My Crazy Life 2011 Holiday Gift Guide

This is my own Holiday Gift Guide. You will find products that I think are super cool and that I think would make awesome gifts this holiday season!



Gifts For Kids



Gifts For Adults

Sunday Drive 12-18

Here we go!!! It's time to hop on and take a Sunday Drive Around the Blogosphere! I hope you're all ready to link up and hop! Please follow at least 2 people, as well as the hostesses and BOW...

I know next Sunday is Christmas, but I do try to post the hop on Saturday evening anyway... I didn't tonight because of my 100th post... But, I will be posting the hop next weekend, for those of you who want to hop :)
Also, I'll post it for New Year's as well!


Okay, let's get right down to it.

This weeks BOW is:

Hello From the Kings!

This is a lovely blog about a family who wanted to keep their family up-to-date on their lives when they moved out of state. Now, she enjoys sharing her recipes, and lots of other fun stuff! Make sure you check out her super cute blog!

The rules are simple...
1. Follow your hostesses, Through the Eyes of a Tiger AND My Crazy Life, as well as the Blog of the Week (BOW) listed above. If you're new to our blogs, leave us a comment and we WILL follow you back! 2. Enter your link(s) in the hop below. (If you're linking your blog, please link ONLY your main page) Link up your blog, Twitter and/or Facebook! 3. Follow at least 2 other links... The more links you follow, the more followers you get!4. Leave a comment stating that you're from the Sunday Drive Hop, and make it RELEVANT to the post you're commenting on (PLEASE)5. HAVE FUN!!! 

If you'd like to be our Blog of the Week, simply fill out the form under the BOW tab at the top of the blog! We'd LOVE to showcase your blog, and make you a mandatory follow!

Sunday Drive Blog Hop 12-11-11

It's time to hop again! The rules are the same as always, and we have a new BOW. If you would like to have your blog featured on our hop, just fill out the Interest Form in the tab at the top! No one is in line for next week, so get that form filled out!

This week's Blog of the Week (BOW) is 

TruParkers

This is a brand new blog, with only a few followers, so let's show them some love! Still so new there isn't a button to post! That's okay, no blog is ever too small... After all, that's what blog hops are for, right? Let's help grow this blog!

RULES

1. Follow your hostesses, and the blog of the week. If you're new, leave a comment and we'll follow back!

Hostesses are:

Through the Eyes of a Tiger 

My Crazy Life

2. Link up your blog (main page only, please), Facebook, and Twitter pages!
3. Follow as many of the links as you'd like! The more you follow, the more followers you get! Make sure you leave a comment letting them know you're new and that you came from this hop!
4. Please add the hop button to your blog. This is NOT mandatory, but HIGHLY appreciated!!! The code is in my right sidebar!
5. Have fun!

Squid Soap ~ Review & Giveaway ~ Ends 12/20

Hand washing is extremely important as I am sure everyone knows. But did you know that only 30% of people who have coughed or sneezed wash their hands afterward? 1 in 3 Americans doesn't wash their hands after using the restroom... Kids are even worse! In a study of junior high school boys and girls, only 58% of the girls washed their hands after using the restroom, and only 48% of the boys did! Think about that next time you shake hands with someone you have just met!!!


Good hand-washing routines need to start early. If you establish good routines early on in life, they are more likely to stick around in later years. That is where Squid Soap from My Soap Time comes in. Squid Soap is really neat because on top of the pump it has a little marker that makes a dot on the top of your hand. When you wash your hands properly, and for the proper amount of time, the dot will wash away! This teaches children that you need to scrub your hands for a certain amount of time before they are actually clean, not just to run them under some water, or scrub them for a few seconds.

Squid Soap also has a really nice smell, so it makes you hands smell really nice after washing unlike some soaps. And it has a plastic top you can put over the marker for adults if you don't want to get the marker on your hands.

You can purchase Squid Soap online from My Soap Time. 
Would you like to win your own bottle of Squid Soap??


