Showing posts with label 2016 Holiday Gift Guide. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2016 Holiday Gift Guide. Show all posts

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Illumination AZ Review!

**This was not a paid post. My honest opinions were used, they are solely my own & they may vary from others.The products mentioned below have been provided by Illumination AZ for the review free of charge.**


My family and I were recently invited to the VIP preview of the Illumination AZ drive through light show, my kids love looking at Christmas lights and it was something I loved doing as a child as well so we decided to go. What is Illumination? It is a large drive through light show, there are thousands of lights all synced up to light up and turn off to the beat of Christmas songs, this is it's first year running. If you pay before hand tickets are $30 and if you buy them once you arrive tickets are $35 per car load not per person.




I really enjoy the idea of a large drive thru light show, however this is their first year running so they do have several bumps they need to smooth out so this review isn't completely positive unfortunately. The show was due to start at 6:15pm so we were all asked to arrive as close to 6pm as possible. We arrived about twenty minutes prior to the time and there were already a decent amount of people waiting, once 6:30 rolled around there were still no lights and no movement. The person in charge of the light show that needed to be there and on stage arrived a bit late and then got stuck in-line so we had to wait for them to get set up. Once everything got turned on and started moving it was a little bit of a mad house, they had 4-5 lines of traffic all merging into one single file line and there wasn't anyone directing traffic so everyone was just trying to squeeze and rush their way to get into line first. I think they should have someone standing at the front directing traffic to make things a little easier as this is something I've noticed a lot of people commenting about on facebook as well.



Once you get into the line things start to move pretty smoothly from there, as long as you follow the speed limit, set your radio to the station they provide and shut your headlights off you shouldn't run into any issues. Along the drive there were a lot of neat features such as drive thru light tunnels, giant Christmas trees, peace signs, cactus, and more. Each one was a different color and some of them did different lighting effects than the others but we did notice that several trees and sections of lights weren't on/working at all which was a bit of a bummer because it left gaps in the drive. The kids had a lot of fun looking at all of the lights though. At the speed we were going I would say it took us about 15-20 minutes to drive from the start to the finish of the lights. At the end of the lights there is a section set up for you to park and get out, there are food trucks, sweets vendors, crafting stations, bathrooms, Santa's workshop where you can take photos with Santa and more.



The park and stroll section has a giant light up Ornament you can walk through, has bounce houses for the kids plus a number of other fun activities for your enjoyment along with music and food. The kids had a lot of fun because it was like a mini carnival. The Illumination AZ will be open nightly until January 14th. It is located on the I-17 just north of the Norterra shopping center, 27701 N. Black Canyon Highway Phoenix, AZ 85085.

Monday, December 12, 2016

Whittle Shortline Railroad Review!

****This was not a paid post and my honest opinion was used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others.The products mentioned below have been provided by Whittle Shortline Railroad for the review free of charge.****

Do you have a train lover on your holiday shopping list this year? I know I do, I have a three year old little boy who loves hands on toys like cars and tractors so when I was offered the chance to review a train set from Whittle Shortline Railroad I said yes right away because I knew my son would love the wooden trains sold by them.Whittle Shortline Railroad is a family ran company and they have been around for twenty years, the company originally started in their garage and now they sell their trains worldwide.



For my review I selected the Mixed Burlington Northern set which includes a Burlington Northern Engine, a Burlington Northern Caboose and three freight cars chosen by the Whittle Shortline Railroad. I really enjoyed the set that was sent to us because each piece is well made, and is bright in color which makes the set extra fun. The wheels move around smoothly so you can get this little train set to go pretty fast depending on how you have your track set up.All the trains and train cars are handmade and painted with child friendly paints.


     
The cars are magnetic so you won't have to worry about any little plastic hooks needing clasped together you simply need to move them near each other and they will connect and the connection is pretty sturdy. Each car is well made and has a smooth finish, looking these over I could not see anything I would want to change or anything that was out of place. This set cost $69.95, it shipped rather quickly and was packaged well that combined with the sturdiness and the long lasting durability of this set I do think it is a good price, normally it would be a little more than I would want to spend on a train set however since these are made from wood they can take more than a plastic train set would and therefore will last a lot longer so the extra price is well worth it. These trains are also compatible with Thomas, Chuggington  sets and Brio sets. 

