July 2017

One of my favorite things as a kid was when it was time to read a book and spend some quiet time alone. I’d find my favorite spot. The same spot all the time and just zone out in my book. These Crazy Circle Carpet Seats reminding me of those times which is why I immediately thought they would be great for a daycare or the reading corner of your children’s room.

Use Crazy Carpet Circle Seats Anywhere

These carpets are the perfect size for a young child to sit and claim their space. The carpets are colorful and soft making them a perfect piece of furniture and a nice room accent as well. I received a white, hot pink and purple carpet.

When I initially received the Crazy Carpet Circle Seats for review I had intended to have my friend use them in her daycare. The kids can sit on them during story time or lay on them during nap time.

I didn’t immediately get them to her so, I started using them as accents for the products I review and it gives my posts an extra color pop which is pretty cool.

One other key feature that I actually think is the best is that you can take them anywhere. I realized that when I folded all three that I received together and threw them in my tote bag. They folded easily and they didn’t weigh much at all.

If you have little kids or if you run a daycare, I definitely recommend the Crazy Carpet Circle Seats.  Your  kids are going to love them.

Crazy Circle Carpet Seats

Product Info

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With a variety of colors to choose from, these 18″ Round Rug Mats are  fun, quirky and versatile. They are made of standard broadloom carpet for a wonderful, fun & crazy round rug seats.
They are perfect for sitting on indoors and outdoors and they can be used on the floor, in the grass or on a bench or even bleachers.

• Made of a Polyester Filament Fiber – Soft Cut Pile
• Made in the U.S.A.
• Edges are sewn with a fabric tape to prevent fraying.
• Available in 19 vivid and pastel colors
• Available in different sets including a 6 pack and 19 pack.
• Save 15% when you use the promo code BLOG17 available just for this campaign!

The Koeckritz Crazy Circle Carpet Seats are perfect for home and outdoor use, daycare centers, preschools and elementary schools, churches and other organizations involving kids. Not only are they perfect for seating, but they are great for teaching kids colors, helping control fidgeting and creative play such as games and music. SAVE  15% on your Koeckritz order  when you use the promo code BLOG17 !  Visit Koeckritz Rugs to check out their amazing selection of rugs including indoor and outdoor rugs, sports-themed rugs, custom rugs and a variety of other beautiful floor coverings to choose from. I received these lovely carpets for review. all opinions are mine.

What do you look for when setting out to buy bed sets? For me, it’s 3 (three) very simple and basic things that I look for when I’m searching for great bed sheets so, when Empyrean asked me to review their luxury bedding I was ready for the task.

How Do The Bed Sheets Feel?

The very first and most important thing I look for when buying bedsheets is how they feel on my skin. No one wants to sleep on rough sheets. Or sheets that are too hot with no breathability.  Or ones that are too thin.

Empyrean is described as luxuriously soft and sleek fabric and I would have to agree. The material is very soft on my skin. It feels comfortable and smooth. It’s made from strong microfiber linen. I loved the feel of the pillowcase on my face. It does have a hotel luxury bedding.

I have to say that Empyrean passed my number one test. I’m always doubtful when purchasing bedsheets online because you can’t touch or really inspect the quality of the fabric until you get it but, I’m happy to say that these bedsheets are pretty impressive in the feel department.

How Do The Bed Sheets Fit on The Bed?

We’ve all had the bedsheets that pop out of the corners and never fit quite right on the mattress and that can make for an uncomfortable nights sleep. The Empyrean bedsheets completely eliminate the possibility of that happening with these elastic corner straps. How clever.

In the past you would just buy mattress straps to secure the beds heet on the mattress but the Empyrean luxury bedding comes with them built in. I love it. The bed sheet fits completely snug and doesn’t move once it’s in place. This is the definition of luxury bedding.

I had to show my bed so you could see how snug the bed sheet fits. I placed it on straight out of the box hence the creases but hey, it looks and feels amazing.

What is the Durability?

Being that the bed sheets passed my first two tests I’m going to guess that they pass the third too which is basically how well they stand up to wash after wash after wash. Usually you can tell within the first washing if a bed set is meant to last.

