Safe Christmas Toys: Shopping Tricks All Parents Should Use

November 8, 2016 By Anne

If you have young children, toys are probably at the top of their Christmas lists this year. Whether it’s a new Barbie or a Star Wars Lego set, you naturally want to try and get them what they asked for. But while you want to please your kids, it’s just as important, if not more, to keep them safe from harm. While toy safety is continually being improved, some toys still pose a threat to your children. From small pieces to sharp edges, there are a number of hazards that parents need to look out for. But with so many toys available to buy, how can you know which ones are safe or not? To help make your Christmas shopping for toys less challenging, here are some shopping tricks you need to use.

Check the packaging

Toy manufacturers are now required to provide safety information on the packaging of their products. So when you’re shopping for toys in a store, take the time to read the safety labels before buy. There should be an age recommendations and choking hazard symbols if necessary. You should also be able to find a symbol that shows the toy meets healthy and safety standards.

Stuffed toys which aren’t in packaging, should also have safety information on their labels too. This should include washing instructions as stuffed toys can contain dust mites and germs in their fur. As most stuffed toy are fire hazards, there should also be an indication of this too.

Pic credit

Read online reviews

Online reviews for toys are a valuable resource that all parents should use before they shop. They can tell you the pros and cons of particular toys which can include the price and how well they are made. But more importantly, toy reviewers will also pinpoint possible hazards and test the safety, so you don’t have to. This is all vital information that could prevent you from buying a toy that could be dangerous. It can also give you peace of mind that the toy your child has asked for is safe and age-appropriate. So if your son or daughter has asked for a particular toy, click here or google the name of it to find informative and honest reviews. This should always be done before you buy.

Use Youtube

In addition to checking the labels and reading online reviews, you should also use Youtube videos to influence your decision. There are countless videos created by parents and toy brands that provide demonstrations into how a toy works. They can show you how the toy is put together and shows the toy in action. This can be extremely useful as it can help you determine whether the toy is suitable for your child. As many of these videos are created by parents, their insight and advice can also make you more confident to buy a product. So click here or search on Youtube for toy demonstration videos.

These shopping tricks can help you pinpoint which toys are safe for your children to play with this holiday season. If they can keep your kids safe, they are definitely worth using.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Red Ace Beet Shots Review

November 8, 2016 By Heather Little

Beets have long been considered a superfood, so easy-to-take beet supplements are very popular these days. I’ve heard them advertised on TV and on the radio, so I was excited to have the opportunity to try Red Ace Beet Shots. Made from 100% USDA organic beets, Red Ace beet shots provide you with clean, long lasting energy. Whether you’re trying to dominate a 10 mile run or a 10 hour work day, Red Ace is your daily dose of “get up and go”. Beet juice naturally increases oxygen intake, boosts stamina and endurance, supports healthy blood pressure, fights inflammation, and increases energy levels all day long.

Red Ace beet supplements come in three varieties, each with its own unique benefits. Organic Beet Performance Shots are the equivolent of over 3 organic beets in one small bottle! Organic Beets and Turmeric Shots give you long lasting energy and the powerful anti-inflammatory benefits of tumeric in one easy shot. Organic Beets and Greens Shots will give you long lasting energy and the cleansing and detoxification of greens. Each shot comes in a super cute little 2 ounce bottle with easy twist off cap and are best served chilled. From the looks of the juice, I wasn’t sure how they would taste, but all 3 flavors are surprisingly sweet and actually really tasty! Red Ace contains organic beet juice concentrate, organic lemon juice, and organic flavors that make it taste just as good as is it good for you. Plus, the beet shots mix well with your favorite drinks, so it’s easy to get your daily dose. After just one bottle, I definitely felt like I had increased energy and improved mental clarity throughout the day.

Ready to see the difference 3 organic beets can make in your daily routine? Whether you are an athlete looking for a competitive edge on your competition or a mother of two just trying to stay on top of your kids; Red Ace Organics Beet Juice can help you!

Increase Oxygen Intake

Boost Stamina and Endurance

Support Healthy Blood Preasure

Increase Energy Levels and Brain Activity (without the crash!)

Clean Energy All Day Long

Fight Inflammation

So if you’re looking for a delicious, natural, healthy supplement that has positive effects on just about every major organ and system in your body including, your heart, your muscles and your brain, then I’d receommend give Red Ace Beet Shots a try!

You can find more about Red Ace’s available products at http://redaceorganics.com/.

Connect with Red Ace on Social Media:

*I received samples in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.

Heather Little

My name is Heather Little and my husband and I have two sweet girls and one crazy dog. We moved to Florida 6 years ago and have loved every minute of it! I enjoy crafting, good food, shopping, and of course travel!

