Bells and Unicorns Etsy Shop Review and Giveaway...

We found another AWESOME Etsy shop, Bells and Unicorns, and they were kind enough to offer us a review AND a giveaway of these really great reusable sandwich and snack bags:

About Bells and Unicorns:

"Tired of spending tons of money on plastic sandwich baggies? And just think of all that plastic that goes into landfills when you throw them away!

About the Pretty Princess Baggie:

"This "Pretty Princess" snack baggie is perfect for the eco-minded person who wants to help the Earth! This baggie is approximately 4 inches by 7 1/4 inches. These would be perfect for cookies, chips, crackers, dried fruit or any other lunch box goodie! The "Pretty Princess" baggie features adorable princesses on a patchwork of light green, pink, and blue! This is perfect for the Pretty Princess in your life! A generous amount of velcro lines the opening of the bag, which makes closure a cinch for little hands, and keeps goodies from falling out! There are no exposed seams and baggies are lined with a water-resistant, food safe nylon, so clean up is a breeze! Just turn the baggie inside-out and wipe down with a damp cloth. If your baggie needs a more thorough cleaning, just toss in the washer and line dry! These baggies are great for things like:-Lunches-Picnics-Hiking-Camping-Walks-Going to the Park-In the Car-Birthday Party Goodie Bags-Teacher Presents-The possibilities are endless!Pattern placement may vary. Colors are even more vibrant in person!"

Some of our favorite designs:

What we thought: These bags were perfect for A! She really loved the design...it totally fits her personality:) The patterns and designs seem endless at Bells and Unicorns...there is definitely something for everyone, whether your packing the kiddos lunches, or your lunch or just grabbing a snack on-the-go! The bags are very well-made and the perfect size for either a sandwich(sandwich bag size) or a healthy portioned snack(snack size). I really like the velcro closure on our bags. They keep our food safe and sound, but are easy enough for A to open when it is time to eat:) Bells and Unicorns also offers zipper closure bags. We have really enjoyed using these in the car, while out running errands(it is guaranteed, no matter how short the trip my kiddos will want a snack:) I love knowing I am not using endless amounts of plastic baggies, but these easy-to-care for, eco-friendly bags instead:) ABCD Diaries gives Bells and Unicorns etsy shop an A+!!

Buy It: Find these stylish eco-friendly baggies for everyone in your family at Bells and Unicorns!
Win It: Bells and Unicorns has generously offered one ABCD Diaries reader a snack bag and sandwich bag of their choosing!! To enter, visit Bells and Unicorns a tell us which pattern you'd love to have!

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Giveaway ends Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 11:59cst. Winner will be chosen via random.org and emailed. They will have 48 hours to reply. Open worldwide 18+:)

Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given a set of baggies for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

Pookie Boutique Etsy Shop Giveaway...

Another great Etsy shop...Pookie Boutique! Check out these adorable handmade creations:

About Pookie Boutique:"Hello, my name is Jackie and I am the creator and founder of Pookie Boutique. After working for many years in the corporate world, my whole world changed when my husband and I decided to make me a SAHM. Like many of the stories out there, my hobby became a business when I noticed that the baby accessories that I was making for my little girl Hannah (nickname:Pookie) always seemed to draw attention wherever we went. So my little hobby of making trendy bibs and baby paraphernalia slowly turned into a business. Pookie Boutique’s mission is to create beautifully hand-made baby and children’s items in fun and trendy patterns. My products make a fashion statement with a funky pirate bib or trendy damask blanket. My products are always the hit of the birthday party when giving a personalized “bow hanger” that was hand-painted special for the birthday girl. Whether it be a hand-sewn gift set in retro fabric or a hand-painted wood coat rack for him, my products surpass my competitors in quality and uniqueness. By far, my most popular item is my beautiful bow and headband holders. A product that holds both tons of bows and headbands is not so easy to find. Especially in the unique shapes and options that I offer. I use daisies, crystals, marabou, and other items to make my products way more chic than the others out there. I’ve also matched numerous rooms and themes too. So stop on by and check out my stuff at http://www.pookieboutique.etsy.com/ or send me an email Jackie@pookieboutique.com."

Some of our favorite items from the super-talented Jackie:

Matching Gift Set:

Wipe Case:

Wipe Case:

Wipe Case:

Personalized Hair Bow Holder:

Buy It: Find these gorgeous creations at Pookie Boutique! If you mention you found them through ABCD Diaries, you will get either free shipping(this excludes wood items) or Buy 1 Get 1 Half Off on wood products!!
Win It: Pookie Boutique has generously offered one ABCD Diaries reader the wipes case of their choice!! To enter, visit the shop and tell us one item that catches your eye!

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Giveaway ends Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 11:59cst. Winner will be chosen via random.org and emailed. They will have 48 hours to reply. Open to US residents 18+:)

Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was in no way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

NAB-IT! Game Review and Giveaway...

Thanks to Hasbro, we recently had the chance to try out a fun family game called NAB-IT!

About NAB-IT!:

"Getting the most words gives you the "last word" in this fun family game! Word-building game challenges you to link your colored tiles to create words crossword-style and then steal words from your opponents by stacking your tiles on top of theirs. When all the tiles have been used, count up the words showing -- if you've got the most, you win!
Includes 100 two-sided letter tiles, 4 gray bank tiles, 4 letter bags and rules.
For 2 to 4 players. Ages 8 and up."

