Brainy Baby is offering holiday gift boxes

This holiday season, Brainy Baby is making it easy and affordable to give the gift of learning to all of the important children in one’s life.  For a limited time only,Brainy Baby is offering three different holiday gift boxes at a specially discounted price that are sure to please inquisitive toddlers and young kids on anyone’s list.

The Happy Holidays Gift Box, Seasons Greetings Gift Box and Deluxe Seasons Greetings Gift Box all include a variety of Brainy Baby’s award-winning DVD’s, CD’s, books and flashcards.  If that’s not enough, each set is priced significantly below its retail value, saving shoppers a ton of holiday cash.  Please note that quantities are limited for this holiday season and the packaging may vary from what it seen in the photos.

You can view more information about these gift sets at: http://www.productivity.net/juvenileproducts/brainybabyholidaygifts.html

Available to purchase at www.BrainyBaby.com

Happy Holidays!

The Plus Size Mommy

How the Candy Cane Got Its Name

Tinycandy’s Gift is a new Christmas story tracing the origins of the popular holiday treat, the candy cane. For Susan Estes’ third book, she explains that it is children’s differences that make them special to the world and highlights through vivid illustrations just how important one person can be.

Tinycandy is an elf growing up in the North Pole who always felt left out because he walks with a limp. With Christmas approaching, Tinycandy is desperate to find his special “gift” in order to contribute to Christmas in Santa’s workshop and become accepted by the other elves. Tinycandy soon discovers that his gift is making special candies shaped like hooks that make Christmas a little sweeter for everyone. Impressed by Tinycandy’s new talent, Santa christens the special treats “Candy Canes.”

In Tinycandy’s Gift, Estes creates a unique history of how the candy cane got its name and weaves in a classic tale that conveys to children one of the pivotal rules of life. Estes has spent her life working with and raising children and believes that teaching them to appreciate their own and others’ differences is the most important lesson of all.

Estes is also the author of One Miracle Under God and Choice of the Spirit Child. She is a mother of three and an active philanthropist in her community. She was awarded both the “Mayor’s Merit Award” and “Susan E. Estes Day” for her work in the Knoxville , TN community. She attended both University of Tennessee and Pellissippi State Community College . In her spare time, Estes enjoys writing, reading and spending time with her family.

Tinycandy’s Gift by Susan Estes and illustrated by MikeMotz.com (Dragon Pencil, Oct. 2009, ISBN 978-1-60131-036-1, hardcover, $14.95)

For more information on the book and available read-a-long CD, visit www.seecreativeconcepts.com.

Happy Holidays !

The Plus Size Mommy

Secret Santa Thanks to TJ Maxx &Marshall’s* & some Carol-oke ;)

I received an email a couple weeks ago that asked me to be a Secret Santa to another mommy blogger. I of course was so excited and said YES, count me in! Upon saying yes, everyone who participated was sent a $25 gift card to Marshall’s or TJ MAXX to shop for their recipient and another $25 gift card to shop and get a little something for themselves!

When I received my gift cards and the name of my recipient, I was excited but yet a little apprehensive. The fellow blogger I was to buy for, I had no idea nothing about her. So I went immediately to her website and started to follow her. I read everything I could find on there about her, and just did as much “detective” work as I possibly could before buying her present.

Then I was off to Marshall’s to buy her some goodies. It didn’t take long at all to buy her some wonderful gifts that hopefully will be “relaxation gifts”. I put a lot of thought and love into buying her presents and  I am hoping that she loves them as much as I do (I always buy presents for others that I would love to receive myself;) ).

Also, Marshall’s and TJ Maxx are doing a fun contest that you may be interested in participating in. I am sure you have watched the commercials on tv so far, but here are some more details :

Marshalls and T.J. Maxx have joined together for a “Carol-oke” contest. One lucky person will win a $5,000 holiday shopping spree – just for singing their favorite holiday tune! The contest launches on Monday, November 30th on YouTube’s specially-created “Caroling Channel”,www.youtube.com/jointhecarolers. There, consumers can select from one of three carols, create their own “Carol-oke” video and upload for entry into the contest. For every consumer who uploads a video singing one of our original carols, T.J. Maxx and Marshalls will donate $1 towards the purchase of a brand new toy to Toys for Tots up to $50,000.

- Special Thanks to Marshall’s and TJ Maxx and my girl (Victoria) for putting together this very fun and exciting Secret Santa idea. I loved doing this.

I cannot wait to release who my Secret Santa recipient was, probably within the next 2 weeks! So be looking out for it!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

The Plus Size Mommy

Kmart Bluelight Special & extended Holiday hours!

