A Nutty Night in NYC with #PeanutPower and the National Peanut Board!

Last night I was lucky enough to be invited to a sneak preview of the Perfectly Powerful Peanut Pop-Up space, which is open today (Tuesday, March 31) and tomorrow (Wednesday, April 1) at the corner of 47th Street and Lexington Ave. from 7:30 am to 1:30 pm, and then from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

If you're in the area, definitely stop by for some free, delicious (and healthy!) peanut samples and to meet the peanut farmers who are up visiting and happy to talk with you about life on a peanut farm. It is truly a great experience.

I honestly had no idea that the story behind peanut farming was so fascinating, or that the people telling it would be so absolutely charming. If I wasn't so thoroughly incapable of growing even a single Jersey tomato in my suburban garden I would seriously consider moving down south and starting a second career as a peanut farmer.

Even though I spent my childhood in a peanut growing state, Virginia, I realized I had never even seen a peanut plant, and really didn't know anything about how peanuts are grown and harvested. For example, peanuts need to be planted every single year, and they need a very specific and warm growing season, which is why almost all U.S. peanuts are grown in just ten states, with fifteen states in all growing peanuts. 

The peanut farmers were very clear when they explained to me there was no way I could grow a peanut plant like this one in New Jersey.

In addition to seeing a peanut plant for the first time, I learned a little about how peanuts are farmed (they must always be harvested on a sunny day) and how a hurricane or other natural disaster can wipe out a whole season's crop. One farmer was nice enough to show me photos of his farm, and when I admired the neatly planted rows he explained it's done by GPS now, which makes planting more efficient and environmentally friendly. The GPS comes in handy again when it's time to harvest the peanuts, as the GPS makes it easier to "find" the plants and take the peanuts out of the ground.

I also got to meet Carla Hall of The Chew along with other bloggers:

Another huge treat was trying peanut inspired recipes from Chef Joe "JJ" Johnson, like delicious peanut butter gazpacho and an amazing chocolate peanut tart. You can find all the recipes here, as well as learn more about why peanuts are a healthy and nutritious choice.

The Peanut Board was also there to talk about #PeanutEnvy, an important initiative to help feed those in need. Make a donation of $20 or more to Peanut Butter for the Hungry and receive a limited edition Peanut Envy t-shirt.

If you're in NYC today or tomorrow definitely stop by The National Peanut Board's Perfectly Powerful Peanut Pop-Up on the corner of 47th Street and Lexington Ave. to see the exhibits, try free peanut samples, and to meet the peanut farmers and their families, who are honestly the friendliest people you will find in NYC. Once you do, you're going to want to be a peanut farmer, too.

Thank you to the National Peanut Board for including me in this wonderful special event. I received an event gift bag, which included my all-time favorite peanut butter, White Chocolate Wonderful from Peanut Butter & Co. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

My Seven Favorite Finds from New York Toy Fair #NYTF #TF15

I recently made my annual visit to the spectacle of all things kid and beyond at the New York Toy Fair. This gigantic trade show is held at the Javits Center and is literally miles of toys, stuffed animals, wooden blocks, Christmas kitsch, dainty dolls and anything else you can imagine.

I always love seeing the latest and greatest in toys, dolls, stuffed animals, and kids products and this year was no exception. Surprisingly, or not surprisingly, over half of my favorites are not even traditional toys, but instead, innovative products geared towards kids. Also, again maybe not a surprise, of the products that made my favorites list, I had only heard of three of them before attending Toy Fair

In no particular order, here are my seven favorite finds from the New York Toy Fair:

1. Shwings - I had just seen these awesome shoe accessories a few weeks earlier at Bank Street Books on the Upper West Side, and had immediately thought my son would like a pair of wings for his sneakers.

 

In addition to wings for shoes, Shwings also has rhinestone decorating kits, and other cool accessories for decorating shoes.

For the young, or the young at heart, I honestly think everyone should have at least one pair of shoes adorned with Shwings. Available online at Shwingsonline.com.

2. Zorbz Self-Seal Water Balloons - That's right, these water balloons self-seal instantly, no tying required! The only self sealing water balloons on the market, they seem like a must-have for summer. Available in packs of 50 and 100; purchase and learn more at ZorbzWaterBalloons.com.

3. I am elemental action figures - Created by a New York City mom in 2013 who was disappointed with the choices in female action figures, these action figures are powerful, and specifically created to provide healthy female action figures for girls. Based on the Periodic Table of Elements, each Element action figure represents a unique power. Purchase single action figures (which come with shields and inter-changeable accessories) or get the lunchbox carry case with all seven. Ages 4+, available online at IAmElemental.com.