Poor quality sets already start fading in color and the material starts to thin out. These looked pretty good after the first washing. I’ve only had a chance to wash these bed sheets once before doing this review but, they looked pretty good. According to the site they are fade, stain, shrink and wrinkle resistant. If anything changes with in my next 5 washes, I’ll come and update this review.

You can purchase your own set of Empyrean Luxury Bedding on Amazon.com. I received a Queen size set in grey but they come in 13 different colors including black, white , red and taupe to name a few. The bedding set includes
a flat sheet, a fitted sheet, 2 pillowcases and additional corner strap on fitted sheets. PURCHASE HERE.

Win $1000 + Free Bedding + Free Coupons!

WOW – WIN FREE Luxury Bedding! – Enter via sharing w/ Friends.
We are giving away 120 Empyrean & Nestl Bedding Sheets
Make sure to share this contest with your friends to enter our FREE giveaway. There will be a 2 winners each day. We’ll post the 14 winners of the week on our social Media every Friday. Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

(no purchase necessary)

Win $1000 – Photo Contest!
Upload images of your new Bedding. Invite your friends to vote for your images. Win $1000
(tip: people love images of you and your pets)

Free Coupons – Here they are!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!

I received a set of the Empyrean bed sheets for review purposes. All opinions are mine. This post also contains affiliate links which means if you click and make a purchase my little piggy bank will be filled.

July 22nd, 9:18pm July 23rd, 2:19pm Rebecca ‘Rain’ Rodriguez

Is it just me or does it seem like this year is zooming by? It seems like the summer just started and already kids are headed Back to School. You know what that means. It’s time to pull out those school supply lists, measure your kids and get to the business of Back to School shopping.Now, that doesn’t mean that back to school shopping has to be dull or routine as I learned at the Back to School Bash hosted by MomTrends this past week at Dakota Studio in NYC. There are so many cool, exciting, fun and even delicious finds that I’m excited to share with you. So sit back and get out your notebook and pencils because class is about to begin.

Class has begun….

The first things you set out to buy when your back to school shopping is a book bag and lunchbox. They to be sturdy. They have to be strong and they have to fit your child’s personality. 12 Little had all of that with their adorable collection of bags that you can add iron on decals to.

We were able to get our own customized lunch box. The options were endless.

I chose a pink bag with Pow and Boom stickers.

Staples

Staples also has a great collection of backpacks and lunchboxes. What’s great about the Staples line is that you can also get notebooks, binders and folders in the same print as the backpack so, your child will be matching from the inside out and at an affordable price.

NameBubbles.com

You know what goes hand in hand with back to school? Losing things. Kids lose book bags, lunch boxes, coats, boots, notebooks and many more things. Chances are your child will lose something this year. Most times it’s gone for good but, with the help of Name Bubbles you might just have a chance to find the item in the school’s lost & found.

Name Bubbles are waterproof labels that you can have customized and printed with your child’s name on them or you can get blank ones and write whatever you want on them. You can stick them on just about any surface from books to clothing and they won’t come off even in the wash. Sports jerseys and other items will be easier to tell apart and find.

In case you were wondering what was in the Lost & Found box, it was all these lovely gifts for us bloggers that were personalized with our names and initials using  NameBubbles.com stickers. Mine is pink planner notebook with the black R with gold stripes. The inside had a sticker with my full name.

…It’s Time For Lunch

Now that the basic supplies are taken care of what are we going to do about lunch? There’s no need to keep that dull. We got to taste these delicious breads from Ozery Bakery and I can’t get enough of them. They’re round which makes them easy for little fingers to hold. They are thin slices so it’s just the right amount of bread and they’re healthy. They even have little round buns that you can see in the picture below.

Add some whipped cream and strawberries and voila! a easy and delicious after school snack with no fuss.

Kite Hill

Kite Hill makes almond milk yogurts and they recently added grab and go yogurt pouches that are available at Whole foods. I took a couple of them home and the next day I was running late and in a rush to catch my train so I grabbed one and it filled me up and it tastes so good.

