The 10 Hostess Gifts Commonly Given During the Holidays

Posted on December 17, 2017

The holiday season calls for entertaining and being entertained, in other people’s homes at cocktail parties, open houses, family and friends’ gatherings.

It is common etiquette to take the host a hostess gift, a small token of gratitude for opening their home and planning a gathering.

Here are the top 10 common things people bring to hosts:

1. A bottle of wine. This can be any variety and presented in a festive gift bag.

2. A box of chocolates. Everyone loves chocolates and the season is about decadent excessive eating after all. Godiva is a fave, as is Ghirardelli or anything Swiss.

3. Note cards. Nice notecards are the type of things people don’t buy for themselves ordinarily so that’s a great gift.

4. A nice plotted plant or flowers. These can last he season of taken care of well. Great gift. A succulent plant is great because they can thrive in any weather or environment practically!

5. Scented candles. Fragrances to mask the smell of cooking and make the home aromatic are wonderful.

6. Gift sets. Whether it’s candy, scented soaps or lotions, anything tied in a nice bow would work. Even cookies!

7. Olive Oil. Many kitchen stores and gourmet gifts stores sell olive oil in nice decorative decanters.

8. Tree Ornaments. Why not give the host a new ornament to decorate the tree with this year or next?

9. Wine Tags. Stores sell these tags that guests use to identify their glass of wine or decorate a wine bottle. They’re inexpensive but classy

10. Picture Frame. Buy a frame with a nice saying or that is a conversation piece on its own.

Good luck shopping and don’t forget to pick up your hostess gifts while you’re out.

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Top Family Friendly Podcasts to Download NOW!

Posted on December 16, 2017

Podcasts are BIG!

Everyone is listening to them because they no longer just consist of boring banter about old English books or business productivity. Because there is a podcast for every man, woman, and child out there, families have more options to incorporate them in their daily lives.

The fact that podcasts are strickly audio makes them quite practical. The best ones are just 10-20 minute in length and entire episodes can be absorbed on the way to school, during a long commute, during travel, at the airport while waiting for a flight, in the air, in a car ride, after school while running errands or traveling to sports activities or to an away game that is far away.

Podcasts aren’t just for iPhone users only anymore. Besides iTunes, there are many platforms that will let you download a podcast on your mobile phone, tablet or other device. You can also download them on your destktop and listen to them while you do mundane work on the computer.

A podcast is like a radio show, only better because you can listen whenever you like. If you have a smartphone, you can use a podcast app like Stitcher, SoundCloud or Apple Podcasts to listen. Just download the app, search for a podcast by name, and hit play.

You can also subscribe to your favorite podcasts to get alerts when new episodes come online. If you’re on a desktop computer, tablet or laptop, you can visit a podcast’s website to listen to episodes and learn more about your favorite shows. Most podcasts have a website where they offer additional content, photos and ways to get in contact with the podcast creators.

Because podcasts are so extremely popular now, you can find a show for just about anything you’re interested in.

The folks at Family First put together this list of 20 fun and educational podcasts for the whole family to enjoy together:

EDUCATIONAL

1. WOW IN THE WORLD

Subscribe on iTunes here

Website: http://www.npr.org/podcasts/510321/wow-in-the-world

Wow in the World is a podcast and a new way for families to connect, look up and discover the wonders in the world around them. Every episode, hosts Mindy and Guy guide curious kids and their grown-ups away from their screens and on a journey. Through a combination of careful scientific research and fun, we’ll go inside our brains, out into space, and deep into the coolest new stories in science and technology.

2. BRAINS ON!

Subscribe on iTunes here

Brains On!® is a science podcast for curious kids and adults from American Public Media. Co-hosted each week by kid scientists and reporters from public radio, we ask questions ranging from the science behind sneezing to how to translate the purr of cats, and go wherever the answers take us. https://www.brainson.org/

3. TUMBLE SCIENCE PODCAST FOR KIDS

Subscribe on iTunes here

Exploring stories of science discovery. Tumble is a science podcast created to be enjoyed by the entire family. Hosted & produced by Lindsay Patterson (science journalist) & Marshall Escamilla (teacher). http://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/

4. SESAME STREET PODCAST

Subscribe on iTunes here

Sing songs with Elmo, Abby, Cookie Monster and Grover. Learn about friendship, patience and sharing with Bert and Ernie. Celebrate sunny days with all of your favorite Muppets with new episodes every Monday!

