Shutterfly Holiday Cards: Yes, It's That Time Already!

This morning when I was driving to work I saw that a park near by is gearing up the Holiday lights display. Really? I thought -- but then I realized it's almost November so, yeah, I guess it's time. 

Hooray for Mistletoe!

I've used Shutterfly before for holiday cards. I am usually super frazzled by the time the middle of December rolls around, but I love sending Christmas cards.  I love sharing pictures of my kiddos and we all know that if you don't send Christmas cards you don't get very many back. I think it's so fun to get letters and pictures from family and friends plus don't you love getting mail that is not a bill?

I love the clean & classic look of this one.

Since I don't have a lot of time or money, I look for a few things when picking out Christmas cards:

1. Shopping that is EASY.
2. Christmas photo cards and the flexibility to move them photos around to create my own format.
3. Non-Traditional designs. I don't like to send religious cards and I like modern designs and colors, although I am always tempted by the beautiful blue Hanukkah cards.

This one would work great if I choose to use summer vacation photos this year.

So grab your camera and your family and click away, then head over to Shutterfly to see what you can create.

Do you want 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly? Click here to go to Shutterfly for information on how you can get 50 free cards this holiday season, and make sure to select Clever 1000 as the referral source.

This post is part of a series sponsored by Shutterfly. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity.

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown DVD

Every year when It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown shows up, for me, I celebrate the start of the holiday season.

I have such fond memories of getting to stay up late in watch this show in my pajamas -- back in the days when televisions didn't have remote controls and were as big as a car -- and how sad I would be when it was over.

My kids won't have to suffer the same fate because of awesome DVDs like this one: It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown finds the Peanuts gang outfitted in costumes, ready for trick or treating and crashing Violet’s Halloween party. Charlie Brown is in a ghost costume. Lucy dressed as a witch and Snoopy in a World War I flying ace costume. Linus decides to steadfastly hold vigil in the pumpkin patch as he awaits the Great Pumpkin.

There are so many reasons why you want to buy this DVD. You don't have to deal with fast forwarding, or worse yet, sitting through the commercials for all the stuff your kids want but don't need, the quality is outstanding, it's a DVD & Blu-Ray combo, so even if you don't have a Blu-Ray now, you will one day and you'll be so prepared. If that's not enough, this disc comes with a bonus TV special: You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown. This episode tells the story of Linus trying to become student body president. Things are going well, until he starts talking about the Great Pumpkin.

You know how there are some DVDs that your kids watch a couple of times and then never get touched again? This is not one of them.

Thanks to Warner Home Video for providing me a copy of this DVD for review and for sparing me all the commercials I won't have to watch this year.

Cheerios and The Wild Wild West

Sponsored By


Cheerios® is giving you the chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, your ultimate family vacation. As part of a paid promotion for their “Do What You Love” Sweepstakes, Cheerios® is sponsoring my post today about what my ultimate family vacation would be. Read mine, Enter the Sweepstakes for a chance to actually win your own fantasy family trip or one of a bunch of other great prizes.

When I was in college, on a whim, on very little sleep and probably about two hours notice, a handful of friends and I piled into a too-small vehicle and hit the open road. I don't remember why we chose to go where we ended up or who was in charge of directions but we took what turned out to be one of the most fun and memorable trips of my life. We left Wisconsin early in the morning and headed West -- a direction I had never traveled before.

We slept on the ground in sleeping bags in Sturgis, South Dakota. I drove through the Badlands and admired the jaw dropping beauty of it all. I shrugged my shoulders at Mount Rushmore (that's it? Isn't it bigger than that? Really?) Got a Wall Drug bumper sticker, shouted to the buffalo who roamed Yellowstone, tied a string to a fence on top of a mountain so high I almost peed myself driving  back down and said the words "We're not from 'round these parts" to a mountain man in a convenience story with a beard down to his knees when I had to ask for directions.

There was more too, wading through freezing cold mountain springs, music, photographs. As clear as some of those memories are in my mind, I'm sure there is much I've forgotten. There were places we didn't get to as well. We wanted to see the cliffs at Mesa Verde and swing by the Grand Canyon but ran out of time.
That's why I can't wait for the day that I can do that again. With my boys - my husband and my sons. I want to recreate that Western trek. I want to see it all again. I want to show it to them. How different this country can be and how amazing. I want to spend hours in the car.  Maybe we'll rent an R.V. I want to wear silly cowboy hats and I want to hike under the sun and I want to see the Grand Canyon this time. From a helicopter. Yeah! I want to stand where I can't see anything but wide open spaces in every direction and I want them to see that too. I want them to be open to a world so much bigger than the small city we live in.
I can't wait for that day. That's what I would do if I could.