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Townleygirl Review & Giveaway!

****This was not a paid post and my honest opinion was used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others.The products mentioned below have been provided by Townleygirl for the review & giveaway free of charge.****

Thanksgiving is now officially over which means that if you haven't started thinking about what you are going to buy for Christmas gifts you'd better get a move on it! If you have a little girl on your shopping list this holiday season you should head over and check out what Townleygirl has to offer, they sell a wide range of Disney & Dreamworks licensed goods featuring some of your favorite characters. I recently received a box from them to review and I am very excited not only to share the review with you but I also get to give the same products away for a giveaway! What did I receive in my box? I was sent the following products;



Finding Dory Snow Globe Hair Brush retail value $3.99. I want to note that in the pictures this brush appears to have water on the inside to make the glitter float, there is no water in it the glitter is just freely inside so it moves around as if it were in water. This brush doesn't pull your hair a lot because the bristles are spaced out evenly enough no hair gets caught and pulled, the brush is also a nice size so it is easy to hold. We love this brush and give it a 5 out of 5 stars. This would make a great stocking stuffer!



 


Tsum Tsum 5 pack lip gloss set retail value $6.99. I can't get enough of all the adorable Tsum Tsum charters, I think they are all adorable as can be and I have to admit when speaking about things that would make great Christmas gifts I requested to review this one because I wanted the lip balms. Each lip balm has a different flavor, to me they all smell a little the same so smell wise I can't tell a big difference. Flavor wise there is a hint of each flavor in them but it isn't dominant. This formula is thick and spreads will the little drop you can see on my finger above is enough to cover your entire mouth and it doesn't feel greasy or nasty instead it leaves your lips feeling moisturized. After your lip balm is gone you are able to remove the cute little Tsum Tsum and add him to your key chain if you please. This product is great and gets a 5 out of 5 stars.



Tsum Tsum 4 pack hair bows retail price $4.99. My daughter loves wearing hair bows in her hair when she has it up in a pony tail so I knew this set would be a big hit in our house. The hair bows are comfortable to wear and do not pull hair, they also stay in place and are cute to boot you couldn't ask for anything more. They are also well made, I looked them over and didn't see anything out of place or miss glued, this was another 5 out of 5 star product.



Elena 4 pack nail polish with tin retail value $6.99 & Trolls 5 pack lip balm set with tin retal value $6.99. Trolls has been becoming quite popular so this is a great gift to put into a stocking or gift bag, the lip balms Townleygirl sells work well, smell great and don't have any kind of funky taste to them lip some lip balms do and the tin has a cute little tuft of hair attached to it which gives it extra charm. The nail polish is a bit thicker than normal adult nail polish this is to help it peel off easier when your daughter is ready to remove the color she is wearing. The tin that goes with the polish is like a mini metal lunch box that and it closed securely so your daughter can carry her polish around and not worry about everything falling out.

PRIZE ALERT:
Two lucky winners are each going to receive the same package I received!

This is open to US & Canadian Residents only!, please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the notification email!

Giveaway winners are announced on FACEBOOK, If you would like to see who won my latest giveaways please visit and like my facebook page.

 Giveaway entry question: What is another product you would want to own from Townleygirl?


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Monday, November 21, 2016

Lugz Review & Giveaway!

****This was not a paid post and my honest opinion was used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others.The products mentioned below have been provided by for the review & giveaway free of charge.****
A good looking pair of reliable shoes can be one of the most important things you own, they help protect your feet during travel and many people notice shoes when meeting someone for the first time especially during job interviews. Lugz carries a large assortment of shoes and boots that fit both the reliable/sturdy aspect and goes above expectations in the looks department.



The last time I worked with Lugz I reviewed a pair of their Women’s Zrocs, this time I was offered a selection of boots to select from. After looking at the different boots I was able to select from I finally decided on the Men's Empire HI XC in Black/ Smokey and let me tell you it wasn't easy trying to decide which pair to review. I requested these boots in my husbands size because boots are pretty much the only type of footwear he will wear and these look just right for him.



