• Stick to your cleansing routine.  Now more than ever, your skin needs routine care!  I use Mary Kay’s TimeWise cleanser, moisturizer, Day Solution (you still need SPF during the winter!), and Night Solution to keep my skin care consistent.  
• Get rid of dry skin more often. I am a HUGE fan of Mary Kay’s TimeWise Microdermabrasion set to get rid of dry skin and fine lines.  I use it during all seasons but I add an extra time per week during the winter.  I love the way the Refine step uses advanced exfoliators to smooth & freshen my skin and the Replenish step nourishes my skin.  Seriously, it feels SO GOOD on your face!
• Add some extra moisture.  I use MK’s Intense Moisturizing Cream to give my face that extra “drink” it needs during winter weather.  It hydrates your skin for up to 10 hours and makes it feel awesome. I LOVE this stuff – it’s addicting!

So, those are my favorite Mary Kay products that I use consistently all winter long to keep my skin smooth and hydrated!  How do you give your skin TLC in the winter?

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Mary Kay sent me a selection of the above products to facilitate my review. However, I’ve been using these products for years and I can’t live without them!  All opinions about the products are my own.

My set contained two pieces of baking stoneware – the 2-Quart Ceramic Oval Baker and 9” Ceramic Pie Pan;

A 3-Piece Plastic Bowl Set with Pour;

A Silicone Spoonula with Stainless Steel Handle, a Stainless Steel Balloon Whisk, and Stainless Steel Measuring Cups;

I also received a variety of Giada’s food products, including Black Olive Tapenade, Giada Blend Coffee, Marinated Sun Dried Tomatoes, Marinated Roasted Red Peppers, Marinated Mushrooms, Genovese Basil Pesto, and Eggplant & Pepper Pesto.

I know it’s hard to believe, but I actually enjoy cooking and baking now, and I was SO excited to see this package waiting on my porch one day. The first thing that I noticed when I unpacked the pieces is that they were solid and sturdy construction. They felt like they were quality products, that they weren’t cheap (although with prices ranging from $2.99 to $19.99, they certainly are inexpensive).

Kate and I decided to put them to the test and make chocolate chip cookies.

I love the bowl set – prior to this, I didn’t have mixing bowls other than that came with various hand mixers I’d had over the years. I love that these are light and that they have rubber on the bottom to prevent slipping. Kate’s also holding the Spoonula in that picture, and it is just what it sounds like – a spoon mixed with a spatula. I love the stainless steel construction of this, the whisk and the measuring cups – they are all sturdy and just feel nice.

I was really impressed with the stoneware, as well. It is heavy and high-quality, but is much, much less expensive than the stoneware I’ve bought before. The 2-quart cooker will come in very handy for casseroles and side dishes.

Finally, the grocery products are perfect to keep around the house during the holiday season. Here’s what Giada says about them:
For guests who pop-in unexpectedly, keep ready-to-serve delights in the pantry such as Giada De Laurentiis for Target Marinated Sun Dried Tomatoes, Marinated Roasted Red Peppers and Marinated Mushrooms for quick entertaining options. The Giada De Laurentiis for Target Genovese Basil Pesto and Eggplant & Pepper Pesto are also easy and delicious treats. Serve with toasted bread or crackers and display on a festive serving platter.

Serve a few of those things with prosecco, or try Giada’s recipe for Spiced Coffee.

Spiced Coffee with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
Recipe Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• ¼ tsp of ground cinnamon, plus more for dusting
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup brewed Giada De Laurentiis for Target Giada Blend Coffee
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar

1. In a small sauce pan combine the granulated sugar and ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and reduce heat to low.
2. Add allspice, cinnamon and ginger. Simmer for 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.
3. Take the pan off the heat and set aside.
4. In a heat proof pitcher or measuring cup add the boiling water to the coffee /espresso. Divide it among four 6 to 8 oz cups.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of the spiced syrup to each cup and stir to combine.
6. Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add confectioners’ sugar and continue to beat until stiff.
7. Top each with a dollop of whipped cream – dust with cinnamon and add cinnamon stick.
Yield: 4 servings/ 4 (6-8 oz) cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes

I loved Giada De Laurentiis for Target’s cookware and I’m sure you will too. It would make a great last-minute gift for someone you love… or for yourself!

