It's Family Game Time:Family Talk-Review & Giveaway {CLOSED}

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

My husband and I love talking with eachother and with our young one, although he only answers back in baby giberish. I think it's important for families to create good communication channels. Nowadays with so many  modern day gadgets it's easy to fall prey to them and get absorbed and stop paying attention to those around you.

That why I really enjoyed reviewing Family Talk!  This game will definitely get the family talking and you might just find out little details that you probably never would've thought of asking about.

Basically, the game consists of a deck of 100 colorful, nicely, laminated question cards connected by a ring.  This game was created by a mom/occupational therapist and was voted the Conversation Game of the Year in 2009 by Creative Child Magazine.

I like the game because you can take it with you anywhere and there are questions for everyone in the family.  Family Talk is a great tool for starting up family conversations.  This game is ideal for when the family is sitting down having dinner or when you're out on a long drive.   This game will definitely encourage the family to talk more because everyone gets to share a little bit about themselves.  I definitely plan on sharing this game when I go visit my family because I honestly believe there are so many things, that at my 29 years of age, I still don't know about my parents.  Everyone, let's get to talking!

Family Talk is a great travel game and would make for a neat holiday gift or stocking stuffer!   

Family Talk is brought to you by Around the Table Games and they have a wide variety of conversational games for everyone in the family.

If you wish to BUY any of the Around the Table conversational games, then  head on over to their SITE.

At the check out make sure to use the coupon code THANKYOU so you can get a 20% discount on your purchase!

GIVEAWAY:

• One (1) winner will receive a conversational game of their choice to share with the family or give to some as a gift. (ONLY valid in the US)

RULES:

• Leave 1 comment per entry (If it says +2, then leave 2 entries)
• Leave your e-mail address with each entry.
• Leave your GFC name, facebook name, twitter ID {according to the network you leave a comment for}

MANDATORY ENTRY

• Visit the sponsor site and tell me which other family game you would you like to try?

BONUS ENTRIES

• Follow Always Around Boys publicly on GFC.
• Like AAB on Facebook {sidebar}
• Like Around the Table on Facebook and tell them Always Around Boys sent you 
• Follow AAB on Twitter {sidebar}
• Follow Around the Table on Twitter
• Tweet the following: {Win a Family Talk conversation game courtesy of Around the Table over @ #AlwaysAroundBoys ends 12-14 http://tinyurl.com/36wb2l8} Can be done daily. Leave the link
• Leave a comment on this review or this other review  {+1 comment per entry per review}

This giveaway is open to(U.S.). Ends(12/20) at 11:59pm Eastern Time. The winner will be selected by using random.org. I will post the winner on my blog and e-mail them. The winner will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be selected.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Great Giveaways

Make sure to get your entries in for these great giveaways!  Some of these gifts would make for great stocking stuffers, so make sure to enter.

If you comment on any of my recent non-giveaway posts then make sure to give yourself one (1) extra entry for any giveaway of your choice (1 comment per giveaway)

• Cradle Rock Lullaby Albums:  ENDS TONIGHT!  ONLY HAS 32 ENTRIES, as of this moment
•  Michael Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Johnny Cash

• Happy Baby Food Products SUPER LOW ENTRIES

• Old El Paso:
• Taco Seasoning, serving dishes & a $10 gift certificate
• Brow Beauty Bubble by Tweezerman: 3 winners

• Face Candy Couture Mineral Eye Shadows: 4 jars for you to choose

Auntie Anne's At-Home Baking Kit

 I like to bake but don't get to do it from scratch, so I was excited to receive an Auntie Anne’s Baking Kit.

{Don't let the image fool you because there are many RECIPES that you can make with this baking kit.  For example: monkey bread, apple dumplings, dessert pizza and many more }

{What you get in the kit: dough mix, dry yeast, baking powder, salt, cinammon sugar } 

My wrapped dough ball resting in a warm place so it could rise.  I didn't have cooking spray so I used butter instead, a little bit too much I would say.

