Our Holiday Giving Traditions Disney Champions for Kids #DisneyCFK #CBias

All year long as a family we try to do our best to give back. Through donations, food drives, diaper drives and coat drives we do our best to help in the community. We are blessed with everything we have and always want to be sure are sharing our blessings. Since my husband and I have been married, long before we had kids, we make sure each Christmas to purchase some toys to give to Tots for Toys and SleepTrain for Foster Kids. A few years when we can we also donate to Coats for Kids. One year we participated in Operation Christmas Child where we were able to pack shoe boxes with small toys to have sent children all over the world. It makes us feel so good as a family to be able to give not just a toy but the happiness a kid feels to be included in the joy of receiving a gift from someone who cares. We never get to meet the kids that we donate the items for but we know in our hearts it must make them smile so big. The last two Christmases with our son we have taken him to donate toys and coats. We know as parents it can be tough sometimes to have the extra money for toys and kids grow so fast needing a new coat each winter. My son was only a month old the first time we donated but I still took him bundled up in his stroller to drop off toys. The second year he met some Star Wars Storm Troopers when we dropped off toys and a coat. It was nice of the company to provide the entertainment.

One of the things that drives us to donate is that my husband's family had a tough time during the holidays when he was a kid and his mom would have to get his toys from donation places. She was so grateful for the programs that would help her to get toys from Santa to give to him. She would wait in long lines in the cold just to make sure her son felt the joy of getting a holiday gift. So many families have lost jobs or reduced incomes making it tough to have extra money for toys. We try our best all year long if we spot a great price on a toy or coat to buy it and set aside. Even gifts given to our own son we donate as well. He has many toys and being able to share them with other kids is great. I look forward to when he is old enough to really understand the joy of giving toys to other kids so they can all have fun. Each year we like to try to find new organizations to give to so we can share our experience about different charities with family and friends.

This year we have the opportunity to support a great organization Champions for Kids. We are going to shop at our local Walmart to purchase a stocking and stuff it with great Disney themed holiday gifts. I think this is a great idea and am happy to be apart of it. I know my son loves to shop with me so I will take him with me so he can see we buy toys for other kids too. I plan on donating our Disney stocking to child at a local Home Start program that helps homeless families transition to permanent affordable housing.

To help celebrate the Champions for Kids Disney Stocking project there will be a twitter party on December 15, 2011 at 9pm EST (6 pm PST if your on the West Coast like me!) You can follow the party by using the hashtag #DisneyCFK . You can follow Champion for Kids on twitter @championsforkids and be a fan on Facebook.


You can be apart of the Champions for Kids Disney Stocking Stuffer Project by signing up on the Champions for Kids December Simple Service project page.

*This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. 

All opinions expressed in this shop are my own and your experience may vary. #Cbias #DisneyCFK

Miche Bag Review Holiday Gift Guide

There was one major thing on my Holiday List this year. A Purse. But not just any purse I wanted the MICHE BAG. Don't know what a MICHE BAG is? Oh dear you are missing out. Let me tell you about the MICHE.... You start with a Base Bag—Classic, Demi, Prima or Petite then you add a stylish shell to the outside. They have so many shells for all of your many looks!! How the shell works is it has two large magnets on the inside of the top of the bag (don't worry they are inside the material, you will not see the magnets) so when you go to change your purse for the day it literally takes seconds, perfect for us busy Moms. I also find that I get bored with a purse if I am carrying it longer than a few months, I know it is a sickness. So with the MICHE I can change out my purse for a fraction of the price of buying a new one every few months, LOVE IT.

When I was looking for a new purse I knew that it had to be stylish, yet big enough to throw everything I might need it. Sometimes carrying a diaper bag is just so daunting, sometimes a gal just wants a great purse on her arm! Right?

For the first step in selecting my MICHE BAG I went with The Prima Base Bag, knowing it was just the right size with or without diaper, snacks and a few toys.




Now for the fun part, the SHELLS!! So each bag has shells according to the Base Bag you chose, I went with the Prima so I got to check out all of the beautiful shells they have to offer. There is just so many it really is hard to pick just a few. The great thing about the MICHE is that you don't have to buy all at once. You can pick out a few and always add to your collection as you may need or want them or as the seasons change :) One of my favorite things about the MICHE is that they name all of their purses with a fun and sometimes racy name!

For the Holiday Season I went with the Lexi, I love the red and green with a touch of animal like print! SEXY!


For a more subdued look, and one that would go with a lot of my winter coats I liked the Rosalyn.


Then looking towards the Spring and Summer I went with the Allie, I just love the yellow. Not too bright, just the right color to welcome the new season.


Here is a few pictures of the real deal, it is even better looking in person!! Same base I just changed out the shell.






Ok so do you now love the MICHE BAG and want one of your very own? Get one or two or three today, you will LOVE it! You will also love their story of how they came to be, check it out.

You can find more information and about your local Miche bag representative by liking them on Facebook and following them on Twitter.


*I was not paid or compensated for this post. The opinions in this post are 100% mine. I was provided the products pictured to review for this post by the Company / PR Company.

Baked Dough Christmas Ornaments

 Baked Dough for Christmas Ornaments

Materials - flour, salt, vegetable oil, water, paint

Instructions:
Mix together 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt, and 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Slowly add 3/4 to 1 cup of water and stir until you get a nice clay consistency.

