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Our Shmoozee Video: Discover the Glow for a chance to win $500

May 19, 2013 By sami 3 Comments

What is a Shmoozee? Watch our video and discover the glow for a chance to win $500:

My kids weren’t sure exactly what Shmoozees were at first, but not long after discovering these fuzzy creatures with the glow in the dark eyes & ears, they quickly fell in love.

Are they necessary? Probably not.
Could they put the Shmoozees down? Nope. Not for the rest of the night.

In fact, even my 7 year old son was just as smitten with his Shmoozee (if not more so) as my daughter.

If you’d like a chance to not only win a Shmoozee of your own, but have a chance for the Grand Prize of $500, check out the Shmoozee Facebook page throughout May & June. Check out all the great prizes:
Grand prize: $500 CASH
First prize: $250 CASH
Second prize: A complete set of Shmoozees ($60 value)
AND lots of Shmoozees will be randomly given away throughout the contest!

Plus, when you like the Shmoozee Facebook page, you will get an EXCLUSIVE coupon code for free shipping.

Good luck!

Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored campaign with Jay@Play. I received compensation for my participation and Shmoozees for my kids to play with, but all the words above are completely my own and reflect the genuine experience of my children with the toy.

Filed Under: Products Tagged With: shmoozee, toy, video

Green Outdoor Cleaning Tips in time for Summer

May 9, 2013 By sami 5 Comments

Earth Day is just beyond us, but with summer just in front of us, it’s still important to “Go Green”. That’s why I’ve compiled a few green cleaning tips in time for the summer season.

You might think that cleaning outside is naturally ‘green’, but there are a few important tips to keep in mind to be both earth and budget friendly!

1. Warm water does the trick
When I recently needed to clean off my patio furniture from it’s winter slumber, I was amazed at the difference using warm water made. It will reduce the amount of cleaner you use and the amount of water you need.

2. Clean the grill when warm
Carry the ‘warm’ principle over to your grill. Of course, you never want to clean a hot grill, but cleaning the grill while it’s still warm will make the job a lot easier and take less scrubbing.

3. Use Less Water & Find Natural Cleaners
Of course, if you want to protect the environment, it only makes sense to use less water. For instance, use a product like Washdrops. Washdrops is a revolutionary new product that allows you to wash your car with just one bucket of water! No hose, NO rinsing, so you save gallons of water every time you wash your car! Not only does it help comply with the US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Water Act, but it is biodegradable, solvent-free, butyl free, phosphate free, and ammonia free. It’s completely non-hazardous – you can even dispose of Washdrops on a lawn or flowerbed. It has tons of household uses as well – it is amazing on windows and makes stainless steel appliances sparkle!

I’m so excited I get to give away a Washdrops prize pack, valued at $50, so one of you can start your summer outdoor cleaning on a green note! Look at all in includes:

1) Washdrops 16 Washes & Shines 16 oz. bottle – Valued at $8.99
2) Washdrops 4 Washes & Shines 4 oz. bottle – Valued at $ 2.99
3) Washdrops single-use 1 oz. sample pouch – Valued at $ 1.00 (six samples)
3) Large Micro-Fiber Drying Towel – Valued at $ 12.99
4) One Microfiber 2 in 1 Chenille / Bug Scrubber Sponge – Valued at $5.99
5) Long Handle, Hub Cap brush – Valued at $7.99
6) Microfiber towels 3-pack – Valued at $5.99
7) Folding bucket (2.4 gallons capacity) – Valued at $5.99

Fun right? And earth-friendly to boot! Just enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck! And don’t forget to share your green outdoor cleaning tips below!

Disclosure: Since I’ve been looking for ways to clean in a safer, greener way, I was thrilled Washdrops offered me the chance to try their product and giveaway a prize pack for my readers. I was compensated for this post, but all the tips and opinions in this post are my own.