Since I'm relatively new to baking I decided to make good ol' fashion pretzels! I did everything by myself and found it to be quite fun. The whole process was a bit messy, but the end product was tasty.

I made eight (8) pretzels total, although I could've made ten (10) if I had used less dough.  I made one (1) salty pretzel and the rest were coated with a litle coat of melted butter and loads of cinammon sugar.



Mine didn't turn out too pretty, but they tasted great. I ate one, my son ate a tiny piece and my husband took the rest to school with him so he and his learning team could snack on them.

I would definitely purchase this kit for a special ocassion like a birthday party or get together, only that next time I would bake monkey bread instead!

What recipe would you be interested in making?

If you want to know more about Auntie Anne's Baking Kits check out their site.

If you like Auntie Anne's Pretzels or Baking Kits then follow them on Facebook. or Twitter

Want to know where you can buy, then click HERE.

Disclosure: I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. I received the featured product for review purposes, all free of charge. This is an honest review and the opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way.

Face Candy Couture Eyeshadows: Review & Giveaway {CLOSED}

I don't normally post about make-up, but I do love playing around with make-up, whenever my son gives me the chance of course !  So I was really giddy at the idea of reviewing some mineral makeup from Face Candy Couture.

{Here's what I received: six (6) three(3) gram jars of mineral eyeshadow and 3 little sample bags}



{From left to right: Pinky Star, Lavender Fields & Damask Grey-this is without using any eye primer}



{From left to right: Golden Moon, Pumpkin &; Dew- A Touch of Autumn Collection- this is without using eye primer}



I tend to be very picky with the make-up I buy nowadays and mostly stick to one certain brand.  But, I loved all six (6) of the Face Candy Couture eyeshadows I received! 

You can use the make-up as shadows either dry{for a subtle look} or wet {for a more dramatic look}.

 You can also use it as a lipgloss; all you have to do is wet a lip brush, get some product on it and dab on your lips.

 I used the mineral makeup as eyeshadows and they  were very pigmented, so I didn't have to pack on a lot of product to make the colors pop.  The product goes on the brush easily, doesn't have a lot of fall out when you apply it and it's easy to blend. 

The jars in which the shadows come are clear and come with a cute label on the top and an ingredient list on the bottom.  Each jar has a sifter so you can easily control the amount of product that you need, just make sure to store them in an upright postion.

Face Candy Couture mineral eyeshadows would make for a great stocking stuffer for both make-up lovin' teenagers and adults.

For the price of $4.99 you can certainly get several jars {Product comes in a clear 5 gram jar with sifter and with approx. 1.2 grams of product }without breaking the bank.

Check out the Face Candy Couture  for more eyeshadow color options and great holiday specials!

{Here's a fall/winter look I did with the second set shadows}



{Ignore my crazy looking bangs}

Shantle, the owner and creator of Face Candy Couture,  has offered to sponsor an awesome giveaway!

GIVEAWAY:

(1) winner will receive four (4) three (3) gram jars of mineral make-up ( valid in the US & Canada)

RULES:

• Leave 1 comment per entry.
• Leave your e-mail address with each entry.
• Leave your GFC name, facebook name, twitter ID {according to the network you leave a comment for}

MANDATORY ENTRY

• Visit the sponsor site and tell me which 4 colors would you like to try?

BONUS ENTRIES {1 entry each unless specified}

• Follow Face Candy Couture on Twitter.
• Tweet the following: Win four (3 gram) jars of mineral make-up courtesy of http://www.facecandycouture.com/ over @ #AlwaysAroundBoys http://tinyurl.com/22rqdjq
• leave a link in your comment
• can be done daily (1 comment per daily tweet)
• you must have people following you :-)
• Like Face Candy Couture on Facebook and leave a comment saying which of the colors you like.+2
• Heart Face Candy Couture's Etsy Shop
• Follow AAB via e-mail +2
• Follow Always Around Boys{AAB} publicly on GFC.
• Blog about this giveaway and make sure to include a link to http://www.facecandycouture.com/ +3
• Link it back to me.
• Site must have at least 100 followers

This giveaway is open to (U.Sand Canada). Ends (12/10) at 10:00pm Eastern Time. The winner will be selected by using random.org. I will post the winner on my blog and e-mail them. The winner will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be selected.

