Jumpin-Beans

Christmas brings so many cool new toys for us to play with and so many great memories of playing, learning and building!  I love getting Broxton gifts that is not only exciting to play with, but also gifts that get that brain working!  Building and thinking, learning and laughing... Isn't that what childhood is about?   The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.   Broxton got a nice big box of Lincoln Logs for Christmas and he was in heaven.  He loved them and watching him play is so much fun!  He even was able to talk his Papa into getting on the ground and playing with him once!!!   Well, he is going to be in total shock this year!  Little does he know that he will be getting a Collectors Edition Homestead!  This is AWESOME!   The BIGGEST  Lincoln   Logs  set ever created - over

I am not sure how or when Broxton got into enjoying Pirates, but he did ... and when he sees a pirate book, he loves to read them. So much that one day, Marc had to make a special trip... He had in his mind he wanted to buy Broxton a new pirate book, so they had to go to a book store and find the perfect one.  Now, Broxton has several pirate books and I am not ashamed to admit that when I read the books to him, I do notice I attempt (not very good) to sound like a pirate.   The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. One Christmas we were sent a book to review called A Pirates Twelve Days of Christmas ...    It was a cute book, so when I opened the mail and saw we had A Pirates Night Before Christmas from the same author, I knew we were going to be in for a treat!   With Sea Horses (inste

The Night Before Christmas brings several traditions to our house.  I don't really remember any "traditions" growing up, just a routine we had each year...  We would go to my Mema and Grandaddy's house, then come home and do Christmas with my parents and brother.  The next day (Christmas) we would go to my Grandma's house and do Christmas with her.  Now that I am married and we don't live near home to go to those events, we have started making our own traditions. Broxton bakes cookies for Santa, we put out reindeer food for the reindeer and starting this year. we are going to read The Night Before Christmas.  It is going to be the last book in our Christmas Countdown of books....  The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. We were sent a copy of The Night Befo

Christmas wishes means a big "wish list" from a little 5 year old this year.  He is all about anything and everything he sees on infomercials.  That and if it is a toy, he thinks that is pretty neat and that he needs it.  No worry if it is feared towards girls, he thinks I need it so I can play too!  I love that he is so excited about the holidays and to be honest, I am excited to see what he is going to do when he sees what is under the tree this year!   The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  VTech provided me with the information and a product for review purposes.  All thoughts are my own.   Yes!  Broxton will be getting the V-Tech InnoTab Max !  This is geared to "grow with your child" and it really is pretty awesome!  I had to take it out and check to see w

Seems like everyone is going on strike, or asking for more money these days!   Even the reindeer at the North Pole think that things need to change!!   Guess the cookies and milk for Santa and the carrots and treats for the Reindeer just were no longer cutting it anymore!  The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. So, what is the big deal this year?  Well... in The Great Reindeer Rebellion , we learn that all the reindeer told Santa that they were tired of pulling his sleigh and that they were all on strike until things changed.  Of course Santa was a bit worried, but then he realized it was a super special job to get to do that and make Christmas come true for boys and girls all over the world...  He then sent out his elves to place HELP WANTED posters for them to come and apply to

The holidays bring along lots of great times.  Not only the excitement of the weather (Hot chocolate anyone?)  But it is so much more...  for us, it is about making memories and of course, gifts!  Broxton is showing a big interest in all sports and not just in playing them.  He says he wants to play every single sport there is, but it is cute when he gets his toys out to start playing games in the house!   The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. We have been able to review several products from the TeenyMates line.  They have all sorts of sports figures, like NBA, NHL and even NFL.  The part that really excited Broxton?  When they introduced the Lil' Troops!  As much as he is excited to get them, their newest release is what made MAMA happy!  They have now came up with a set!

I can't hear it!  Turn it up!  That is too loud, turn it down!  That is what road trips used to sound like for me...  Broxton loved having his tablet on and playing his games... but Marc wanted to listen to music (I mean, there is only so much theme music to Angry Birds someone can take, right?)  So that was the cycle... Broxton wanted to hear his games, Marc wanted to hear music and me.. Well, I just wanted to sleep!  Hello, some of the best naps are in the car, at least for me that is how it goes!   The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I bought Broxton ear phones for the car trip, but he was never really a fan... After the newness wore off, he no longer wanted to wear them.  What that meant was back to hearing his games and I knew I wasn't wasting more money on ea

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. If you remember, we started the tradition of the book countdown as we start the month of December...  I mix in new and old books and each night we open one up to see the book inside.  I normally just have a big stack of books and he can pick whichever one he wants... but after reading the book, When, When, When will it be Christmas ? I decided that I will number this one as first and it will kick off our book countdown!    Broxton is learning to read and the repetition of this book is a great way to help him out.  This book starts with red birdies and red berries...  looks like they are getting the decorating taken care of!   Then we see the white mice and not only are they decorating, they are also working o

