Last Minute Easter Basket ideas!

Looking for some last minute suggestions for Easter baskets? These are some of my favorites!


Click and create your own adventure with Magformers AMAZING Police 50-Piece Set! Magformers are a magnetic construction toy where the possibilities are endless. This 50 piece set comes with 24 magnetic pieces, 2 figures, an emergency vehicle siren and much more to keep the city safe. Great for children aged 3 and up. Create 50 ideas with the follow-along idea booklet or build your own adventure! Spring  Ages 3+ MSRP $59.99

This next one is sure to be a hit with younger children!


The world’s first “kid-safe” streaming TV stick! Offering hours of entertainment and educational content, this streaming stick allows parents to never worry about what their children are watching ever again. The PBS Kids HDMI Streaming TV Stick connects to hours of preloaded videos, exclusive PBS Kids games and songs from the most popular PBS Kids shows. Available now on Walmart.com. MSRP $39.99

The weather is getting warmer and that usually means more insects like mosquitoes! These are a must-buy!


With a unique blend of essential oils, patented slow-release technology and super-smart product design, PARA’KITO™ products offer the ultimate protection in a stylish way. PARA’KITO™ is sold in more than 35 markets all over the world. All products work in any climate, including temperate and tropical zones, for buzz-free bliss in any activity. Each pellet provides up to 15 days of constant protection. Bands and clips are waterproof, easily adjustable and can be worn around the wrist or ankle or hung on a backpack, belt or stroller. Kids’ bands come with a special ID label for name and contact details! Sports Bands are offered in a Lycra material and feature reflective material and an ID tag. The new Party Edition bands come in Lycra material and feature fun, flirty designs for stylish protection. Products are available at mass and specialty retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, Target and Whole Foods, as well as www.ParaKito.com. All Ages. MSRP $19.50 | Neoprene $19.98

Self Disclosure: I received free samples of the above items. No other compensation was received and I only feature items that I highly recommend. Images were also provided.

Hide a Carrot (or two) in your Child’s Easter Basket, Garden Lites® Sneaks Veggies into Every Delicious Product!

Garden Lites: Veggies Made Great®, the delicious vegetable company and leader in unique veggie-rich foods, will make the Easter Bunny proud this year by sneaking vegetables like carrots and zucchinis into your favorite Easter holiday traditions. With the mission of getting people of all ages hooked on veggies, Garden Lites: Veggies Made Great makes eating your daily dose of vegetables easy, fun and delicious with a full lineup of healthy, veggie-packed products such as Muffins, Superfood Veggie Cakes, Frittatas, Bakes, Bites and Waffles! From the little ones to the elder ones, everyone will love how many options Garden Lites has to offer this Easter. . . and guess what, they’ll never know that veggies are ALWAYS the first ingredient!

All Garden Lites products are made with only clean and simple ingredients and are gluten-free, non-GMO, allergy-free, nut-free, soy-free and kosher. “A fresh zucchini comes in the door at 7 am and by 3 pm is baked into a muffin, wrapped and ready for your freezer. We respect our food and our customers and want to provide recipes with the freshest ingredients that are minimally processed, extraordinary in taste, and highly nutritional, creating an experience you can’t find anywhere else.” says Andy Reichgut, Executive Vice President of Garden Lites. It doesn’t matter who the picky eater is, Garden Lites makes for a wonderful alternative to your child’s Easter basket treat or favorite Easter brunch recipe!

We all love a good ol’ Easter egg hunt, but not the belly ache that follows from all the sweets devoured. Rather than fill your child’s Easter basket with sugary chocolate and candy, let Garden Lites help you hide the Easter Bunny’s favorite treat, Carrots, into their basket! Your children will love the wildly popularGarden Lites muffins which are always made with fresh zucchini and carrots as the first ingredient. Try the Garden Lites Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, full of sweet flavor and loaded with bananas and chocolate chips, the Garden Lites Double Chocolate Muffins, which taste like a decadent chocolate cake, the Garden Lites Blueberry Oat Muffins, bursting with kid’s favorites, blueberries and oats, and the Garden Lites Cranberry Orange Muffins, which are packed with refreshing cranberries and citrusy orange zest. Smile knowing that your children are eating their daily dose of veggies, without even knowing it! Garden Lites muffins make the perfect addition to your child’s Easter basket. They come frozen and individually wrapped, enjoy them at room temperature after defrosting them for 4 hours or pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds for a surprisingly delicious and warm treat.