Filed Under: Deals & Freebies, giveaway, Products, Reviews Tagged With: cleaning, giveaway, green, outdoor, washdrops

A Saige American Girl giveaway & art scavenger hunt

February 28, 2013 By sami

After just getting introduced to American Girl dolls a few short months ago, I feel like we have gotten to intimately know so many of these lovely ladies: McKenna with her passion for gymnastics, Caroline, the newest historical doll and her pension for adventure, and now we have the chance to meet the 2013 Girl of the year, Saige with her passion for art.

When I first learned about Saige, the first thing that struck me was her unique beauty.

Have you ever met a young girl or a young man and thought, “Wow they are striking!”

That’s the immediate response you get when you see Saige. Her auburn hair has a tinge of deep red to it, and her blue eyes are only made more powerful by her unique dress with native American tones running through the waistline.

Of course the fact that she’s wearing boots that even I think are pretty cool doesn’t hurt either!

But to be honest, I wasn’t sure if my daughter would feel as much of an affinity for Saige as she did for McKenna.

After starting gymnastics last year and watching the US fierce five take Gold in the Olympics, McKenna was a natural choice to be my daughter’s first American Girl doll.

Saige on the other hand, comes from a world a little more unknown to her.

She lives in New Mexico, rides horses, and loves the outdoors. But I should have realized not to judge a book by its cover. Literally.

As you know, all the American Girl dolls come with a book because they were created by educators and their primary hope was that young girls would get lost in the adventures of these girls’ stories. The dolls were simply created as an accompaniment so that girls could continue living out the story in their own lives after they finished the pages of the book.

Once I turned the book over and read the back cover, I realize just how wrong my initial judgments were about this newest doll, and how alike my daughter and Saige were in so many ways.

The most striking similarity is their passion for art and their commitment to do whatever it takes to make it a part of not only their lives, but the lives of those around them.

After I read that, I realized I had initially missed the point of what I love so much about the American girl dolls: whether or not they look like you, they embody a little piece of each of us.

That’s why I wanted to come up with a very special way to let Kariss know about Saige.

I planned a special mother-daughter night, a girls’ night out if you will, that involved both of their shared loves, Art.

I’ll let you watch what happens next:

Needless to say, both the doll and the evening of painting pottery was a big hit, although I didn’t realize two people could spend so long painting a little jewelry box!

If you would like to bring the spirit of Saige to a special little girl in your life, you’re in luck. I have a Saige doll and book set to give away to one of you!

~~Just enter via raffle copter below~~: UPDATE: Congratulations to Carrie N. who won Saige! Thanks to all who entered. Check the button on the right sidebar for my current giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

These beautiful and timeless dolls have taught me an important lesson:
Don’t assume, don’t judge someone by external appearances only, and take the time to find the common thread that ties us all together.

Good luck!

Filed Under: giveaway, Kariss, Products Tagged With: american girl, art, doll, giveaway, saige, scavenger hunt

Plumb “Need You Now” Album Release & iPad Mini Giveaway

February 26, 2013 By sami

plumb.blogtour Plumb Need You Now Album Release & iPad Mini Giveaway

It’s hard for me to believe this day is finally here: the new Plumb album “Need You Now” comes out today and I get to help her celebrate by giving YOU a prize…the chance to not only win the album, but also 1 of 2 iPad Mini’s!

I’ll come back to the prizes later, but for now I just want to be a proud friend…

That’s right, Ms. Tiffany Lee is one of my closest friends, so I’ve enlisted some of my favorite bloggers to help give her the album release she deserves!

20120821 200625 Plumb Need You Now Album Release & iPad Mini Giveaway

I have to admit, I’ve been listening to this album for a few months now.

Tif’s husband and my husband used to be roommates way before either of us were ever married. So when Ricky needed to drive down to Florida last August to be with his dad in his last days on this earth, Jeremy was the one that offered to drive down with him…and he just happened to have a preview copy of this album.

My father-in-law ended up passing away that very weekend, but Plumb’s album ministered to Ricky in a very special way.

While the music itself is amazing, what makes the songs so powerful are the stories behind them. Take for instance, “I Want You Here”.

