Happy May Day

Happy May Day! 

It is a yearly May Day tradition at our house to gather flowers from our garden and make little flower arrangements to drop and run at the door of family and friends.

This year, my mom and her girlfriends got together for a May Day flower basket arranging party.

They met in the magical garden of a one of her friends and crafted away.

While my mother was making flower baskets my girls and I were baking cookies for her to add to her deliveries.

We're looking forward to surprising the special people in our lives today!

Posted by Liz

Razor Flash Rider 360 Review

It is amazing to think that Christmas was already over a month ago.  At this time of the year, I always like to look around at the toys that my kids received as Christmas presents and decide which ones are truly hits, and the ones that are misses.  (Oh, and I like to compare that to how desperately they said they wanted the present, too!)

One sure hit for my 7-year old son was the Razor Flash Rider 360.  The best way I can explain this toy is like a big wheel with a hand brake that allows you to spin all the way around.  When pulling the hand brake, it causes sparks which the kids really seem to love.  Reviews online seemed mixed about this toy, but I am here to tell you my son loves it!  The two boys down the street were so excited about his Razor Flash Rider 360 that they got one just a few days after Christmas.

Here is my son demonstrating how it works:



I am so glad that my son loves his Razor Flash Rider 360 because it gets him outside in the fresh air and allows him to get energy out.  It is fun to see him try little tricks and spin around.  He's low enough to the ground so I feel he is pretty safe on it.  Of course, he always has to wear his helmet when riding it.

If your child asks for a Razor Flash Rider 360, I highly recommend getting it  for him or her!

Posted by Leslie

Snow Magic Book Review + GIVEAWAY

After 4 years of dedication, my mom recently published a book!  Amazing, right!?!

Anyone who knows my mom knows that she wears many hats and always has, one of them being in education. After a wonderful trip taking my nephew on his first adventure to the snow, she was inspired to write Snow Magic.

It is an adorable tale of a boy named Joe, who goes to the snow with his grandparents. He plays in the snow for hours making snowballs, sledding and building a snowman. Before leaving, he gathers up an ice chest full of snow to take home. In the morning, after having wonderful dreams of his adventures, he awakes to find a magical miniature snowman in place of his pile of snow. It is a very sweet story, sure to melt any grandparents heart.

My mom was determined to convince a dear friend and teacher, Kathy Stillwell, to illustrate the book for her. Kathy, used her creative talents to draw a whimsical picture story to follow this adorable tale. After years in the making, the two have been able to celebrate the book's completion with a book signing at the local bake shop, Cupcake Magic. They also recently spoke at a Christian Women's luncheon sharing how they made their dream a reality.

The book is currently being sold in the Sacramento area and they are close to selling out their entire first run of printing. There are several other grandchildren who would also like a book, so there might be another in the making. We'll just have to wait for the next adventure and see!

Hooray!  It's a Giveaway!

Even though Snow Magic is currently only sold in in the Sacramento area, (1) lucky Houses, Couches & Babies' reader will have the chance to win a copy of the book, sure to melt anyone in your family's heart!

Please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.  You have until 11:59pm on Tuesday, January 22 to enter.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Posted by Liz

How to Avoid Christmas Morning Horror

A couple of nights ago, the hubby and I decided to start putting together some of the kids' Christmas gifts, including charging an electric item.

My stomach dropped when my husband opened the box for this electric item that needs at least 18 hours of charging prior to use and the charger was no where to be found.  As I read the operating instructions and manual, I found that the charger was supposed to be included in the box, but for some reason, our charger wasn't.

So just before midnight, I was on the phone with ToysRUs (which is open 24/7 until Christmas) trying to figure out how I get a charger.  At that point in the evening, they didn't have any chargers in stock, but they did say they were getting a shipment in around 2am.

Naturally, I couldn't sleep very well knowing we didn't have a charger, and I woke up around 6:45am to call ToysRUs.  Luckily, they did have a charger come in.  I rushed out the door at 7:15 to pick up the charger, and to my great joy, ToysRUs wasn't crowded as I walked up to Customer Service and picked up the charger that was waiting for me.

Phew!  Crisis averted.

I love the messy-opening-presents-on-Christmas-morning hair!

Lesson learned: check gifts that need to be assembled for Christmas at least a week ahead of time so that you can verify all parts are accounted for and to assess how long it will take to assemble!

Merry Christmas!