4. earZings are pierce-free earrings, especially geared towards girls who don't have pierced ears. These earrings have a unique coil design that makes it possible to easily put on the earnings as well as (according to the founder, I didn't try them) makes them less painful than the usual clip-on or magnetic earrings. Tons of cute designs to choose from, and sure to be a big hit with tweens! Available online at EarZings.com.

5. Plus-Plus - I had spotted these cool building blocks at Sunshine Sam, a battery-free toy store in Bloomfield, NJ previously, so I was already familiar with this great product. This toy from Denmark can be used by kids of just about any age, with older kids building more complex projects and younger kids enjoying the fun of putting the plus-shapes together while developing motor skills. Plus-plus is available in a variety of quantities, as well as building sets.

6. Frogglez - A new innovation in swim goggles, these goggles have a thick neoprene strap that makes them easier to adjust and more comfortable to wear and remove, less hair pulling is one of the features. With a five-year-old son who just started swim lessons, and who cannot seem to get his goggles comfy, this product definitely seems one that will be welcomed by many parents. Available online at FrogglezGoggles.com.

7. Squishables - My tween daughters are obsessed with these adorable stuffed animals, so even though I was pretty sure there was nothing new I could learn, stopping by their booth was a must. I kinda thought it was impossible to top the current adorable creations, like this narwhal, a family favorite,

but one look at new release Hedgehog in Tutu and I knew, there are plenty more lovable creatures coming from Squishables.

Others to be released soon include chocolate milk cow and fortune cat, so really the cuteness is endless. If you don't already have a Squishables habit, now is the time to start one. Available online at Squishable.com, but beware, they rotate styles often, and the tutu hedgehog has not yet been released.

I received press admission to the Toy Fair, and the kind folks at Schwings made sure I didn't arrive home empty handed. My kids loved everything from the butterfly wings to the rhinestone stickcons.

Toy Fair 2015

I'm hitting up Toy Fair 2015 in New York City today if snow and winds and blizzards and (please, no) power outages don't keep me away.

I always try and find the unique and off-beat at the Toy Fair, like this favorite from last year the Heart of Gold.

Not pictured: the thyroid, rectum or mammary.

I always like seeing the latest from Ty, a favorite of my stuffed animal loving daughter, Kay.

I'll definitely be looking for the Squishable Booth, the new favorite at our house. I'll be interested to see what's new this year, though the Narwhal will be hard to beat.

I always like to see what the latest trends are (last year eco-friendly was one of the most popular) as well as what's new and innovative both in design and toy technology. Not to mention toy storage and organization.

I'll be back with a full report on Monday!

Enter to Win a myCharge Energy Shot Portable Charger and an iPad Mini! {Giveaway from September 15 - October 15, 2014}

My kids just went back to school, and while I thought it would mean some free time for me, the truth is things might actually be more hectic now that I've traded our summer days for the fall ones filled with homework, carpool and, of course, the endless lunch making.

When I heard about myCharge, I knew this was a product that would be perfect for these busy fall days when a few extra minutes in the car pool line means suddenly realizing my phone is out of charge, and I won't be home and reunited with my power cord for hours.

Luckily, myCharge knows how important it is for you to stay charged and connected all day - and all school year - long, so they're giving the gift of portable power so you're never left in the red!

To keep you charged and connected myCharge is giving 3 lucky winners each an iPad mini with a myCharge HUB 6000 portable charger! The amazingly compact Hub 6000 features built-in cables and connectors for smartphones, tablets, e-readers and more. Get up to 27 hours of additional talk time for your devices, as well as integrated, quick-charge wall prongs. The Hub series is commonly known as the “Swiss Army Knife of portable power devices.”

Additionally, 40 winners will each receive an Energy Shot compact portable charger for their smartphones that delivers an additional boost when you need it most. They come in a variety of styles and can give you up to 10 hours of talk time! (Please note, smart phone not included in giveaway).

So this year, stay out of the red! myCharge is here to keep you charged and connected! For more information on products visit the myCharge website or follow them on Facebook. You can find myCharge products available at retailers like Target and Kohl's.

Fill out the entry form below from September 15, 2014 to October 15, 2014 for your chance to be one of 40 winners to receive an Energy Shot Charger (10 winners randomly selected each week) and one of 3 grand prize winners randomly selected on October 15, 2014 to receive one iPad Mini with a myCharge HUB 6000 portable charger. Entrants must be at least 18 years of age or older, must live in the United States and have a valid shipping address. See giveaway form for complete list of rules and details.

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This is a sponsored post from myCharge.