I remember the night Ricky called Tif to tell her about friends of ours that gave birth to twins, only to lose them both within just a few weeks of being born. Little did we know, Tif had heard a similar story from one of her good friends…and the stories kept coming. While the song documents a life that was not lived long enough on this earth, it is a powerful melody for anyone who has loved and lost.

Or if you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you’ll remember when my little man got to step in & be a part of Plumb’s video “Drifting” with Dan Haseltine (from Jars of Clay):

Or maybe you’ve heard how she takes songs you know, but have never quite heard in this way (like this cover of “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel):

For me, it’s all these things…and more. She is who she appears to be. She’s my crazy friend, an aunt to my kids and a passionate wife & mother. I love her music because I hear HER in every song. I can listen to this album from start to finish without ever wanting to fast forward through a song, but often wanting to repeat one over and over again.

So it is with whole-hearted enthusiasm that I would encourage you to buy “Need You Now” on iTunes – TODAY!

Now, back to those prizes I mentioned…
Together with the bloggers listed above, we have the privilege of giving away TWO iPad Mini’s amongst us! Just check out all the ways you can enter via Rafflecopter below.

BUT…
Make sure to leave a comment below because two SamiCone.com readers will win a copy of “Need You Now“! PLUS, if you buy the album on iTunes, you get THREE extra entries into the iPad Mini giveaway!

So what are you waiting for? ~~ENTER NOW!~~

UPDATE: The winners are:

iPad Mini winners: Kalona E. & Julie P.
“Need You Now” album winners: Jacob M & Rose R.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: giveaway, Products, Reviews Tagged With: album, giveaway, ipad, need you now, plumb

The Baby Cargo Georgi Bag: A fashionable & functional review

January 18, 2013 By brenna

Last month I told you all how excited I was to receive the new Baby Cargo Georgi “Stroller” bag…

I use the tern ‘stroller bag’ loosely because it’s been about four years since I’ve had to use a stroller, yet I still was insanely intent on getting this bag.

The main reason: POCKETS. I love purses with pockets:

Of course, it doesn’t hurt when the interior is one of my favorite colors…in this case, known as ‘fig’.

I removed the changing pad it came with and quickly filled it with a lovely assortment of pens, lip gloss, notebooks, my iPhone, frequent shopper cards, hand sanitizer, gum and the like…and I didn’t lose any of it thanks to the specially designed compartments.

Sometimes functional means it’s not fashionable, but as you can obviously see, this is not the case with the Georgi bag:

Though I haven’t had the chance to use the brass grommet rings for umbrella strollers…

or the attachment snaps for strollers with one handle, I’ve made it my must-have mom bag for when I’m on a mission. The lightweight (& easily cleanable) fabric with brass details makes it easy to keep clean, especially when keeping it with me while I’m saving the world, one recycling trip at a time:

In a way, I think of the Georgi bag as my mobile office, whether keeping my electronics close by for a business meeting on the run, or helping me sort my coupons when I’m at the grocery store or impromptu photo session with the kids:

If I had any complaint, it would be that sometimes I actually forget which of the many pockets I’ve stored something in!

I can’t wait to give this as a gift, since I have SO many friends having new babies right now. And with the variety of bright, eye-popping colors, I know I can please every one of my friend’s palates

Don’t let the brand name of ‘Baby Cargo’ throw you off, these bags are brilliantly beautiful. So whether you have a baby or simply want to benefit from some smart moms who created an amazing bag, this is one you have to look into!

Disclosure: I was provided this bag for the purpose of reviewing it, but all delightful comments are exclusively my own

Filed Under: Products, Reviews Tagged With: Baby, bag, georgi, mom, stroller

Georgi: A baby bag you’ll want…even if you’re not a mom!

December 11, 2012 By sami

My husband is always making fun of me because not only am I obsessed with bags, I’m constantly looking at baby bags.

NO – I’m not pregnant again.