Don't forget to enter the “Do What You Love” Sweepstakes, for a chance to win your own ultimate family vacation. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity.

As stated above, this post was Sponsored by Cheerios, which I really love, especially the honey-nut variety.

Umi Shoes Back To School GIVEAWAY!



Umi Pilot

Yes, I realize that back to school started a month ago, however, it's taken me an entire month just to catch my breath and get used to new routines for two children, a new school for one, a new classroom for the other, to fill out forms, permission slips, print out the lunch menus and learn how to correctly pronounce the name of the teacher that someone just informed me I've been saying wrong for four weeks (my bad).

Luckily for me, I've got Umi Shoes on my size. I've reviewed Umi shoes multiple times before on The Full Mommy and you can expect to read about them again here because they are my go-to shoes for both of my boys. I don't even have to think about it: They get a pair in the spring and another in the fall. I know the quality is consistent, the styles are hip and fun, they are affordable and I know they will last the entire season. As crazy as back to school month has been for me, Umi helped me tremendously by being there and making it easy to check NEW SHOES off my list. I so appreciate having a brand that can do that for me.

I'd like to do the same for you, because Umi has generously offered a pair of shoes for a lucky Binkytowne reader. If you would like a pair of Umi's for your favorite little feet here's what you need to do:

1) Comment here and make sure you leave your email address!
2) Visit Umi's Facebook page and leave a comment there as well.
3) Think about which shoes you want if you win.

Your choices for the giveaway include:

The Orchid for Girls, in pink or black OR The Tiberius lo in chocolate:

Umi sent me a pair of the Pilot shoes for boys (seen above) and they are perfect. They are casual enough for jeans, but well made enough to look nice with khakis or cords. Of course, my two year old doesn't care about that. He only cares that they feel good and enable him to run fast. They do both.

You can visit the Umi website to see all of the cool options for fall and winter and right now shipping is free with any order of $50.00 or more.

I'll pick a winner on October 15th. One comment per person please and GOOD LUCK!

Thank you to Umi for providing a pair of Pilot shoes:

Full disclosure, I buy 3-4 pairs of Umi shoes every year and I wish they made MaryJanes for adults. 

Disney's Beauty and the Beast DVD & Blu-Ray Diamond Edition

Now that the weather is turning colder I'm always on the look out for DVDs I can bring home for the kids to watch on weekend afternoons. Lucky for me (and you) Disney’s most requested film, Beauty and the Beast, is arriving in stores for the first time in a Blu-ray + DVD Diamond Edition.


Do you remember Beauty and the Beast? I can refresh your memory: It is set in and around a quaint French village during the late 18th century and Beauty and the Beast follows the adventures of Belle (the Beauty) who finds escape from her ordinary life through books and the Beast, who must discover a true love who will return his affection.

This is a timeless tale that has gone on to inspire a Tony nominated Broadway musical, has won Academy Awards, Golden Globes and a couple of Grammys. All of which is fantastic, but the question is will your kids want to watch this? The answer of course, is YES. The movie is charming, full of beautiful music, awesome graphics, humor and characters your kids will fall in love with. On top of that, there are hours of additional viewing experiences that include behind the scenes features, deleted scenes, enhanced music tracks, games and more.

This film is defintely family movie-night worthy. Here's a clip for your viewing pleasure:



I know you are totally singing right now, aren't you? Well, before you go make sure and click over here for a special offer from Disney worth $10.00 of the DVD & Blu-Ray combo pack.

Thanks to Disney for sending me a copy of Beauty and the Beast for review, it was free, but I'm sure I would have bought one anyway.  

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair.

This is part two of my compensated review from BlogHer and Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair.

So did you make your way to your nearest Estée Lauder Counter on July 23rd for the ULTIMATE SKINCARE GIVEAWAY? I did! As part of our original BlogHer review for Advanced Night Repair, I was fortunate enough along with a busload of other bloggers, to be treated to a visit to Macy’s in Chicago for a special event celebrating Advanced Night Repair. I’m here to tell you all about it.

