Posts Written OnDecember 2012

Holiday Gift Guide Featuring HP, PetSmart, Hallmark & More

Nifty Mom's 2012 Holiday Gift GuideCan you believe Christmas is next week!?! I am finishing up some last minute shopping online and we going to venture out to a few stores late this weekend, UGH. Have you finished your shopping yet? I just wanted to remind you of my Holiday Gift Guide I put together this year that features some great products that I recommend for stockings, kids and that special someone. Some of the products you will find include an HP Portable Bluetooth Speaker, PetSmart’s Luv-A-Pet collection, and great holiday gifts from Hallmark.

HP Portable SpeakerThe HP Portable Bluetooth Speaker was the perfect pick for my husband. Apple? Android? PC?  It doesn’t matter as long it has Bluetooth capabilities, it will work with this speaker! It is small and light-weight with a sleek design. I love that I can easily move it from room to room in my house with no cords to mess with. It can be conveniently be placed anywhere and is great for the garage and patio. And the performance is superb, filling the room with a quality sound. Learn more at HP.com.

PetSmart Luv-A-Pet Bret Michaels PlushDo you have an animal lover in your life? Give a gift that gives back with PetSmart Luv-A-Pet products. The line includes plush animals, ultrasoft microplush blankets, and ornaments. With every product purchased, PetSmart donates 10% of the price to PetSmart Charities to help save homeless pets. How cute is this Bret Michaels Pets Rock Plush? View the collection on PetSmart.com.

Don’t forget to pick up greeting cards, ornaments, gifts and keepsakes from Hallmark. They have so many great products, I keep going back for more. Check out my review here of some of their holiday products.

Click here for my full 2012 Holiday Gift Guide.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

 

I received samples of the mentioned products and was in no other way compensated. All opinions are 100% my own.

5 Things to Consider Before Traveling This Holiday Season

  • Misc

 

The holidays are a great time to visit friends and relatives, but holiday travel can be a hassle. Learn how to take the stress out of holiday travel by making these five considerations prior to embarking on a trip.

Avoid Illness
Traveling can expose you and your family to cold and flu germs, but being proactive about staying healthy while on the go can greatly reduce your risk of becoming ill this holiday season.

Stay hydrated and pack healthy snacks to take on a lengthy car trip or flight. Wash hands frequently, and be sure not to touch your face after touching a railing, seat back or anything else that someone who is ill could have touched.

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The Panasonic Jetforce Multi-Surface Vacuum Makes Cleaning Easier

Panasonic Vacuum Review

Clean. Clean. Clean. Some days I feel like all I do is clean. With three little ones, the floors seem to get dirty in the blink of an eye and If I don’t vacuum or sweep it up right away, my 11 month old will find every little crumb or the tiniest piece of paper on the floor and try to eat it. I end up vacuuming at least three or four times a week and sweeping numerous times a day. Right now with all the Christmas decorations, I have been vacuuming more than usual because of the tree, garland and glitter from decorations that seem to get everywhere. My old vacuum couldn’t even get all the glitter out of the carpet and I have tried to vacuum it up at least ten times. But I finally have a vacuum that got it up and makes all the floor cleaning easier: The Panasonic Jetforce Vacuum MC-UL427.

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Potty Training Tips – High Fives & Pull-Ups #HuggiesWalmart

Huggies Pull-Ups and Potty Training Tips #HuggiesWalmart #CBias

My two older sons are 2 & 3 and are only 14 months apart in age. My two year old always wants to be like his big brother, do everything he does and follow his lead. My oldest has been pretty much potty-trained for awhile now and last week it was clear Chase wanted to be as well. One morning as Ethan got a new pair of underwear, Chase also got one, handed it to me and said he wanted to wear them too and be a ‘big boy like Ethan’. Throughout the day, he showed more signs of his readiness and eagerness to start his potty training journey. He would tell me when he wet his diaper and asked to sit on the potty a few times. I say it’s time for some training pants!

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How I Enjoy Restaurant-Style Salads at Home with Lean Cuisine #BYOL

Lean Cuisine Salad Additions #BYOL #CBias

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably know from my profile that ‘I am probably craving a salad right now.’ I enjoy them so much I could literally eat a salad for every meal. However, just because I am craving one doesn’t mean I get a chance to indulge in one daily. During meal time, I tend to only focus on my kids (3, 2 & almost 1). By the time I get their lunch prepared, food on the table and start to feed my 11 month old, I realize I forgot about myself. Most days I end up just grabbing some (unhealthy) snack foods and more days than not, I really don’t eat lunch.

My goal lately has been to stop skipping meals and start eating healthier. I would love to have a salad everyday, but I have to find something that is quick and easy to make. When I was making a late night run to Walmart last week, I may have found my match made in heaven.

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Cooking with Fisher Nuts Prize Pack Giveaway (Ends 12/28)

Cooking with Fisher Nuts

The holiday season typically includes extra time in the kitchen cooking and baking. To help make holiday cooking a little easier, Fisher Nuts is teaming up with Food Network Chef Alex Guarnaschelli, a regular judge on Chopped, to offer some simple twists for cooking with nuts. They have compiled a list of 10 Simple Twists on Cooking with Nuts. One of my favorite tips is to use nuts instead of breadcrumbs for added flavor and nutrition. A twist I can’t wait to try is to add a few nuts to some of the cooking liquid when slow cooking meat, blend it smooth and pour it back into the rest of the cooking liquid to naturally enrich the flavor and thicken the sauce.

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