FedEx for Your Holiday Shipping Needs

I don’t know about you, but when I go to ship a package, I usually just run out to the post office.  I’ve always thought of FedEx and other companies like it as services for business use, and frankly, I always assumed it was pricey.

Well.  FedEx is partnering with Mom Central this holiday season to get the word out that FedEx is for everyone. And FedEx is even offering ways to save time and money with discounts that make FedEx one of the cheapest options this December.  For example, when you sign-up on FedEx.com, you can save up to 16% on FedEx Express services and 8% on FedEx Ground and Home Delivery.  And, when you visit a FedEx Office location, shipping with FedEx Ground actually costs about 10% less than with UPS.

Plus, FedEx professionals will pack and ship your holiday packages for you or give you tips on how to minimize the size and weight of a package, to help save you time and money.

The new FedEx Office Print & Ship Centers even offer customized calendars, cards, and stationery.  That definitely sounds worth checking out.

And it gets better!  To help spread a little bit o’ holiday cheer, FedEx is giving away 5 iPod Touches. All you have go do is sign up for a free account on FedEx.com and record your name and confirmation number here.  Now that’s worth taking a few minutes, dontcha think?  I recently got an iPod Touch, and I’m absolutely loving it.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of FedEx and received a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Minted.com for Holiday Photo Cards

When the folks at Minted asked me if I wanted to sample some of their holiday photo cards in exchange for a review, I jumped at the offer.  I had about 150 Christmas photo cards I needed to order, and every little bit helps.  Plus, I’m always happy to discover new sources for pretty stationery.  I wasn’t familiar with Minted before this experience, but I have to tell you.  These cards are GORGEOUS.  Take a look at some of their Christmas photo card designs.  After much debate, I chose the Sweet Star design.

My cards took about a week to come in the mail, but they were worth the wait.  The cardstock is incredibly thick and stiff, but what I found particularly impressive was the quality of the envelopes.  I know that most people probably don’t pay attention to envelopes, but it’s one of those features that says a lot about a company’s attention to detail and quality.  The print quality was good; it was comparable to the other cards that I’ve seen.

If you really want to go all out, Minted has a couple of unique formats that are really cool.  The Yearline card creates a timeline that showcases photos and highlights from the year, and the Minibook card features four pages bound by grommets into a tabbed book.

If you’re still in the market for holiday cards (or cards for ANY occasion), I highly recommend checking out Minted.com.  And right now they have an offer running where they are upgrading all orders to 2-day shipping.  ENJOY!

Disclosure: Minted provided me with 25 flat holiday cards for review purposes.

Kuru Footwear

It is my firm conviction that sneakers belong in the gym and no where else.  The ONLY time I wear traditional sneakers is when I’m exercising.  The rest of the time, I believe there are more stylish options that can be just as practical as a sneaker.

Take for example, Kuru footwear.  Kuru is much cuter than an old gym sneaker, and it claims to be the world’s most anatomical active footwear.  They actually have an orthotic molded into the insole, and it molds to your foot for the best possible fit and support.  I was invited to try a pair of the slip-on models, and I chose the Draft.

I only wish I’d received them before my Disney trip; they would have been perfect for all the walking we did.  The uppers are made of a light-weight, breathable nylon that wicks moisture away and keeps your feet dry, and the molded insole is super comfy.  It’s like wearing a show that is custom designed for your foot.  AND they’re cute too!

The Epson Artisan 810

Or, alternatively entitled…

The Geek and I (And Our Printer)

Last year I was fortunate to receive an Epson Artisan 800 All-in-One printer.  Epson was eager for me to review the product, but I’m just your average stay-at-home mom blogger who is generally more accustomed to reviewing toys and beauty products than electronics, so I handed the printer over to my geeky network system admin husband for review.  He was less than thrilled because he is not exactly the “printer” guy at work.  He is more accustomed to those large enterprise laser printers then the latest residential printer.  In fact, he has not used a home inkjet based printer in years, as we have always had an old black-and-white laser printer on our home network.  The peddler’s son never has shoes, so the saying goes?

Well, after a thorough review of the Epson Artisan 800, my husband was impressed. The All-in-One surpassed his expectations.

I believe he said something about wireless and wired networking along with USB blah blah blah.  But what really impressed him was how you can easily scan over the network to either our MAC or Windows PCs.  Whatever with the geek speak.  I can just tell you that this printer was extremely easy to use.  I can’t remember a time when I’ve had to call my personal PC helpdesk (my husband) to get help with this printer.  In fact, after setting it up, he left it to me to figure it out.  Before long I was printing, faxing, scanning and copying.  It all worked and it worked well.  No more reboots every few days like our old network attached printer.  Finally, we had a printer that pleased both the geek and the housewife.