The Holidays are Coming to Avenues Mall and St. Johns Town Center

November 8, 2016 By Marijean

MAKE MAGICAL MEMORIES AT THE SIMON EXPERIENCE AT THE AVENUES AND ST. JOHNS TOWN CENTER THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Avoid Lines by Reserving Your Magical Moment with Santa Online

Popular Caring Santa® event and Pet Photo Nights Offer Special Opportunities for photos with Santa

Eager children and their families can experience the joy and magic of the holiday season with a visit to the Simon® Santa Photo Experience at The Avenues and St. Johns Town Center. Children can visit and be photographed with Santa at The Avenues beginning Friday, November 4 in Center Court and at St. Johns Town Center beginning Saturday, November 12 in the Nordstrom Wing. Santa will remain at both centers to listen to holiday wishes until Saturday, December 24.

Save time, avoid the line with Santa by Appointment! Now you can reserve your magical moment with Santa online at http://simon.noerrsanta.com.

“One of the great traditions of the holiday shopping at Simon Malls is the annual family visit to the Simon Santa Photo Experience,” said Lindsey VonHoven, director of mall marketing at St. Johns Town Center. “I know Santa can’t wait to greet children bringing him their holiday wishes.”

Caring Santa provides a sensory-friendly environment for families of children with special needs, to safely experience the time-honored tradition and magic of Santa. The Avenues will host this special event on Sunday, December 4 from 8:30 – 10:30 a.m., prior to mall opening. Guests can register in advance at simon.com/caringsanta. Caring Santa events have expanded from seven Simon malls in 2011 to 110 Simon malls today, a new high, reflecting the positive impact of this unique program.

The popular Pet Photo Night returns to the Simon Santa Photo Experience at The Avenues and St. Johns Town Center this year. Many pet owners view their pet as an integral member of the family and are just as committed in caring for their pets as their “human” family members. Pet Photo nights are hosted after regular mall closing and the set gets an extensive cleaning following the event to remove any potential risk to allergy sufferers. Pet Photo Nights will be held on the following days:

The Avenues – Sunday, November 27 from 6-7 p.m. and on Sunday, December 11 from 6-7 p.m.
St. Johns Town Center – Sunday, November 27 from 6-8 p.m. and Sunday, December 11 from 7-9 p.m.

The Simon Santa Photo Experience is again sponsored by The Gymboree Corporation. The Gymboree Corporation is a specialty retailer operating stores selling high-quality apparel and accessories for children under the Gymboree, Gymboree Outlet, Janie and Jack, and Crazy 8 brands.

The 2016 Simon Santa Photo Experience and Pet Photo Nights are also sponsored by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment which is celebrating the highly-anticipated release of “The Secret Life of Pets,” available on Digital HD November 22 and on Blu-ray and DVD December 6. Come visit the Simon Santa Photo Experience and receive a fun-filled activity sheet, a custom The Secret Life of Pets holiday headband, and watch highlights from the movie.

This holiday season, Simon invites everyone to celebrate “The Joy of Giving.” Giving is contagious and this season Simon invites everyone to pass that spirit on and ‘Give Love,’ ‘Give Sparkle,’ ‘Give Warmth,’ and ‘Give Fun.’ Join Simon to experience the season’s good cheer with the best of holiday shopping and entertainment.

Throughout the holiday season, shoppers will experience joyous seasonal activations at the Jacksonville Simon centers.

The Avenues:

On Saturday, December 3, everyone on the nice list is invited to Breakfast with Santa from 8-10 a.m. in the Food Court. Join Santa and his elves for crafts, activities, delicious breakfast, and much more. From December 1-24, shoppers will enjoy being serenaded while shopping by local community groups during the Sounds of the Season Holiday Musical Series.

St. Johns Town Center

The 11^th annual Holiday Spectacular at St. Johns Town Center will kick off the holiday

season on Saturday, November 12 from 2 – 8 p.m. with a full day of festivities,

culminating with the lighting of the tree by Santa Claus and a fireworks display.

Shoppers will enjoy holiday entertainment including a silent DJ, magicians, holiday

photo opportunities, games, giveaways, interactive hot chocolate station, costume

characters, and more.

Holiday entertainment will include live performances beginning at 2 p.m. at the Main Stage, located in the Town Green in front of Maggiano’s Little Italy on Midtown Parkway.

Guests to every Simon Photo Experience will have another opportunity to share Santa’s heart by making a donation via The Noerr Programs to Save the Children. For nearly 100 years, this non-profit has given underserved children in the U.S. a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. Since this program began five years ago, Noerr has collected over $1,000,000 largely due to the generosity of Simon shoppers.