Disclosure: I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. I received the featured products for review, all free of charge. This is an honest review and the opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way.  Giveaway prizes will be shipped by sponsor directly to the winner. 

Giveaways & Extra Entry Ops

Make sure to get your entries in for these great giveaways!  Some of these gifts would make for great stocking stuffers, so make sure to enter.

If you comment on any of my recent non-giveaway posts then make sure to give yourself an extra entry for any giveaway of your choice (1 comment per giveaway)

• Cradle Rock Lullaby Albums: 
•  Michael Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Johnny Cash
• Happy Baby Food Products
• Old El Paso:
• Taco Seasoning, serving dishes & a $10 gift certificate
• Brow Beauty Bubble by Tweezerman: 3 winners

Bon Ami: For Healthy, Green, Non-Toxic Cleaning

If you're like me and have a young child who's always making a mess and running around the house, then you know how important it is to keep a clean house and how often you find yourself cleaning.  When doing the cleaning, I don't like my son to be exposed to harsh chemicals, so I was excited to get a chance to review Bon Ami cleaning products.

Bon Ami is an American all natural cleaning brand.  Bon Ami started out in 1886 with just one (1) product and has expanded their line to include products such as Dish Soap, Liquid Cleaner and All Purpose Cleanser to their already well known Powder Cleanser.  All Bon-Ami products are  biodegradable, non-toxic and hypo-allergenic.  Even the containers are made from 100% post-consumer plastic.

I received the Dish Soap in the Free & Clear version that has no added scent.  I'm currently using the product and have found it to be very effective at cleaning the dishes and leaving them squeeky clean.  I was especially impressed on how well it did at cutting off the grease on my pots and pans.  I also like that the product doesn't make a lot of suds, which means that I can rinse everything off without using as much water.  
PRICE: $3.99 for a 25 oz bottle

The Powder Cleanser was the product that started it all and it continues to impress.  I like using to get the heavy, sticky grime off the pots and to clean the stove.  Because the ingredients are all natural the powder is very gentle, but effective on the stove, which means that I don't have to worry about it getting scratched.

PRICE:  $7.74 for a 6 pack (14oz each)  Basically, it's $1.29 for each one

I've been using the Liquid Cleanser, in the Free& Clear version, to clean the bathroom sink, tub, and refrigerator door.  My tub was resurfaced before we moved in so we can only use non-abrasive products so the Liquid Cleanser is perfect for it.  Like the other products in the line, it's gentle but helps get all the soap scum out.

PRICE: $3.59 for a 25 oz bottle

If you're interested in learning more about these products then go to http://www.bonami.com/

Want to buy the products online then go to http://www.bonami.net/

Want to know where these products are sold, then click HERE

If you like Bon Ami products then follow them on Twitter

To keep up to date with Bon Ami, like them on Facebook

Disclosure: I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. I received the featured products, all free of charge, from Bon Ami. This is an honest review and the opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way.

Welcome Weekend Hop: GFC & Networked Blogs Edition

                                       

      <a href="http://alwaysaroundboys.blogspot.com"><img src="http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc409/AlwaysAroundBoys/bloghop-1.jpg" /></a>

Welcome to the 4th week of Welcome Weekend Hop! This hop is hosted by Always Around Boys, Purple Froggy Clay Stuff  and Tots and Me.  We love to make new friends and find new and interesting blogs. 

For this 4th edition our hop will be exclusively for GFC & Networked Blogs, so please only link up your blog.