The other feature we both love is the easy to read LCD screen which makes all the function simple to access.  He loves it because “it allows for easy configuration of network addresses and wireless network security with long shared keys.”  I love it because it walks me through all of the printing/faxing/copying/scanning features.  Did I tell you that I love the one-touch copy feature?  So easy.

So recently, Epson let me know about the new Epson Artisan 810.  I was a little hesitant.  My Artison 800 is great, and we really have no need for a new printer so soon.  But they convinced me to give it a try and report on the improvements that have been made.

When it arrived, I decided to give the 810 a chance to shine so once again I and handed it over to my husband.  The printer sat in its box for a couple of weeks until his geeky curiosity got the better of him.

While I was watching So You Think You Can Dance one night, I heard him ripping open the box and checking out the printer.  At first glance, it looks just like the Artisan 800.  But the 810 does a few things better.  And it has a couple of new features that we expect to use regularly.

All the good things that were part of the 800 are still there in the 810.  In addition, for my husband and others who like the latest, he reports that there is support for both the Snow Leopard and Windows 7 operating systems.  But, he makes this warning: Be sure to download the latest print drivers for these operating systems from Epson, and don’t try to install from the enclosed CD.  (Epson provides a nice “Read This First!” warning sheet notifying you of this information.)

So what’s the scoop on this new printer?  Here are some of the new features that my husband really likes:

• A front USB charging port.  Now our kids can charge their flip cameras and ipods on the printer, and they don’t have to mess with my computer (or its setting).
• Duplex printing.  Hurray.  Much less wasted paper.
• “There’s an app for that.”  That’s right, you can now print wireless from an iPhone and iPod Touch with the ePrint and Print-and-Share applications.

Also, you can use the Artisan 810 to make coloring book pages and personalized notepaper, CDs/DVDs, greeting cards or birthday invitations, and so much more. I’m anxious to put it to work.

And that’s about it.  The Epson 810 is an All-In-One printer that just works.  The Geek and I are satisfied.  Priced at $200 with free shipping right now on Amazon.com, the Epson Artisan 810 is actually $40 cheaper the Artisan 800.  That’s a serious bargain, my friends.

Nancy’s Appetizers *GIVEAWAY*

This giveaway is closed, and the winning number was 10. Congratulations Crystal!

I know I don’t exactly sing the praises of processed foods these days, but I do make an exception for holidays and entertaining, and I’ve ALWAYS been a fan of Nancy’s frozen appetizers.

My favorites are her Petite Quiches.  I often buy those when I am entertaining to set out as an appetizer or part of a brunch buffet.  They are delicious and pretty, and all you have to do is pop them in the oven 20 minutes before your guests are scheduled to arrive.  The Deli Spirals are good too; I’ve had those at other gatherings.

You can buy them in boxes of 12 or 24 at the grocery store, and I’ve also seen them at Costco in boxes of 72.

Have you ever tried Nancy’s Appetizers? Leave a comment on this post for a coupon good for any one 12-count Nancy’s frozen appetizer. I will randomly select a winner on Wednesday, December 9.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Nancy’s Appetizers and received 2 coupons to facilitate my review and a $20 thank-you gift certificate.

Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas *GIVEAWAY*

This giveaway is closed.  The winning number is 4, so congratulations Jill from The Diaper Diaries!!

If you have a preschooler in the house, chances are you are a fan of Curious George.  I know we are in my house.  We fell in love with the books first, but we also enjoy the show on PBS from time to time.  So when I was offered a DVD of the new release, Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas for review, I gladly accepted.

As I predicted, it has been a hit at our house.  My 4-year-old has watched it more times than I care to admit.

It’s a very sweet storyline, with Curious George and the Man with the Yellow Hat both at a loss as to what to get the other for Christmas.

You can purchase the video at Amazon.com through my affiliate link above, or this show also airs on PBS in Philadelphia on Monday, Dec 21 at 8AM.  Check your listings for local showtimes.

For your chance to win your very own copy of Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas, leave a comment on this post.  I will select a winner on Wednesday, December 9.

