Make Their Howliday Fun

    For us the holiday season is about family and friends. Which of course includes our fur babies and furry granddaughter! Thanks to Chewy.com, you too can make their howliday fun! Because our pets deserve the very best!

Make Their Howliday Fun!

    My fur girls are so very different. Our old girl Josie prefers treats or something tasty to chew on. Bayleigh is the baby and she loves toys. ALL THE TOYS! So when I found this Boomerang from All Kind I knew Bay would love it! She can fetch it, tug it, and even take a nap with it when she's done playing.

Soft Yet Sturdy

    The All Kind Tug & Fetch No Squeak Boomerang is perfect for indoor and outdoor play. It's soft enough that it can be tossed around the house, but sturdy enough to stand up to a nice tug of war game. It's made of durable rubber, nylon, and polyester. The outside edges are reinforced with Oxford piping to keep your pup from tearing it up. 

Aerodynamic Fun

    Just like a traditional boomerang, this one from All Kind is aerodynamically designed to fly further. Take it outside and give your canine bestie a fun workout! They will love the high flying adventure this toy provides. Oh and it doesn't have a squeaker so it won't annoy you or the neighbors! (For Bayleigh that means she won't tear into it and try to remove a squeaker.)

    The All Kind Tug & Fetch No Squeak Boomerang comes in different sizes too. So whether your fur baby is small, large, or in between, you will find one to suit them. Grab one or three, and place them under your tree this holiday! 

Buy One Get One

    If you head to Chewy.com right now, you can purchase an All Kind toy and get one (of equal or lesser value) for FREE! They have the boomerang, gingerbread man, tri-flyer, bone, a tuggable bow, and a football! That's a ton of fun for your fur baby this Christmas! Check them out! 

It's a HOWLiday PAWty

    Our fur girls are an integral part of our family. Which is why we make sure their HOWLiday is special too! Josie's birthday just happens to fall in December too so there's always a PAWty in the Barnum house!

It's a HOWLiday PAWty

    Our old girl actually turned eight today! I can't believe my sweet fur baby is that old. Later today she will have her special party (or pawty as we call it,) with her sister Bayleigh, and her feline niece Clara. Her gift came just in time yesterday and she's already been pawing at the Chewy box. (Bayleigh has as well!)

Josie, (2010) two days old. The day Liam picked her out and she got her name.

    Since it's a party, there will be special goodies for all of them! They will be having fresh cooked chicken breast and sweet potatoes (their favorite!) The beverage of choice happens to be some Pumpkin Spice Latte (we talk about that here.) Both our canine girls and our feline granddaughter will enjoy these goodies! Let the celebration begin! (When Josie decides to get out of bed that is.)

2011 Josie's first birthday and Christmas pic

The Gift

    We chose Blue Buffalo Blue Bits for her. They are soft and delectable treats, made from real USA beef. Perfect for puppies, or older babies that don't chew as well. It seems that as Josie gets older, she feels that chewing takes up too much time. So these treats are the perfect gift for her.

Beef is Number One

    The number one ingredient that is. USA deboned beef is the very first item listed on these treats. Followed by brown rice, oatmeal, maple syrup and more. No fillers. No by products. As well as no artificial colors or flavors, just good stuff that your canine pal will love. But what more can you expect from Blue Buffalo? My girls love every treat they have tried from them, and as a pet mom, I trust their ingredients.

    So whether you're hosting a birthday pawty, or a howliday one, head to Chewy.com. They have a wide selection of everything you need for any pet that you love. We don't shop anywhere else! 

Give the Gift of Comfort This Holiday Season

    A great majority of people are on their feet either all day, or at the very least, a great majority of it. So why not give a loved one the gift of comfort this holiday season?

Give the Gift of Comfort This Holiday Season

    We don't often have a choice about being on our feet all day. That leads to sore feet, and can then radiate to pain the legs or even the back. Having good shoes can help, but adding some insoles to those shoes can help even more. Which is where ERGOfoot comes in. They have the most amazing Massaging Gel Insoles. They're sure to put a smile on your loved ones face this holiday!

Massaging Gel Insoles

    I love my pair of Massaging Gel Insoles so much that I actually ordered a pair to give to my husband this Christmas. These insoles make my shoes so much more comfy, and they really help to alleviate some of my lower back pain. The gel absorbs the shock or walking (or running when I have to chase my German Shepherd down.) That same gel works to absorbs the shock when you apply pressure by walking or running. This in turn helps to keep that stress off your other joints. All of that shock can make your muscles fatigued, and leads to your pain. 