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Would you like for me to admit one of my first #MomFails?   Okay... I was all determined to be the best mom ever... and I was going to write in Broxton's baby book.  Documenting everything and making sure he had a fully filled out book, since I did not have one.  (Yes, I had a baby book - but many blank pages)  Well, lets say that he is 5 years old now and that baby book,  I am not even sure where it is now, but I know there are many a blank page in there too,  Probably more than in mine, since I got what I thought was the best baby book out there...   Looking back, I think I got the wrong one.   When I saw that Anne Geddes had a baby journal available, I wanted to check it out. Remember, everyone seems t

With Christmas coming faster than I can think, I am really crunching down on what all gifts I need to still get.  As I have mentioned before, I love giving books and I think they are gifts that really keep on giving.  You give a book, but they get so much... They get to travel into the book and escape to the land between the pages. They (hopefully) get a love of reading.  They get books to learn and explore and loved ones also get precious snuggle time!    The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. We were sent two new books to add to our library and one will be wrapped and added to our Christmas Countdown.   Jingle Paws by Margaret Wise Brown (you know, Goodnight Moon)  is the book I am talking about!  Just as our kids get excited for Santa to come and visit, bringing treats on Chr

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Just in time for all the excitement of Disney's latest movie, Big Hero 6, we were sent another wonderfully illustrated book from Disney Publishing.  This book is called Hiro and Tadashi and it gives us a brief introduction to all of the characters we will meet in the movie. As a parent that has seen the movie, I will say that the book really doesn't make sense... but if you have a younger kid (or if you are NOT like me in that I always point out when I notice things not making sense in moves / television shows.) You might be wondering what I mean... Well, in the movie (which we saw and it is a great one... lots of excitement and robots!  But remember, I warned you it is a tear-jerker)  we see Hiro going wi

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Santa's Magic Toy Bag might be a family favorite for some of you, but for me it was a totally new movie to get to watch with Broxton.  I thought he would enjoy the puppetering of it all, but he really had nothing to do with it.  He was playing with his toys... and would watch this from time to time.   He did follow along with the storyline, but other than that.. He just really wasn't into it.  I believe that if this is a classic from your childhood, you will love the trip down memory lane. Let me know if this is a movie you have watched before!   Image Credit - IMDB Parents will once again enjoy these beloved, 1980s,  holiday puppet specials – not seen since their original Showtime Network  debut and

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. When I was in college I fell in love with the works of Anne Geddes.  I thought her photos were amazing and just how sweet are all those little babies???  Even now, whenever I am out and about and I see some of her works, I immediately smile and think about how precious those images are and then I wonder how long it took her to take these photos... I mean, she is dealing with little babies !  Now, it seems like everyone is having babies!  Marriage and babies, always seems to be the topic of conversation.  When I had the chance to review the books from Anne Geddes (beautiful photos and hard padded covers)  I was all excited.  Who am I to turn down looking at those babies????   The first book is This Little Bab

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. Want to hear something funny (to me?)  Broxton is a fan of the Ninja Turtles.. he loves watching them and he even dressed as one for Halloween.. but he is not a fan of playing with them!  I have no clue why.  He used to love them, but then one day he was over it... Now if he sees them on television, he will sure enough watch them...but don't try to interest him in playing with them!  That was why I was excited to see that they have released the entire first season on DVD and of course it is part of our collection now!  (Broxton loves this, since there is no cable in his room!)  Check it out and see if it might make a great gift to go under your tree this year!   Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelang

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. You know how you get a product and it is just amazing?  Well, I was sent a product some time ago and my mom actually fell in love with it.  She said it was amazing and I think I should purchase stock in it since she loves it so much...  What is it?   Salonpas !    They have several different products and at some point or another, I think she has used them all!  With the holidays coming up, I thought it would be great to share this with you as a great care package idea.  Between sports, exercise and so many other things, your body can get aches and what better way to treat them besides using a bit of the product line from Salonpas??? Check out just a few things they offer: New Salonpas(R) DEEP Relieving G

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation. When I mentioned China Beach to Marc, he said he liked the show... and thought I was crazy when I said I had never heard of  it before.  With that being said, I thought there might be other fans that might want to know about the China Beach release on DVD.     CHINA BEACH: THE COMPLETE SERIES  is packaged in a deluxe collector's box, sporting metallic printing and original artwork and logo treatments from the series. In addition to the 62 remastered episodes across 21 discs, fans will also find  special  liner notes penned by Dana Delany, Robert Picardo, series creators John Sacret Young and William Broyles, Jr., and series writers Lydia Woodward and Carol Flint, a collectible 32-page book, and ten hours