Garden Lites’ #1 selling product, Superfood Veggie Cakes, and their new line of veggie rich Frittatas allow for the perfect addition to your Easter Brunch, making it healthy, delicious and great for the whole family! Garden Lites Superfood Veggie Cakes are only 80 calories, gluten-free and packed with nutrient-rich superfood veggies like kale and cauliflower. Get creative with Superfood Veggie Cakes by topping them with salsa, a dollop of sour cream and a basil leaf, making a great Easter brunch centerpiece! Garden Lites Frittatas are always a favorite for any brunch, including the Spinach Egg White Frittatas which are vegetarian and packed with spinach, tomatoes, onions and red bell peppers. These savory treats have 5 grams of protein, are gluten-free and are only 70 calories! The Veggie Bacon & Potato Frittatas are vegetarian and loaded with cauliflower, potato, onions and veggie bacon made from pinto beans! These flavor rich Frittatas boast 5 grams of protein, are gluten-free and are only 80 calories!

Let Garden Lites: Veggies Made Great help you sneak veggies into your Easter festivities this year, making the holiday a little bit healthier and just as delicious! Feel good about the food that you are feeding your family this Easter and every day.

Garden Lites: Veggies Made Great products can be found nationwide,  in Costco, Kroger, Meijer, Target, Shop Rite, Publix, Stop & Shop, Giant, HEB, Ralph’s, Fry’s, Whole Foods, and many more retailers. To learn more about Garden Lites and where to buy go to www.gardenlites.com or  www.thehealthfoodstore.com/pages/store-locator 

Credit: Garden Lites.

Easter Gift Guide 2019

Looking for some ideas for Easter Baskets this holiday? Here are some of my favorites!


Skate, Shoot and Share with Tony Hawk Box Boarders! The skateboarding toy line from Tony Hawk will be a hit with your young skateboarding boys and girls!

Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk has teamed up with Hog Wild Toys to introduce Tony Hawk Box Boarders, a brand new toy line that allows kids of all ages to easily land pro skateboarding tricks and film, edit and share videos of those tricks with the free Tony Hawk Box Boarders Studio App! Officially licensed by Tony Hawk, the Box Boarders community will be sharing content on social media using #TonyHawkBoxBoarders.

The world is your skatepark with Tony Hawk Box Boarders Action Packs, new from Hog Wild Toys! Choose from 16 famous skateboarder figures including from the Birdhouse crew such as Tony Hawk, Lizzie Armanto, or Aaron Homoki and get ready to roll! Underneath the skateboarder is a steel ball bearing, which allows the Box Boarder to skate around in any direction.  Film your tricks with the included Quarter Pipe Ramps or create your own park features at home.  With the free Tony Hawk Box Boarders Studio app, you can record and edit your footage to create unreal skate compilations and share them online with other fans using #TonyHawkBoxBoarders.

Each Action Pack includes:

1 Box Boarder, 1 collectible secret
Tony Hawk Box Boarder, 1 camera

holder and 4 Quarter Pipe paper ramps

Available January 2019

Age: 4+

MSRP: $7.99

US Retailer: Walmart

Box Boarders Super Pack

Flip, ride, grind, and land insane tricks with Tony Hawk Box Boarders Super Pack. Slide your phone into the phone slot located on the side of the bowl and begin filming your awesome tricks! With the free Tony Hawk Box Boarders Studio app, you can record and edit your footage and share them online with #TonyHawkBoxBoarders. Film tricks in all the Tony Hawk skate parks by collecting all 4: Kidney Bowl, Backyard Pool, Pro Park and Eight Bowl.

Each Super Pack includes:

3 featured riders, 1 collectible secret

Tony Hawk Box Boarder, 1 camera

holder, 1 fish eye lens and 1 Quarter

Pipe paper ramp

Available March 2019

Age: 4+

MSRP: $19.99

US Retailer: Amazon

I really love how these are for both boys and girls!

Find out more here!

I love this next one! They are bright and colorful and creative!

Stikbot is coming through with all new colors!! New for 2019, Stikbot now has a multi colored body! Now, how cool is that?!
Stikbots are easy-to-pose figures that are ready for your next Stikbot Movie! Stikbot figures are built with suction cup hands and feet, which can stick to almost any flat surface. ! With the free Stikbot Studio app, available on iOS and Android, kids can snap individual photos and stitch them together into a film, complete with built-in music and sound effect options. Users can share their creations using #Stikbot and see what others are making all over the world!  Children ages 4+ will have a blast with these posable characters!

Find them here!

In sunny Southern California…sunglasses for the kids would be a great gift suggestion for Easter baskets!

