Holiday Gift Idea: Stompeez + Giveaway!

Stompeez Begins Christmas Stampede Early: Now under new management, maker of soft, animated character slippers steps up production efforts to meet this year’s holiday demand – news story.

What we thought:  Both A and D have been begging for Stompeez for a while now, so they were thrilled to get the chance to review them!  They are adorable and they have really brought a lot of joy to these kiddos.  There are a variety of Stompeez, so there is sure to be one your kiddo will love.  ABCD Diaries gives Stompeez an A+!

Keep up with the latest Stompeez info via Facebook and Twitter!

-          You can take advantage of these two promos that won’t expire until after Dec 31, 2012:

o       1) Get $5.00 off your order by entering promo code SLIPPER at check out

o       2) Customers who order two or more pairs at StompeezClub.com enjoy free same-location shipping on the additional pairs (after S&H paid for 1^st two pairs).

Holiday Gift Idea: Thermal-Aid Products!

 Thermal-Aid introduces

5 new, adorable ways to make your little one's aches and pains go bye bye!

"Pacific Shore Holdings expands their line of eco luxe heating and cooling bears; introducing the new, irresistible Thermal-Aid Zoo. The perfect stocking stuffer, baby gift or anytime gift. Pick from five adorable little creatures.

Thermal-Aid and the it's latest collection, are pain relief products that are 100% natural heating and cooling application, that is affordable to all walks of life. Developed by Pacific Shore holdings, a company that develops products that are inexpensive that are very effective. Moreover, we try our hardest to make them as green as possible.

Thermal-Aid, which is a patented heating and cooling application that was originally designed and developed for the medical and veterinarian field. With a couple of tweaks and retail packaging it has made it to retail as a very unique heating and cooling pack. What makes it different from the competitors, is it is made from a bioengineered corn product that has had all of the ingredients that are attached to a piece of corn, that would normally allow mold and fungi growth removed from the product. Then it is hydrated, super-heated which allows it to holds temperatures for longer periods of time, even longer than the products found in the medical and veterinarian field. Thermal-Aid products were then package for retail, we were featured on HSN, one thing led to another and now it is sweeping the country. The product is now available, and flying off the shelf at stores such as Costco, Walgreen’s, and various other natural food and natural product stores around the country."

What we thought:  The products we reviewed from Thermal-Aid worked really well.  The Bear came in handy when A was suffering from an earache.  We warmed the cute heating pack up (just a few seconds in the microwave...it couldn't be easier!) and she curled up on the couch with the bear against the side of her head and it wasn't long before she was feeling much better:)  These heating/cooling packs in stuffed animal form are perfect for all-natural comfort and relief for the kiddos.  The medium sized pack would be perfect for headaches, muscle aches, and a variety of other pains and would also be a great, safe heating source for those chilly nights curled up on the couch:)  These Thermal-Aid products would be fun gifts or stocking stuffers this holiday season!  ABCD Diaries gives Thermal-Aid an A+! 

 www.thermal-aid.com

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

Cali Candy Cane + Giveaway!

"Cali Candy Cane is as sweet as they come. Her velvet red dress and green and white striped stockings reveal her tasteful holiday personality. Her hair is full of candy cane colors with a mixture of light blonde and red highlights. Cali Candy Cane is as festive as they come, from her stocking cap to her cute green handbag."

What we thought:  Cali Candy Cane is an adorable doll that would make a great stocking stuffer or holiday gift for the little girls on your list.  She is really cute and so festive!  A really loves her Cali Candy Cane doll and has carried her everywhere since we got her.  Manhattan Toys makes a variety of quality toys perfect for holiday gift-giving and Cali Candy Cane is no exception:)  ABCD Diaries gives Cali Candy Cane an A+! 

 “Product available online at www.manhattantoy.com or a Specialty Store near you.”

"Sunny Christmas" by Renee & Jeremy CD Review...

"Renee & Jeremy, whose recent covers album A Little Love, continues to be a fixture on family music outlets everywhere, release their first-ever Christmas EP for this coming holiday season, Sunny Christmas. It launched digitally today and is available as a physical disc from Amazon.com, CDBaby and other selected retailers this holiday season.
The six-song EP kicks off with the R&J-penned title track which was released last year and received holiday airplay across the country. The EP is rounded out by the duo’s inimitable take on a whole stocking full of classic Christmas songs."

We enjoyed listening to this CD.  It really got the kiddos into the spirit of the season.  Renee & Jeremy are a very soft, mellow duo and their offering of Christmas songs is very sweet and sunny indeed:)  ABCD Diaries gives Sunny Christmas an A+!

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

Unique Gift Idea: Gilded Age Greetings...

"Gilded Age Greetings, the designers and artisans of handmade, custom luxury greeting cards considered to be the most expensive in the world, turn up the twinkle this holiday season.   Rare yellow diamonds join white diamonds, emeralds, rubies and authentic Swarovski crystals to make up the updated Grand Couture line.  The Couture line, which features all of the extravagance as the more expensive Grand Couture line without the stones, now adds Platinum to the 23k gold already used in the elaborate hand gilding.  Cards in the two Couture lines range in price from $1,000 - $5,000.