Perfect for Everyone 

    ERGOfoot Massaging Gel Insoles make the perfect gift. They come in one size fits all for both men and women. Each insole has a custom guide, so you can trim the insole to the size of your shoes. I was quickly able to cut my insoles to fit into my shoes. I use them in my Converse. I have always been a huge fan of the original Chuck Taylor sneakers. However, these shoes are virtually flat footed. The older I get, the harder that is on my body. Now with my ERGOfoot Massaging Gel Insoles, they are my most comfortable pair of shoes!

    This holiday season grab a pair of these insoles for someone on your holiday gift list. While you're at it, you may want to get yourself a pair too. Trust me, they're awesome!

Get Your Game on This Holiday Season

    To me the best part of the holidays is spending time with friends and family. Let's step it up a notch and make it more fun! It's time to get your game on this holiday season.

Get Your Game on This Holiday Season

    When we lived back in Pennsylvania, we always hosted Christmas Eve. The night was full of savory and sweet treats, laughs, and love. Liam and I always had games at the ready to make the evening more memorable, and let me tell you, it did! Some of our best family memories were made right there, in that tiny living room.

    We won't be going home this holiday, so we're creating new memories and fun to go with our new home. We just got two board games from Rooster Fin Games. However, we couldn't wait until Christmas Eve to try them out. And when you see them, you're going to want to get in on these too!

Ninja Squirrels

    There's a good reason this fast paced family board game has won so many awards. That's because it's so much fun to play! Ninja Squirrels are fighters. Fast food fighters that is! In this game, players battle over being the first to collect their color of acorns and fill their dens for winter. 

    The game says for seven and up, but if younger kids know their colors (and won't put the acorns in their mouth,) then they could certainly join in! As a mom, I love how this game isn't just a blast to play, but it's a great way for players to work on their fine motor skills. Even better, kids think they're just playing, and don't realize that they're working on those skills. 

Rooster Race

    Rooster Race is another engaging and enjoyable game from Rooster Fin. In this game, players race to be the winner with the most corn, by guessing if they card they draw will be higher or lower than the face up card. If the player guesses correctly, they get an ear of corn. Guess wrong, and lose an ear. (If kids can count to fifteen, then they too can play!) When all cards are played, the person with the most ears of corn is the winner!

    Again, this game isn't just a blast to play, but it helps kids to work on fine motor skills, as well as number recognition. In my opinion, this makes these titles from Rooster Fin not just a perfect gift for families, but for classrooms too! I can see them being utilized in libraries, child care centers, therapy clinics, and so much more. So gather your family and friends, and make some memories! 

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5 Reasons Why You Should Wear Sunglasses Even During Winter!

    For many of us, winter is cold, or at the very least, colder. However, that doesn't mean the sun goes away. It's not as strong as in the summer months, but it's clearly still there. Which is why we should all be wearing sunglasses. Yes, even during Winter!

5 Reasons Why You Should Wear Sunglasses, Even During Winter!

    The older I get, the more sensitive my eyes become. Maybe that's part of getting older, but at any rate, I know that we should all be wearing sunglasses all year round. I was just having this conversation with my husband, and figured I would share a bit of my knowledge with you all. I've broken my "two cents" into 5 reasons, so let's get started!

1.) Reduce Glare and Eye Strain

   White surfaces cause light to be reflected. So if you walk outside on a sunny or even partly sunny day, when the ground is covered with snow, chances are, you will be momentarily blinded. Then you can't see right for a bit. Your vision is blurry or you see spots. This is because the sun was reflected right back into your sensitive peepers. Incidentally, this can also cause major headaches too. If you live in a climate that gets snow in the winter, I'm sure you have experienced this first one. Which is why this is my first reason on why you should always wear sun protection on your eyes, even in the winter.

2.) Eye Protection

    Whether you're outside to shovel the sidewalk, working outdoors, or embarking on a snow covered trail, you should always wear sunglasses for eye protection. As stated above, you will be protecting your eyes from glare. However, sunglasses can also keep snow, wind and debris from getting into your eyes as well. Wind causes our eyes to dry out and become sore. Then they water, and that causes the skin around them to chap. Wind can also cause dirt and debris to fly into your eyes which can in some cases cause corneal abrasions. You can avoid that by wearing a good pair of shades! 

3.) They Help to Improve Vision

    Sunglasses help to improve your vision, by blocking out glare, or even lights. This is especially helpful when you're driving. Let's face it, car visors don't block out much sun light or head lights. So you should always have a pair of sunglasses handy in your car. Whether it's summer or winter, or the seasons in between!

4.) To Block Out Harmful Sun Rays

    While the sun's rays aren't the strongest during winter months, they can still cause damage to your eyes. Choosing the right pair of sunglasses to block out UVA and UVB rays is important. That's because radiation from the sun can cause cataracts or even age related macular degeneration. If simply donning a pair of shades can help to prevent that from happening, then what are you waiting for?