Giveaway Ends on 12/20/2011
Open to US residents ONLY

Another Earth ~ Review

Everyone Deserves a Second Chance

Re-Discover the Sundance Film Festival Favorite 
On Blu-ray Combo Pack November 29 

Summary: On the night a mirror Earth emerges in the sky, two lives are intertwined in a dramatic incident that will change them both forever.  In his directorial debut, Mike Cahill brings this provocative indie sci-fi film to life with outstanding performances from newcomer Brit Marling (Sound of My Voice) and William Mapother (TV’s “Lost,”World Trade Center).  Winner of the Special Jury Prize & Alfred P. Sloan Film Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, experience all the heartache and passion when ANOTHER EARTH comes to Blu-ray Combo Pack November 29th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. As an added bonus, consumers will receive two tracks from the band Fall On Your Sword, who provided the soundtrack to the film.

This "deeply emotional...extraordinarily profound" (USA Today) film became a must-see sensation at the Sundance Film Festival. "Beautiful, bright and fearless" (Associated Press) newcomer Brit Marling and fan favorite William Mapother (TV's “Lost”) star as Rhoda and John, two people whose worlds collide after a tragic accident. Their intimate drama plays out against the astounding discovery of Earth 2, a parallel world that poses provocative and fascinating possibilities.  Does a new Earth mean a chance at another life? Another destiny?  Another self?  “ANOTHER EARTH is science-fiction at its best" (The Hollywood Reporter) -- with a mind-bending surprise ending that you will never forget. 

Wow. That is pretty much all I can say about this movie. I loved it. It really makes you think about things. Everyone has always had the thought of "What if there is another world where there is someone just like me?" Well, in this movie, there is. I can't talk about this too much without giving too much away, but it really makes you think about how one simple act can change things so much, and how you can spend the rest of your life trying to make it right.

Also, this was really the perfect movie for my husband and I, because it was drama/chick flick enough for me, and Sci-fi enough for him!! He is a HUGE Sci-fi fan, and we have the most difficult time agreeing on movies to watch together. I would definitely recommend this movie (for adults) to someone wanting to have a cozy video night at home. We will definitely be watching this one again!!!

Mr. Popper's Penguins ~ Review

Mr. Popper's Penguins ~ Available on DVD and BluRay Dec. 6

What’s Black and White and Blu all over?

MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS

Debuting on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download December 6!

Summary: Just in time for the holidays, enjoy Jim Carrey (A Christmas Carol) in MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS, on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download on December 6th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.  The whole family will be full of laughs watching Mr. Popper, a driven businessman who is clueless when it comes to the important things in life until he inherits six, “adorable” and mischievous penguins.

As Mr. Popper quickly gets acquainted with – and increasingly attached to – his winged roommates, his  life quickly unravels: the deal he’s long been working on with a formidable socialiate, Mrs. Van Gundy, played by the acclaimed Angela Lansbury (Murder She Wrote, Beauty and the Beast),  is derailed and Popper almost lands in jail.  While Popper’s penguins turn his swank New York apartment into a snowy winter wonderland - they teach him valuable lessons about family- human and otherwise!

MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS is based on a novel, originally published in 1938, written by the husband and wife team of Richard and Florence Atwater.  Awarded the Newbery Medal in 1939, Mr. Popper’s Penguinsbecame a classic through generations, and is a staple on elementary school shelves to this day.  The Blu-ray and DVD bonus feature “The Legacy of Mr. Popper’s Penguins” highlights literary experts and family of Richard and Florence  Atwater telling the fascinating story behind the story..

From the director of Freaky Friday and Mean Girls, and the producer of Gulliver’s Travels and the Garfield franchise, MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS will be available on December 6, 2011 on Blu-ray, DVD, digital download and a limited edition MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS gift pack that includes the DVD and TY Beanie Plush Penguin – perfect gift for the holiday!  The Blu-ray and DVD also feature a never-before-seen animated short, “Nimrod & Stinky’s Antartic Adventure,” in which Zookeeper Nat Jones flies to the antarctic determined to get Popper's Penguins back.  The penguins, led by Nimrod and Stinky, outsmart him once again.