About The Avenues

The Avenues is Jacksonville’s premier family shopping destination. A multi-level indoor center offering 1.1 million square-feet of shopping, The Avenues is home to 5 anchor stores including Belk, Dillard’s, Forever 21, JCPenney and Sears, plus more than 150 of the most exciting specialty retailers in Northeast Florida. Discover your favorite shopping and dining destinations including Aldo, Banana Republic, Buffalo Wild Wings, bareMinerals, Build-A-Bear Workshop, H&M, LOFT, LUSH, MAC Cosmetics, New York & Company, The Limited, Victoria’s Secret and more. The mall is conveniently located off I-95 at the intersection of Philips Highway (US1) and Southside Boulevard. Visit us Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Sunday, 12 – 6 p.m. For additional information, please visit www.shoptheavenues.com or call 904-363-3054.

About St. Johns Town Center

St. Johns Town Center is Jacksonville’s newest and most-talked-about shopping destination with over 16 million visitors each year. Guests can shop, dine, live and entertain in a beautifully designed lifestyle center that offers 1.4 million square feet of unique shopping and dining including many new stores they won’t find anywhere else in Jacksonville. St. Johns Town Center features 11 anchor stores and more than 175 brand name specialty stores. Relax and enjoy the Park Green and Luxury Courtyard, attend community events, or dine at one of our fine restaurants.
For the latest information, please visit www.StJohnsTownCenter.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @StJohnsTownCtr.

About Simon

Simon is a global leader in retail real estate ownership, management and development and a S&P100 company (Simon Property Group, NYSE:SPG). Our industry-leading retail properties and investments across North America, Europe and Asia provide shopping experiences for millions of consumers every day and generate billions in annual retail sales. For more information, visit simon.com.

About Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks, and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

MAGFORMERS Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Half-Shell Heroes 38PC Set Review (Holiday Gift Guide)

November 7, 2016 By Marijean

My kids love building things and creating masterpieces. I love when they play and use their imagination. MAGFORMERS are perfect for that! I received a 38 Piece TMNT Set to review with my children.

TMNT HALF SHELL HEROES 38PC SET

Build with Magformers and 8 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Heroes in a Half Shell character cards. Create structures and attach Leo, Donnie, Mikey, Raph, Splinter, Shredder, Bebop, Rock Steady and Foot Clan soldiers! Build by laying Magformers squares and triangles flat onto 2 play mats and inserting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles character cards. Use the magnetic power to pull the shapes up into 3D Structures.

Match the characters to their color shapes, place the character cards into square inserts and see what you can build! Interchange the characters to tell you own story and build Magformers Magic Ball, Turtle Tower, House, Rocket, Castles and more!

Each geometric shape contains magnets that never reject, so you’ll always hear the Magformers click. All Magformers are interchangeable and playtime is over, use the magnetic power to simply stack and store.

$49.99.

MAGFORMERS construction sets foster brain development through fun and educational exploration. With high quality, durable construction and intelligent magnetic design, the possibilities are endless!

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Half-Shell Heroes magnetic sets allow kids to build with Magformers squares and triangles to create turtle towers by either matching the characters to their colors and/or interchanging them as they see fit. The shapes are very easy to grip and perfect for little hands.

Once the structure is built, the magnets will stick together and form 3D structures from a 2D design.

The Magformers are:

Colorful
Easy to use
Strong magnetic plastic geometric shapes
Always attract
Never repel

This set comes with 38 pieces of MAGFORMERS plus 8 character cards you insert into the Magformer pieces and 2 playmats. My kids were super excited when these arrived. I was immediately impressed by the strength of the magnets They sat and played with them for 2 hours the first night. The creation possibilities are endless, they made so many cool creations! The pieces connect so easily and the structures once made are very sturdy. My kids are already asking for more sets to continue building with their imagination. These will make great christmas gifts for them for sure!

As a parent, I also love these because as my children are making their creations, I can tell them about all the different shapes such as prisms, triangles, pentagons and cubes. I love how they are learning while playing. Magformers aren’t just for kids, my husband and I were having a lot of fun creating towers and structures out of them as well!

With the holidays now here, this would make the perfect gift for your own children or for any children you may know. This will keep them entertained for hours. Also these would make perfect birthday gifts, and if you are a teacher these would be great for classroom learning and play!

There are so many different types of sets to choose from on Magformers website. Check them out!

Connect with Magformers: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Youtube

*I received a set of the pictured Magformers in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

Marvel’s DOCTOR STRANGE is in Theaters Everywhere! Check out these new Movie Clips!

November 6, 2016 By Marijean

The coolest movie of the year, Marvel’s DOCTOR STRANGE is finally playing in theatres everywhere! This is the latest chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a movie that must be seen on the big screen (I highly recommend IMAX 3D as well)!

Check out the below clips of the movie!