It’s just that people who make baby bags get it. They know we have busy lives and that we carry around more than a pen and a phone. We need compartments, flexibility and most importantly, POCKETS!

Boy, do I need pockets…

So when I learned that there was a new kid on the baby bag block that said it was ok for those of us who don’t have babies to carry this bag, I was IN!

Just take a look at the Georgi bag. Of course, if you do have a baby, you’re in luck: with your ingenious Georgi bag on hand(le), your bottles are stowed, your hands are free, and your “put together” style quotient just went up. Brass details like grommets that slide smartly over your umbrella stroller handles and stylishly zippered seams lend heft and style, at once. But what transforms Georgi from fashion item to stroller bag “must” is versatility: beautiful lightweight fabric, a sturdy shoulder strap that snaps to your full-service stroller bar, and a wealth of pockets mean everything stays neatly in place.

Just take a look at all these features:
*Beautiful lightweight fabric, brass details & stylishly zippered seams
*Universal Handle Hooks
*Brass grommet rings for umbrella strollers
*Attachment snaps for strollers with one handle
*Detachable/adjustable shoulder strap
*2-side bottle pockets
*7 interior pockets (1 lipstick, 1 wallet, 1 phone, 1 sunglass, 2 diaper pockets and 1 changing pad pocket)
*5 exterior pockets (2 side bottle pockets, 1 zippered center front pocket, 2 front pockets)
*Zip closure to secure items

But who needs a baby to be this stylish and organized? I’d like to think I’ve learned from those years

If you’re half as excited to check out the Georgi bag as I am, then take a look at their Limited Time Holiday Offer: Enjoy no sales tax on the new Georgi Stroller Bag.

Once I get mine, you know I’ll be sharing pics with you of me and my bag all around the town!

Filed Under: Products, Reviews Tagged With: Baby, bag, georgi, mom, stroller

Free Seeds Family Worship Song Download: God is Love

November 26, 2012 By sami

The new Seeds Family Worship, “Character of God” is finally here!

Not only can you download “God is Love” from me, but follow the rest of the blog tour to download the entire album!

(If the above link isn’t working, try downloading the free song here)

Find a list of all the participating blogs and bloggers here, including Oh Amanda & Matthew West!

Of course, we’d love for you to share this great free family resource with others. Here are just a few options:

Become a Fan on Facebook (SamiCone.com) & SHARE the link to this post (http://wp.me/p2JXFs-5Ak) on your Facebook wall
Follow @TheSamiCone and/or @SeedsWorship on Twitter & tweet the following
I’m planting the Character of God in my kids thanks to this free song from @SeedsWorship & @TheSamiCone http://wp.me/p2JXFs-5Ak

The only catch is that you have to hurry! The download only lasts until November 30, 2012.

You can find more fun from Seeds Family Worship on my blog, including a live, a capella version of Plumb singing “The Wages & The Gift”!

Filed Under: Deals & Freebies, Faith, Products, Reviews, Scripture Memorization Tagged With: download, Family, free, god, Kids, music, scripture, seeds, song, worship

Barbie Photo Fashion Doll: A Gift that captures Memories

November 18, 2012 By sami

So if you’ve been reading my blog the past few weeks, then you know that Kariss has thoroughly been enjoying her Barbie Photo Fashion Doll and the freedom it’s allowed her to capture memories of some truly special events she’s been a part of. So when we had the opportunity to kick-off the holiday season at Opryland hotel this past weekend, of course Barbie had to come along for the ride!

Opryland has been voted the most “Christmassy Hotel in America”, so there was no shortage of sights to take pictures of, but what surprised me most was that everyone but Kariss was using Barbie to take pictures!

Since Kariss had Nutcracker rehearsal and wasn’t with us when we first arrived at Opryland, her younger brother was more than happy to capture the view outside our room from our balcony:

Barbie photo fashion britton 200x300 Barbie Photo Fashion Doll: A Gift that captures Memories

I don’t know what was prettier, the view of the Opryland Garden Conservatory or seeing the lovely Barbie with the beautiful pictures she took of this amazing sight on her fashion t-shirt!