Mr. Popper's Penguins is a great story. Mr. Popper is a divorced businessman with 2 children. He receives the penguins as a gift from his late father. As you can guess, his kids are very excited about this. I don't want to give too much away, but during the course of the movie, Mr. Popper grows very fond of the penguins, and grows very close with his children as well. He realizes that he has been missing out on the important things in life.

All in all we really enjoyed this movie. I was a little skeptical when letting my 4 year old watch something with Jim Carrey, just based on the type of movies that he usually stars in, but it was totally kid friendly. This is a great family movie. My daughter really loved it and thought that it was really funny. It had her glued to the television for the entire movie. She now asks to watch it all the time!

Fun Bites ~ Review & Giveaway ~ (Ends 12/15)

I know that with my daughter, most times it is a challenge to get her to eat. I am always trying new foods and new ways of preparing them for her to try to get some calories in her. One thing she does love is sandwiches, and she loves to have them cut. I love the little sandwich cutters that cut them in cute shapes (My BFF Casey got her one that cuts it in puzzle pieces, super cute). Someone showed me FunBites online and I knew instantly that this was something that my daughter would love.

These cutters are not like most. First off, the have an insert that pushes the food out after you cut it, which is AWESOME!!! I don't know if you have ever tried to cut a sandwich with one of the regular cutters, but the soft bread sticks and sometimes will tear when you are trying to get it out, but not with the FunBites. Also, the bottoms are curved, so instead of pressing it flat down and smashing your food when trying to cut it, you simply rock it back and forth and it cuts it so easily. It was really so much nicer to use this when compared to the regular "flat" kind.

I received both the Cube It! and the Love It! for my review. My daughter picked the Love It! for her sandwich. She thought the hearts were so cute and could not wait to eat a "heart sandwich".

It really was super easy to do. And when you are done, just put the insert in, and throw it in the dishwasher! This would be great for toddlers needing bite sized pieces of food, or if you are having a party and you need some finger foods to serve!!!

Funbites has been awesome enough to provide my readers with a coupon code for FREE SHIPPING (US only) The code is mycrazylifedec2011 (expires 12/15/11)


Would you like to win a FunBites??? Guess what????? YOU CAN!!!!!

RULES:
You MUST be a public follower of my blog via GFC
Giveaway open to US residents only

Sunday Drive Around the Blogosphere ~ 12/04

We're REALLY late posting the hop, and that's my fault. I'm sorry! I will do better in the future, I promise :) Please remember that the hop runs all week, so get those links in! :)

The rules are the same as last week! And thank you to those who have filled out our BOW Interest Form! We will be doing these in order, so you WILL be a BOW very soon!


This week's Blog of the Week (BOW) is
See, Shop, Love!

A blog featuring beauty and skin care products, some food, and some eco-friendly products! Her most recent post is about ADORABLE crayons that look like egg-shaped cats (you have to see these) and they're made from soy! Eco and child friendly! Make sure you follow her!




1. Follow your hostesses, and the blog of the week. This is really a nice thing to do... If you're new, leave a comment and we'll follow back!
Hostesses are:


Through the Eyes of a Tiger
My Crazy Life


2. Link up your blog (main page only, please), Facebook, and Twitter pages!


3. Follow as many of the links as you'd like! The more you follow, the more followers you get! Make sure you leave a comment letting them know you're new and that you came from this hop!


4. Please add the hop button to your blog. This is NOT mandatory, but HIGHLY appreciated!!! The code is in my right sidebar!


5. Have fun!

Funky Monkey Fruit Snacks ~ Review & Giveaway ~ Ends 12/11

I am always looking for healthy snacks for my family. Especially my daughter, who at 4 years old is a competitive gymnast. She has to take snacks to her practices, and I like for it to be something light and healthy. When I saw Funky Monkey Fruit Snacks, I knew that they would be perfect.