5. BOOK CLUB FOR KIDS

Subscribe on iTunes here

The place where young readers meet to talk about books. The show includes a celebrity reader and an interview with the author. The host is award winning public radio journalist Kitty Felde. Book Club won the Literacy in Media Award. http://www.bookclubforkids.org/

Among our fave is the DREAM BIG PODCAST

The DreamBigPodcast.com is a family-friendly podcast inspiring kids (and adults!) to pursue their passions in life and take action to make their dreams a reality. Mom Olga Karpman hosts the show her 7-year old 2nd grader daughter Eva Karpman. Together the duo interview world-class performers and other guests who are extraordinary achievers from all areas of life and interests. Already, they’ve interviewed astronaut Chris Hadfield, motivational speaker Sean Stephenson, Pencils of Promise founder Adam Braun and countless other amazing guests The Dream Big Podcast’s short 15-20 minute format makes for the perfect length to listen to an episode in the car with your kids.

Each episode features free personalized discussion sheets that you can download and print at home to have a thought-provoking discussion as a family about what you learned listening to that week’s episode. http://dreambigpodcast.com/

In recent months, the Dream Big Podcast has been consistently #1 on the charts in the Kid & Family section and a Top 100 podcast overall with well over a million downloads! Wowza!

Subscribe on iTunes here

Check out close to 20 other great podcasts you can subscribe to on this list provided by the folks at Family First Indiana Here!

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Tips

Break Through the Anxiety that Builds Up Around the Holidays With These Tips

Posted on December 13, 2017

‘Tis the season and you’re not alone – there’s a lot going on with school, friends and family. Here are some quick tips for dialing back the tension so you all can enjoy the festivities, courtesy of the IndieFlix national documentary Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety:

Take a breath – Sometimes all you need is a break from what you’re doing so you can recharge. Do something fun together as a family, like bake holiday cookies.
Take care – Make sure you and your kids exercise, eat well, get enough sleep, and go on that winter walk to enjoy the season. Grownups should limit caffeine as it can make anxiety worse.
Talk it out – Speak to a friend or family member about what’s bothering you and be sure to keep the lines of communication open with your children, too. If you can’t manage the holiday stress alone, don’t hesitate to seek professional assistance.
Set limits and expectations – You don’t have to do it all. Decide what activities and visits are the most important and then stick to your plans. And managing your children’s expectations will go a long way towards relieving anxiety.
Let it go – Functions with extended family can really ratchet up the stress. Try not to sweat it if Aunt Jane forgets to bring everyone’s favorite appy yet again or the kids are cranky. Remember what the holidays are really about and focus on all the things that are going right.

And here’s some advice to keep in mind if you’re trying to help someone with anxiety:

· Be supportive and empathetic.

· Modify your expectations.

· Listen with a nonjudgmental attitude.

· Encourage the individual to confront stressful situations and support their efforts. Avoiding the stress can make the anxiety worse.

ABOUT ANGST: Producers, and moms, Scilla Andreen and Karin Gornick have one goal: to start a global conversation and raise awareness around anxiety. Their new documentary utilizes the power of film to tell the stories of kids and teens who discuss their anxiety and its impact on their lives and relationships, as well as how they’ve found solutions and hope. The film features a special interview with world-renowned athlete and mental health advocate Michael Phelps, who shares the effect anxiety has had on his own life. In addition, Angst provides discussions with mental health experts about the causes of anxiety and its sociological effects, along with the help and tools available to address the condition.

For more information and resources, or to find a screening in your neighborhood, visit: www.angstmovie.com.