Who knew a description of a gallon of milk could be so hilarious?

I can't remember who told me to check out the Amazon commentary on Tuscan Whole Milk, but I'm sure glad I did. There are too many funny reviews to mention them all, but let's just say I am in awe of the humor people find can find in the humble, unassuming milk gallon.

My personal favorite is this one from J. Fitzsimmons:

Has anyone else tried pouring this stuff over dry cereal? A-W-E-S-O-M-E!

Read all the reviews here.

I guess I shouldn't be so surprised by these funny milk reviews, since I already found the Amazon wit in full force in the reviews of Haribo Gummy Bears, Wooden Toilet Seats, and the AutoExec Wheelmate.

Do you have a favorite funny Amazon find?

Blue Man Group is a Great Family Show - and I have Tickets to Giveaway!

This spring, my family and I went to see the Blue Man Group in downtown Manhattan. Our kids are ages 10, 8 and 4 and while I was pretty sure the older two would love it, I wasn't quite sure about the youngest.

My husband is a huge fan, and has seen Blue Man Group perform eight times. I've seen the show twice myself, but not recently, so we were both thrilled to share this show we both enjoy so much with our kids.

All three kids loved it, and it really was captivating, even for our four-year-old son, Ziggy. The show has some written word portions, but Ziggy was able to follow-along just fine even though he doesn't read since there is so much that is expressed through the performance. Also, perhaps worth noting, the "blue men" on stage don't talk at all. Like not at all.

I highly recommend the show for a great family outing, just be sure with younger kids they can sit for the duration of the performance, which is about an hour and forty-five minutes without an intermission, and that they know there will be some bright lights and loud noises during the show.

Here are my daughters after the show, thoroughly delighted to meet the Blue Man they had just seen perform on the stage. It was a very special day, and my kids still talk about how much they loved the show.

Go experience the amazing Blue Man Group yourself! 

Blue Man Group performances are at The Astor Place Theatre, located at 434 Lafayette Street, New York, NY.

GIVEAWAY

I'm giving away FOUR TICKETS to a performance of Blue Man Group. Enter here!

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Small Print:
Winner will receive two vouchers, each good for two tickets to a Blue Man Group performance Sunday-Thursday, subject to availability. Further details about the offer are explained on voucher.

I received tickets to the show for my family and myself to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Disney Goes On the Road to Philadelphia - and so do I!

Last month I was invited to join in a truly magical day - the Philadelphia stop of the Disney On the Road Social Media Moms Celebration.

The buzz online prior to the event had my expectations pretty high, so I was thinking to myself how the event would never live up to the hype. But of course like all things Disney are amazing, so was this event.

It was my first Disney Social Media Moms event, and it was friendly, incredibly well-run, and full of surprises, too.

I also got to meet in real life many New Jersey bloggers I had only known from our online interactions, so that was one of the big highlights of the day. Here we are showing our Disney Side with a side of Jersey!

Another highlight was getting to meet Debra from The Harried Mom and Gary Buchanan, who does PR & Social Media for Walt Disney World & Disney Parks.

At the event there were several fantastic speakers, including a few from Disney who are experts in social media, blogging and online engagement in general. Here are just a few of the many tips I learned at the conference:
- Always, always, always take video horizontally. It's a simple rule, but it's an important one, too.
- When possible, write posts as a series on your blog. A series on a specific topic really pulls readers in and keeps them there.
- Provide the background and history behind things - people love getting the full story.
- Look for sneak peaks and insider information you can give your readers. Anything that is news about what's coming in the future, what goes on behind the scenes or that readers can't get anywhere else is very compelling content.

Speaking of which, here's some Disney insider information I got at the conference:
- There are lots of cool changes coming to Disney Parks, like the recently opened New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World, which also includes a brand-new parade, The Festival of Fantasy, filled with music and dancing.
- Also recently opened is the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, an adventurous family coaster (riders must be at least 39 inches).
- Disney always has ongoing re-imaginings (that's Disney-speak for remodeling) in its restaurants and other spaces.
- Disney has a commitment to creating interactive queues which themselves are part of the ride experience, and as a mother with 3 young children, I couldn't be in more support of that very important initiative.

Thank you Disney for a truly magical experience at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration in Philadelphia, I even got to meet Mickey!

Disclosure: I was not compensated to write this post or attend the event. I did receive a fabulous gift bag for attending.

This July 4th I'm Discussing Responsible Drinking with My Kids

My kids are four, eight and ten years old, and it seems like the day I'll need to talk to them about responsible drinking is still years away, but of course, it's not. My oldest starts middle school this fall, and I can only guess that means high school is going to come around the bend sooner than I can imagine.