Real Shades are sure to be a hit! I love the styles and I’ve been told they are also quite comfortable! They provide 100% UV protection for the whole family from newborn to adult. They have a ton of styles from aviators to their latest color changing Switch sunglasses. Other popular styles include SkySurf and Explorer! You really have to check these out!
Prices start at $14.95 up to $34.95 a pair, which makes Real Shades a great/inexpensive gift idea to put in an Easter basket!

Remember the show Saved by the Bell? Do you know a fan of the show ? This next suggestion would be great to add to an Easter Basket!


SAVED BY THE BELL: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION
 from Shout! Factory

From 1989 to 1993, for a generation of TV viewers, “Saved by the Bell” was the show that perfectly echoed their lives in middle school and high school and it became a cultural touchstone, changing teen programming forever. To help this ultimate collector’s release matriculate, the pop culture mavens at Shout! have assembled an extra-credit worthy line-up of bonus programming, including two BRAND NEW documentary featurettes: “Past Times at Bayside High: Making Saved by the Bell,” a retrospective documentary featuring interviews with writer/producer Peter Engel, producer Franco Bario, writer/producer Tom Tenowich, writer/producer Bennett Tramer, actress Lark Voorhies, and more; and, “Bayside’s Greatest Hits: The Music Of Saved By The Bell,” a documentary short featuring songwriter/composer Scott Gale and composer Rich Eames! Additional bonuses include more in-depth featurettes, audio commentaries, a 16-page episode guide and more!

Can be purchased on Amazon.com.

Do you love Popcorn?


Add Some ‘Pop’ To Your Easter Hop with Popcornopolis 
Easter-Themed Gifts and Mouthwatering Treats! These would be great in an Easter basket!

Spring has sprung and Popcornopolis is sweetening the season with gourmet Easter treats that are egg-cellent for all ages and celebrations. The family-owned and operated popcorn company is proud to offer newly designed Easter-themed gift baskets, festive tins, and adorable Carrot-shaped Mini Cones filled with classic flavors and kid-approved recipes like classic Caramel Corn, sweet and fruity Unicorn Popcorn®, and of course, their most-loved Zebra® Popcorn. For a tasty treat that makes the perfect addition to every Easter basket, hop on over to Popcornopolis.

Make it a one-stop ‘pop’ and order your favorite sweet, chocolatey, or cheesy popcorn treats today with free shipping available online at www.popcornopolis.com April 1- 15, 2019. The Popcornopolis 2019 Easter exclusive offers include:

  • Case of 24 Carrot Mini Cones, Easter Egg Gift Basket, and 3.5 gallon Easter Egg tin offered online at Costco.com for $34.99, $39.99, and $49.99. 
  • Carrot Mini Cones offered at select Walmart locations for $2.00.
  • Easter-themed 1.26-gallon tin offered online at Amazon.com for $34.99
  • Easter themed gift baskets, mini gift baskets, Easter Egg tins, and Unicorn popcorn available online at www.popcornopolis.com.

“Made the way it oughta be”, Popcornopolis offers over 20 mouthwatering recipes and is made from American-grown, non-GMO corn. Crafted with big flavor, the company’s gourmet popcorn is also certified gluten-free with no high fructose corn syrup, or added preservatives, and only the finest ingredients and cooking practices. For more information, a full list of Popcornopolis gourmet varieties, and to place an order for Easter today visit www.popcornopolis.com.

I had the opportunity to try these and I love the Carrot Mini Cones! They are the perfect size to take to work for staff members, give to friends or include in Easter baskets!

Facebook:@Popcornopolis
Instagram:@Popcornopolis
Twitter:@Popcornopolis

Self Disclosure: I received free samples of the above products and also images were provided.

Royal Baby Must-Haves From Zulily

Looking for cute spring clothes for the baby in your life? E-tailer Zulily has everything you need for the Royal Baby in your life (while staying on budget!). These choices are super cute!

Whether shopping for their own baby or looking for the perfect baby shower or “sip & see” gift for friends and family, Zulily launches a new store every day including everything one needs for a baby, from princess worthy outfits, to smocked rompers to toys fit for a king – all at brag worthy prices. 

Zulily Senior Buyer of Infant Apparel, Erica Williams, has shared some of the seasons top styles you might see the future royal sporting, as she partners with hundreds of brands (such Hudson Bay, Aden and Anais, and Laura Ashley), helping to launch thousands of products, specifically for baby:

·         Peter Pan Collars – Pair this classic style with tights and a skirt or with a under a sweater and your baby will be vying for best dressed.