Once completely mixed, make into the desired shapes. You can mold shapes, or roll the dough out and use cookie cutters to shape.

Bake in a 250 degree oven for approximately 1 hour. This will vary depending on how thick you creations are. Paint your finished creations.

Hint: Do not make shapes too thick or they will crack with baking.
Warning: Kids should to have an adult to supervise when using an oven.

CrazyDog T-Shirts Review and $15 Gift Certificate Giveaway

Looking for a cool Holiday Gift to give your Husband, Brother, Sister, Kids or anyone you know? CrazyDog TShirts is where to go for fun, different, sometimes hilarious t-shirts! CrazyDog has T-shirts in lots of different categories like 80's t-shirts, Cheap T-shirts, Funny T-shirts, Hilarious T-shirts, Vintage T-shirts and more.


We love the Office around here so I knew that my husband would get a kick out of the Dunder Mifflin T-shirt. He loves it and has been seen wearing a lot lately.





I also knew that with it being Football Season and Fantasy Football going strong around here that he would love this Fantasy Football League Champion Tshirt. He was the reigning champ last year so it is appropriate, now let's just see if he can pull it off again this season!



Looking for the perfect holiday sweater to WOW your friends with cool t shirts ? You can get the Christmas Sweater T-shirt everyone will envy.





Or maybe you are a big fan of the movie Christmas Vacation with the Griswolds? If so you need the funny t shirt Griswold Family Christmas Vacation T-shirtTons of great T-shirts you will "have to" have. Check out CrazyDog T-shirts for everyone on your Holiday List!


GIVEAWAY

 
Win a $15 Gift Certificate to CrazyDog T-Shirts

To Enter This Giveaway:  

What is your favorite T-Shirt?

 *Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on. 

-Like CrazyDog T-Shirts on Facebook +1

-Follow CrazyDog T-Shirts on Twitter +1

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +1
-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1
-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1

-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway) +1 for each tweet

#Win a $15 Gift Certificate from @CrazyDogTShirts at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 12/15 http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2011/12/crazydog-t-shirts-review-and-15-gift.html

*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts December 7, 2011 and ends on December 15 , 2011 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize

Sound + Sleep Adaptive Sounds Sleep Therapy System Review and Giveaway Holiday Gift Guide

Sometimes even through I am beyond exhausted I have a tough time falling asleep. My mind is thinking so many things at once I cant seem to fall asleep. I like to tell myself its because I am brilliant and my mind is a wheel of awesomeness but in reality its stress and making mental to do lists is what keeps me up. An un-rested Mom can be a non fun day for everyone! I am the type of person who considers alternative ways to resolve something than taking a pill. (although I am not against it I know many people need them I like to try non medicine ways first) When I get a cold I do Sprite and Chicken Noodle soup! Funny I know but I do like to try to help my body help it self. I tried doing stress relieving exercises but all I did was think about what I should be doing or what I need to do in the morning. After a bit of online research I wanted to try a Sleep Therapy System. I knew if I just filled my head with a soothing noise rather than my own thoughts it would override my inner voice.

I tried the Sound + Sleep Machine and it worked great. I did have to at first tell myself to listen since I am an over thinker but after a few nights I have been falling asleep more easily. Now staying asleep with a 2 year old who asks for juice at 3 am is another story. But I have tried using the machine with him in the room. He liked all the buttons and oh my he pushed them all! I plan to try it during his naps to see if he wakes early the soothing sounds will relax him back to sleep.

I like the customizable timer since I am the type of person who cannot sleep if something is left on. When we were first married I drove my husband mad with unplugging the toaster every day.

Product Features

• SOUND+SLEEP helps you achieve a rich, natural drug-free sleep, that can replenish your body and mind.
  

• The Adaptive Sound difference.

  The ONLY sleep therapy system that "listens" to your environment and automatically adjusts sound levels.
  

• Recharge. Rejuvenate. Refresh.

  Boost energy, feel alert, improve health and promote your body's natural defenses with a better night's sleep.
  

They even have tips a for helping your little one sleep. I know for me my son wakes up often in the night from loud train noises or oddly it being simply too quiet. He seems to sleep better if there is a soothing noise on. The Sound + Sleep Machine also won the PTPA award, Parent Tested Parent Approved.

The Sound Profiles I like are Ocean, Rainfall, Meadow and Fireplace. The ones I did not like are Train and City. Trains are one thing that drive me nuts at night. I hear trains ramming into one another and tooting their horns all night at the rail yard near by. Often times a train will park right on a meter that dings over and over for like 30 minutes. Its maddening! Thankfully the Sound + Sleep machine can adapt its level to outside noises.

GIVEAWAY

Win a Sound + Sleep Adaptive Sounds Sleep Therapy System

To Enter This Giveaway:

 What Sound Profile do you think you would enjoy? (you can hear a sample by clicking on the pictures on the page)


*Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.

-Like Sound + Sleep on Facebook +1

-Follow Frugal Family Tree on GFC ( right hand side) +1
-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1
-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1

-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway)

#Win a Sound+Sleep Adaptive Sounds Sleep System at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 12/15


*Limited to US residents; 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts December 7, 2011 and ends on December 15 , 2011 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.