If you want to participate in the hop here's all you have to do:

1.  Link up your blog using the linky list, below.
2. Subscribe via GFC & Networked Blogs to each of the host/hostesses located in the first 3 spots.
3. Subscribe via GFC &Networked Blogs to any of the other Hop participants , but make sure to leave a comment with your GFC ID & Networked Blogs ID so they know you dropped by.
4. If someone follows you on GFC & Networked Blogs, then kindly follow back if it's not too much to ask.
5. If you get a chance, grab the Welcome Weekend button and include it in an original blog hop post-it can be combined with other hops.  Just make sure to let Always Around Boys know in a comment.

There will be a new list every Friday evening, so please remember to come back and link up!

Each week we will choose a different social media to follow.  Next week will be GFC & Twitter.

Blog Hopping does take up some time, so go at your own pace. Follow as many blogs as you wish, but just know that all the hosts/hostesses will follow back if you follow them. Just make sure to leave a comment with your GFC & Networked Blogs ID.

The only way for a blog hop to work is if everyone follows new blogs and follows back.  If all you do is just sign-up and wait for others to come then it really defeats the whole purpose.

AboutOne Review

Imagine, how much easier life would be if you could have all of your important household information stored and organized in one place.

AboutOne is an online service that allows you to get organized by storing your  family household information online knowing that it's being protected with bank-level security. 

Basically, AboutOne digitally manages and organizes all of the documents and information that one would need to run their household.   With AboutOne you can create online family newsletters, digital scrapbooks, photo albums, keep track of immunization and health history, among other things.

Afterward you can take the stored information and generate ready-made- fact sheets.  The other neat thing is that you can organize the information of your choice into a college application or an online health record.

The system is easy to use and the team over at AboutOne is more than happy to answer any questions or doubts you may have.

Want to find out more, then check AboutOne over at http://www.aboutone.com/

 http://www.youtube.com/user/AboutOneVideos


 http://www.facebook.com/aboutone

http://twitter.com/aboutone

·
Disclosure: I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. I received a one (1) year membership to About One via Review Maven, all free of charge. This is an honest review and the opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way.

Duncan Hines Decadent Cakes & Glazes: Apple Caramel Cupcakes with Vanilla Glaze

I love to bake sweets for my family, so I was excited to try out Duncan Hines new line of Decadent Cake Mixes and Amazing Glazes.



My family and I tried out the Duncan Hines Decadent Cake Mix in Apple Caramel and the Duncan Hines Amazing Glazes in Vanilla.



The cake mix box comes with two(2) packages: dry cake mix & a dry caramel mix 

Both mixes are very easy to prepare.

I decided to use the mx to make cupcakes-which calls for the same recipe as if you were making a cake. Afterward I poured the caramel mix on top of the cupcake batter.   Although I could've put less batter in the cupcake liners.

  After letting the cupcakes cool off, I drizzled some vanilla glaze on them.

Afterwards, we enjoyed our cupcakes with a cold glass of milk.

My family and I all loved the flavor and consistency of the cupcakes.  They were sweet, moist and delicious. I can't wait to try out the other mix I received, Duncan Hines Decadent Cake Mix in Triple Chocolate and the Duncan Hines Amazing Glazes in Chocolate, but those will be for another post.

If you want to find out more about Duncan Hines, make sure to visit their site at http://www.duncanhines.com/

Conect with Duncan Hines through Facebook and Twitter

If you're intersted in finding new recipes, tips and discount coupons then make sure to join the Duncan Hines Baker's Club

Disclosure: I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. I received two (2) Duncan Hines Amazing Cake Mixes and two (2)  Duncan Hines Amazing Glazes, all free of charge. This is an honest review and the opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way.

Thanksgiving

Up until the summer I had been living in Puerto Rico, where my dad is from and where I was born and had spent practically my whole life. Every year for Thanksgiving we would get together with my family and extended family at one of the aunts' house and have a typical traditional Puerto Rican Thanksgiving, which consisted of rice and pigeon peas, turkey, macaronni salad or potatoe salad.