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Tips

Here Is Your Last Minute Holiday Gift-Shopping Budget Guide

Posted on December 12, 2017

Budgeting for Holiday

Take Free From Broke blog’s suggestions on planning your Christmas and Holiday season shopping budget:

1. First the real chore; you need to make a list of all expenses. Notice I’m talking expenses here and not just gifts. We tend to spend more than just on gifts, don’t we? Do you have to travel at Christmas? It may sound trivial, but even an extra tank or two of gas to drive around visiting relatives and can cost more than you think (and that’s considering driving not flying out somewhere). How about special holiday meals? You see where I’m going with this. The point here is to figure out how much you’re spending before you even get to your gifts.

You need to figure out what you can afford!

Look at what you can realistically spend for the holidays. Work out a total figure for this amount. This will be after you’ve figured out what you’re spending for other holiday-related activities. This is what you can afford for your gifts.

2. Have you saved anything yet for the holidays? If you have money set aside for holiday shopping already then you are awesome! (Listen, you’re awesome if you didn’t put anything aside too I just want you to get in the mindset of budgeting for stuff before it happens. Are we cool?)

Now look at that figure you have for holiday spending. Subtract the savings you set aside for gifts. The amount that’s left is what you need to save between now and the holidays.

Note: Don’t go dipping into emergency savings and stuff like that. Savings are there for a reason. Usually that reason isn’t to blow it all on holiday gifts.

3. How many paychecks until the holidays? Time is ticking and I want you to get saving ASAP! From right now until the holidays how many pay cycles do you have? There may not be many. Take that final figure of what you need to save. Now divide it by the pay cycles you have left. That’s what you need to put aside every paycheck.

Is it too much? Then you need to adjust what you can spend or find other expenses you can cut down for now. It’s OK to sacrifice a bit for something you want. If you have to scale back going out to eat or a few movies out then so be it. Or you can lower the amount you have to spend this season. That’s OK too.

4. Make a list of people to shop for and check it twice. (See what I did there? I’m here all week!) When you’ve made this list – prioritize. Who do you absolutely need to buy gifts for? Really. It’s easy to head out shopping then see the perfect gift for your neighbor’s cousin’s friend that you met once at a BBQ years ago. It’s nice of you to think of her but that gift either comes out of your gift budget or it will hit your credit card.

5. Who’s been naughty and who’s been nice? (I can be so punny at times.) Once you have your list I want you to come up with reasonable amounts you will spend on gifts for each person. Go ahead and pencil it in next to their name.

Add up all of those amounts. Is it more than your figure from the previous step? If so go back and play with the numbers.

And don’t forget about cards and gift wrap. You’re going to need all of that too most likely. That comes out of your budget. That’s OK. Remember the point here is to figure our what you can afford so you don’t have to dip into your credit cards and debt to get by this holiday season. You can do it. We’re doing fine here.

6. Where are you buying your gifts? Discounts are out there to be had, including Free Shipping Day, among others. When you have a list of gifts, do a little homework online and find the best prices and you will find you can save a lot and make your money go further. What you’re doing here is making sure you can get the best bang for your buck. What’s nice about this step is if you play it well you can find the gifts you want for less and end up with a little extra in your budget. Yay!

Good luck!

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Expat Rules: Moving to Singapore with the Entire Family

Posted on December 12, 2017

One member of our blog family recently relocated abroad for a work opportunity and took her entire family. Another recently left for Singapore and it had a lot of us talking and thinking about how easy it would be to uproot the family and take them half way across the planet.

It’s easier than you’d think actually. Apparently, Singapore is quite the business hub in Asia and it also seems to have have attracted many investors from all over the world. Others come seeking employment in any of the numerous businesses present.

With many finding a welcoming environment, most are seeking to bring their families to Singapore. Before taking the first step, you’d have to source out an Individual and Family Immigration Service and implore the use of a reliable agent. You can visit the immigration department for more details on how to succeed throughout the process.

Who Is Eligible as a Family Member?

If a mom or dad lands a job or some other oportunity, he or she can then apply for their spouse and children. Interesting enough, over time, this visa can be transformed into permanent Singaporean citizenship. The government, through the use of the immigration ministry, has various options for permits and passes for family members depending on the conditions under which their relative finds themselves.