Kariss joined us not long after just in time for one of Opryland’s most popular Christmas attractions, ICE! But now we met up with friends who had a 3 year old daughter who was enthralled with our Barbie Photo Fashion doll! Luckily, Britton agreed to pose so she could take a few practice shots.

What makes the Barbie Fashion Doll so fun is her tool belt that not only allows you to control how you move through your photos when you view them on her shirt, but it also allows you to choose the special treatments you add-on to the photos you take

Your budding artist can even download FREE software from the Barbie Photo Fashion Doll website so she can edit the photos even further online!

The Barbie Photo Fashion Doll is one of 2012′s Hot Holiday Toys and you can watch everyone from Talk of the Town rave about it from my TV segment here (I’ve also found some great deals on it for you too!)

We’ve loved sharing our Barbie Photo Fashion doll stories with you. I hope it’s inspired you and your little girl to create some of your own together!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post from One2One Network. Mattel product and additional incentives were provided to me to participate, but I did because I knew my daughter would LOVE this doll and I couldn’t wait to share it with all of you!

Filed Under: Kariss, Photos, Products, Reviews Tagged With: barbie, fashion, Kids, memories, opryland, photo

Kariss’ School Fundraiser – captured Barbie Photo style!

November 2, 2012 By sami

Kariss has been having so much fun with her Barbie Photo Fashion Dollthese past few weeks that it was only natural that she would want to bring her Barbie along to document her school bike race/fundraiser, “Rollin’ Roar”, as she rode on her Barbie bike ANDBarbie scooter.

It turned out to be a FABULOUS day in Nashville! After several days in a row of nearly freezing temperatures, today turned into a crisp, blue-skied day in the 60′s…perfect for riding bikes and raising money for the kids’ school

It also provided the perfect backdrop for Kariss’ photos with her Barbie Photo Fashion Doll. Kariss took a few shots of her 3rd grade classmates at the starting line, and then I took a few of her and her friends so she’d have them for her scrapbook:

It’s fun for her to be able to edit the photos right from the Barbie doll, not to mention adding fun treatments to the photos.

While it might be normal for my 8 year old to walk around with a Barbie, obviously some of my fellow third grade moms thought it a little strange that I was walking around holding a Barbie so preciously and looking so attentively into it’s belly. Finally, one of them asked, “Is that a camera?!”

I smiled, said yes, then quickly attracted a crowd of interested moms around me

IMG 2228 300x225 Kariss School Fundraiser captured Barbie Photo style!

I demonstrated what she could do, how she worked, and showed off her pictures. One of the moms, a professional photographer herself, asked about the quality of the pictures. While I told her I didn’t think they were frame worthy, it’s been great for Kariss to use recreationally for her own pictures and personal memory keeping.

Of course, it’s easier for me to carry around then my own camera and I’m not as worried about mis-placing it either:

Above all, I love that Kariss has her own method to capture memories now. Not only is her Barbie Photo Fashion Doll a familiar friend that she can play with everyday, but now she represents a tool that’s allowing her to not only express her creativity, but also to develop a skill she really enjoys, photography, but in an extremely age-appropriate way.

This is a sponsored post from One2One Network. Mattel product and additional incentives were provided to me. I only agreed to write the post because I thought the Barbie Photo Fashion Doll was something I would buy for my daughter anyway All opinions stated are my own.

Filed Under: Kariss, Products, Reviews Tagged With: barbie, doll, photo

New American Girl Caroline Giveaway (Historical Doll)

September 8, 2012 By sami

Meet Caroline Lo Res 250x300 New American Girl Caroline Giveaway (Historical Doll)

UPDATE: This American Girl doll giveaway has ended, but you can enter my new My American Girl doll giveaway now!

At long last, the new American Girl doll is here and she is the newest in their historical doll collection! Her name is Caroline and you can win her in this American Girl giveaway!

