60% off American Girl Dolls!!!

For a very limited time you can choose from 2 different American Girl Dolls and save 60% off the regular price. You can choose either Marie-Grace or Cecile for just $50. You can purchase the canopy bed for $50 as well. Heck, you can probably find a human toddler bed for $50, but I digress.

Go to the American Girl site to purchase before they run out. Enter Code "JILLOFFER" at checkout.

Happy Shopping!

5 Piece Stainless Steel Sorage Containers 92% Off

Save 92% on a 5 piece Stainless Steel Food Storage Set. Valued at $60! You pay only $8 shipped! While supplies last.

A Hop Across the Pond

For a person that does not like to fly, it seems like I am always getting on a plane. In October of 2011,we  took our first ever trip across the pond. For me, that was HUGE! Over eight hours on a plane is definitely not my idea of fun. But I soldiered on, because I'm brave like that! If you believe that... well I guess I could sell you that flying cow in my back yard. A tiny Ativan before boarding helped. I do not sleep, because I just can't sleep on planes ...but I rested. Somewhat. I have the kind of luck that won't get me the Powerball but will always get me people in the row in front of me that like to lay on my lap. The.entire.trip! Whether or not my dinner is on the tray.

Maybe that's why I can't sleep on planes. I may be too considerate to my fellow passengers since I barely recline the seat. Just enough so that I don't look like I have a stick up my....I digress.

This trip included Paris, Barcelona and a Trans-Atlantic cruise with stops in Porta Delgada in the Azores and St Thomas U.S.V.I. Most of this post is just from stuff I remember off the top of my head. I did not take any notes during this trip, so the post may be a little scatter brainy because... well... I sort of am! ;-)

 View from the Arc de Triomphe towards Montmartre

 Our cute little pied-à-terre on Rue de la Cerisaie

In Paris, we stayed in this lovely apartment in Le Marais in the 4th arr. Tiny, but cute
and perfect for the 2 of us. We booked through Paris Best Lodge and they were a class act from the get go. Due to my recent ankle surgery, I wasn't comfortable with walking up many flights of stairs, so my choices were quite limited. But we were thrilled with our little place in Paris and not only because we were on the ground floor. We did have a bit of a plumbing issue, but they had someone there right away. Plus, it would take a huge thing to ruin our vacations. We don't sweat the small stuff.

We got full use of our Paris Museum Pass and I do recommend it. We walked (a LOT) and used the metro as well. The Batobus is a nice option too. A relaxing, scenic ride on the Seine. It is not narrated, but for about the same price as the Seine tour boats, you can ride multiple times. The Batobus is hop on, hop off plus, it has stops near most major attractions. We purchased the 5 day pass and only used it a few times. But that was our choice. The one day pass is €15, the 2 day pass is €18 and the 5 day pass is €21. So for just a few euros more, we decided on the five day. Just in case.

We had a really nice meal was at Le Relais de l'Entrecôte in the 6th arr. And if you know anything about me, you know that the rest of my meals were mainly delicious pastries from all the glorious patisseries! Oh, and amazing fresh baked croissants for breakfast. How convenient is it, that from our apartment on Rue de la Cerisaie, we could walk about 10 steps to a patisserie/ boulangerie for breakfast?

One huge tip for Paris. If you have an early morning flight out of Paris, book your taxi ahead of time! Do not plan on calling half hour before you need it. Like we did. We could not get a taxi and obviously panic set in. D ran over to the taxi stand at the Bastille and fortunately got one after what seemed like an eternity a short wait, then came to pick me up. The taxi driver was wonderful, and did not seem to mind my broken French. We tipped him, he at first declined saying that it was not necessary but we insisted. He got us there safe and on time. Then it was up to us to run through the airport like OJ Simpson.

I know that we missed a ton of things and definitely plan on returning for a slower paced visit.

View of La Sagrada Familia from Montjuic

In Barcelona,we only had 2.5 days. We rented an apartment (Valencia D) through BCN Negre. It is located in the Eixample district and the office is right in the building. You do not need to go somewhere else to pick up your keys. Again, another good choice for us as we were very happy with our apartment. Sadly, I did not take any pictures, but the ones on their website are accurate.