This boot is fleece lined high-top boot and comes with a Flexastride molded memory foam insole, I was curious to see how it felt and how much room it took up inside of the boot itself so I slipped my foot into one before my fiance tried them on and they are pretty comfy! They also have a Mark II tested slip resistant rubber sole which is perfect for working outside in stormy conditions, going hiking and more. My fiance wore these all day Sunday while we were out of town enjoying our escape the room adventure and he was very comfortable in them the whole day. The first time he tried them on he thought they were just a tad bit too big because there seemed to be extra room near his toes but once he got up and started walking around the realized they were just right and the little bit of room was nice near is toe area. If anything gets spilled on them or mud slashed up on them they are easy to clean and will look brand new again once they are wiped off. I think these boots look very professional and are a good year round boot.

PRIZE ALERT:
One lucky winner is going to win their choice of any Men's or Women's Empire boots.
 
This is open to US Residents only!, please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the notification email!

Giveaway winners are announced on FACEBOOK, If you would like to see who won my latest giveaways please visit and like my facebook page.

 Giveaway entry question: Which pair of Empire Boots would you select if you won?


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Dollar Shave Club Review!



****This was not a paid post and my honest opinion was used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others.The products mentioned below have been provided by Dollar Shave Club for the review free of charge.****

I've featured a number of women's and children's so far as part of my 2016 Holiday Gift Guide so now it is time for something for the men. If you are a cable TV watcher I am sure you've seen the hilarious commercials from the Dollar Shave Club which helps you Shave time & Shave money with their subscription boxes. Each month they will ship you a box that has new razors in it, they have three different priced boxes depending on what kind of razor you would like, they also offer tons of facial products and bath products such as their one wipe charlies that you can add to your box.



In my box I received a very nice razor handle with a set of four six blade razor heads, Dr. Carver's Post shave cream, Dr. Carver's Repair Serum, Dr. Carver's pre-shave oil, Big cloud good shake hand cream, Big cloud wind master lip balm, Dr. Carver's shave butter & A pack of One wipe Charlies. I love that they offer a wide variety of facial and skin products for men that help their skin before, during and after shaving because everyone knows that razor burn is unpleasant and no one wants that on their face, having skin that isn't dried out also helps prevent in-grown hairs so that is a plus. These products will help you (or your husband/brother/son) get a close and smooth shave, the post shave products will them help with providing moisture to the skin and help it look it's best.

 

You won't find any fruity, flowery or girly scents in this box! All of the products are very light in fragrance if at all, and they are all manly smells many of the products remind me of a light sandal wood scent and they smell pretty good. Depending on how often you shave the facial products should last quite a while since you only need a little bit of each. The one wipe charlies are a great addition to any bathroom, they are peppermint scented butt wipes an will leave you feeling fresh and sparkly clean for those who have never used them before they may leave your butt feeling a little tingly and minty fresh due to the peppermint, they will leave you clean and smelling fresh. The basic razor box itself ranges from $1 for two blade razors to $9 a month for six blade razors and all the extra facial products vary in price this way you can customize your box to fit with your affordability.This subscription box really does live up to the hype you see in their commercials and they are worth checking out for yourself, or for a loved one, you could even pick some of these products up and use them as useful stocking stuffers.

Friday, November 18, 2016

Christmas Forest Review & Giveaway!



****This was not a paid post and my honest opinion was used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others.The products mentioned below have been provided by Christmas Forest for the review & giveaway free of charge.****
I don't know if you've noticed or not, but the Holidays are coming! I am counting down the days until I can officially start decorating, my fiance and I agreed (or I should say I gave in and agreed with him) that we wouldn't put up the tree or Christmas decorations until a few days after Thanksgiving. However I was given a cheat pass to put up this beautiful Christmas wreath from Christmas Forest.