After being greeted warmly by the Estée Lauder team, we were treated to two presentations; Evelyn Briley taught us about the product itself and Theresa Selvaggio gave us a spirited look at the life of Estée Lauder, the woman and entrepreneur. We were able to learn about what makes Advanced Night Repair so successful and how much research has been done to make it so effective. It was great information but I really enjoyed learning about Estée Lauder, the woman. The woman who wasn’t “allowed” to give out samples of her perfume in a department store, so she showed up on a crowded Saturday afternoon and dropped a bottle of it in the middle of the place, letting it shatter so that the fragrance filled the air. Sounds like my kind of lady.

After the presentations we all had the opportunity to meet with Estée Lauder make up artists for a personal consultation and make up touch up. As I mentioned in my previous review, I’m a long time Estée Lauder customer so I’m familiar with the products but it was really helpful to talk with an expert one on one about my skin tone and how to combine the products for the best effect. I wish we had done some before and after pictures can I can tell you, there was a whole lot of pretty ladies walking out of Macy’s that night and heading back to BlogHer.

One last thing. As a thank you gift, Estée Lauder gave us all gift bags with some sample products enclosed. In my bag there was eye-shadow (lovely, by the way) and the new TurboLash mascara. This was not part of the review but I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t tell you to go out and get that mascara RIGHT NOW. I am extremely picky when it comes to mascara and rarely find one that I really, really like. Listen, ladies, it vibrates. I can’t tell you why this works but wow- it does. The mascara glides on smoothly, doesn’t clump and my lashes look long and full. It’s magical. I’m in love.

I want to send my thanks to the team at Estée Lauder for sharing their products and expertise with me and the rest of the BlogHer reviewers. I enjoyed my visit to Macy’s and I look forward to my next visit to the Estée Lauder counter.

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair

This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair.

When BlogHer gave me the chance to review the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair, I couldn’t say yes fast enough. Here’s why:

I am a loyal Estée Lauder makeup customer and have been for many years. I love their mascaras, lipsticks, eye shadows, you name it. I really love them. When it comes to foundation? I can’t live without my Estée Lauder Double Light Wear. It’s the perfect combination of hydrating and smoothing. Its light, matches my complexion and makes me feel evened out, if only in one little corner of my life.

If that weren’t enough of an incentive, you know I am one tired mama who doesn’t get enough sleep. All the women in my fair-skinned Polish family have noticeable fine lines around the eyes, myself included. Lastly, as much as I would want to, I could not manage a daytime skin care regimen. I have too much to squeeze into the daytime hours as it is. But the night-time hours? They were wide open. I have been hesitant to try many face creams or tonics because my skin is sensitive and prone to breaking out, but this was simply too tempting to pass up.

Estée Lauder reports that Advanced Night Repair’s technology helps continuously repair the appearance of damage to your skin by stress, sun exposure and other environmental factors. It’s designed to offer protection to your skin and increase hydration. My results? Overwhelmingly positive.

I followed the instructions, which included applying several drops of the serum every night, after I washed my face and before I went to bed.

I loved the feel of the concentrate. It’s as light as water. Maybe lighter. You can squeeze a couple of drops onto your fingertips and cover most of your face and neck easily.

My worst fears? Unfounded. I didn’t break out at all. Not a pore was clogged during my trial. The night repair made my skin feel firmer almost immediately upon application, without any dryness or tightness that can come with more harsh, alcohol-based cleansers or toners.

There were a couple of nights that I fell asleep settling down one of my kids and stumbled into bed, not realizing I had not applied my night repair. I could immediately notice the difference upon waking up. Most noticeably, more puffiness around my eyes than when I used Advanced Night Repair. My fine lines? I don’t look like I’ve had a face lift, but I can see a difference. At $47.50 per ounce it’s not exactly inexpensive, but that bottle goes a long way in more ways than one.

Applying the Advanced Night Repair to my face at night made me feel a little better about myself. It was something I could do for me at the end of each day. Knowing that I was taking better care of my skin made me feel good. I took a little longer separating out my lashes with my mascara wand and spent just a minute longer making sure the shadow on my lids was just so.

Looks like I have a new skin care product to love. I think you will love it too. But don’t just take my word for it! Visit BlogHer to check out the review round up page and take a look at what some other lovely and talented bloggers have to say about Advanced Night Repair. You can also visit here for more information.

Even better-Estée Lauder invites you to AMERICAS NIGHT TO REPAIR. On Thursday, July 23, 5-9PM, visit any Estée Lauder Counter and get a free 10-day supply of New Advanced Night Repair, no purchase necessary (while supplies last).

Are there any other Estée Lauder favorites out there I need to try? Leave me your beauty tips in the comments!



Visit me at Binkytowne, where I write about my life among the matchbox cars, and at The Full Mommy, where I write about stuff that parents use.