Raisels

30% Discount w/code MomTrends17

Raisels, Raisels, Raisels! How do I love thee. Let me count the ways. These party in your mouth sour snacks were the very first thing I tasted when I arrived at the Back to School bash and I fell in love instantly. I can’t begin to explain how amazingly delicious these snacks are.

When I got home, I told my son he had to try them and gave him a box as he headed out the door. Two minutes later he called me and said, “Where can we get these? We need a whole box. They are so good”. I knew I wasn’t alone.

I went to work the next day and told my interns they had to try them. They too saw the light.

I haven’t stopped telling people about them and now I’m telling you. You should try them. You should buy them for your children. You should buy them for your friends. I can even give you a 30% discount code to try them. Visit Raisels.com and enter code MomTrends17 . You’re welcome. Oh, if you’d like to order and send me some, email me for my address. I’m serious.

Edit to clarify: These are actual raisins NOT candy. They’re dipped in A sour mix. 

Nosh

Nosh! is for babies, infants and toddlers and perfect for daycare and nursery school snacks. They’re made with organic Japonica rice and your little ones will love the little bite size servings. No more lugging those big bags of rice cakes. Just pop a couple of bags in your baby bag or lunch box and off you go!

Fashion Forward…

It’s not Back to School shopping with out clothes. It’s hard enough keeping up with what’s hot in fashion for yourself let alone making sure the kids looks trendy for class. Orchestra to the rescue. Their line is a combination of classic and hip.  Every piece was so unique and looked comfy. We were even treated to a little fashion show with some of the bloggers children getting to strut down the runway.

All in all it was a fun day getting the buzz on what’s trending for Back to School. Make sure you click the links to learn more about the different products and don’t forget to use the 30% discount for the Raisels. May your Back to School shopping be easy, budget friendly and trendy!

Which of these products are you interested in trying out?

This is not a sponsored post. I attended this event as invited media. All opinions are solely mine.

The first time I saw a Surprizamals was at the NYC Toy Fair and I fell in love so, I knew that my friends daughter would love the one’s I received as samples and I was absolutely right.

What Are Surprizamals?

Surprizamals are cute collectible plush stuffed animals hiding in itty-bitty “surprizaballs.” They include common, rare and ultra rare animals to collect, trade and love.

I have Elsa the Elephant from Series 1 and I love her. With a new set of adorable pop out play friends, Series 2 are now popping open and are full of surprise characters that include Izzy the Unicorn, Cristy the Crab and a super secret Surprizamal!

My friends, daughter was the lucky one to open the new Series 2 dolls and as you can see she was truly in love.

She loved her Piper the panda bear which is considered a collectable and she was lucky enough to get Orson the doggie which is a rare Surprizamal! She is well on her way to collecting all 12.

Surprizamals are great for kids starting at 3 years old and they are a good price at about $5 each. They can be found at Justice, Toys “R” Us and other fine retailers! You can also find them on Amazon  or their website if you want to buy in super bulk.

For more information and to keep in touch with the latest make sure you stay connected with them on social media:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Website

I received some Surprizamals for review purposes only. All opinions are mine. The lovely little girl who opened the the Surprizamals is my friend’s daughter.

I always say that kids have it so lucky now with all the cool games that are out like this upcoming Toys-to-life adventure mobile game I just came across called , Oniri Islands – Children of the River, for both iOS and Android tablets.

Oniri Islands is a two player cooperative adventure game where two children, stranded on a mysterious island, search for their lost shadows. They will find animal masks granting them magical powers to survive and pursue their quest.

The game features unique interactive smart toys that connect with the adventurous world on the tablet’s screen through the static touch of the player.

Oniri Islands is a Toy to Life game which means you can play the game on mobile while incorporating real toys. It’s a family friendly game for kids between 6 and 10 years old that is due to come out later in 2017.

But, you don’t have to wait for the game to come out to start having some fun. They are hosting a photo booth contest leading up to the release of the game where you’ll have a chance to win an Oniri Islands Game Box!