In fact, my kids not only aren't too young to have a talk about responsible drinking, according to the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (FAAR), they're actually the perfect ages to have these kinds of discussions because the most “preventative years” for children are between the ages of six and ten. This is the perfect time for us to discuss, and for them to learn, healthy, balanced behaviors around drinking.

July 4th weekend is a favorite holiday for our extended family. We all get together at the beach: aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. We have a huge feast, featuring our favorite summer food, Maryland hard shell crabs smothered in Old Bay.

And what goes best with crabs? Beer. Lots and lots of beer.

While my husband and I could be at most described as casual drinkers, it doesn't mean that we don't pass on a lot of thoughts about drinking to our kids. They hear us discussing what we'll be eating and drinking over the long holiday weekend, and how much we're looking forward to it. They hear the discussions of how much beer we think we'll need for a party of twenty adults, and what other drinks we should serve as well.

And conversations about alcohol don't happen over just July 4th weekend. Our kids hear us agree when friends say they "need a drink" after a long day, and they hear us laugh when someone makes a joke about drinking too much, although the truth is we don't think jokes like that are necessarily a laughing matter. Even if I don't drink much in front of my kids, these other passive messages about alcohol definitely get passed on to them.

So this July 4th when our family gets together, I'll be sure to talk to my kids about the role of responsible drinking at holiday get-togethers, and on "regular" days, too. I'll take this opportunity to remind them that even at events where alcohol is part of the celebration it's always a good idea to drink responsibly and to do what they think is right, whether that means not having another drink, or even just not laughing when someone makes a joke that's really not that funny about drinking too much.

Thank you to the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility for encouraging me to have this important conversation with my kids.

The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility created this video to help parents begin a lifetime of conversations with their kids about alcohol responsibility. Talking with your kids about alcohol early and often is the best way to keep them safe and the Foundation has tools and resources to help. Visit www.responsibility.org, follow @goFAAR on Twitter and "like" their Facebook page at fb.com/gofaar and begin the conversation today.

This post is written in conjunction with the sponsorship by the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (FAAR) for The Blog University (BlogU) conference held this spring at Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Craft Failing... Again!

Thanks to Robyn and Craft Fail for featuring my son's latest creation, Home Tweet Home Improvement.

Here's an example of the first of many outtakes, but for it's fully craft fail glory head over to Craft Fail.

Spoiler Alert: the bird house turns out spectacularly!

Top Ten Things I Learned at the 2014 BlogU Conference #BlogU14

This weekend I was part of the faculty of the inaugural BlogU Conference in Baltimore, and it was a fabulous experience from the moment I walked in the door and was greeted by friendly bloggers who directed me to a room filled with candy, 'til the final awards ceremony, which handed out illustrious honors like "Most Likely to be Kicked-Out of the Dorms."

In addition to all the fun, I also learned a lot. Here's a list of my top ten takeaways from BlogU:

1. Public speaking doesn't have to suck. I am usually a nervous public speaker, but for the first time ever I wasn't when presenting my session at BlogU, How to Make Money with Your Writing. This was because I presented with Nicole Leigh Shaw, who showed me you can look forward to and enjoy talking to a group just as easily as you can worry about it and hate it. Thanks Nicole for the inspiration, you have a serious gift.

Photo by Kerry of House TalkN

2. There's no party like a NickMom party. When NickMom throws a party, they throw a party. In a word it was epic, from the DJ who played every single one of my favorite songs from the 80s and 90s, to the centerpieces made with cassette tapes, everything was perfect.

Nicole (NinjaMomBlog.com), Kerry (HouseTalkN.com) and Susan (DivineSecretsofaDomesticDiva.com)

3. A Girl and Her Band make the best headbands ever. I had already had a few blogging friends tell me how these headbands are incredibly cute and comfortable, but I didn't realize how truly great they were until I tried them for myself. They were also a huge hit with my daughters, so big thanks to A Girl and her Band for making me look good to my kids.

Photo from the A Girl and her Band website.

4. If you bring home a fun mustache, your tween will immediately steal it and even say "this is so awesome! Thank you!" So, thank you, Ashley from Big Top Family for the excellent swag!

5. Friends in the computer are even more awesome in person. BlogU was the first time I got to meet in person lots of people I only knew through blogging, but had never actually met IRL. And while their 3D selves are even better than their Twitter personalities, many did betray me by being taller or shorter than I had imagined.

Photo by Erin of the Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

6. The best dorm mates ever are Kim, Paige and Robyn. The fact that I manged not to get a photo to document this fact is clearly a giant fail from the weekend.