5.) Wrinkles

    We're not getting any younger. Wrinkles are inevitable. However, if you can do something simple to prevent them, then why not? Did you know that wearing sunglasses can help to stop wrinkles from forming around your eyes? That's right. Crow's feet are caused by squinting. So if you're constantly squishing up your eyes from the sun, then you're causing your own crow's feet. So stop squinting and grab some sunglasses.

    I love this pair from Jojen. They have 9 layers or protection in the lenses. The first layer of the lens keeps them from getting scratched and ruined. The second and eighth layers help the lenses to be more durable. The third, fourth, sixth, and seventh layers absorbs the sun. The fifth filters it out. Those layers offer you UVA and UVB protection. The ninth layer is another strengthening layer. You can get them here. They would make a perfect holiday gift for friends and family too!

Boughs, Baubles, and Bubbles!

The holiday season is in full swing! Between Liam's lessons we're decorating and crafting Christmas decor for our new home! Yesterday we took some faux boughs, baubles, and the coolest light set to create a table centerpiece. We thought we'd share it with you all!

Boughs, Baubles, and Bubbles

    Since buying our new home, I've realized that I don't have as much Christmas decor as I'd like. I always get stuff on clearance after the holidays, or pick it up at yard sales and flea markets in the warmer months. However, I stumbled upon this set of  Voneta Globe Lights white perusing Amazon, and I knew I had to have them.

    They look like little hand blown glass balls, but instead they're made of sturdy and safe acrylic. Each "bubble" has little bubbles inside them, which makes them look just like hand blown glass. So you get the beauty of glass, but the safety of plastic. Oh, and they are battery operated so you can use them anywhere in your home. (This came in handy for me because our home was built in 1910, and when the electricity was upgraded, they only put two outlets in each room.) You can set them to steady on, or flashing too! There is forty bulbs and the strands are clear so no matter where you place them, the cord won't stand out and be gaudy. (You can use them to light up any holiday, weddings, or even your outdoor entertaining area.)

Let's Get Crafty!

    Last year after the holidays, I got a set of shatterproof bulbs. I wanted blues and greens, but the only set they had with those colors also had pink bulbs. (I love pink, but my color scheme for our living room is blues and greens.) I grabbed them figuring I would just put the pinks aside. However, after decorating our tree, Liam decided that those pink baubles were "lonely," so we decided to make something with them. When my Voneta Globe Lights came in, I knew just what to do! Make a centerpiece for our dining room table!

    I had this gorgeous rattan basket that was left for me by the previous owners, and I have been wanting to make a nice centerpiece with it. So Liam grabbed the lonely pink balls, and some faux boughs, while I gathered up my new lights and the basket.

    Liam placed the bough garland all around the basket, and I then weaved in the gorgeous lights. To be honest, I wanted to leave it like that. But....we had lonely pink ornaments that needed a purpose! So he took the reins and placed them all in the basket. Then we chose two of vintage ornaments that had a bit of the same color in them and added them in. (I adore vintage baubles, and between yard sales and flea markets, I will keep collecting!) It turned out really pretty, and Liam was thrilled. To me the best part is that this centerpiece cost me under 15 bucks! You can't beat that. So grab some of these globe lights, and and get creating!

A Christmas Cards Means the World to a Soldier

    You may not realize the power of a Christmas or Holiday card. However, if you've ever been away from your family for the holidays, you may know how much it can mean.

A Christmas Card Means the World to a Soldier

    I start watching Hallmark Christmas movies the morning after Halloween. They fill me with happiness, love, and hope. You see to me, Christmas is a feeling. People tend to be happier, kinder, and just full of love, especially this time of the year. One of mine and Liam's favorite movies is The Christmas Card.

    In case you haven't seen it, Faith sends cards to soldiers every holiday season. Her card touches one soldier so much, that when he's placed on medical leave, he goes to that town. I'm not going to tell you the rest, so you'll have to watch it to see what happens. However, my point is that soldiers really do love to get cards and letters of love and encouragement. Especially for the holidays. So why not make them feel loved and thanked from across the miles?

You Will Need Some Note Cards

    To get started, you will need some holiday (or any cards.) I chose these ones from Amazon. I picked them because I loved the whimsical images, and also because the inside of the cards are completely blank. That leaves you and your children plenty of room to write kind words and thoughts. Thanksgiving is this week, so what better way to show your thanks than to the men and women whom keep our country free. 

Where to Send

    There are lots of posts going around on Facebook that give the address to Walter Reed Medical Center for sending cards. However, that address is now defunct and any and all items sent will come straight back to you. I know this for a fact because Liam and I received all of our back a few years ago. I have done some research since then, and I have found other sites that will gladly take your cards of kindness. Check them out:

• A Million Thanks
• The American Red Cross 
• Cheers for Heroes
• Letters to the Troops