Long-Term Visit Pass

If the spouse will be working in Singapore or has an established business, then you can apply for the Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) to this country. Both biological children, stepchildren and adopted ones can also benefit from the same scheme. As mentioned above, the parents of the expat or of a foreign employee in Singapore may have to go through a detailed process. However, it is a possibility for them to get such a chance.

A dependent pass is another option that is available to children, spouses, and parents of a foreigner who is employed in Singapore and earns over S$6,000. This condition is straightforward, and therefore, applies to foreign employees rather than business investors. The process used involves the assistance of an agent to make the process a possibility and success.

Is It Necessary to Bring Your Family to Singapore?

Most people find it necessary to have their families relocate. After securing a job in the country, then you can opt to bring the family if they are willing to relocate. Facilities and services like education, housing, and healthcare in Singapore are on a par with international standards, making the country a world-class hub to live in. There is nothing to worry about because this is just the tip of the iceberg; there are more great reasons to bring loved ones here.

Before applying for any relevant pass and permit, ensure they are eligible in order to avoid disappointments, waste of time and waste of money.

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Tips

15 Things To Eliminate from Your Life For a Less Costly Or Stressful Christmas and Holiday Season

Posted on December 11, 2017

If you’re feeling the pressure to overspend this Holiday season and are stressing over having the most perfect of perfectest Christmas ever, you’re going to lose it before the big day arrives.

Cool it! Take it easy and woooosah! Here is a list of 15 things you can cut out of your life to make your Christmas (or Holidays) less costly and less frustrating, compliments of this old post from FrugalGirl.

You don’t have to bake a bazillion kinds of cookies.
You don’t have to have multiple Christmas trees.
You don’t have to go to a farm and chop down your own tree.
You don’t have to make your own Christmas cards.
(You don’t even have to send out Christmas cards, actually. I haven’t for lots of years now and I don’t think anyone has been offended.)
You don’t have to go to the office party.
You don’t have to buy gifts for everyone, even though the magazines say you should hand out tips and gifts to pretty much everyone you hired throughout the year.
You don’t have to make homemade quilted stockings for your whole family.
You don’t have to buy everything your children want. (Really. It’ll probably be good for them if you don’t.)
You don’t have to see all of your relatives.
You don’t have to see everyone on Christmas day.
You don’t have to have a traditional Christmas dinner.
You don’t have to have immaculately groomed children on Christmas Day.
You don’t have to have a perfectly clean, perfectly decorated house.
If the things you do at Christmastime serve the people around you, bring you joy, and reflect your priorities, then great! Carry on.

But if you feel like your past Christmases have left you and your bank account exhausted, then change something.

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Tips

These 25 Hacks Will Make Your Life Easier and More Efficient

Posted on December 9, 2017

Saving a few seconds here and there throughout the day may not seem like it makes that much of a difference, but consistently practicing time-saving habits can add up. The time you save with these 25 hacks can be put to practical, productivity-boosting use or serve as a bit of “me time” carved out of your day; either way, efficient habits can help you find a surplus of time in an otherwise hectic world.