·         Rompers and Smocking – These classics made a comeback with Prince George and Princess Charlotte, and you’re sure to see the newest member of the Royal family following suit.

·         Delicate Lace – Lace detailing around the collar and sleeves will be seen everywhere this year and if the newest royal is a princess, she will be donning this delicate detailing.

·         White Layette – Head back-to-basics with white layette sets to bring your baby home. This look also nods to Meghan’s laid back, California-chic style. Don’t worry, there’s always bleach!

Credit: Thank you to Zulily and Zulily Senior Buyer of Infant Apparel, Erica Williams for sharing these fabulous tips with us!

6 Things to look for when buying Inexpensive Picnic Tables

A lot of people who love nature enjoy eating outside.  With this comes the need to have the right equipment to use since there are plenty of choices to choose from. From choosing a dining table, chairs or any type of outdoor furniture choose one that will give you a beautiful, casual outdoor experience.

When it comes to choosing the right furniture, you need to ensure that you choose furniture that is not only durable but one that gives your outdoors an authentic and beautiful look. You will find both the expensive types as well as picnic tables that are more affordable. Here are 6 things to look for when buying inexpensive picnic tables.

Measure your outdoor space

Before deciding on your preferred picnic table, carefully measure your outdoor space since picnic tables can take up a large amount of space. Consider the different shapes and dimensions of picnic tables that can perfectly meet your space and seating requirements. Next, determine where you will place your table. This will ensure that the table fits into the space available and also creates extra space for movement.

Determine the tables’ function

Picnic tables have different functions and if you want the seating to comprise of people sitting at one table then go for the traditional option. But, if you prefer people sitting separately, for example, if the kids and adults will sit separately, choose a picnic table with a separate seating arrangement. For children’s table, choose a slightly lower table that allows movement and easy access to items on the table.

Consider the style

Various styles of picnic tables are available from the traditional design to more modern styles configured to fit into your outdoor space. Choose a style that brings is not only functional but also decorative.

Consider the material

There are different materials like hardwood, softwood, metal, aluminum, concrete, and even plastic picnic tables. But, your choice is determined by several factors. These include the amount of use, your style choice, duration of exposure to outside elements like the weather, budget, comfort as well as weight.

Consider the shape

Picnic tables have different shapes, but before buying any, you need to take a look at the seating arrangement as well as the number of people you expect to be using the tables. For a larger number of people, the traditional, rectangular picnic table with bench seating is the best choice since it has a wide range of options like round, curved as well as octagonal.

Consider the size

The size of your picnic table has to match the number of people you will want to serve. If possible, choose one that can accommodate a slightly higher number of people just in case. If you want to use it for entertaining functions, it needs to be the focal point ideal for informal meals and gatherings.

Whichever style you choose, you need to also pick the right color. Select from the wide variety of stylish and cheap picnic tables available at the Patio pro.

Brooklyn Cloth, a Fast Fashion Line for Men(and Teens) that Won’t Break the Bank this Spring!

Looking for stylish clothes for the Men in your life? I love Brooklyn Cloth clothing line and it’s great for husbands and Teens too! The clothes are affordable too!

Brooklyn Cloth was co-founded by Daron Jacob when he joined Icer Brands. Icer Brands original founder is Lawrence Jemal. Daron’s background has been in apparel design and manufacturing throughout his 20+ years in the industry. 

Brooklyn Cloth was founded on October 17, 2011.

Here’s more info on their story:

When Daron was working with other companies and developing private label for retailers like Forever21, Urban Outfitters, Pac Sun etc, he saw that Fast Fashion, on trend items, were a growing focus in the women’s market but men’s was very limited. This is where he saw a gap and need, on trend of the moment men’s streetwear inspired fashion at a great price. 

We focus on the Gen Z customer, someone who isn’t defined by style but like to mix high and low. They are someone that will wear OFF WHITE Sneakers with Brooklyn Cloth joggers. 

In 2014, Brooklyn Cloth introduced the boys line focused on the same fashion trends as the men’s line but in “mini me sizes” 

We are known for the JOGGERS and perfected the FIT, style and comfort at a great price. It starts at $40. Lately, we’ve been increasing our focus on Outwear, Sherpa, Denim. What makes our product unique is that we design from the textile level. We work with mills to produce our textiles that are exclusive to Brooklyn Cloth. 