December 19^th and 20th:

• Boys/Girls Licensed Hoodies $8 (reg. $18.99)
• Essential Home 10 pc Sets $29.99 (reg. $49.99)
• Rollercade $49.99 (reg. $79.99)

Don’t forget to follow @KmartDealsnNews and use the #KmartBLS hashtag for a chance to win every day!  For more info & rules: http://tr.im/KmartBLS.  Good luck!

ALSO !!! Kmart has extended their shopping hours from 6am-12am through December 23^rd and 6am-10pm December 24^th.

Happy Shopping !!!

The Plus Size Mommy

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Make holiday entertaining extra-special by baking a stellar lineup of sensational starters* AND WIN !!!

No holiday celebration is complete without appetizers made with flaky crescent dough. Here are some easy, yet impressive recipes to try that call for either Pillsbury® Refrigerated Crescent Rolls or the newer Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet.

• Crescent-Wrapped Brie
• Crescent Bacon-Cheese Tartlets
• Crescent Holiday Tree

These appetizer recipes will help you entertain with ease while still wowing guests with tasty twists to familiar foods. And just one more reason to celebrate … each recipe requires just 20 minutes of preparation.

FROM ME:

I am ALWAYS baking with Pillsbury in my home. My children love the biscuits and rolls. I like that I can serve warm bread right from the oven with dinner within minutes. We love to make hot dog wraps too and other mini appetizers. I am going to love trying out these new recipes over the holiday break!

Now you can WIN as well : All you have to do to win is Vote on which one they would like you to recreate with your own personal touch.

BONUS ENTRY : post how making the new recipe went and how your family liked it.

you all have a chance at 4 entries each, 1 for your vote, and then up to 3 for actually making up to the 3 recipes and coming back and commenting how it went and how your family liked them, or not, or what their favorite one ended up being!

This is a tasty giveaway!

ONE WINNER will win :  A PILLSBURY PRIZE PACK WHICH INCLUDES :

• 2 VIP coupons for Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dough – coupons are only valid in the U.S.
• 3 Great holiday platters to serve your new creations to your guests

This giveaway starts NOW and will end on December 23rd, 2009 (8pm EST.). WINNER WILL NOT get prize pack until after Christmas!!!  Winner will be posted to this site on December 24th.

THANK YOU to all who enter, Happy Holidays…. Good Luck !

The Plus Size Mommy

*I also received a prize pack which Pillsbury provided you with the free product, information, and gift packs through MyBlogSpark.

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WINNER OF Frosty The Snowman from Build A Bear Workshop

Congrats go out to : Linda Stewart

Please contact me by emailing me at xbeth@yahoo.com with “FROSTY WINNER” in the Subject line. You have 48 hours to contact me to claim your prize ! You will love this Frosty, he is so cute

Thank you to all who entered and keep watching for many more great giveaways to come

The Plus Size Mommy

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Toy Industry Association (TIA) has launched two web sites for consumers

Just as parents’ anxiety about finding the right toys for the kids in their lives is setting in, the independent Toy Industry Association (TIA) has launched two web sites for consumers.

• ToyInfo.org provides you with all the information you need to choose the right toys for your family. From toy safety facts to free downloadable play guides, this exciting new site is a one-stop resource for caregivers and parents to discover everything about toys and play.
• Toyawards.org lists the best toys of the year, as selected by toy industry experts. The site showcases the top toys nominated for the 2010 Toy of the Year Awards (TOTY), recognized as the “Oscars®” of the toy industry. Not only will you discover which toys the experts think are best, but for the first time, kids and parents can register for one (or more) of 12 prize packages, and can also vote for their favorite toys.

I wanted to pass this valuable info. out to all of my readers. I think toy safety for everyone’s children is extremely important so these are definitely 2 sites you will want to check out while shopping for your children this holiday season! These sites are very easy to navigate and you can see what the hottest toys are of the season and also vote on what your top your child’s top picks are.  You can also sign up for discussion boards and also to be on a “recall” list in the event a toy is recalled they will notify you via email.

The Plus Size Mommy

*This post was shared with me and you on behalf of my relationship with “TEAM MOM” & “Child’s Play Communication’s”.

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Decorating Tips for a Safe Holiday Season

If you decorate a tree, Safe Kids USA and the United States Fire Administration recommend these precautions:

• Never leave a lighted Christmas tree or other decorative lighting display unattended. Inspect lights for exposed or frayed wires, loose connections and broken sockets. Do not overload extension cords or outlets and do not run an electrical cord under a rug.

• Natural Christmas trees always involve some risk of fire. To minimize the risk, get a fresh tree and keep it watered at all times. Do not put the tree within three feet of a fireplace, space heater, radiator or heat vent.