Hands Free for Time and Safety – While you’re driving, a headset leaves your hands free to manage the task of driving safely. After your commute, wearing a headset allows you to be productive with both hands while you’re on hold or conducting routine calls.
Super-Charge Your Wake-Up Routine – Slapping the snooze button may be tempting, but you should jump out of bed and do ten brisk push-ups instead. When you stand up, you’ll be alert and ready to face the day.
Keep Your Cables Tangle-Free – The same clips that keep large bundles of paper secure can keep your various cables from tangling, which takes forever to undo. Just clamp the clips along the edge of your desk, and feed cables through the holes in the handles.
Jump-Start Your Breakfast Prep – Breakfast doesn’t have to be a cup of coffee and an energy bar on your way out the door. Preparing pancake batter and pouring it into an empty ketchup bottle at night allows you to take it out of the refrigerator and squeeze it directly on a hot griddle in the morning. No mixing, no clean-up!
Open Blister Packs with Ease – Those plastic blister packs can take forever to open, shredding your fingers in the process. Before you start ripping into one, grab a manual can opener and run it along the edge. It’ll open the blister pack without pain or hassle.
Refresh Your Collar Without Ironing – Setting up an ironing board and dealing with the tedium of ironing simply to refresh a shirt collar isn’t necessary. An electric hair straightening styling appliance will do the job just as well, with none of the time-consuming set-up.
Keep Kids Safely in Their Beds – If you’re sacrificing valuable sleep because your child keeps rolling out of her big-girl bed, tuck a foam pool noodle into the fitted sheet along the edge of her bed. It creates a raised area that your child isn’t likely to roll over without waking herself up.
Turn Your Takeout Container into a Plate – Chinese takeout is a delectable lunch, but eating straight out of the container can be a pain. If you have a relatively dry, sauce-free dish that won’t make a mess on a flat surface, just take the metal handle out of the box and let it collapse outward. Instant disposable plate!
Skip the Fabric Softener On Towels – Fabric softener might make your towels more cuddly, but it cuts their absorbency significantly.
Stave Off Boil-Overs – Juggling a dinnertime routine when you’re already rushed can lead to a huge mess, but resting a wooden spoon across the top of a pot of boiling water will at least prevent it from boiling over while your attention is elsewhere.
Keep Takeout Warm En Route – If your car has seat warmers, flip the switch to the “on” position when you pick up takeout food. The warm seat will help to keep the food from getting cold on your way back.
Take Garbage Out at Warp Speed – Suction issues can make it difficult to wrestle a garbage bag out of the pail. Drilling a couple of small holes on each side of the vertical edge along the bottom can eliminate that suction.
Quick-Filter Email – A flooded inbox doesn’t have to be overwhelming. To target marketing mail, filter by the word “unsubscribe.”
Dust Tiny Spaces in a Flash – Placing the conical cap of a cheap condiment bottle over the hose attachment of a vacuum cleaner creates in impromptu “tiny spaces” vacuum attachment.
Ask For Directions Efficiently – If you’re lost in an unfamiliar neighborhood, the fastest and most efficient directions come from the staff of a pizza delivery restaurant.
Shop for Groceries Sans List – If you don’t have time to make a comprehensive list, take pictures of the inside of your refrigerator and pantry with your smartphone. You can use these for reference while you’re at the store.
Chill Bottled Beverages On the Double – If you’re craving a cold beverage and your entire stock is warm, wrap a bottle in a wet paper towel and leave it in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Hull Strawberries in Seconds – Few things are as time-consuming as hulling strawberries, unless you insert a straw through the bottom so that it emerges at the stem, pushing the hull out along the way.
Make Canvas Shoes Waterproof – Wet feet are irritating and create the need to change shoes while you’re out. To waterproof your favorite pair of canvas shoes, rub the entire outer surface with beeswax then heat with a hair dryer. When the wax cools, your shoes will be sealed from moisture.
Boost Your Phone’s Speaker Power – If you need to boost the sound of your smartphone’s speakers for an impromptu conference call, drop it into a bowl to amplify the sound.
Spread Cold Butter on Your Toast – Cold butter may eventually spread over warm toast, but it will probably tear it in the process. Using a cheese grater to shower the surface of your toast with slivers of butter will speed the melting process and preserve the wholeness of your perfectly toasted bread.
No-Stove Grilled Cheese – Turning your toaster on its side and placing a piece of bread with cheese on it, cheese-side-up will melt the cheese while toasting the bread. Press the two together, and you have a no-stove grilled cheese in a fraction of the time. Watch it carefully though, so it doesn’t burn.
Remove Chewing Gum from Fabrics – A wad of gum rubbed into your favorite scarf doesn’t have to spell the scarf’s end. Pop it in the freezer to let the gum harden, and you can usually break it off the fibers easily.
Quick-Thaw a Frozen Lock – A frozen lock on your car door doesn’t have to make you late for an appointment. Just squirt an alcohol-based hand sanitizer on the key before you insert it, and the alcohol will melt the ice in a flash.
Soap Sliver Time Saver – Don’t waste time fumbling with a tiny sliver of soap, just stick it to the back of a new bar. It’s not wasted and you’re not scrambling to keep in in your hands during a shower.