Accessorize Like a Celebrity With marie chavez Jewelry + $100 Gift Certificate GIVEAWAY

What do I have in common with celebrities like Julia Roberts, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Anne Hathaway, and Kate Bosworth?

We all love to wear marie chavez jewelry!

A few months ago, I received an amazing marie chavez bracelet set for my birthday and fell in love with it immediately.  (My daughter did, too, so I have to keep a very close eye on it!)  I was so excited about my new bracelet set that I had to visit the online shop to find out what other pieces were available, and, boy, did I hit the mother load! 

I was blown away by all the beautiful pieces and loved the fact that they all seem so versatile, so chic, so now, and, yet, not too trendy.  (That is a very difficult mix to achieve, if you ask me.)

mariechavez was established over a decade ago by designer Julie Marie Chavez. What’s most notable about the collection is its signature blend of carefully selected stones, charms and chain all worked together to create coveted yet easy to wear accessories. From playful stackable bracelets of graywood, jade and bronze, to a layered statement necklace of riverstone and agate, Julie’s talent for tastefully balancing colors and textures is why many pieces in her collection have graced the pages of InStyle, Lucky, Glamour, People and Us Weekly.

Hooray!  It's a Giveaway!

(1) lucky Houses, Couches & Babies reader is going to win a $100 marie chavez gift certificate! Talk about a great holiday gift for a loved one, or maybe just keep it for yourself.  

Please use the rafflecopter application below for all rules and entry opportunities.  This giveaway ends at 12:00am (midnight) on Tuesday, December 4th.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get 20% Off from Plum District Today

Today you can use the promo code VETERAN20 to save 20% off any Plum District deal. 

I just bought the In-Home Wine Tasting Party which includes 6 bottles of wine (accommodates up to 10 people) for just $39.20!  I actually attended one of these parties this past Friday and it was wonderful!  There was a great variety of wine to sample and they even helped with ideas for food/wine pairings.  This deal is perfect for couples or maybe even a Girls Night In. 

Design a Sign with Signazon.com + Giveaway

It has become a bit of a tradition in our house to design a sign or banner for our birthdays. My son loved his last banner so much he hung it up on his bedroom wall...7 months ago!

But for my daughter's birthday that is this week, I tried a new way to design a sign for her. Typically, I just make banners for the kids out of butcher paper with markers. But because she is turning 5, I turned our typical paper banner up a few notches and designed a vinyl sign on Signazon.com.

Up until this point, I have yet to design a sign online, and let me tell you, Signazon has such an easy process:

1. Choose the material and size of your banner - In my case, I chose a vinyl banner.

2. Select from the vast template selection or you can upload your own design on a blank template - I went with a template.

3. Customize the template with text and images

4. Once satisfied with the customized template, check the proof for any mistakes

5. Choose shipping and payment options
(Steps 1-5 took about 10 minutes, the majority of the time going to the template selection and customization.)

6. Wait for the sign/banner to arrive in the mail

In my case, it took just a few days to receive the banner.

My daughter was so thrilled to receive the banner today and have it hanging up at her Pump it Up birthday party.  (More details on the birthday party coming soon!) I can't wait to see her face tomorrow when she sees that I hung it up for her in the house.

While I chose to make a birthday banner, Signazon can make banners for just about anything. From graduations to anniversaries to garage sales, they have templates for you to make the perfect banner. And even if you have a unique banner to make, you can always use the customize your own sign option and upload your own design. For a fast and easy way to design a sign that is uh-mazing, Signazon is definitely the way to go.

But wait, there's more...

Hooray! It's a Giveaway!

(1) lucky Houses, Couches and Babies' reader will win a 2ft. x 4ft. customized vinyl banner from Signazon.com (value: $30). To enter to win, simply follow the Rafflecopter instructions below. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


{Disclaimer: We received a complimentary 2'x 4' vinyl banner to help facilitate this review and Signazon.com is providing the giveaway prize to the winner.}

We've been boo-ed...Have you?

Much to my surprise this weekend, I found an adorable pumpkin full of goodies on our doorstep. There was a note that said that we've been boo-ed.  I've done this at school where the teachers would do it for classrooms, but I've never done it with our neighbors. It is so much fun. 