Hickory Farms for Christmas

I’ve long been a fan of those Hickory Farms beef sticks for snacking and hors d’oeuvres.  I often buy one at the grocery store and serve it with cheesea and crackers for a light dinner or for an appetizer.  When I walk through the mall around Christmastime, I always admire those pretty gift baskets full of Hickory Farms goodies, but I’ve never actually purchased one.  Thanks to Mom Central, last week I got to sample a gift box full of meats and cheeses and spreads.

Since we don’t eat much processed food anymore, I arranged everything neatly on a large platter and took it to Thanksgiving dinner at the inlaws’ home, where it was promptly gobbled down by delighted family and friends.  I did sneak a few bites for myself too.

This makes a great hostess gift, or a gift for coworkers or even teachers.  They come in all sorts of sizes and combinations of goodies.  There are fruit baskets, cakes and cookies for those with a sweet tooth, and of course the traditional sausage and cheese gift boxes.  Visit HickoryFarms.com to see all of the possibilities.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a Hickory Farms gift basket to facilitate my review.

Paperspring for Holiday Photo Cards

I absolutely love high quality stationery — paper stock that is thick and stiff, classy colors, and creative modern designs.  But the price often prevents me from indulging.  But once again, Paperspring comes through for me with a gorgeous, high-quality product that is also relatively affordable.  And bonus, they use 100% post-consumer waste recycled cardstock as well as a chemical-free, waterless printing process in order to maintain a environmentally friendly operation.

Paperspring once again offered me an opportunity to try out their products on them, and I ordered a set of Christmas photo cards.  What I like best about Paperspring is their service.  Both times I’ve ordered, I’ve received my order within two days — and shipping is always free.

I like that you can change the sentiment on most of the cards, because I often like a card that has a fairly secular message and this way I can change it to say exactly what I want.  (As it turns out, I chose the ONE card on the site that did NOT allow me to change the message; leave it to me!)

I found the site easy to use, easy to swap pictures in and out until I found the card I wanted, and it the pages loaded very quickly.  Take a look at the design I chose.

Best of all?  Until 12/6, they are offering 20% off any product order using the code HOLIDAYCARD.

Citizenpip Reusable Lunch Kits *GIVEAWAY*

This giveaway is closed. The winning number was 28. Congratulations Michelle!!

I’ve never been what I would label an environmentalist, but lately I’ve become more aware of my wasteful ways and a bit more conscientious about preserving our environment.  One thing I’m constantly convicted about is the amount of plastic sandwich baggies I use when I pack lunches in the mornings.  There are days when I pack 4 lunches, and I use anywhere from 2 to 5 sandwich baggies per lunch box.  That is costly in more ways than one!

Enter Citizenpip Reusable Lunch Kits.  All Citizenpip products are lead-free, PVC-free, phthalate-free, and BPA-free, and the flexible design accommodates different types of containers.

They offered to send me a Soup to Nuts kit to try.

The Soup to Nuts Kit gives you lots of options for packing lunch. With four BPA-free airtight food containers, including one that perfectly fits a sandwich, and an insulated double-wall stainless steel food jar that keeps food hot or cold, it gives you maximum flexibility! PB&J one day and mac n’ cheese the next day? No problem! You can pack pretty much anything your kids want to eat for lunch. Added perks, no squished sandwiches, 1 napkin for each day of the week, and a water bottle that does double-duty as an ice pack. Included is a stainless steel fork and spoon set for spaghetti twirling and soup slurping.

Pretty nifty, huh?  Now I know what you’re thinking.  I got this, and I was like, Yeah sure.  I’m going to wash all this stuff every day. But the best part is, you can throw it all in the dishwasher.  Easy peasy!

Citizenpip kits make great gifts as they are beautifully packaged with white cotton ribbon in a recycled white box.   Customers can include a gift message and even pre-order gifts for a later ship date.

* * *

Citizenpip didn’t just offer to send me a lunch kit.  They have several offers for YOU too!

Use the coupon code MUSINGSgive to receive a free fork+spoon set with every order over $50 (before tax and shipping). Make sure to add the fork+spoon to your shopping cart and use the coupon code.

PLUS.   Citizenpip will giveaway one Square Meal kit to one lucky reader. Just leave a relevant comment on this post to be eligible to win.  And please have an address in the continental US.

In addition to all that, Citizenpip will plant one tree in partnership with Trees for the Future for every $10 spent on their site.

And lastly, Citizenpip will donate $300 on behalf of the blog/site with the most coupon codes redeemed between 11/1/09 and 12/31/09.  If we win, we can choose a green non-profit organizations to receive our donation.

This giveaway will close on Saturday, December 5.  Merry Christmas!

