Looking for a new bed? A Nuvanna foam bed in a box mattress is something you will love! #Ad

***This is a sponsored post, by Nuvanna, all opinions are 100% my own***

My daughter is growing up quickly, it seems like it was just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital and putting her to sleep in her crib....shoot forward almost 13 years and that baby is now a tween and in need of an upgrade! Over the years we've upgraded her from her crib, that crib turned into a child's bed and that was great until she grew and needed something bigger and more comfortable. Bigger we achieved. More comfortable?

That depends on who you ask. For the past several years our daughter has been sleeping on a mattress that has been a part of my husband's life since he was in high school! It was sentimental value to him but it's lost all of its life, it is uncomfortable and just worn out. It was time for a change and thanks to Nuvanna that change was easy and is it ever comfortable!

Visit the Grand Lux Cafe an amazing meal with delicious house made food you will love!

Do you ever just want to go out with the family and have a meal that tastes homemade and is quality, but you do not have to cook it? Well in my family every Saturday is family day, a day that we unplug and we go out and just spend time doing things as a family, from going to a show, or a museum to just a fun day at the mall, as long as we are together that is fine with me. We like to eat out as well each Saturday and this past family day we had an amazing lunch at Grand Lux Cafe. For those who are not familiar with this restaurant chain, here is a little more information about the Grand Lux Cafe:

Created by the insatiable founders of The Cheesecake Factory®, The Grand Lux Cafe was inspired by extensive European travel exploring Italian trattorias, French bistros and the grand cafes and pastry shops of Vienna. Blending the grandeur and luxury of European cafes with the sensibilities and spirit of an all-American restaurant. With 11 locations across the country, their upscale-casual eatery offers guests a unique dining experience from cuisine to décor. Every item is prepared fresh to order in our open-style kitchen, using only the finest ingredients such as Certified Angus, Prime, Kobe Beef, Jumbo U15 Shrimp, and organic herbs.

Get organized with a ShelfPack a new kind of luggage with built-in shelves, a must for travel!

Are you looking for an easier way to travel? Seems like every year it gets a little tougher to travel, from the cost of airline tickets, to the hidden fees, and something we’ve taken notice of recently the lack of drawers in hotel rooms! The ShelfPack is a new innovation in travel, that will make traveling a breeze! What exactly is a ShelfPack, and how did this come about? 

Well, the inventor of the ShelfPack, Ken McKaba, was on a long business trip where the idea hit him, he would come up with a suitcase with shelves to make his gear easier to see and get. He started tinkering around and dismantling old luggage for parts and sewing some shelves. He experimented with multiple variations and took the prototypes he made on business and family trips. The idea evolved and improved. Then a a well-established luggage source built the pack Ken was dreaming of and the “ShelfPack” was born.

I must admit I’m not the packer in my family, my husband is. He’s a wiz at making things fit and he has the tiny fold down to a science! But whenever we go places we like to take one bag each and it’s difficult for him to do because guy’s clothes are bigger and take up more space and don’t even suggest recycling shorts! New shorts/pants every day, no questions. We just returned home from vacation and this trip we had a new weapon in our arsenal the ShelfPack Arrive, open, relax. That is their motto and I’m here to tell you that it is 100% true.

Looking for great travel items, be sure to check out Cabeau!

 I'm all of a sudden a traveler. In the past few month's I've been in a slew of airports and cities and hotel's, it's crazy but I love it. What I don't love is sitting in uncomfortable airline seats. They stink. They're narrow, hard, and very unforgiving. When I fly I like to sleep because I'm still not the best at flying, I'm getting better at being on airplanes but I'm still not in love with it and I've come to the conclusion that sleeping is the best option. Sleeping on an airplane can be tricky and thanks to Cabeau they've made my life a lot easier with their Evolution Travel Neck Pillow.