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I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Giada De Laurentiis for Target and received product samples to facilitate my review.

photo by RachelEllen on flickr

Winter is my least favorite season.  I know I am a total buzzkill, but I hate snow.  Sure, it looks nice, but what it does is keep me and the kids cooped up in the house and make it dangerous to drive anywhere! I hate cold even more.  I really, really, really, hate being cold.

So, every winter, every dang nervewrackingly-cold day, I try to warm things up for myself.   From the practical to the comfortable, I am always trying to keep things above freezing in my life!  Here are a few ways I try to get my warm on:

• Pre-heat the car.  I cannot stand to put kids or myself in a freezing cold car.  In the winter, I make a mad dash out in the cold ten to fifteen minutes before we have to leave so the van will be nice and toasty and frost-free before we leave!
• Cloak myself in fleece.  I likes to wear the warm snugglies in winter, and I like my kids to have them on too! I wear fleece-lined clogs in the house, fleece PJ pants, a nice fleece pullover, you get my drift!  The baby lives in fleece PJs all day long, he can get away with it!
• Cook up some WARM comfort food.  In my house, winter is the season of slow cooked soups and stews.  I have several beloved recipes that I never get sick of and make again and again.  But, they are all really simple.

When I want a warm comfort food that’s more than simple, I turn to the frozen foods department at my grocery store.  I don’t cook lasagna, meatloaf, or pot pies, so I gotta go to the experts!  When I want a creamy, flaky, delicious pot pie, I go with Marie Callender’s.

Now I’ve had Marie Callender’s pot pies dozens of times, but I reviewed one for this post, just to *ahem* remind myself how awesome they are.  It was just as good as ever!  Filled with yummy meat, veggies, and with lots of choices of flavors, they are a great time-saving solution for that busy time of year when it just happens to also be f-f-f-freeezing cold outside.  I especially love the Creamy Parmesan and Cheesy Chicken pot pies.  Mmmmm…they are delish!  Food like that keeps me very warm on the coldest of days.

So, those are some ways that I warm up winter.  I will definitely be employing them again as the cold and snow rush in.  How do YOU warm things up for your friends and family?

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I was compensated for my review of this product by Marie Callender’s and the Motherhood.  All opinions about the product are my own.

If you are at a loss for what to give those on your list, you still have TIME and Lands’ End has some great suggestions in their Our Favorite Gifts section.  Lands’ End let me choose a gift from that section to review, and I am giving it to someone special this Christmas who I hope is not reading this post!  It is this amazing Diamond Quilting Wool Down Vest!

This is just so nice, it’s hard to even put into words. Let’s just say I am a SUPER-UNSELFISH person for giving it as a gift!  It’s quilted wool plus the lightweight down fill makes is super-warm as well as super-cute.  And the faux fur hood is adooorrrable.  It’s temperature rated for 5 to 25 degrees so it’s ever-so-functional as well!  I love it!

Here are some other great “favorite gifts” I’d suggest:

Needlepoint iPad case:  you can get this for ME! Because I want it!! Isn’t it cuuute?? And I haven’t gotten a case for mine yet!

Sea Salt Caramels: please put these in my stocking!

Houndstooth CashTouch Scarf: nothing makes me happier than a good scarf, and the softness of CashTouch is to DIE for!  This is a definite sure-to-please!

Lands’ End is pretty much having constant sales these days, and you can have your gifts shipped fast to get here by Christmas!  Hop on over to Lands’ End’s website today and get gifting!

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Lands’ End sent me the Wool QuiltedDiamond Down vest for review. All opinons about it and all the products mentioned are my own.

Let me just say, it was everything I hoped it would be!  It’s basically the entire TV special in an interactive setting.  I mean, it’s a digital book…so you can go through it at your own pace, and take your time with the interactive stuff.  But it’s got all the content of the TV special we know and love.  Joshua and Sophie LOVED it, and it was a great way for me to introduce them to my favorite holiday tale.  We’ve watched and played with it at least five or six times in the past few days. Check out this promotional video and you’re going to want to download it right away!  Check it out on iTunes or the App store.  And enjoy!!!