This was the first year I spent Thanksgiving with only MY relatively new lil'family. I decided to make a full blown Thangsgiving meal. I was literally in the kitchen all day, but it was all worth it! {Sorry for my lack of makeup}!

Our little dining table with a rather large meal for the three(3) of us

cheesy mashed pottaos with parsley, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce

cornbread stuffing, creamed pearl onions, gravy

turkey breast

baby E fell asleep while eating

{CLOSED} Brow Beauty Bubble by Tweezerman: Review & Giveaway

I'm not very big into tweezing my eyebrows because I can never find the ideal tweezers.  In my experience, they are either dull and don't grab the hairs or don't have enough grab and I can't get the entire hair out.

ALL OF THIS CHANGED WHEN I RECEIVED MY BROW BEAUTY BUBBLE BY TWEEZERMAN.

Tweezerman, the beauty tool experts, is proud to introduce the Brow Beauty Bubble – a magnified compact 10X Mirror and an adorable candy cane glittered red and white striped mini Slant® Tweezer. Housed in a bubble case and small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, this must-have is ideal for on-the-go grooming. This holiday season, the Brow Beauty Bubble is guaranteed to be on every beauty maverick’s wish list!

I loved the whole set, from the tweezers to the mirror.  The tweezers were just the perfect size for me to grab on comfortably and the grabbing power was great.  I was able to grab on to each individual hair and pull it out from the root.  The mirror magnifies to the point where you can see very little detail of your face.  I loved that I could even see those fine, little pesky hairs that sometimes we miss if just using a regular mirror.  The other good thing about the mirror is that it has suction cups in the back, so you can set it on the wall.  Now that I've used Tweezerman, I will never go back to any other pair of tweezers ever again.

The Brow Beauty Bubble by Tweezerman would make for an ideal stocking stuffer for your beauty maven friends or family members! 

Visit Tweezerman over at their SITE!

GIVEAWAY: 

Three (3) winners will receive a "Brow Beauty Bubble"{$20 value) by Tweezerman (ONLY valid in the US & Puerto Rico)

RULES:

• Leave 1 comment per entry.
• Leave your e-mail address with each entry.
• Leave your GFC name, facebook name, twitter ID {according to the network you leave a comment for}

MANDATORY ENTRY

• Visit the sponsor site and tell me which other Tweezerman product would you like to try?

BONUS ENTRIES

• Follow Always Around Boys publicly on GFC.

• Like  AAB on Facebook {sidebar}

• Like Tweezerman on Facebook and let them know that Always Around Boys sent you.

• Follow AAB on Twitter {sidebar} 

• Follow Tweezerman on Twitter

• Tweet the following: {3 lucky people will win a "Brow Beauty Bubble" by Tweezerman courtesy of #Tweezerman over @ #AlwaysAroundBoys http://tinyurl.com/23at5pp   } Can be done 2x daily {at least an hour in between tweets}. Leave the link

• Subscribe to  AAB via e-mail. {Make sure to verify}

• Follow AAB on Networked Blogs (all you need is a Facebook account) {sidebar}.

• Blog about this specific giveaway, linking to it. {Blog must have 100+ followers} +3

• Grab the Always Around Boys button and post it on your blog. {Blog must have at least 100+followers} Let me know where to find it +3

This giveaway is open to(U.S.). Ends(12/16) at 10:00pm Eastern Time.  The winner will be selected by using random.org.  I will post the winner on my blog and e-mail them.  The winner will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be selected.

Disclosure: I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. I received a Brow Beauty Bubble by Tweezerman for review and 3 to offer in a giveaway, all free of charge. This is an honest review and the opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way. 

Winner

Random.org chose the winner for the Bummas giveaway!

The winner is comment # 11

kewkew said...

I liked Bummas on Facebook #3

Congratulations!