I received the 20" Jingle Bells Christmas Wreath which features lights, bells and colored ornaments along with a lovely red bow.The wreaths sold on their site are fresh wreaths meaning they use real tree branches, pin cones, etc. and yes eventually after a while will start to dry up but you can help it stay fresh and looking nice longer by giving it a little spritz of water every day. I wish you could smell the wreath through the screen because it smells amazing, it reminds me of being out camping when the weather is cool out. We live in Phoenix which is mostly just desert and cactus so being surrounded by the smell of the woods isn't something that is normal in my home so my cats have been freaking out trying to figure out what the smell is.



My wreath arrived quickly and was packed in a thin plastic bag to keep the moisture in and ensure it was looking and smelling it's best when it arrived, the bow and an extra set of batteries were in a separate bag to protect them. As you can see from the photos above my balls were a little sticky, but it wiped off easily without any issues. I was surprised to see that not only did my wreath come with an extra set of batteries for the lights that are in them but when I went to put them in I realize there was already a set in the pack! This wreath is gorgeous and it is light enough it doesn't take a very large hook but it is heavy enough it won't blow off of your door. I love the bow but I also love it without the bow so it makes it hard to decide which way I would like to hang it up, I can't wait to show this off to my house guests. Each wreath is handmade and as you can see from above they include a little tag letting you know who created your wreath, since these are handmade and made from fresh forest products they may not all be exactly the same but they will all be beautiful and smell wonderful. The 20" Jingle Bells Christmas Wreath is $55 but they also offer wreaths as low as $40 and they offer Free shipping to Continental US via UPS Ground.

PRIZE ALERT:
One lucky winner is going to win their own 20" Jingle Bells Christmas Wreath.

This is open to US Residents only!, please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the notification email!

Giveaway winners are announced on FACEBOOK, If you would like to see who won my latest giveaways please visit and like my facebook page.

 Giveaway entry question: What is another wreath from their site that catches your eye?


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Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Coobie Seamless Bra Review & Giveaway!

****This was not a paid post and my honest opinion was used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others.The products mentioned below have been provided by Coobie Seamless Bras for the review & giveaway free of charge.****

When it comes bras I wear a DD so I like a bra that looks cute but also offers support for the girls and for my back. Generally I like buying bras with an underwire but it never fails that within one to two months the wire starts to migrate it's way out of the seam and starts poking me which leads me to having to rip out the wire which as you know makes it to where the bra isn't the same after. When I was offered a chance to work with Coobie Seamless Bras on a review & giveaway I happily expected because I have heard several good things about the company.





For my review I received a Coobie comfort bra in XL color: Medium Gray. The bra is mostly stretchy fabric but it does have some padding in the cups, I wish the padding part was slightly larger because it is significantly smaller than the cup as a whole so depending on how you move around the padding may shift around a bit, but the good news is the padding is removable so if it bugs you just remove it. Other than wishing the padding was slightly larger in width I absolutely love this bra. There is no underwire yet this bra is still very supportive and comfortable to wear, instead of having hooks in the back that can come undone or even bend in the dryer and result in pokes in the back this bra is fabric all the way around and is put on by pulling over your head. It stretches nicely so that it fits over your shoulders but goes back to its forming shape once it is on your chest area giving you the best support possible. I also like that there is no tag on the bra everything you need to know is printed right onto the inside fabric of the bra. I wore this while doing yoga and it was extremely comfortable almost to the point where I forgot I was even wearing a bra. While wearing a form fitting tee you aren't able to see your bra straps which is a big plus!

Coobie Seamless Bras are ultra comfortable and supportive. Perfect for everyday wear our versatile one-size fits 32A - 36D, available in 7+ styles and 70+ colors/patterns, with adjustable straps and removable pads! Try one, you'll love it!  Save 25% on Coobie Seamless Bras using code: USFG

 

PRIZE ALERT:
Two lucky winners are each going to receive a bra of their choice from a list provided by Coobie. (Will be emailed to you after you win, you get to select the style and size but the colors will vary).

This is open World Wide, please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the notification email!

Giveaway winners are announced on FACEBOOK, If you would like to see who won my latest giveaways please visit and like my facebook page.

 Giveaway entry question: Which Bra from their website would you want to own?


a Rafflecopter giveaway