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Loud Crow interactive provided me with a promo code to download this app for free. All opinions about it are my own.

Sophie and I are pony hairstylists!

It all started a couple of months ago when I got her the My Little Pony app for my iPad.  I like it because it has a storybook with games and activities.  There is a My Little Pony TV show but we don’t have the channel it’s on, however, the iPad app and some MLP books we’ve bought or received got her excited about the product.  So for her birthday, as soon as she got some birthday money from great-grandma, she bought herself some MLP!  We went to Target and picked out this:

Apple Jack's Sweet Apple Barn

It’s a very cute playset.  Nothing earth-shattering, but very fun for pretend.  Sophie loves putting things in Apple Jack’s cart, conversing with Apple Jack’s farm creature pals, and of course, stylin’ her hair!

She likes to do donuts on my dining room floor

Sophie also got a couple other My Little Pony things for her birthday – Pinkie Pie’s remote control car, which is LOTS of fun, and I think, a great value for the money, and this super-awesome fashion Pinkie Pie that comes with a TON of hair accessories and is really very fun for any little girl who likes to PILE ON the hair barrettes.  It’s been lots of fun!

Fashion Pinkie Pie. Next season on Project Runway!

So those are some things Sophie got for her birthday, and then because she is such a sweet little girl , my friends at Hasbro sent her a couple of other MLP surprises! She is now the proud owner of her very own Princess Celestia:

Step aside, mares. The Princess has arrived.

Princess Celestia, is featured prominently in the My Little Pony app that Sophie loves so well, so she is pretty excited about her!  Plus, she TALKS and her wings move!  She lights up! She is pretty much the IT Pony to have.  The Morning Glory of this generation, if you will!  Now I hear that some freaks called “Bronies” (a.k.a men or “Bros” who are rabid fans of the My Little Pony tv show – yes, I am being serious) have their boxers in a bunch because this Celestia is not the same color as she is on TV. To them I say, “Get a job and move out of your mother’s basement.”  I think the doll Celestia is super-fab just the way she is!

Lastly, Hasbro also sent Sophie another playset, which is great because she loves to pretend with the playsets so much!  It’s the Ponyville Schoolhouse, which is awesome because Cheerliee and her teaching skillz are also prominently featured in the MLP app so Sophie can re-enact scenes from it with this set!

All teachers wear glasses! Even Pony teachers!

So, my little girl and I sure are enjoying My Little Pony. If you’re shopping for a little girl this year, put some of these things on your shopping list! And get her what she really wants, so that unlike me, she won’t still be pining over the MLP stable she never got to house her ponies in 25 years later! Ahem.

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Hasbro sent me two items to review.  My opinions about them and about all the other products mentioned are my own.

There’s another new Starfish item I just received and I ADORE: The Starfish Quilted Jacket.

I happen to be wearing it right. this. second.  Even though I am indoors!  Because it’s so cozy, I don’t want to take it off!  It’s lined with soft jersey, has a roll-sleeve which is ever-so-convenient, and the quilting is just so cute!  This is a great addition to your Starfish wardrobe or ANY wardrobe!  It’s a fabulous fall jacket. I have this bright berry color and it’s so pretty.  But there are several more neutral colors available, too.

So now it’s time to enter to win FIVE pieces of this gorgeous, comfy Starfish collection from Lands’ End!  Here’s how to enter:

1) Go check out the Starfish Collection and leave me a comment letting me know which piece you think looks the best. If you can’t pick one, that’s ok, just tell me what you love!

2) “Like” our facebook page and leave us a comment on this post telling us you did our already do

3) Tweet about this giveaway “Win 5 pieces of the #landsend Starfish Collection from @jennyitup & @momminitup http://bit.ly/scvuEq ” then leave us a comment with your tweet URL.

4) Subscribe to our feed, then leave us a comment on this post letting us know you did or already do.

This giveaway will end Friday, November 25th at 8 pm EST!  Good luck!!