One day we went to Montserrat. This is super easy to do on your own by train. You simply take R5 from Espanya station towards Manresa. Just be sure that you allow plenty of time to find your way at Plaça Espanya, it is huge. We missed the train that we wanted to be on by about 7 minutes and had to wait an hour for the next one. We chose the Trans-Montserrat ticket for about 23 euros each. It includes round trip train fare, your choice of the cable car or the cremallera (funicular), 2 additional return funicular rides in Montserrat, 2 metro tickets and access to the audio visual area. We had a wonderful visit and it was not very full. Probably because we arrived later in the day, but then again, we missed going all the way to the top since we had to catch the train back.

 Montserrat

We also purchased a one day HoHo bus ticket once we had so little time. Let me start by saying that we are not tour bus type of people. We like to get out, walk and explore. But we were very limited on time. First, we took the entire circuit. Both the blue and the red line. Then we took it again, this time getting off at the places that we most wanted to see. It was a great way to see as much as possible with our limited time. We never had trouble getting on the bus, but we did notice several stops that were a mad house!

At the end of our journey on the bus, we made our final stop at Montjuic. We walked around a bit then made our way to the Poble Espanyol for our reservations at El Tablao de Carmen. I purchased our tickets on line and arrived about an hour early to check out El Poble. This is included in your reservation. A quick walk around and peeks into shops and we were ready for some flamenco. We chose the Tapas option. For 45 euros each we got Tapas, dessert, a pitcher of Sangria and a great show. You will be seated with strangers, I mean, really, really close to strangers. But it's all good. If you're lucky, you'll get to chit chat with new friends. The food was good and the show was great.

Our toothpicks

Now, for my favorite tapas place thus far. Taberna Maitea. I am truly in love with this place. The pinxtos are great and the Sangria was even better. The real deal, mixed in front of us. Grab your cold tapas and order your hot ones. We arrived before the peak dining hours and were seated right at the bar. D & I shared about 14 pinxtos and a large pitcher of amazing sangria for about 34 euros. They count your toothpicks at the end and charge you accordingly. I think it was about 1.60 each. Go! Unless your very difficult to please, you will not regret it.

Our trans-Atlantic cruise was on the brand new NCL Epic. Overall, it was a great cruise and we met several new friends. A bit of rough weather on the crossing, but nothing that I could not handle. Since I survived my first trans-Atlantic, we will be doing it again this year! So in October we will start off with 5 days in Rome and 4 more days in Barcelona before boarding the brand new Carnival Breeze! We will do a 12 day Western Mediterranean cruise followed by a 15 day trans-Atlantic.

Stay tuned. I will be sure to take notes this time with more tips.

*** I was not paid for this post. All links to websites are for informational purposes only. Everything posted is based solely on my personal experience. No guarantees are expressed or implied.***

Review: Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream

Forty-Five! Forty-Freakin'Five years old. I can't even believe that I am admitting this in public. So now that I am this age that I will not mention again, skin care is of the upmost importance to me. I will be fighting and hiding any signs of aging til I die!

I have been lucky so far. My only complaints are a few sun spots (I refuse to call them age spots) and a few broken capillaries around my nose. I HATE (and do not wear) foundation. I may use a bit of concealer if necessary along with my tinted moisturizer.

I recently received a tube of Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream to sample from BzzAgent. I was really excited to try this product after reading about B.B. creams. This is a perfect fit for me! The coverage is way better than that of my tinted moisturizer plus it evens out my skin tone and hides imperfections. I have been using it for over 2 weeks with no break outs or complaints.

