurelchalets.com) at 440 Ski Mountain Road. We decided on a two bedroom chalet called "Deer View Trail Chalet". Reserving a chalet online with MLC is extremely easy - they require a one-night deposit at the time of the reservation and then you finalize the reservation upon your arrival. The Mountain Laurel Chalets website is easy to navigate and provides many photos and reviews of each of the chalets (many have walk-through YouTube videos as well). Deer View Trail is actually the second chalet that we rented from MLC. We rented
Driveway to Deer View Trail
"Woodsmoke" two years in a row and were extremely pleased with the experience from check-in to check-out. In this post, I will walk you through our Mountain Laurel Chalets experience focusing on the Deer View Trail Chalet and our great two-day, three-night experience in the Gatlinburg area.

Upon our arrival at Mountain Laurel Chalets at about 6:00pm on Wednesday, we were cheerfully greeted at the front desk, paid our balance, and were presented with our key to Deer View Trail along with our pass to the Owner's Club. We didn't visit the Club on this trip, mainly due to weather, but we have in the past. The Club that we visited is very nice - 2 pools, tennis, and ping pong! We were told that bears were very active and to be on the lookout - oh, and make sure our trash was secure in the bear proof cages. We read in the literature that some bears had to be euthanized due to encounters with humans involving open trash. When you visit MLC, make sure to properly bear-proof your trash in the cages.

Deer View Trail is on Wiley Oakley Drive
So up the mountain we drove - I lose track of distance on the small curvy roads, but we traveled up Ski Mountain Road to Wiley Oakley Drive. It's extremely easy to become
Deer View Trail Chalet
disoriented and I found my GPS to be "less than reliable" on the mountain, so I recommend you listen to the directions provided by the office and have your passenger follow your progress on the provided map. Deer View Trail is at the end of a long secluded driveway and not visible from the road. Very nice for privacy!

We pulled up the driveway and immediately noticed a very nice single story chalet with an absolutely gorgeous view of the huge mountains behind Gatlinburg. There is plenty of room to park close to the chalet to make unloading the car a
View from Deer View Trail Patio
breeze. But first, we had to check out the chalet. Upon opening the front door and disarming the alarm, we were greeted by a large living area that includes the kitchen. You will find all the amenities of home - range, microwave, refrigerator, oven - now this is my idea of roughing it ;). You will need to bring any groceries and drinks, but silverware, cooking utensils, pots, pans, etc etc were all provided. At one point, I found myself wishing I brought a pizza cutter, but guess what - I found one in the drawer!
Kitchen

In the next room was the laundry room with full washer and dryer. You should bring detergent if you plan on doing laundry. Immediately adjacent was another large living room with a spectacular view of the rear patio and mountains. There is a dining table, and a very comfortable couch and chair. On both sides of this living area are the bedrooms. You descend a small set of stairs to either bedroom and each has a full bath. The master bedroom also
Laundry Room
has a small work area including a desk. The boys immediately found that the in-house wireless network was easy to connect to and fast! The fast Internet access was
The boys quickly found the hot tub!
much appreciated.

Every room has a door to the outside. The stone patio is very cool and has a stone ledge surrounding it. The patio essentially surrounds two sides of the house. The boys found the hot tub on the patio and immediately removed the cover in preparation of the night's relaxing soak.

There is nice patio furniture and a matching table to relax and enjoy your meals on the patio if you wish. On the first night, the sky was clear and we enjoyed a spectacular view of the stars and
Back Patio Area
even saw a few shooting stars!

Front Living Area with fireplace
We spent the first night grilling steaks on the provided charcoal grill (bring your own charcoal) and enjoying the meal on the back patio. Then a glass of wine for the grown-ups and a very enjoyable soak in the hot tub. We also played many games of pool in the front living area. The first night was a huge success in terms of relaxing and spending quality time with the family.

The next morning, I awoke to a beautiful view of the Great Smoky Mountains as soon as I
Master Bedroom
opened my eyes. Nice!! However, I was a bit nervous because my husband had booked a family adventure on Gatlinburg Ziplines for that morning (www.ziplinesfamilyadventures.com). After a sausage and egg breakfast, we headed down the mountain into town to find Gatlinburg Ziplines. Upon arrival and filling out the required paperwork, we were put into our zip gear by our father/son guide team, Joe and Christian. These guys are great - a genuine concern for the safety of the customers but in a very friendly and humerous atmosphere. The four of us were teamed up with eight other adventurers and jumped into a van and were driven about a mile to the zipline course. Gatlinburg Ziplines has nine ziplines
J on the zipline
that take about an hour - the entire adventure is about an
Me on the zipline :)
hour and a half. As this is my first zipline experience, I was very nervous. I was suprised that my 9-year old volunteered to be first in our group. The first zip was relatively short, just to give you the feel of zipping. I found that the hardest part is stepping off the platform into thin air! After you feel the rig catch you and you begin zipping, it's very fun. We had a great time at Gatlinburg Ziplines and
Z on the zipline
I highly recommend them for your Gatlinburg zip experience. I even went off backwards on a couple lines which is really a rush!

After ziplining, we headed to Food City and stocked up on lunch supplies. Then we headed back to Deer View Trail and enjoyed a family lunch. There were some afternoon storms and heavy rain, so the parents each grabbed a couch for an afternoon nap while the boys played pool. Life in the mountains .....

The skies were cloudy on the second night so no star gazing, but very enjoyable spending time with the family shooting pool and laughing.

On our second day, we took the boys into Pigeon Forge for a round of MagiQuest. This is a must-do if you have youngsters that are into wizards, dragons, and such. Fully interactive with a "magic" wand that keeps track of their progress in the game. For a nominal fee, the parents
The boys at MagiQuest
can join the kids' quests as guides as they rack up the quests. That evening, we took a drive up to Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It's a tough 1/2 mile hike from the parking lot to the observation tower (almost straight up) but definitely worth the effort. The mountain was shrouded in clouds when we
Observation Tower at Clingman's Dome
were there, so it was very cool and misty. There is also easy access to the Appalachian Trail from Clingman's Dome if you want to check that out (which we did).
Boys on the Appalachian Trail

Back at Deer View Trail, we enjoyed a third evening of hot tub, shooting pool, and generally spending some great quality family time. On Saturday morning we had the unwanted task of packing the belongings and locking up Deer View Trail for the last time (this year). As I looked back at this great little chalet, I found myself already looking forward to our next Gatlinburg adventure!


More Photos! 
Side Patio with fire pit



Very comfy couch!
Fireplace area in rear living room

TVs in bedrooms as well as living areas






Only 1/2 mile to go!!
Dad at Clingman's Dome

Guest Bedroom


Dining Area
Back Patio View
Me and the boys in the front living area
We loved the pool table!

Good bye, Deer View Trail. See you next time!



(Disclosure: I received 2 complimentary nights at the chalet for my review. All opinions are 100% my own)