Oniri Islands Photo Booth Contest

The online virtual photo booth contest has participants win free copies of the game + figurines. This is so cool. You can take a picture of yourself wearing one of the mask players can use in the game, and share it on your social media channels.

You can choose from 5 different masks: The Falcon, The Shark, the Carachal, the Groundhog or the Chameleon. I went with the Carachal because it’s so cute and well, I’m cute too. Just look at my picture as proof:

Now it’s your turn. You can enter the contest here: http://blog.oniri-game.com/mask-contest-EN and follow Oniri Islands on Facebook, Twitter and to find out if you win and to be one of the first to know when the  game launches.

Parenting doesn’t come with a manual. We all already know this, though we often wonder “WHY NOT!”. We’d all raise great kids if that was the case.

I know a lot of people say they will raise their kids how they were raised. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  I also know people who vow to go the complete opposite route of how they were raised.

Me. I think I took the middle of the road approach when it came to raising my kids. Some  things my parents did, I thought were great while some of their methods needed to stay in the past and never see another generation.

I think my kids came out okay. I didn’t have all the answers and I made mistakes along the way but, all in all they are well rounded and delightful humans.

Sitting down and reflecting, I noticed that there are some basic patterns and habits made parenting easy and successful for me and it’s something I see in other households with relatively balanced kids. I think Dr. Todd Cartmell figured it out enough to write a book about it called, “8 Simple Tools for Raising Great Kids”.

After reading the book, I had a “A-Ha” moment, “so that’s what I’ve been doing all along”. And again, I don’t have all the answers and I’ve made mistakes but looking at my kids, I did something right or maybe 8 things right as it turns out according to Cartmell.

“8 Simple Tools for Raising Great Kids” is pretty much the blueprint for great communication in general and it works great with kids. They are lasting teaching moments because you are teaching them to control and express themselves by controlling and expressing yourself in a positive way.

Thats not to say you won’t slip up or that everything will be television sitcom peachy in your household but, I think having a foundation as a reference will make like so much better.

Now, maybe you’ve been doing some of the 8 things Dr. Cartmell mentions in his book or none or maybe all of htem without even knowing. Whatever the case may be, having this book will have a positive impact on you, your kids and your family.

Some of the tools mentioned seem so simple like “Talking”, but the chapter explains HOW to talk to and with your child versus talking at them.

“Listening” is the next took Dr. Cartmell mentions. We are always harping on our kids to listen, listen, just listen but, I can tell you, I’m not always so great in that department.

Each of the 8 tools has a chapter of it’s own with guidance on how to approach them with your child. Don’t worry, it’s not a preachy lecture so you won’t get the feeling that you’re being told to “Do This or Else!” because we all know that doesn’t work with kids so, I’m pretty sure you won’t stand for it as an adult.

One of my favorite chapters is the third one on “Influencing”. It talks about the power of words

This is a great book to have as you are raising your children or if you are expecting a child.

You’ll learn a lot from Dr. Cartmell on the 3 tools mentioned in this post and the remaining 5 tools which are: Connecting, Teaching, Encouraging, Correcting and Leading.

If you’d like to get a copy of “8 Simple Tools for Raising Great Kids” we are extending a 50% discount to our readers. You can purchase your copy here: 8 Simple Tools and enter code: GREATKIDS16 at checkout.

You will also get Free access to the HEARTS AT HOME “ESSENTIAL WORKSHOP COLLECTION FOR PARENTS” with every purchase: http://www.8simpletools.com/purchase-with-offer (so you’ll not only get 50% off with the coupon code at moodypublishers.com, but also get access to a slew of freebies).

Let me know what you think.