In addition to the Couture lines, the Signature Line is produced in limited editions of 250, with 5 artist proofs. Each is hand gilded and tooled in 23k gold, and is hand signed and numbered by the artist.  The Signature line ranges in price from $300 - $500.

Every Gilded Age Greeting card is created by using only the finest materials and customized in the senders own words.  These one-a-kind works of art by renowned artist and Co-founder Rosemary Buczek are actually original paintings with lush detail and lavish embellishments. True to the 15th Century techniques of a Renaissance master, Ms. Buczek paints each card on authentic calf vellum and archival papers using a palette of historical hand ground pigments such as the rich vibrant blues of Lapis Lazuli and brilliant greens of Malachite.

The tassel-bound cards are penned to order and come with three additional inserts that can be customized for heirloom giving. The cards are all presented in a beautiful black silk box with documentation and white gloves.

To enhance the exclusivity of the buying experience, an elite Greeting Concierge service is also available to organize and handle all aspects of a client’s gifting needs throughout the year

"Giving or receiving a Gilded Age Greeting this holiday season will truly be an unforgettable experience,” said company co-founder Melissa Schechter.  The unique and heartfelt qualities that a gift of this nature represents cannot be compared to that of a flat screen television or iPad.”

Disclosure:  We were in no way compensated for this post.

Stocking Stuffer Idea: Blistex Moisture Melt & Simple and Sensitive + Giveaway!

"As the season changes and colder weather moves in, it’s important to keep lips hydrated to prevent dry, chapped lips. Blistex, known for providing breakthrough lip care solutions for more than 60 years, is excited to introduce two new products just in time for fall – Moisture Melt and Simple and Sensitive. One delivers innovative moisturization never seen before in a lip balm and the other is for daily moisturization with just six ingredients specifically formulated for sensitive skin. 

·         Blistex Moisture Melt is a super hydrating balm with shea butter and aloe-enriched soft beads that are suspended in the formula and melt into lips for an added moisturizing boost and long-lasting resistance to dryness. The formula is infused with rich moisturizers and a proven skin protectant, perfect for keeping your pout healthy all winter long.

·         Blistex Simple and Sensitive contains only six carefully selected ingredients, including cocoa butter, sunflower seed oil, jojoba, vitamin E, microcrystalline wax and a preservative (phenoxyethanol), making it perfect for those with sensitive skin.  Lip balm users who are conscious about the number of ingredients in their personal care products will also enjoy Simple and Sensitive."

What we thought:  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Blistex products!  I keep them on me all year round because they really help keep my lips healthy and moisturized.  Blistex has a huge range of lip products to fit every season and every need.  The two newest products in the fabulous line up are the Moisture Melt tube and the Simple and Sensitive stick.  Both are fantastic!  The Moisture Melt lasts a really long time and the Simple and Sensitive just leaves my lips feeling really healthy:)  These two new products along with the rest of the Blistex lip line would be great, affordable and useful stocking stuffers this holiday season!  ABCD Diaries gives Blistex an A+!

"Lullaby" by Justin Roberts CD Review...

"GRAMMY Nominee Justin Roberts releases his first collection of original nighttime songs for families on November 19th. Lullaby is for those wee small hours just before bedtime. These 10 new songs present an unusual mix of genres, including elegant moments of chamber music, snatches of ‘70s soft rock, and sleepy bossa nova and R&B grooves. The entrancing cover art of  Lullaby was created by acclaimed illustrator Alison Jay(Welcome to the Zoo, ABC, Picture This). In a departure from his usual power-pop, upbeat style, the artist who’s been called “the Paul McCartney of children’s music” (USA Today) and “a natural poet” (New York Times) has created a host of songs with dreamy, atmospheric lyrics and instrumentation. Amid the soothing sweetness is a hint of melancholy, very much in the tradition of “Rockabye Baby.” Justin Roberts composed and arranged all of the songs on Lullaby. Liam Davis, the multi-instrumentalist member of Roberts’ Not Ready for Naptime Players, produced and performed on the recording, which also features several members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra playing strings, harp, English horn, oboe, and French horn.  Additional guest artists are vocalists from the Chicago production of the musical Hairspray, and other members of the Not Ready for Naptime Players. Lullaby will be available from retailers nationally on November 19, 2012 (Carpet Square Records, distributed by MRI/Sony Music, $14.98 SRP)."

Justin Roberts and the Not Ready For Naptime Players Selected Family Concerts November 17 ~ Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, Chicago November 18 ~ Smithwick Theater, Foothill College, Los Altos, CA December 15 ~ Adrienne Arsht Center, Miami December 31 ~ Legoland New Year's Eve February 23 ~ Symphony Space, NYC Get updates and ticket links at Justin Roberts' TOUR page.

What we thought:  What a great CD to add to the naptime or bedtime routine.  These soft, cozy songs will get your little one (and you:) ready for bed in a nice, calm, soothing manner:)  It's also great for any time you want the kiddos to just calm down for a minute, you know, mellow, chill...relax:)  ABCD Diaries gives Lullaby an A+!


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