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Tips

Why YourShould Give Your Baby a Massage Regulalry (and How VIDEOS)

Posted on November 30, 2017

I am a firm believer in giving infants and newborns massages. They are beneficial for several reasons.

Colic: a baby who is fussy, gassy, irritable and cries a lot can be soothed with a gentle massage. The massage can also work to break up any gas that may have built up in Baby’s Belly.

Bond: there is power and magic in touch. A gentle massage is a great way for a parent or caregiver to connect spiritually, emotionally and physically with baby. It also helps build trust.

Comfort: everyone loves the gentle pressure and stress relief that come from a massage even babies. You’ll see baby start to coo, smile, close her eyes and signal that she is enjoying the massage.

There are other benefits but if you would like to see an example of how to do it, check out these two videos including one I did a few years ago.

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Tips

101+Things to Do With Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

Posted on November 26, 2017

What to do with all that leftover turkey you have from Thanksgiving? Chop it up and make a sandwich or Turkey chili? Then what? There are loads of recipes online to give you creative options for your Thanksgiving leftovers.

We curated a list for you.

The Food Network’s Best Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

Southern Living Makeovers for Thanksgiving Leftovers

Delish‘s 56 Ways To Totally Transform Leftover Turkey

Country Living‘s 28 Recipes That Will Make You Thankful for Thanksgiving Leftovers

Mental Floss‘s 10 Creative Recipes to Make With Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

Kraft Leftover Turkey Recipes

Thrillest Transform Your Thanksgiving Leftovers With these next level recipes

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For #SmallBusinessSaturday: Shop Our Blog’s Affiliates

Posted on November 25, 2017

For Small Business Saturday, I am encouraging all of the readers, followers and fans of this blog to patronize my affiliate partners because they help me deliver quality content, news and information every day.

Your patronage of these brands will support a small business which just doesn’t include mom and pop brick and mortar stores but the thousands of people who have products, services and platforms, like this one, online.

Check them out and if you’re in the need of any product, your purchase today will keep this blog running. I thank you in advance!

Isabella Oliver

Isabella Oliver is a celebrity fave maternity designer. When I was expecting, I wore some of these designs and found the signature ruching on the size forgiving and breathable. The aesthetic is simple and they stick to clean lines. I love this brand because you can wear the pieces under a denim or casual jacket or pair them with pearls and heels and the clothes work either way. IO also sells shoes, belts and other accessories.

Gymboree

I know from first hand experience that the quality of the clothing is superior. They last in the wash and the colors do not fade. The brand is known for selling very well coordinated pieces with whimsical characters or in solids, neutrals and other long-lasting hues. The clothing is made of natural materials mostly, and they look really cute. I’ve blogged about this brand often before because I am a believer in it. It’s the brand all the affluent suburban moms outfit their kids in so you know it’s top stuff. (smile). Gymboree sells from baby to tween.

Umi Shoes

Umi makes shoes with technology and comfort in mind. Each shoe is lightweight and ergonomically fit for your child’s growing feet. They come in packaging made of 100% recycleable materials. The price point is reasonable and these shoes are durable and can stand the test of playground time and rough and tumble.

Naturpedic

Since your baby will be spending most of her time (up to 18 hours a day) in her crib, it is important to get the right mattress and not go cheap. Get the best you can. An eco-friendly foam and innerspring mattresses like the ones sold by Naturpedic tend to be made with fewer chemicals, plastics, and PVC (vinyl), and a greater percentage of renewable and sustainable materials, such as cotton, fast-growing bamboo, coir, plant-based foam, and natural latex (rubber from tree sap that’s been injected with air). Also, the manufacturing process for some eco-friendly crib mattresses tends to produce fewer carbon emissions. The Naturepedic No-Compromise Organic Cotton Classic 150 crib mattress shown here has a “U.S.-grown organic cotton filling” and a polyethylene plastic waterproof surface that, the manufacturer says, is free of vinyl/ PVC, phthalates, lead, or antimicrobial biocides. It sells for $260. The outer cover of this mattress might limit the exposure to toxins.