After school family fun with Habsro games #Hasbro

 Now that school is in full swing we're back to the homework grind....and once my daughter is finished and we've eaten dinner she looks at us to do something. She loves spending time with us and playing games but since my husband broke his wrist a few weeks ago he hasn't been able to play video games with her and we've moved to something else and in my opinion far better for all of us board games!

Hasbro has a host of great games for all ages that will provide countless hours of fun for all even those of us with broken wrists. Our game time is something we use as a way to get our daughter to do her homework without complaining and it's gotten to the point where she comes home and just starts doing it without being told to do it. 

Once dinner is finished we let her pick the game she wants to play and right now she's been on a Monopoly kick and the Monopoly we have is something rather cool and very creative. 

 

 My Monopoly Game - It's the fast-trading property game of Monopoly with your own customization! This My Monopoly game includes blank tiles and stickers so you can make it your own. You can print out the stickers to personalize your tokens, properties, and even Chance and Community Chest cards! But you can play without customizing, too. Just move around the board buying as many properties (Streets, Railroads, and Utilities) as you can. The more you own, the more rent you'll get. If you're the last player with any money when all other players have gone bankrupt, you win!

Disney It’s a Small World Collection by LeSportsac Review and #Giveaway

Are you a Disney fan? Well as you know we sure are. Did you know that LeSportsac has a great line of bags that have images of the Disney classic ride, It’s a Small World? If you are a fan of Disney or a fan of the classic ride you are going to love these wonderful bags. Here is a little more information about the maker of these amazing bags, LeSportsac from the website: 

Since its founding in 1974, LeSportsac, a leading manufacturer of functional and chic handbags, has become an American icon sold in countries around the world. The Classic and Designer Collections (designed by trendsetters Stella McCartney, Jonathan Adler, Diane von Furstenberg, tokidoki and Gwen Stefani) have established LeSportsac as the leading American brand of casual nylon bags in the U.S., Mexico, Asia and Europe. 

The Collection's trademarks are sporty American styling, a wide color and print assortment and lightweight functionality with high performance fabrics and hardware. The product line is a complete range of handbags, travel bags, totes, messenger bags, backpacks, attaches and accessories. LeSportsac is sold in over 20 countries worldwide.

Mother’s Day Gift Guide Karina Dresses a great gift for mom

Are you looking for a great mother day gift idea? Well how about a lovely dress that mom, grand mom and just about anyone will love? Are you looking for a great gift for moms of all ages, a beautiful well-made dress. Well I have the perfect gift for you. A dress from Karina Dresses Use the code SIMS30.  it’s good for $30 off any full price dress purchased

Here is a little more information about the owner of this amazing dress company, Karina Cousineau from the website.

 

Karina Cousineau began her professional career as a lemonade entrepreneur at the tender age of seven. A practical gal, she grew up believing in the virtues of hard work and strong moral fiber. Despite all this, she chose a career in the fashion industry, where she toiled for 25 long years.

In 2007, she launched a little dress company from her home in Upstate New York with the vision of creating dresses for every woman. After working in production and design, Karina felt there was a real need for a fashion line that makes every “body” feel and look great, no matter what shape or size. She believes in the innate beauty of women when they accept and love themselves as they are.   Handmade in New York City from limited edition fabric, Karina Dresses are both classic and fashion-forward. Through an ongoing dialogue with storeowners and clients, Karina creates a feeling of a custom collection with great attention to fit, quality and style. Additional features of the dress also speak to the special needs of customers seeking travel and maternity clothes.

Here are some of my favorite  styles from Karina that would be great for mom: 

 I was very fortunate to be able to review a Penelope sleeveless dress in the color Cantaloupe, lilac squares, sleeveless dress with pockets!

 As an ambassador for Karina, you all know that I am big fan of the company.  I love the well-made dresses that are made right here in the USA!  As soon as the dress arrived I could not wait to try it on, the square dot pattern was so colorful. Pinks, oranges and purples.  The quality is wonderful , this is something you can expect from Karina. The dress was made with an imported micro blend fabric, it is machine washable.