I love the idea of not knowing what friendly neighbor chose you. Our Halloween tote was filled with a yummy pumpkin cupcake kit, some festive decorations and reflectors for Halloween night. You only have 2 days to return the fun, so I quickly ran to the store to find some spooky treats to return the favor to another family. I put together two totes filled with Halloween socks, crafts, glitter glue, pencils, erasers, and candy, of course! Early Sunday morning, I crept up the walk of 2 families I had in mind. The first was an easy drop, but the next a big black cat was on the porch. I was too nervous to leave a basket full of candy on the porch since the cat didn't move when I went up to the door. I ran back to the car and picked another neighbor around the corner. I sure hope the first house didn't see me! I'll have to put together something special for those kids when they come trick or treating:) 
Join in on the neighborly fun, you still have a few days left until Halloween! 

Boo to you too!

Here are some links for the Boo-ed printables...

http://tomkatstudio.blogspot.com/2010/09/halloween-free-printable-boo-sign.html

http://swtboutique.blogspot.com/2012/09/being-booed.html

http://itswrittenonthewalls.blogspot.com/2011/10/8-versions-youve-been-booed-fun-treats.html

Posted by Liz

Great Gift for the Ultimate Football Fan: College or NFL

Recently, I have started getting Special Buys of the Day from Home Depot. This weekend's special is a 2-piece Car Mat set for only $22.97 {FREE Shipping is included}. 

So far all of those serious NFL or college football fans, this could be a fantastic birthday, holiday or just because present.  But hurry, this deal is only available while supplies last through Sunday, September 30.

Happy Shopping!

FREE Canvas from CanvasPeople.com

A few months ago, I ordered this canvas from CanvasPeople.com and absolutely love it. Well, maybe that's because I love the picture so much, but the canvas looks great, too!

Guess what???

CanvasPeople.com is now offering a free 8x10 canvas as one of their Back to School deals. The regular price for the 8x10 canvas is $49.99, but if you hurry, you can get this great canvas for just the price of shipping and handling ($14.95). With the holidays coming up, this could be a great opportunity to save on a gift for someone special.

Score 10 Free Thank You Cards from Tiny Prints

Hurry!  Today is the last day to score 10 FREE Thank You Cards from Tiny Prints.  Simply use the promo code FREETHANKS at checkout.  You will only need to pay for shipping ($3.50).  These thank you notes are perfect gifts for family, friends and teachers, too!

9 Years Later...

This is what my husband gave me for my birthday, just 5 days before our 9th wedding anniversary (today). For a tough and strong guy, it melted my heart to receive such a "mushy" gift from him.  I couldn't have said any of it better myself.

Here's to 9 great years and many more wonderful years ahead!

(BTW, he bought this darling piece of wall art from tuvaluhome.com. They have tons of great home decor items!)

Happy Mother's Day from Plum District

Happy Mother's Day to all my fellow mommies out there.  I know I should be sitting on the couch right now with my feet up being fanned by my children, but I wanted to pass on an amazing Mother's Day discount Plum District is offering.  Today and tomorrow, use the promo code MOMSDAY20 and receive 20% off any deal you buy!

The cake pop deal above was originally offered at $29, but with the 20% off, it is just $23.  So go on and treat yourself or your mom today...you deserve it!

How many Moms does it take to save 50% - 90% on exclusive daily deals? Just one! You! PlumDistrict.

Linnea's Lights: Beautiful Candles + {Surprise Giveaway}

This Christmas, I received a couple of items that well exceeded my expectations.  The first one I am going to share with you is the amazing Linnea's Lights: hand-poured, triple-scented, natural soy candles.

When I received my candle, I was so impressed by its presentation and packaging.  Each candle is hand crafted and mindfully packaged in recycled materials, printed with soy inks and hand stamped. It really makes a wonderful gift!  (Take it from a gift-receiver!)

And as soon as I lifted the top off the candle...OMG!!!  Pure heaven!  Linnea's Lights come in a variety of wonderful fragrances. They even include a matchbox so you don't have to hunt all over the house for matches!

I received the Cashmere scented candle and in just a few weeks time I burned through the entire 60 hour candle!  What is great about the candle, too, is that even when it isn't lit, the fragrance still ruminates.

We have received several compliments from guests that have smelled our Cashmere Linnea's Lights, confirming my opinion and love for the candle!

And guess what?!?!  The wonderful mother and daughter duo that founded Linnea's Lights, Lynn and Laura, are giving (1) lucky Houses, Couches and Babies' reader the Linnea's Lights' candle of their choice!