Have you been hearing a lot of talk about nootropics? I’d heard chatter here and there but, nothing really in my circle until a few friends who frequent a forum I’ve been going to for over 10 years started talking about a very popular nootropics supplement. It peaked my curiosity because I’d kind of been in a slump mentally and really needed to focus. I’m not one to like to take pills in general but, a lot of my friends who were talking about it are more health conscious than me, so I bit the bullet and ordered some. First, let’s take a quick step back. What are Nootropics? This definition is from Wiki: Nootropics, also referred to as smart drugs, memory enhancers, neuro enhancers, cognitive enhancers, and intelligence enhancers, are drugs, supplements, nutraceuticals, and functional foods that improve one or more aspects of mental function, such as working memory, motivation, and attention. The bottle arrived and I was anxious to try and feel the clarity. Keep in mind, these were the popular ones my friends were talking about, NOT Optimind. I’ll get to Optimind in a minute. This was actually Alpha-Brain. I took the dosage recommended and waited. I really didn’t feel anything and figured it would take a few days. I kept repeating the dosage and suddenly, I did feel something. Tired and Unfocused. It seemed like every time I took the morning dose I would need a nap. I couldn’t focus. This continued on until I finished the bottle. I didn’t feel any clarity. I felt lethargic. I went back to the forum and told my friends what I experienced. One other person said they had the same symptoms as me. So, I concluded, nootropics was not for me. Now, you know, when you visit a products site or research a product on your computer other options start popping up in ads. Optimind started to pop up in my feeds. I was already over the nootropics thing so, I just went about my business until I saw an ad for a free no risk trial. I started to think, maybe I’d give this whole nootropics thing another chance with a different brand. There’s no risk, so why not. Then I thought, maybe I could review it on my blog and do a comparison so, I reached out to Optimind and they agreed to send me a bottle for review. So here we finally are, my review of Optimind. I do have to admit that I didn’t mention to them that I had already tried another very popular nootropics brand and had horrible results. I wasn’t going into this review with an optimistic mind at all. I was actually a bit jaded about all these claims. I took one pill the next morning. It had been a good while since I’d taken the other brand so, I figured it would take a few days to feel anything. I was wrong. I don’t really know how to explain the feeling, but I felt the clarity within an hour. I felt focused and got a lot accomplished that morning. I didn’t take a dosage that afternoon because I didn’t feel like I needed it. I just kept doing what I was doing. It was probably the first time in a long time that I finished all of my writing and then some without procrastinating. It pretty much went on like that through the duration of the pills. I was up early every morning. I hit the gym, came home and got my work done and just had productive day after productive day. I don’t really know why I had such an adverse effect to Alpha-Brain but, I can honestly say that Optimind is definitely my choice. If you’ve thought about trying nootropics but, didn’t want to take that leap and buy a whole bottle (which I regret doing with the other product), Optimind is offering a no risk 1 week trial with free shipping so, you should give it a try. Or if you’ve tried another product and didn’t like the results or even if you did like the results you can still check out the free trial of Optimind. I’m genuinely curious to see what other people think. Have you tried Optimind or other nootropics before? If so, let me know in the comment section below what your honest experience has been. I recommend Optimind. I was happy with the results. It’s not in my budget right now but, I do intend to order again. However, for you guys, it’s definitely in the budget because you get to try it for free. Visit this link for your free trial. ***Click Here for FREE TRIAL OF OPTIMIND w/Free Shipping*** And please do come back and let me know what you think. OptiMind’s Active Ingredients GABA, Phosphatidyl L-Serine, Vitamin D-3, Alpha-lipoic acid, DMAE, Caffeine, Huperzine A, Choline, Vitamin B-3, Tyrosine, Taurine, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin B-12, Sulbutiamine, Vinpocetine, Bacoside A, Green Tea Leaf Extract I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 

What happens when you combine two incredibly popular brands together? You get an fan frenzy of bows and color taking over New York City.

Hello Kitty and O.P.I. nail polish have come together to bring you a limited edition collection that’s cute as a kitten.  New York City was the backdrop for the launch of the new line and boy were we ready.

The Hello Kitty trucks came purring in to different locations around the city bringing nail polish, cookies and pink hot cocoa. Yes, PINK hot cocoa.

I saw the lovely ladies dressed in Hello Kitty sweatshirts as I made my way off the train to one of the locations near the World Trade Center. I sipped on the pink cocoa, nibble on the cookies and snagged a couple of free samples. Oh, I also donned a bow to snap a picture in front of the Hello Kitty truck. No event is complete without a selfie!