What we thought: This was a really fun game. Our kiddos are too young to spell, but our 4 year old played on a team and really enjoyed it. I think NAB-IT! will be really helpful in teaching A to spell more words. The game is recommended for ages 8 and up and I think it would be perfect for that age range. It's a lot like Scrabble, but for the whole family:) It does have a lot of pieces, but as I mentioned before, if you have older kids this game will be a hit! ABCD Diaries gives NAB-IT! an A+!

Buy It: Find this fun-filled learning game and other Hasbro games at mass merchandisers nationwide!

Win It: Hasbro has generously offered one ABCD Diaries reader their very own NAB-IT!Game! To enter, tell us who you'd play this game with!
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Giveaway ends Friday, October 29, 2010 at 11:59cst. Winner will be chosen via random.org and emailed. They will have 48 hours to reply. Open to US residents 18+:)

Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given a NAB-IT! game for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

Amy Adele Review...

Thanks to Amy Adele, the kiddos recently got to review some really cute personalized stationery!
About Amy Adele:"Since I was child I have been hand drawing birthday and Christmas cards. I never took my art very seriously. However, in 2004 our friends and family encouraged us to turn my doodles into a business of selling cards. I remember lying in bed one night laughing with my husband about the idea. Would people really want to buy my artwork? I haven't studied art my whole life and I don't have an art degree. I'm just a young mom with two sweet girls and I love to draw with colored pencil.
The encouragement from our family and friends was a humbling experience. After much prayer my husband and I believed God wanted us to pursue this project. We spent the following 18 months planning and organizing this online business and on November 15, 2005 amyadele.com was launched.
In less than a month my husband and I were up late every night folding cards and packaging orders. We quickly realized we could not run this business by ourselves. We had to hire help fast! Thankfully we did get help quickly. Since then every individual we have hired has been a dedicated and tireless professional that respects and cares about our customers.
Because we have such a great staff I am able to work from home and be with my children. I am still involved on a daily basis but our amazing staff manages our printing and production from our offices nearby.
I never imagined God would lead us on this adventure. However, I am thankful my art has been a part of so many lives. We are excited about our latest offering of personalized clothing and look forward to what's in store for the coming years."
What we thought: Awwww...This stationery is adorable! The kiddos each chose their own designs and we personalized them with their names on greeting cards. They turned out wonderfully and we can't wait to send them out to family and friends! It was really hard narrowing it down to only two designs...there were sooooo many to choose from, but Amy Adele is much more than just stationery. The have t-shirts, mailing labels, stickers and more and everything is expertly personalized! Seriously, the variety is crazy huge!! I also loved the fill-in-the-blank thank you cards...too perfect for kiddos just learning to write! If you are looking for a personalized gift for anyone in your family, Amy Adele is the place to go! ABCD Diaries gives Amy Adele an A+!

Buy It: Find adorable personalized items for the whole family at Amy Adele!

Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given two sample packs of stationery for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

Veggie Patch Review and Giveaway...

Thanks to Veggie Patch, we recently had the chance to try out a few new vegetarian snack options.

About Veggie Patch:

"Today more people are looking for healthy and easy ways to consume veggies as a part of a healthy diet. If you are one of those people we have a solution for you. We have burgers, hotdogs, sausages nuggets and bites - all products are tasty, healthy and packed with your convenience in mind. Try it today, you will not be disappointed - we GUARANTEE IT!

The natural foods company sprung from one of Soglowek's marketing projects while a student at New York University's Business School. What began with modest means in the basement of his New York City apartment is today a highly successful business with distribution throughout the United States and Canada. Located in New Haven, Connecticut, FoodTech International, Inc. prides itself on producing wholesome vegetarian foods that are easy to prepare, nutritious and delicious."

What we thought: We tried the Portabella Burgers and the Spinach Nuggets. I was really surprised at how flavorful they were. We have tried other veggie options that have had the cardboard-like texture and taste, but both of the varieties of Veggie Patch foods we tried were pretty yummy. The whole family enjoyed trying out a few new vegetarian dishes:) If you are looking for a healthy, full-flavored vegetarian line of foods with a lot of product variety, you should definitely check out Veggie Patch! ABCD Diaries gives Veggie Patch an A+!

Buy It: Find Veggie Patch foods at Kroger, Albertson's and Randall's stores.

Win It: Veggie Patch has generously offered one ABCD Diaries reader 2 free product coupons! To enter, tell us which product you'd love to try!

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Giveaway ends Friday, October 29, 2010 at 11:59cst. Winner will be chosen via random.org and emailed. They will have 48 hours to reply. Open to US residents 18+:)

Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given free product coupons for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.

Check out the giveaway...

at Steals, Deals & Heels for a cute cupcake hat:)

Halloween Fun with Hershey's...

How will you be celebrating Halloween this year? We will be trick-or-treating with the kiddos early and then coming home to hand out these little treats to our trick-or-treaters...

To find out how you can get in on the Halloween fun with Hershey's visit here:

www.CelebrateWithHersheys.com/Halloween

Disclosure:We are entering a contest for a Hershey’s Halloween prize pack as a member of the Mom Bloggers Club.