The dress is a cram color with medium sized colorful square dots. The dress is a wonderful spring/summer dress. This will be great on hot days, I will be able to wear this for picnics, cookouts and I could even wear this to work (for work I may pair this dress with a sweater, it is so cold in my workplace) because of the color I could pair this with a purple, orange, or pink sweater.  For a date night a jean jacket would be a great addition to the dress. The pockets on this dress are a cool addition, something you would not expect, but I use the pockets all the time! As a mom, I am always in need of a pocket. This will be comfortable all day and not get wrinkled. I am planning on wearing this dress for mother’s day this is one great dress.

As I said before, I just love that this dress is made right here in the United States, that is a great thing. The dress is made right in NYC.  I feel that my grandmother and I could wear this dress, don’t think of that as a bad thing! Oh no, I think it is wonderful that this dress would look just as good on my 78 year old grandmother as it does on me. This is a classic style, that works wonders on your figure, and works with all ages.  You can wear this dress during pregnancy, and after, now that is a great value.

So if you are looking for a dress that will fit your curves,  and would also work as a maternity dress, now that is versatile. This will look great even if you have no curves. If you are 20 and just starting out on your own, this is a great dress for you, or if you are a stylish 80 year old grandmother this will still look great. The dresses are $160 you really get what you pay for though. This may be a high cost for some. But you will get a dress that you will have for a very long time, and you will love it trust me!  This dress it a great investment.  The dresses are very forgiving, gain or lose 5 pounds, your Karina dress will fit just a great as it did before.  Because Karina is “Celebrating women 18 to 80 easy wear, easy care”. Styles are always changing, Karina gets fabrics of all shades and patterns so make sure to buy what you love quickly, everything is made in a limited batch.

Did you know that Karina Dresses were featured in . Travel & Leisure Magazine the mentioned how great the dresses work as travel pieces. I love to pack Karina dresses when I travel. I will be packing my favorite Karina dresses for my trip to LA for the Iron Man premiere next week, I am so excited. I will be sure to share all of the excitement of the event, and how my dresses worked out in a an upcoming post or two. This will be great dress for a nice dinner out with the family. And this dress is so versatile, I am sure I can wear some flip flops with it and it will still work!

So if you are looking for a great Mother’s Day gift idea, I would recommend Karina Dresses, you will get a quality dress that you will love, you will love the feel of the dress, you will love the fit of the dress, and you will be a fan of Karina forever trust me.

Buy it:

To purchase a dress please visit KarinaDresses

Use the code SIMS30.  it’s good for $30 off any full price dress purchased

Make sure to sign up for  the Karina newsletter, for more information and discounts and sale information.

Susan S. Disclosure: The reviews and or opinions on this blog are my own opinions . I received a dress to review. No monitory compensation was received. I was not required to write a positive review. Your experience may differ. The opinions I have expressed are my own I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsement and Testimonials in Advertising  

Mother’s Day gift guide: Maggie Bags, purses made from recycled seat belts. #Giveaway

I am always looking for great new items that make a statement. Especially when it comes to my purses, I love purses that are unique and stylish. Recently our family has been trying to become more green, and treat mother earth better. Did you know that even your purse can be green as well?  Well Maggie bags has a great selection of bags that are made from recycled seat belts! Isn’t that an amazing idea? 

The Maggie Bags legacy began with our parent company, Tennessee Webbing Products. Tennessee Webbing has kept millions of yards of narrow fabrics out of landfills since they began operation in 1991. Our desire do our part for the environment by finding creative new uses for materials originally made for other purposes has been the Maggie Bags mission since the beginning.

Dole Fruit Parfaits sweet treats #DoleParfaitEscape #spon

As you all know I am a working mom who has a busy schedule. I am up ad off to work before the sun comes up. And after a busy day at work I am off to pick my daughter up from school, and when she is home she is famished! She comes home and is ready to eat, and since I am just getting in myself dinner is nowhere near ready.  So I want to give her something that she likes, but something that will not ruin her appetite for the dinner I will be preparing.