We are affordable fashion focused on the latest trend, joggers start at $40, Outerwear at $50. You can get a complete outfit for $65 

Boys Joggers start at $35, Outerwear at $45. You can get a complete outfit for $50 

Where is the collection available/how can people purchase it? You can go to www.brooklyncloth.com

I love the styles and they even have a few things for Women! I love the
Women’s Sherpa Hoodie! My teenage son is also a fan of their clothing and loved the Black & White American Flag Tee and the Red, white and blue color block windbreaker! I really recommend their Americana styles and they have such great Spring Must Haves!

They have the best styles!

This
Women’s Sherpa Hoodie is so cozy!

Self Disclosure: I received samples to facilitate this post. Top image and Brooklyn Cloth story was provided to post.

Become Environmentally Friendly When You Paint!


The Buddha Board is a must-buy!

With Earth Day right around the corner – it’s time to demonstrate your support for protecting our environment. One easy way to stay environmentally friendly is paying attention to your daily activities so that you are re-using and recycling whatever you can, such as opting to reusable water bottles. But here is something you may not have known – you can conserve even when you paint or draw.

I love this product and the fact that you don’t need to use paper when you paint really impressed me when I tried out the Buddha Board! I may not be an artist but I enjoyed painting with this and it was relaxing to watch my paintings magically disappear. If youb paint lightly the painting will disappear more quickly!

The Buddha Board is a mess-free temporary painting board that is environmentally friendly, and requires no ink, no paint, and no chemicals. Simply add water to your brush and paint on the surface – and your creation will come to life in bold design. As the water slowly evaporates, your art magically disappears leaving you with a brand new canvas each time and endless creative options.
Doodling with Buddha Board will help reduce your stress. Journal of the American Art Therapy Association reports that people who doodle or perform any free-form art end up with much reduced Cortisol – or stress hormones. Now, how cool is that?! It’s also great for children! One thing I really like about the Buddha Board is that it is great for all ages!

Buddha Board comes in three different forms: The original Buddha Board, 5” Mini Buddha Board, and the Enso – the enhanced version of the Mini Board. All versions are extremely portable and come with a water tray and brush. Pictured above is the original Buddha Board.

It retails for $14.95-34.95 and is available with various sellers including Amazon.

Find out more here!

Self Disclosure: I received free samples to facilitate this post. Top image was also provided. No other compensation was received to post.

Robot Vacuum Cleaner Review – iRobot Vacuum, Samsung, Neato

Many homeowners have delegated the task of housecleaning to robot vacuum cleaners that are available nowadays. The many advantages of robot vacuum cleaners are the reasons why they have become very popular these past few years.

A robot vacuum cleaner may be programmed to operate at a specific time everyday even when you are out of the house. It may come with several other features such as virtual walls, dirt sensors, wall mounts, and self-charging base, among others.

There are several brands of robot vacuum cleaners that you can choose from. To ensure that you buy the best robot vacuum cleaner for you, below is a quick review of three of most popular robot vacuum cleaners in the market today.

iRobot Vacuum

 Commonly referred to as the Roomba, the iRobot vacuum is the most popular robot vacuum cleaner in the market. This brand has been making robot vacuum cleaners since 2002 and they have the most number of models compared to other brands. Each model has a different set of features and it is important to familiarize yourself with the different features to determine which one is best for you and to be able to get the most out of your iRobot vacuum cleaner. Most iRobot vacuum reviews that you will read online provide positive feedback on the Roomba vacuum cleaner. For the specific tasks that these small robots are designed to perform, they deliver really well. iRobot vacuum cleaners often rank high in ease of use, ease of cleaning, and durability.

Samsung Robot Vacuum

 Samsung has also been making robot vacuums for quite some time now. Samsung robot vacuum cleaners use what they call a visionary mapping system which helps the robots map the surrounding area using a camera. This is unlike the more popular random cleaner iRobot vacuum cleaners which do not create a map or layout of its environment. This visionary mapping system makes Samsung robot vacuums more methodical than other robots, allowing them to clean a room faster. The different models of Samsung robot vacuum cleaners often come with several of the standard features of robot vacuum cleaners such as virtual walls, schedulers, remote control, and many more. Samsung robot vacuums do a pretty good job of gathering dirt and dust although like most robot vacuum cleaners, they are not 100% efficient.

Neato Robot Vacuum

Designed by the Silicon Valley based company Neato Robotics, the Neato robot vacuum cleaner has a laser-vision system and room mapping ability which are very similar to the Samsung robot vacuum’s visionary mapping system. This allows the Neato robot vacuum to create a map of its environment and to perform its cleaning task in a methodical manner. The Neato robot vacuum is designed with two corners, allowing it to be more efficient at cleaning corners than the Roomba.