If you’ve read my other posts on American Girl this summer, you’ll remember that I’m a new convert to the American Girl brand…in large part thanks to understanding that American Girl was created by educators for the purpose of teaching young girls history through the stories of girls like them through the ages.

I fell in love with the girls’ stories when we visited the American Girl Place Chicago and even got teary-eyed as their stories came to life and I imagined what it must have been like to be a little girl living through WWII (a war my own father fought in!) or to be a young black girl in the South during the time of the Underground Railroad. They paint a picture of history that our daughters will never get in their textbooks alone!

While my heart leaned toward a historical American Girl doll, I completely understood my daughter’s choice when she decided on McKenna (the 2012 Doll of the Year) as her very first American Girl doll for one simple reason, “Her story is my story mom!”.

But when I learned that American Girl was adding their newest historical doll this September, I had to have a sneak peak! In fact, I shared Caroline on TV during my Talk of the Town “Save vs. Splurge” segment as the perfect gift for a family to join together to buy their little girl for a special occasion.

Caroline immediately won the hearts of the viewers and the crew and I heard mention of words like “Exquisite”, “Quality”, “Beautiful” and even “I’m Shocked!” over how well made and stunning the dolls actually are. (I guess I’m not the only cynic in this world!).

Carolines Skiff LR 300x292 New American Girl Caroline Giveaway (Historical Doll)

So now, 200 years after America secured its standing as a truly independent nation, I’m happy that I can introduce you to American Girl’s newest historical character, Caroline Abbott!

Caroline, an independent and adventurous nine-year-old girl whose story is set near Lake Ontario during the War of 1812, learns to face her most challenging moments using her heart as her compass. Going above and beyond to help those around her, I love that Caroline gives of herself without expecting anything in return—becoming the kind of real everyday hero that any girl can be. More importantly, Caroline shows girls today how to stay steady and believe in themselves during difficult times.

American Girl’s vice president, Jean McKenzie gives further insight into why Caroline was created:
“Our newest historical character, Caroline, is a brave, independent girl who teaches girls today that they can navigate life’s challenges by staying strong, making good decisions, and taking action. We know our fans will be inspired by the stories of Caroline, who shows girls that they can set their own course to help make changes for the greater good.”

I was so inspired that I couldn’t wait to give Caroline to my daughter!!!

But then I paused.

Hadn’t we just said that an American Girl doll is special and that we didn’t want her collecting EVERY single doll, but rather getting to know the doll through her stories and finding that special doll she identified with (like we did with McKenna)?

Yes, we did.

So we came up with what I think is the perfect solution (and to be honest, what I believe to be the original intent of the creators of American Girl): we’re going to introduce Caroline to Kariss through her stories first.

Caroline launches with six historical books written by author and social historian Kathleen Ernst…that should give Kariss plenty of time to get to know not only who Caroline is, but the period in which she grew up. Once she reads more about Caroline, then we’ll determine if and when she’s ready to meet her face to face

But I also realize that many of you are like me and either couldn’t afford an American Girl doll for your daughter or didn’t understand the heart behind the company until now and thus have not bought an American Girl doll. So I want to change that for one lucky reader…

The American Girl Doll company has been gracious enough to give me one American Girl Doll set to give away which includes both the Caroline doll and her first book, “Meet Caroline”. My only request is that this go to a girl who does not yet have an American Girl doll.

Yes, I realize I can’t legitimately track or prove that you don’t have an American Girl doll if you enter, but I’m going to trust that you, my faithful readers, will be honest in letting this doll be someone’s very FIRST American Girl doll!

So if you have a daughter, grand-daughter, niece, neighbor, or little friend that you know would LOVE this doll, I hope that you will enter the contest below and get the chance to meet Caroline for yourself!

UPDATE: Giveaway has ended – Congratulations to Sara R!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

American Girl generously provided me with Caroline to both review and to giveaway. This post expresses all my own thoughts and I can’t wait to hear what you think about her too!

Filed Under: giveaway, Products, Reviews Tagged With: 2012, american, caroline, doll, girl, historical, new, review, september