Simpli Stamped a great gift idea (And a Giveaway)

Are you looking for a wonderful gift idea for a special woman in your life? Nothing is more personal and really from the heart like a personalized necklace with your loved ones on it.  I came across a great shop, that has unique and personalized hand stamped pendant necklaces, that are unique and very stylish. I would like to introduce you all to Simpli Stamped. Here is a little more information about Simpli Stamped from the website:

Here is the story behind Simpli Stamped: There was a gift store that I used to visit often. As I would walk along the aisles gazing at all the beautiful little trinkets I would reach out and open boxes and lift up items to admire them. Towards the middle of the store were two shelves that had christening gifts on them. In one of the little boxes was a tiny bracelet that said "Jesus loves me". I walked by that bracelet every time I went in the store. And every time I had to talk myself out of buying it for "someday".

When the time came that I was having my own little one, the bracelet was long gone. Shortly after my son was born, my very good friend gave birth to a daughter who was diagnosed with a grave illness. Many times I tried to find a sweet little bracelet just like the one I had seen so many years before. I never did.

When my same friend was going to bring a new child into the family, I decided that I would learn how to make a bracelet for the upcoming little one. Instead of putting Jesus loves me on the bracelet, I decided to put "I am Loved". This has always been a special phrase to me (from 1 Corinthians 13), reminding me that I was truly loved... no matter what. These words of the Bible have always spoken to me, starting in some of my darkest hours. I knew this child would be loved like no other child had, and I wanted to reflect in the gift I was going to give. The bracelet I gave my friend was the first one I made. I knew then that I had found something I was passionate about and had a talent for.  This shop was built on love and each of the items has been inspired by love. 

 

There are so many lovely jewelry pieces, here are a few of my favorites:

 

 

My Review:

With mother’s day approaching soon I’m going to try and help you who might have a mother or wife who may be a little tough to shop for. I know it is just February, but I am the type that loves to be prepared, and I love to make sure I have my gifts well in advance.  I just received one of the nicest pieces of jewelry from Simpli Stamped Jewelry it’s a disc with my the phrase, I am Loved, and it is accompanied with a lovely pearl. I love the saying, it is heart felt, and sweet.

 I love that this  is in-fact something that has been hand crafted by an artisan and not mass produced by a machine. It’s a great piece, it’s a great size not too big and gaudy but not so small that you can’t see the writing and it comes with a necklace so it’s ready to wear right out of the box. 

Along with the necklaces they also hand make rings and bracelets, there is something about a piece of jewelry that is hand crafted, it’s the fact that no two can be alike because they’re made by hand and not mass produced. So if you’re looking for that truly one of a kind gift for your mother or wife take a look at the jewelry Simpli Stamped has to offer.

So if you are looking for that special gift, I would recommend Simpli Stamped the pieces are made with care and they are something a lucky mom will treasure forever. Candy and flowers may be nice, but with a pendant from Simpli Stamped that special someone will get a gift they can treasure forever.  The I am loved collection start at only $14.00 on up, so there is a great gift for any price range. This is a gift mom will love! So if your husband is wondering what you would like for mother’s day this year, make sure to send him to Simpli Stamped.

The generous folks at Simpli Stamped are offering one of Susan’s Disney Family readers a chance to win any item up to a $55.00 value from Simpli Stamped. Would you like to win? Please visit the Simpli Stamped site, take a look around then come back here and tell me something you loved from the site. There are also other ways to enter, please enter below.

Buy it:

To purchase anything here and more please visit the Simpli Stamped site 

Win it:

One winner will win any item up to $55 from the Simpli Stamped site

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Susan S. Disclosure: The reviews and or opinions on this blog are my own opinions . I received a necklace to review.  No monitory compensation was received. I was not required to write a positive review. Your experience may differ. The opinions I have expressed are my own I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsement and Testimonials in Advertising .