B.B, Short for Beauty Balm, Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream combines intense hydration with tinted minerals and Vitamin C, so you can ditch that drawn-out beauty routine for naturally more even, radiant and smooth skin in minutes.
Used as often as you want to refresh your look, Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream instantly delivers big results:


Renews radiance
Brightens your complexion
Evens skin tone and blurs imperfections
Hydrates for 24 hours
Protects against UVA & UVB rays with SPF 15

Works on all skin types with two shades: Light/Medium and Medium/Deep
Contains mineral pigments which melt instantly upon application to even out skin tone for a lightweight, flawless finish
Formulated with the antioxidant Vitamin C to help renew your skin's natural radiance, creating that healthy glow every gal wants
Available at mass retailers (such as Target and Wal-Mart) for a suggested retail price of $12.99

I only need a tiny pea size drop to cover my entire face. I also wipe up any additional cream left on the opening of the tube and add it where I need a little more coverage. It does have a slight scent, but it's not a bad scent. Just putting it out there for anyone that may be sensitive to scents.

Now, like with almost everything, the Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream has both pros and cons.

Pros:
* It provides good coverage and evens out tones
* Feels light, not heavy
* Contains SPF 15
* Price is decent at about $13 plus you can find coupons

Cons:
* Feels a bit greasy/ shiny at first until it dries
* SPF 20+ woul be ideal

The pros outweigh the cons. The price is great when compared to other B.B. creams and seems to work just as well. I, for one, will continue using it. Like with anything else, results may vary from person to person. But at this price, it will not hurt to try it out and see if it's for you.

"Like" Garnier on Facebook at facebook.com/GarnierUSA

*** I am a BzzAgent. I received complimentary products in exchange for my honest opinion. This is not a paid or sponsored post ***

All work and no play...

I hate it when real life gets in the way of my blog. I have just finished with two back to back major projects that required my undivided attention. Finally finished with those and I am now able to work on other things.

I can also now continue planning our huge, 25th anniversary blow-out trip! My DH wanted a party but I wanted a trip. Like always. Of course, I won.

I hope to be back shortly with som really cool reviews.

See y'all soon!

Review & Giveaway: Clean+Green Natural Pet Stain & Odor Removers

I admit that I am a clean freak. I don't much enjoy cleaning per se, but I insist on having my house clean and fresh. I do have one cutie patootie puppy named Kassie. She will be 2 years old in a couple of weeks and is potty trained. For the most part. I have tile on the first floor of my house, so clean up is fairly easy. Except for the grout. I also have area rugs that have seen their share of accidents. Especially since her boyfriend, Moses, visits frequently and sometimes he literally pees while walking!

I recently was given the opportunity to try Clean+Green® Natural Pet Stain and Odor Removers.

CLEAN+GREEN® are natural pet stain + odor removers. Their line of eco friendly, green cleaning products are made from organic and biodegradable ingredients and packaged so you can recycle the container - now you can clean green! For green pet cleaning, use effective, non toxic, organic home cleaning supplies and keep an environmentally friendly home - with pets.


Clean+Green offers a line of green home cleaning supplies for green carpet cleaning and carpet stain removal, green wood & tile floor cleaning, and green furniture cleaning for pet urine removal, pet stain removal and pet odor removal. The products work on cat urine, dog urine, vomit, hairballs, bird droppings, and small animal urine. They are odor eliminators for cat urine odor, dog urine odor, vomit odor, hairball odor, bird dropping odor, small animal odor, dog smell, cat smell, ferret smell and other small animal smells. Clean+Green is a stain remover for urine, feces, vomit, hairballs and any other pet accidents. 

• Works Instantly and Easily
• All Natural Ingredients
• Powerful and Effective
• Safe for Pets, People and the Planet

CLEAN+GREEN - Concrete & Grout for Dogs 16 oz
Odor Eliminator, Cleaner and Stain Remover

Cleans and removes the odor and stains in the concrete in your front and back yard from dog cleanup problems such as urine, feces or vomit 

Let me start with the grout cleaner. I have not found anything that works on grout without having to resort to chemicals, like chlorine. The concrete and grout cleaner not only removed the stains but now when we walk by a certain area, no one is saying "I smell pee!"  I was a bit skeptical about how this would work, but I am absolutely thrilled. Not only does it work, but it is safe for the nosy pup that immediately goes to sniff at what I just did.