ABC Mouse

I’ve boasted plenty about this online learning platform for kids. I purchased a subscription for my daughter when she was 4 and she followed the curriculum through the end. Today, she is a top reader, tests in the 99% for reading and gets all As in school. I credit her early start from this program which is having a sale through Cyber Monday of 63% off its annual fee. This is perfect equalizer for those who cannot afford to pay a tutor for their child like some of the most affluent amnong us. ABC Mouse is used in schools and many early learning centers around the nation and globe!

Pittman and Davis

This Holiday season, consider giving a gift of food! Fruit baskets, cakes, candy and other assorted food items are great for giving employees, teachers, vendors, a boss, colleagues, clients and the like. Also, order a few small gift baskets to give as host gifts when you go over people’s homes for parties, gatherings, dinners and other social gatherings this holiday season. Pittman and Davis have been shipping orchard orchard fresh fruit, smoked meats, cheeses, pastries, candies and other scrumptious gift food items for over 80 yeas. The family owned company is based in Texas. All items are shipped and delivered fresh with a money-back guarantee for deliveries that do not meet up to company standards. Shipping food items can be a very quick and relatively inexpensive way to knock out your holiday gifting for distant and extended family and business relationships in one fell swoop.

Fresh Ruby Red Grapefruit, Orange, Pear and Apple Gifts

Bajuken

Baukjen is the sister brand to Isabella Oliver. Because it is by the same designer, you can expect to find similar clean simple styling and lines. Quality constructed soft, stretchable and breathable all natural materials.

B2C Jewels

In the market for an anniversary or renewal band? Want to get a pair of diamond studs to add to your classic collection of jewelry. You can get top quality jewelry and diamonds at a reasonable price compared to going to a jewelry store by shopping B2C Jewels.

ExploreTrip.com

If you love to travel or can afford to take a family trip during the winter, you can save a ton on your flight through ExploreTrip.com. In fact, this winter, you can save up to 80% on Worldwide flights and Get up to $15 OFF with promo code WINTER. And ExploreTrip is also having a Cyber Monday Sale! Get an EXTRA $15 Off on your booking + Save up to 60% Off on all Flights. Promo Code: CMONDAY. Book Now!

Cyber Monday Sale! Get an EXTRA $15 Off on your booking + Save up to 60% Off on all Flights. Promo Code: CMONDAY. Book Now!

Janie and Jack

This is the slightly more upscale sister brand to Gymboree. The clothing looks for posh to me. The price point is higher.

Crazy 8

And Crazy 8 is the less upscale sister brand to Gymboree. Clothing is still top quality but you can get insane deals starting at $4 for tops. They have a large variety of options and are great for stacking on on play clothes.

Le Tote

Le Tote is the best subscription box for preginistas who are new moms-to-be and don’t have time any longer to figure out their clothes. Members get sjo[[ed unlimited number of apparel and accessories each month. It just recently entered the maternity wear business and it just recently started offering maternity wear. We love it so much, we’ve partnered with Le Tote as affiliates. It is having a Cyber Week Sale! Take 85% off First Month of Le Tote Rental! Ends 12/1

Wild Dill

I love Wild Dill because it combines commerce with conscious shopping. They source their goods direct from the creators in Africa, South America, Israel and all over the world and sell them online for a fair share of the profit which is different from what a lot of companies do: they steal the concept, create duplicates in China made of sub par material and market them as authentic.

Nested Bean

The latest on our radar is a swaddle blanket that takes the guess work out of swaddling a new born and adds technology of “touch” so baby can feel even more secure when sleep. It’s called The Zen Swaddle and it was created by a desperate mom who came up with an ingenious solution for some long sleepless nights.

Urth Box

Urthbox specializes in sending healthy, delicious and tasty new snacks from local stores and vendors. Delivered each month, the curated collection is designed to serve as an alternative to unhealthy snacking in the face of stress, busy schedules, and other life struggles and to complement a healthy, fit lifestyle.

Creation Crate

STEM (Science, Techonology, Engineering and Math) is a big deal these days and getting kids interested in this discipline of topics can be tough. With a subscription box from Creation Crate, your kid gets a project to make each time. It’s more than software though, the projects include a building component to it.

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