7. The best time to pin things to Pinterest is Sunday night. I learned this and so much more about Pinterest from Anna of My Life and Kids.

8. All conferences should have cupcakes. Actually, why stop at conferences? All events should have cupcakes. And places. Especially boring places, like the DMV. The cupcakes at BlogU were from Macklin's Cafe and were insanely good.

Photo from Blog U's Twitter.

9. Real Beanz Iced Coffee makes a long drive home after a weekend of very little sleep really not so bad at all. But still not nearly as good as the ride down with the fun and hilarious Kim of The Fordeville Diaries.

10. Your kids won't notice you were gone when they are enjoying the ultimate staycation with Daddy. Apparently, when dad is in charge it is not business at usual. I complimented him on there being no dirty dishes in the sink, but apparently that was only because they ate every single meal out. When they weren't busy dining at brunch with a chocolate fountain, they enjoyed an afternoon party at his brother's house, ran a 5k, went to the movies to see Maleficent and even fit in not one but two trips to the pool, and a Wii tournament that my ten-year-old described went on "until so long after bedtime you seriously don't even want to know when it ended, Mom." Well-played, husband. Well-played. And, you even got the roses to bloom while I was gone.

You can learn more about Blog U on their website, Facebook page and Twitter, and also by following the hashtag #BlogU14. For tons of photos from the NickMom Prom check out #NickMomProm.

I was not compensated for this post, but many of the products mentioned were sponsors of Blog U.

This June, Get Schooled: The Inaugural Blog University Conference is Coming to Baltimore!

This June, Get Schooled!

The inaugural The Blog University Conference is coming to Baltimore, and I'm honored to be a part of this fantastic new conference that is happening from June 6 to 8 at Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore.

If you have a blog or have been thinking about starting one, join us for education, making connections, and more.
But hurry... tickets are only on sale for a few more days.

Tickets to Blog U are all-inclusive (check out the full conference schedule here) and includes all meals, parties, social events and sessions and accommodations on the beautiful and historic Notre Dame of Maryland University campus.

I'll be speaking with Nicole Shaw about How to Make Money with Your Writing. You can read more about our session as well as all the course descriptions here.

So fast-forward your writing career, hone your skills, make friends, and network!

You an stay up -to date with all things The Blog University (BlogU) Conference on Facebook at /TheBlogUniversity and on Twitter at @theblogu. Oh, and I almost forgot, to register: click here.


And one more thing... this Sunday night, May 11, we're having a Twitter Party and the grand prize is a ticket to BlogU. So join us online from 9-10 EST for fun and for one lucky person... a ticket to BlogU!

Hope to see you at BlogU this June!

All about RoC Brand and how anti-aging products can help your skin age gracefully

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.

Despite my many perseverations about my appearance, I will admit that worrying about wrinkles was not one of them. Until recently. Seemingly overnight, and in conjunction with turning the big - and I will admit dreaded - 4-0, I now devote much time and interest into the state of my skin and what anti-aging products can help my skin age as gracefully as possible.

When I heard about the opportunity to learn more about RoC Brand skincare products as well as skincare in general from New York dermatologist Debra Jaliman, I knew this was information I needed.

I got the amazing chance to meet and learn from Dr. Jaliman last week at the #Eyes4NYC event at Duane Reade where we got to "walk the aisle" with Dr. Jaliman.

Dr. Jaliman had a lot of tips for keeping the best care of your skin, including that it's never too early, or too late, to start an anti-aging skincare routine. Dr. Jaliman also recommended when using product to remember that a little goes a long way. A dab of product is usually enough, and more is not necessarily better.

Dr. Jaliman also covers skincare basics and her advice for maintaining beautiful skin in her 2012 book Skin Rules: Trade Secrets from a Top New York Dermatologist.

We discussed ways that RoC products can help keep skin healthy and also reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and that when choosing a product to look to see if there are clinic trials to back-up any claims about results that are being made.

Since then, I've been using RoC's Retinol Correxion Eye Cream, and it has definitely made a difference both in puffiness and in the wrinkles around my eyes.

RoC has lots of other products to help with anti-aging including Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Daily Moisturizer, Retinol Correxion sensitive eye cream for retinol-sensitive skin, and Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum, which is especially for deep wrinkles and works well under makeup.

All of RoC's products are priced well, have great packaging, clear directions on how they should be used, and are easy to find at Duane Reade stores.

Do you have a great skincare tip? If you do please share in the comments!

Thanks so much to Collective Bias, RoC Brand and Duane Reade for including me in the great #Eyes4NYC #collectivebias event!