   CLEAN+GREEN - Furniture Refresher for Dogs 14 oz 

Cleans and permanently removes stain and dog odors on fabric, upholstery and cat beds. Made entirely from non-toxic botanicals, this is safe for pets, people and the environment. 

My poochie rules the house. She does lay on my leather couches but, thankfully, I do not have odors on my furniture. Due to a slight mix-up, I received this product and decided to try it. On the pup's bed! Her bedding does get that unique doggie sweat smell after a while. I usually just toss it in the wash with a bit of Dreft. I sprayed the furniture refresher directly on her bedding. She came over to snoop and did not even flinch! Normally, whenever she smells something that she does not like, she goes into drama queen mode. She starts rubbing her face on the rug, rolling around and starts sneezing and everything. Well, to me this was proof that the Clean+Green products are safe for pets! It doesn't use scents to temporarily mask odors. There is absolutely no scent but her bed smelled refreshed.  I plan on using it in between washes from now on.

CLEAN+GREEN - Carpet & Upholstery for Dogs 14 oz

CLEAN+GREEN® dog urine stain and odor remover is made from organic and biodegradable ingredients and packaged so you can recycle the container. You now have an environmentally friendly, natural carpet cleaning and upholstery cleaning solution for urine removal, odor removal and stain removal. 

I was unable to try this one due to the aforementioned mix up. But I am really looking forward to trying it. My area rugs have set in urine stains that I can't get rid of. There is one rug that I removed from the house because it was pee-ew!  As soon as I am able to try it, I will update on here.

This post was written for Family Review Network & Clean+Green who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

  
GIVEAWAY
Clean+Green has graciously offered to giveaway one Clean+Green product to one of my readers. To enter, you MUST visit Clean+Green. Then come back here and in the comments section tell me which product you would like to receive if you win. There are other methods  of entry as well that are optional and will increase your chance of winning. Extremely easy to enter by using Rafflecopter.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Review: Disney Publishing... It's A Small World

Disney Publishing Worldwide, the world’s largest publisher of children’s books and magazines, is dominating the App Store charts with six new children’s titles in the Books, Entertainment, and Education categories. Entering the New Year as a leading publisher of children’s book apps, Disney Publishing has garnered more than 7 million App Store downloads to-date with apps including:


 "Beauty and the Beast: Storybook Deluxe" – Rated 5-stars by Common Sense Media, this app - newly released in 3-D - allows children to experience a tale as old as time in storybook form. Complete with games, movie clips, puzzles, coloring pages, and sing-along songs from the film, kids will find a surprise on every page. Hear the story read aloud, record your own narration, or explore at your own pace. (MSRP $6.99)

“Don’t Let the Pigeon Run This App!” – Rated as one of the “Best Apps in 2011” by iTunes, this app features the creative work of three-time Caldecott Honoree Mo Willems, who brings the Pigeon to the digital screen with this original, feature-rich, animated app. The app lets users create your own Pigeon stories and is fully animated with hilarious shake-and-play technology and customized voice integration. (MSRP $6.99)

"It's A Small World" – Recommended by Consumer Reports, this app gives families a chance to experience the “It’s A Small World” ride, song, and lyrics in an inspiring new way. Taking readers on a world-class adventure, the app is packed with whimsical interactivity, beautiful artwork by illustrator Joey Chou, and unforgettable music. Featuring the original Sherman Brothers’ song lyrics, this simple, poetic story encourages kids to meet new people, explore new places, and discover that it’s a small world, after all. (MSRP $3.99)

“Pooh’s Birthday Surprise” – Rated 5-stars by Common Sense Media, this storybook app features Winnie the Pooh illustrations and exciting tap-and-play animation designed to help children acquire and reinforce early literacy and pre-math concepts. As children read along with the word-by-word narration, they are invited to join in the birthday party planning with their favorite friends in the Hundred-Acre Wood. (MSRP $4.99)

"Toy Story Showtime!" – Rated as one of “15 Fantastic iPad Apps for Kids” by Apple Gazette, this storybook app is designed to help children explore essential early reading concepts. Kids are invited to join Buzz Lightyear as he sets out to impress Jessie the Cowgirl in the talent show. As Buzz tries his luck at everything from comedy to juggling, emerging readers discover new vocabulary words in the context of a rich, interactive storytelling experience. (MSRP $4.99)

I was given the opportunity to try one of these apps by Disney Publishing. I chose "It's a Small World". Although I do not personally have little ones, the children that I babysit enjoyed this app. They range in age from 2-4 and this, IMHO, is the perfect age group for this particular app.