To Enter: Please use the Rafflecopter form below to take advantage of any(or all) entry opportunities.

{Don't be afraid...Rafflecopter makes it even easier to enter, and you don't have to enter via your Facebook account if you don't want to! Please be sure to read each entry type for complete details and instructions.}

Good luck!



a Rafflecopter giveaway


PLEASE NOTE:  A Mandatory entry must be left as a comment on this blog post below for any other entries to be valid.  Once you have left your comment, please click on "+1 DO IT" then "ENTER" on the Rafflecopter form so that your entry will be counted.

Disclosure: The candle is being provided by Linnea's Lights, no other compensation was received. All thoughts and opinions shared are my own.

Wordless Wednesday: Rapunzel Wig

Get 10% Off an iPad..Merry Christmas!

Yes, that is right. If you have a PayPal account, you can get a 16GB iPad with WiFi for only $449.99! That includes free shipping! That is $50 less than you get it anywhere else, and since Apple never has any sales, that is best discount you are probably going to get on an iPad.

I just helped my hubby out and bought my iPad for Christmas. He always knows exactly what to get me!

Want this deal???

Click here now...but hurry, there is only a limited quantity available!

Oh, and if you have any good shopping deals, please let us know. Leave a comment here or email us at info@housescouchesandbabies.com with your deal.

Happy Cyber Monday shopping!

Holiday Cookie Exchange - Who Knew???

Perhaps I am the only woman in the free world that had never heard of a cookie exchange, but last week when I received an invitation to one, I thought it was the coolest and most clever idea for a party.

Since RSVP-ing yes, I have now been seeing Cookie Exchange stuff all over the place - including at Williams-Sonoma. They have a Holiday Cookie Exchange Kit, for goodness sakes!!!

And they have these absolutely amazing cookie cutters that allow you to imprint messages like "Happy Holidays" and "Season's Greetings." (Again, you may have already been aware of these things, but since I am late to this cookie exchange party, this is all exciting to me!)

This is getting me excited to bake some holiday cookies! Only 6 days until Thanksgiving is over and the holiday season officially begins. Yippee! (Now, if I could just get this excited about holiday gift shopping, ugh!!! Perhaps someone might like adorable holiday cookie cutters!)

Birthday Gift Fit for a Princess

Each year for their birthdays, my kids receive a gift that revolves around them at that age. Up until this point, these gifts have all been photo books. Most of the photo books have been from Shutterfly and include fun friends like Diego and Elmo.

But this year, knowing how much our daughter loves the Disney princesses, I couldn't resist getting her a 16x20 image of her with all the princesses. Is this not the cutest thing you have ever seen??? All you have to do is submit an image of your child to use for the picture and Shutterfly does the rest.

And let me tell you, she was shocked and thrilled to see this picture! I think she was trying to think back to when she could have possibly taken the photo with all the princesses. But then she just realized, "who really cares, this picture is awesome!"

Now that it is hanging on her wall, she looks at it every night before she goes to bed and gets giddy.

Oh, and to make me love this gift even more, I got it for free! It was a reward I redeemed from the Pampers Gifts to Grow program. See, you can get more from diaper purchases than just the lovely gifts your baby leaves in them!

Make Your 2010 Calendars Now

For Christmas, my kids (a.k.a. I) always make their grandparents and aunts and uncles a fun family calendar for the upcoming year. It takes some time to put together, but it is always a family favorite.

Naturally, since this is a Christmas present, I make the calendar in December. But what if you wanted to make one for 2010 and didn't get around to it in December?

Great news! Kodak Gallery is now offering 35% off Photo Calendars with Coupon Code: CALENDAR35.

This is one of those times where if you snooze, you don't lose. So what if we are already a little into 2010. You can start your calendar in February and take advantage of this deal every year. But don't snooze too long. This offer is only good through January 14.

Either for yourself or a family member, a photo calendar is a gift that lasts all year...and not many gifts can say that!

Wii Made My Arm Sore

Santa was kind enough to bring our family a Wii game system this Christmas and this evening was the first time I played an entire game. My husband and I took on Toy Story Mania. The video game is a lot like the ride at California Adventure...except it made my arm sore. I am actually nervous I will wake up tomorrow in pain. I will have to warm up and stretch the next time I play. Even though my arm is sore, it was worth it. We had a great time.

Thanks, Santa!