Oral-B Stages/Scrapblog *GIVEAWAY*

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations Staci! I have sent you an e-mail to get your information.

Huge thanks to Oral-B Stages for giving me the chance to review their wonderful products.

As a parent we want so many things for our kids. We want them to be happy, loved and healthy. Who knew that your teeth could play a HUGE part in that last one.

Did you know that 51 Million school hours are lost each year due to Dental Related Illness?

Did you know that tooth decay is 5 times more likely than asthma, and 7 times more likely than hay fever.

Those numbers are staggering, a shock to anyone who has children. It was to me at least.

We spend a great deal of time on oral health in our house, my kids have the perfect role model of what NOT to do, so it is a constant. Boo brushes twice a day, and Hunter at least 4 times because if his braces. We are always checking their teeth before and after, reminding them to floss and to rinse with fluoride mouth wash.

Who knew that wasn’t enough.

Oral-B Stages has a fantastic line of tooth brushes and tooth paste to help a child at ever stage, from 4 months to their teens. They took the time to recognize the actual oral health needs of all age groups, from the formation of the teeth to the emotional changes a child feels at each age. This is something that means a lot to parents, knowing that a company cares about your child’s oral health.

Oral-B Stage 1: Ages 4–24 months. These tooth brushes are baby soft, so toothless gums are protected. Before a child has teeth, it is recommended that you wipe out a child’s mouth with a soft clothe, to clean away any lingering breast milk/formula. Once a child has teeth, use an Oral-B Stage 1 brush to keep that little pearl clean. The handle is designed for an adult’s hand, and the head is narrow and shorter.

Children should see a dentist around age 1 if possible, all the better to start teaching proper cleaning habits!

Oral-B Stage 2: 2-6 year olds. At this age, I was worried about the beginning of Boo’s social skills and developing her speech. Who knew that tooth discomfort can not only affect how a child speaks, but how and how much a child eats. This is the age where many children are learning to brush on their own (with adult supervision).

The Oral-B Stage 2 brush is designed with that in mind. The handle is designed for little hands, a simple bristle pattern and power tip allow for full access to all teeth.  Having Winnie the Pooh or Little Einstein’s on their brush will make brushing teeth a fun time for many kids.

This is also the age when fluoride tooth paste is introduced.

Oral-B Stage 3: 5-7 years. This is an age group that has a great deal of oral changes as they grow. Between teeth falling out, coming in and brand new teeth breaking through there are often times when oral care can fall to the wayside. This is also the age group where learning and social development can be most interrupted by Oral Illness.

The Oral-B Stage 3 brush is designed for wiggly teeth, gaps and new teeth. The brush has a cup design to reach around each tooth. The power Tip even gets those pesky 6 Year Molars way in the back. Oral-B Stage 3 has Cars, Princesses, Wall-E and High School Musical brushes and tooth paste.

This is the age group where independent tooth brushing is really taking shape, but be sure to check your child progress every time!

Oral-B Stage 4: 8+ years. This age group is sometimes that most difficult to find a tooth brush for. My son, Hunter, has braces and the Oral-B Stage 4 tooth brush works wonderfully with them! Some brushes will get caught in the braces, causing pain and making a child not want to brush at all. The Oral-B Stage 4 brush has criss-cross bristles, and softer bristles for those looming gaps.

This age is also when most children have the most amount of plague build up on the inside lower and back upper teeth. Checking with your child after brushing is a great idea!

Not only does Oral-B have the Stages line, but they have partnered with Scrapblog to bring parents a way to share their “Smile Stage” memories with family and friends. Simply register, pick your theme and upload your smile-worthy photos and design your own pages. You can even order the scrapblog as a book when you are done. Or share yours, here’s mine!

Right now, when you create an Oral-B Stages Smile-Stages Scrapblog, you will be entered for the chance to win one of 10 hard copy keepsake books!

Win! Want to win an Oral-B Stages tooth brush for your child? I have one to giveaway!  To win simply leave me a comment letting me know your biggest oral concern, what Character your child would love to have on their tooth brush and what Stage your child is in:

• Oral-B® Stage 1 toothbrush (4-24 Months Old)
• Oral-B® Stage 2 toothbrush and one Stage 2 paste (2-4 Years Old)
• Oral-B® Stage 3 toothbrush and one Stage 3 paste (5-7 Years Old)
• Oral-B® Stage 4 toothbrush (8+ Years Old)

Winner will be chose by Random Number Generator on Saturday November 28^th and notified by email.

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