There are a total of 12 colors in the collection with matching gels. I got these three: 5 Apple Tall, Charmmy & Sugar and Look At My Bow.

The Limited Edition Hello Kitty OPI Lacquer Collection is available online at Amazon.com and  Ultra.com or you can visit OPI.com for more information.

I personally hope they add some of her friends to the collection. Specifically, my favorvite, Badtz Maru though I do think that the black “Never Have Too Mani Friends” lacquer in the collection was probably made to honor him. What do you think? Are you going to get the Hello Kitty OPI Collection?

Disclosure:  Affiliate links appear in this post. When you purchase through an affiliate link, you help support this site.

I love getting gift boxes that have a little bit of everything from a company. It gives you a chance to try things you might not necessarily up and purchase on your own. When I opened the Ora’s Amazing HerbalLots of Love Gift Box, I knew I was in for a treat. There was a little bit of everything in that little box.

The first thing I grabbed was the Face Serum. I was headed to the gym and the bottles were small and compact enough to just throw in my pocket. Normally, I’m hesitant about just applying a product on my skin without testing a small section since I have such sensitive skin but, after reading Ora’s about me page, especially about dealing with her child’s eczema, I felt comfortable enough to just go ahead and try the product.

I love the way it feels on my skin. It’s perfect for the winter weather without being heavy or oily. 

I also grabbed the Ultra Healing Body Butter. Again, it was small and compact and perfect to take to the gym with me. It feels amazing on my skin. I loved the shine and how soft my legs felt. Again, it wasn’t thick or greasy. It’s just the right amount.

This is really a great kit, like I said, to get a sample of a few products. Get it for that special person in your life and get it for you too.

They do have a 30% discount code promotion going on for the holidays. Just enter HappySale at checkout. They also have a give back promotion where you can donate 18% of your purchase to Operation Embrace, an organization working with victims of terrorism in Israel. That code is Give18.

Let me know what you think of Ora’s Herbal Giftbox and make sure you check back for my review on our new segment ‘Beauty Corner Tuesday’s’ in the new year for the other products that were included in the giftbox.

You can purchase your Ora’s Herbal Giftbox by visiting orasamazingherbal.com

Little Minis, Lots of Love gift box contains:

Mini (.6 oz) PowerCleanse Face Scrub/Mask
A Little Bit of Both: Phytonutrient Face Serums containing a mini Advanced Nightly Skin Repair and a Lightweight Daily Nourish
Mini (.5oz) Body Powder
Mini (1 oz) Ultra Healing Body Butter
Lip Balm

Check out more of our 2015 Holiday Gift Guide.

The OPI New Orleans Collection comes right on the heels of their “Hello Kitty” Collection launch and I’m oh so ready. Too ready. One would think, ‘when on earth will you find the time to wear all those colors?”. Well, I have all of spring and summer to play around. That’s enough weeks and days to have absolutely fabulous nails. Thanks OPI.

Colors: Show Us Your Tips, Suzi Nails New Orleans, She’s a Bad Muffuletta!

New Orleans Collection by OPI features 12 gorgeous new nail lacquers and matching GelColors that take nails and toes from beignets at Café du Monde all the way to nightcaps on Bourbon Street in style. Sweet, spicy, soulful and vibrant, the palette is perfect for a town where parades pop up everywhere, and dancing in the streets is de rigueur.

Every day is Mardi Gras with shades like “I Manicure for Beads” and “I’m Sooo Swamped.” It’s always fair (albeit steamy) weather, with “Humidi-tea” or “Let Me Bayou a Drink.” Other hues – “Got Myself into a Jam-balaya,” “Rich Girls & Po-Boys” and “Crawfishin’ for a Compliment” – pay homage to the Big Easy’s world-famous cuisine.

New Orleans Collection by OPI will be available in both nail lacquer and GelColor formulas beginning February 2016.

Nail lacquers will retail for $9.50 ($11.50 CAN) each at Professional Salons, as well as Beauty Brands,beautybrands.com, Chatters, Dillard’s, Regis, ULTA and ulta.com. GelColor is an in-salon, professional service only.

For additional information, please visit OPI.com