• Decorate with children in mind. Do not put ornaments that have small parts or metal hooks, or look like food or candy, on the lower branches where small children can reach them. Trim protruding branches at or below a child’s eye level, and keep lights out of reach.

• Do not burn Christmas tree branches, treated wood or wrapping paper in a home fireplace.

• Do not put candles on a tree or a natural wreath, or near curtains or drapes, and keep matches and lighters locked out of reach of children.

• Battery-operated flameless candles are an alternative that does not have a fire risk. Decorative lighting should be labeled with the seal of an independent testing lab and should only be used outdoors if it’s labeled for outdoor use.

Safe Kids USA also offers these tips to prevent poisoning:

• Keep alcohol (including baking extracts) out of reach and do not leave alcoholic drinks unattended.

• Color additives used in fireplace fires are a toxic product and should be stored out of reach. Artificial snow can be harmful if inhaled, so use it in a well-vented space.

• Mistletoe berries, Holly Berry and Jerusalem Cherry can be poisonous. If they are used in decorating, make sure children and pets cannot reach it.

• In a poison emergency, call the national Poison Control Hotline at 800-222-1222 to be routed to your local poison control center.

For more information, visit http://www.usa.safekids.org/fire/.

I think being safe at any time of year is important but it does seem like around the holidays many more fires and mishaps happen. I am glad to be able to share this info. with you from Safe Kids.

The Plus Size Mommy

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Win a Complete Outfit from JMS/Just My Size!*

JMS/Just My Size, with its complete plus-size collection now available at Walmart, is hoping to make your holidays just a little more jolly with a special giveaway exclusively for fans of the Plus Size Mommy Web site.

This week only, Comment on The Plus Size Mommy with your best holiday style tip and I’ll choose 3 lucky winners to receive a complete outfit from Just My Size pictured below. This includes the new JMS Kabuki Sleeve Sweater, matching scarf and casual pants (or similar outfit).

(JMS tops are available in 1X-4X and pants are in sizes 16-28)

Winners will be posted to the site on December 17th, 2009. Winners will need to email me to claim your prize. Please include your size information (JMS tops are available in 1X-4X and pants are in sizes 16-28), your address (no PO Boxes please) and your phone number. Winner must be a resident of the 48 continuous USA States.

For a complete look at the new JMS/Just My Size collection, check out their Web site at www.justmysize.com

Thank you for entering and GOOD LUCK !!!

The Plus Size Mommy

*I was sent 7 articles of clothing from the JMS new line in order to compensate me for this post and for running the contest.

Peggy Lutz Plus $100 giveaway week 4*

It is week 4 of the $100 giveaways by Peggy Lutz Plus, which only means 1 thing, There are only 3 more chances to win $100 to buy your awesome holiday outfit for celebrating in. (This week plus 2 more).

Here is yet another piece I was sent to review from Peggy Lutz.

This time, it is a Ball Skirt, just like the one seen here. This skirt is very generous in size. It is a great long length and is layered so it is very warm and cozy to wear, if you are like me, where winter is cold. The ball skirt I was sent is absolutely beautiful. I feel like a princess when I wear it. It is embroidered and has taffeta. It is just simply beautiful! They are so comfortable to wear as well. You won’t be disappointed. Here are some other styles of it:

They are all so beautiful and come in a great array of colors. You will love the selection and beauty of this piece when you add one or a few to your wardrobe this holiday season.

You can also win a $100 gift certificate to Peggy Lutz Plus here :

1. Visit Peggy Lutz Plus here : http://www.plus-size.com/motherofthebride/cats2~cid_15~t_outlet.htm comment and tell me which ball skirt in the OUTLET section that you love the most. = 1 entry per comment (up to 2 total)
2. Tweet the following on twitter :  ”Week 4 of Peggy Lutz Plus $100 gc giveaway enter to win here :  http://is.gd/5fxUL           ” up to 3 tweets per day = up to 3 entries per day.
3. Visit http://www.plus-size.com/motherofthebride/cats2~cid_15~t_outlet.htm UNDER THE OUTLET selection look at all of the Ball Skirts, comment and tell me how many there are to chose from IN THE OUTLET. = 1 entry

This giveaway starts NOW and will end on December 12th at 8PM EST. Winner will be posted here on Dec. 13. Winner will have 48 hours to email me to claim their prize.

Thank you for entering and Good Luck !!

The Plus Size Mommy

*I have been sent a skirt from Peggy Lutz Plus in order to do this review. It was at no cost to me. Winners prize is also no cost from me and will be shipped direct to the winner from Peg Lutz*

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