As expected from Disney, the graphics are great. The application is colorful and a little interactive. My kids enjoyed tapping around to see what they would find. Their favorite was the areas that they could set off fireworks and pop balloons. Plus my kids have learned to say "Hello" in several different languages. Of course, you have to help them. I tell them the language and let them listen to the pronunciation. My 4 year old already knows how to say Hello in French, Hawaiian, Italian and Swahili. So cute.

My only gripe is that the sing-along does not include the full lyrics. Although, it does continue on in verse form throughout the rest of the app. I also expected more along the lines of learning about different countries and cultures.

All in all, it's a cute application. I love Disney and this is a nice addition to my Disney Apps folder.Again, it is primarily for kids between 2-4. Children 5 and up ( or even an older 4) might find it bit boring. This is simply a short storybook poem with a bit of interactivity thrown in. But the kids were entertained with it for a short while.  It's not really an app that will hold their attention for a long period of time. They do love the song plus I have shown them video of the ride as well. They are now pestering their parents to take them to Disney World. You're Welcome!

All Disney Publishing apps are available from the App Store on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore.


For more information, visit http://disneybookapps.com and www.facebook.com/DisneyReads, or follow @DisneyReads on Twitter.


This post was written for Family Review Network & Disney Publishing who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Halo Purely for Pets

This review is a bit difficult to write since technically, I am not the actual reviewer. I'm not quite into eating pet food. So, let me introduce you to Kassie.

She is an almost 2 year old Yorkshire Terrier and she has been a Halo Pet since she moved in with us at the age of 4 months. She loves her food & I love that what I am feeding her is good for her.

Holistic Nutrition Made with Only the Best Real Food Ingredients.
I feed her both the Halo Spot's Stew Dry & Canned Food Recipes.  The dry recipe comes in 3 varieties. Chicken, Lamb & Salmon. I alternate between the lamb & the chicken. The salmon gives her fish breath which isn't very pleasant. The canned recipe comes in the same varieties but also has a beef option. Again, I feed her all but the salmon. I know that salmon is rich in Omega 3 and all, but dang, her breath smells nasty!

If I let her, she could scarf up a whole can of food, so I just mix a spoonful into her dry food in the morning. In the evening, she just gets dry kibble and she's fine with that. BUT, if I try to feed her just dry kibble in the morning, she get's mad and won't eat until I add her spoonful of wet food!  Soooo, spoiled!

When you open up a can, you can see huge chunks of meat and actual vegetables. I also like that I can pronounce most of the ingredients on the label! Yes, it is a bit on the pricier side, but they always have coupons on their website. That, plus buying when it's on sale at Petco is a huge help. Plus my Kassie Poo is worth it!

You can sign up for Halo's newsletter and they'll send you a coupon for 2 free cans of food. That way, you can try it out for FREE! So you have nothing to lose and your pet will thank you.

***The opinions expressed are strictly my own. No payment or compensation was received for this review***

Be Kind to Your Heart

We interrupt your regular program for a quick PSA. February is heart month. I urge you all to take care of your hearts. My personal blog has annual reminders but you can basically get my full story here.

One in three American women die from heart disease, making it the leading killer of women in America. In 2002, heart disease killed more women than breast cancer, lung cancer and strokes combined, according to statistics from the National Heart Lung and Blood institute.

Have a heart. A healthy one. Make a promise to love- and protect- your heart today!



Ironically, February 11th  marks the 10 Year anniversary of when I had my heart attack.  I am so very lucky to still be around to bug the heck out of everyone. So consider yourselves bugged!


Visit Go Red For Women to learn the facts, be aware of the warning signs and get yourself checked out.