Funky Monkey Snacks are different than other pieces of fruit in my opinion. First of all the pieces of fruit are really good sized. The flavors are a lot different too. My personal favorite was the JiveALime which is Pineapple and Lime. They were all very good. My daughter and husband loved them as well. In fact, my husband took a bag to work, and everyone he shared them with were asking where to buy them!

I really do love these snacks. I thought they were delicious and loved the fact that they were healthy for my family. Each ounce of Funky Monkey contains 3 servings of real fruit and contains no added sugars or sweeteners and no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. They are 100% natural. 

Here are some additional Funky Monkey highlights:

•             Funky Monkey Snacks are all-natural with no added colors, flavors, sugars, or preservatives

•             Our special, proprietary manufacturing process provides for a crunchier texture vs. conventional

               freeze-drying techniques

•             We use full slices and pieces (not dices) of delicious, fresh fruit

•             Funky Monkey is made at the source in Brazil, using fresh, tropical fruits at the peak of freshness

•             Our products are gluten-free, certified Kosher, and certified non-GMO

•             One of our 7 flavors, Purple Funk, also includes açai, a berry from the Amazon that is viewed as the  

               newest superfood

The ONLY thing I would change about Funky Monkey Snacks is that they do not come in a resealable bag. My daughter does not eat very much at one time and I would have liked to have been able to seal the bag back up.

You can WIN a sampler pack (1 bag of each of the 7 flavors) right here on my blog!

RULES:

You MUST be a public follower of my blog via GFC

Giveaway open to US residents only

Howard B. Wigglebottom Book ~ Review & Giveaway ~ (Ends 12/10)

My daughter loves books and loves being read to. That being said, she is also 4, and is an only child. As is the case with most only children, she has a bit of an issue with sharing, and she is somewhat spoiled (I know, I know, but she is my baby! =0) ) When I discovered the Howard B. Wigglebottom Books from the We Do Listen Foundation I knew I wanted them ALL!

The main character in the books is a little bunny named Howard B. Wigglebottom and the stories are all about the lessons he learns in his childhood and the things he goes through to learn them. These books are so awesome. They are so cute, with wonderful stories, but they have great lessons in the stories. Great lessons about morals and values. Listening to your heart, giving, sharing, bullying, lying, sportsmanship, and so much more. All these things that children need to know about but sometimes parents don't know how to explain. Also there are short lesson recaps in the back of the book, sort of like a discussion, which I think is SUPER GREAT!

For our review we received Howard B. Wigglebottom and the Power of Giving : A Christmas Story. I chose this one because it is Christmas time, and my daughter really needs to learn about giving. The story tells about how Howard is very obsessed with his toys and how many material things he has. He takes his home and family for granted until he gets himself into a sticky situation! I am not going to give away the story, but let's just say he learns a very valuable lesson from a few good friends. My daughter loved this book, and so did her father and I. We thought the story was VERY well written, and the pictures were beautiful.

You can purchase the Howard B. Wigglebottom books online from the We Do Listen Foundation or Amazon.  Also the latest book Howard B.Wigglebottom Learns About Sportsmanship: Winning Isn’t Everything is now on sale for $6 for US buyers on the We Do Listen Foundation website. It will be in bookstores and Amazon in January. The book, poster and lesson are a fun way to start a family discussion about a very timely subject. If it’s within your holiday budget, buyers in the US can also buy all ten Howard B. Wigglebottom hardcover books now for $50. What a deal!


If you like this you should check out my BFF's review & giveaway of Howard B. Wigglebottom's Learn to Listen!!!


You can also WIN your choice of Howard B. Wigglebottom book right here!!


RULES:
You MUST be a public follower of my blog via GFC
Giveaway is open to US & Canada only

3 WINNERS!!! $80 WORTH OF AMAZON GIFT CARDS!!!!

CHECK OUT THE LOCOMOTION OF GIVING GOING ON AT LOCOMOTION OF EXPRESSIONS! ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN ONE OF 3 AMAZON GIFT CARDS!!!!!

1st prize ~ $50 Amazon GC (USD)
2nd prize ~ $20 Amazon GC (USD)
3rd prize ~ $10 Amazon GC (USD)