To celebrate Sophie’s 5th birthday, Bobby and I really wanted to do something special.  We took Joshua to Entertrainment Junction for his 5th, so we started thinking of somewhere that would really excite Sophie but that would also work for us as an entire family.  We wanted a little getaway but didn’t want to go too far from home.  Bobby came up with the idea of an indoor waterpark, because Sophie had loved the one we visited last June. After looking around at the options, we decided to try CoCo Key, just north of Cincinnati.

When we told the kids, they were *so excited*!  And when we got there, CoCo Key did not disappoint!  Joshua and Sophie had an amazing time.

Even Jonah enjoyed himself immensely!

Here’s what I really loved about CoCo Key:

• Gates!! There were gates closing off the little kids area from the seating area and also gates closing off the main part of the waterpark  - they were easy to open and close for adults, and for older kids, but they made it very difficult for smaller kids to get away from their parents.
• Smaller kids area: my kids had a blast in this area that was just for them.  Of course they could go off and enjoy slides in the main area, also, but it was great for them to have somwhere to relax and just play together.  There was a LOT of room for them to move around as well as do the slides.
• Convenience: Food & drink were available to purchase poolside so you never had to be far from the action.
• Lazy river – who doesn’t love one of these?
• The main area was lots of fun, too.  Sophie, my adventurous child, spent just as much time going on all the slides over there as she did in the kids’ area.  And Bobby assured me (I didn’t try) that the slides for only those over 4 feet were screamin’ fast and lots of fun, too!

We did stay one night at the Crowne Plaza, the hotel that is home to CoCo Key.  It was very nice and comfortable, and we all slept great!  Even Jonah, which was totally unexpected!

We really had a wonderful time celebrating our girl, and CoCo Key was the perfect spot to do it in! We will DEFINITELY be back!  If you are traveling to the Cincy area and are looking for a fun family place to stay, I highly recommend it!  Check out all CoCo Key has to offer on their Facebook page.

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The good folks at Crowne Plaza/CoCo Key gave me a reduced rate for my stay to help facilitate my review, but the opinions are all mine and are not influenced by the facility.

We looooove Play-Doh in our house,  and it’s a great activity for building hand strength and dexterity, which Sophie works on in occupational therapy. So I was all about reviewing this latest play-doh set, the Twirl N Top Pizza Shop. I must say, it’s probably my favorite Play-Doh set ever!  Why?  Because it’s fun, it’s creative, and it’s simple – very few parts.  We have some other sets that are great fun, very creative, and have 50 million parts that are hard to keep track of!  Not so with the pizza shop!  You can make a crust, cheese, and toppings all in one very compact set.  Both my big kids have had a blast with it!  Here’s Sophie demonstrating how fun this set is:

Baking her crust...

Crust is ready to be topped!

Ta-da! (She wanted red cheese. Whaddya do?)

If you love Play-Doh (and why wouldn’t you?), this is a great set!

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Hasbro sent me this set to review. All opinions about it are my own.

As if it’s not hard enough to decide what tablet or phone you want to buy, you also have to decide on the accessories! When I first got my iPad, I scoured the internet to find the right case. I’ve tried a few, but the one I like best is the Venture from Case-Mate.

The Venture is a book-style case (that’s my description – no idea if that’s the correct term!) that protects the iPad all the way around. It is sleek and classy, and I love the bit of fun thrown in with the pink trim.

It also has a built-in stand, which is extremely convenient.

I really like having this type of case, because I can throw my iPad in my purse or bag and know it’s not getting scratched up. The Venture gives my iPad protection, but it is thin and light and doesn’t add bulk. And it comes in tons of different colors, so you can pick one that suits your style!

I was checking out Case-Mate’s website, and they have cases for just about any device you can think of, and they are all so cool.

Meet Monsta & his penguin friend:

Aren’t those fun? Case-Mate also lets you be the designer – you can create your own custom case by uploading a picture, remixing their art, or mixing and matching features from their different cases. Very cool. So if you’re buying the techie in your life a new mobile device – or if you’re hoping to get one yourself – check out Case-Mate.com!