Family Night with Old El Paso: Review & Giveaway

My family and I love eating tacos for dinner!  There's even a previous post to show for it. So,  I was excited to add Old El Paso Original Taco Seasoning Mix in to the ground beef!

Ground beef -seasoned with Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix, sour cream, shredded cheese, taco sauce, refried beans, onions & lettuce, soft taco tortillas

Old El Paso Original Taco Seasoning mix is really easy to use.  All you do is brown the beef, add the seasoning and mix!  Normally, I don't like to work with red meat because I feel it needs a lot of seasoning. But with Old El Paso Original Taco Seasoning Mix that wasn't the case.  I really liked how the seasoning enhanced the flavor of the ground beef.

The great thing about eating tacos is that everyone in the family prepares their taco to their liking!  This was mine and it had a little bit of everything.

The hubby, enjoying his taco/burrito.

Even baby E enjoyed his deconstructed taco!

Want to Know more about Old El Paso

• Old El Paso offers a variety of seasonings, sides, sauces, and meal kits as simple solutions for a night of catching up with the family over a delicious taco dinner.

• To satisfy your Mexican style cravings, the Old El Paso's line up of products includes chilies, dinner kits, dips and sides, enchilada sauce, refried beans, seasoning mixes, shells, taco sauce and salsa.

• The Old El Paso taco seasoning mix selection includes flavors like Burrito, Cheesy Taco, Chili, Fajita, Taco, Mild Taco and even a seasoning with 40% less sodium.

• To keep your family laughing at the dinner table, have some fun with El TacodorTM, the world´s only family taco night game. With El Tacodor, your family can share a special night at home by challenging one another to quick fire trivia, wordplay and pantomime. Visit http://www.eltacodor.com today to download instructions, a score card, and a challenge sheet for even more fun on family taco night!

Interested in an Old El Paso Coupon

• Go to http://www.myblogspark.com/uc/main/b069/ to download a printable coupon for $0.60 off any two Old El Paso products today!

Visit Old El Paso over at their SITE!

Buy Old El Paso products at your local supermarket or retailer!

GIVEAWAY:
One (1) winner will receive a family taco night prize pack which includes a packet of original Old El Paso Taco Seasoning, a Cactus Chip & Dip Serving dish, a set of 3 Fiesta Chili Pepper serving dishes and a $10 gift card to purchase your taco fixings (ONLY valid in the US)

RULES:

• Leave 1 comment per entry.
• Leave your e-mail address with each entry.
• Leave your GFC name, facebook name, twitter ID {according to the network you leave a comment for}

MANDATORY ENTRY

• Visit the sponsor site and tell me which Old El Paso recipe would you like to try?

BONUS ENTRIES

• Follow Always Around Boys publicly on GFC.
• Like  AAB on Facebook {sidebar}
• Follow AAB on Twitter {sidebar}
• Follow Old El Paso on Twitter
• Tweet the following: {Win a "Family Taco Night" prize pack courtesy of Old El Paso through #myblogspark over @ #AlwaysAroundBoys http://tinyurl.com/26h87nu } Can be done daily. Leave the link
• Subscribe to  AAB via e-mail. {Make sure to verify}
• Follow AAB on Networked Blogs (all you need is a Facebook account) {sidebar}.
• Blog about this specific giveaway, linking to it. {Blog must have 100+ followers} +3
• Grab the Always Around Boys button and post it on your blog. {Blog must have at least 100+followers} Let me know where to find it +3
  

This giveaway is open to(U.S.). Ends(12/5) at 11:59pm Eastern Time.  The winner will be selected by using random.org.  I will post the winner on my blog and e-mail them.  The winner will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be selected.

Disclosure: I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. I received a family taco night  prize pack courtesy of Old El Paso through MyBlogSpark, as well as the coupon link and Old El Paso information, all free of charge. This is an honest review and the opinions expressed in this review are my own and were not influenced in any way. I am not responsible for the delivery of this prize and can not be held accountable if, for any reason, it is not received.