Summer Splash Giveaway Hop~Win a Lighted Metal Detector!

Welcome to the 2nd Annual Summer Splash Event hosted by Life With Two Boys and With Our Best!

A bunch of great blogs have come together to bring you some amazing prizes to help you kick off your summer... with a SPLASH! Each blog is giving away at least $25 worth of prizes, plus we have an awesome grand prize for one very lucky winner. Be sure to hop along to each of the participating blogs because the more giveaways you enter, the more chances you have at winning the Grand Prize!

So what's this Grand Prize we're talking about? Thanks to Trex Outdoor Furniture, one very lucky winner is going to win a Yacht Club 3-Piece Rocker Set valued at $1,317! Made in the USA and constructed of durable HDPE recycled lumber, this Rocker Set is sure to help you slow down and relax this Summer and for many years to come!

Enter the Grand Prize!

Now on to my fun prize! 

I have to say that doing reviews and giveaways in the summer is my favorite...summer toys and outdoor things are the best! There are several companies that offer so many great outdoor toys, but Hearthsong is definitely my favorite! They have so many fun things to choose from, when I get the chance to work with them...I always have a hard time choosing what I want to review!

I love all their outdoor active toys, but I knew as soon I saw the LED Lighted 39" Metal Detector that was what I was going to choose!

Find buried treasure beneath the soil in your backyard, at the park or on the beach. Lightweight and specially sized for kids, this very sensitive metal detector includes a telescoping handle that flexes to reach even into and under odd spots. The professional LED display flashes red and green, and, thanks to the attached mini flashlight, you can continue your search in the dark. Sorry, gift wrap is not available.

For ages 5 and up.

• Lightweight and perfect for kids 
• LED display flashes red and green 
• Telescoping handle 
• Attached mini flashlight 

My Thoughts

Luke has been wanting a metal detector for a while now. I'm not sure where he got it from, but I think he may have seen it on a movie or a cartoon that he watched. He knew that you could use it to find coins and he was super excited when he found out that he would be getting one.

Before I knew that I was going to get to review this awesome metal detector, I had went back and forth with myself on whether or not to get him one made for a child or for an adult. On one hand I wanted to make sure it was going to actually work, but on the other hand I wanted it to be the right size so he could actually use it.

I'm so glad that I waited and was able to review this one because it offers everything in one!

The first thing that you would notice about this metal detector is that it is light weight. It's just the right weight to be carried around by a young child. Luke has had no problem with carrying it around. 

The height on this is adjustable so that it grows with your child. You can adjust it so that it is just the right height to fit your childs needs. I especially liked this feature as it made it easy to make this fit just right for Luke and I don't have to worry about him outgrowing it. He will be able to use this for a long time.

The LED light fixture is a great addition. It's nice to be able to flip the light on if there was something we needed to see, and is much more convenient than carrying around a flash light..which I probably would never have thought about doing if it didn't come with one already and I realized how nice it was to have one. I do, however, wish that the light was a bit brighter, but I'm sure this saves on the battery life!

The metal detector is so easy to use too! All you have to do is switch it on and your ready to go. We tried it out in the house first, and I will admit I was skeptical if it would actually work since it was made for kids. But, I was proven wrong because it works wonderfully. The first thing we held it up to was the vent, and the tone went off right away. 

The next step was to take it outside! We used it around our yard and it worked great! We did find a coin in the backyard, however it wasn't anything old but Luke was more than thrilled to find a "special coin" I'm really excited to take this other places than our own backyard and see what he can find with it. The fact that it is so light weight makes it easy to just throw in the car and go! I love that this will give us something to do this summer, and I'm having fun with Luke looking for little treasures! And we are even getting a little more exercise too!

I'm very glad that we decided to get this metal detector from Hearthsong..like always they don't disappoint! This metal detector is priced at $29.98 which makes it a great choice for a gift! If you have a child in your life that has everything...this would make an awesome choice!

You can connect with Hearthsong at Facebook and Twitter! 

One lucky winner will win their own LED Lighted 39" Metal Detector!

Just use the Rafflecopter below to enter! 

Good Luck!!!

And don't forget to enter the other giveaways offered in the blog hop! Just look for the linky under the Rafflecopter form!

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Disclaimer: Please note that the Summer Splash hosts and participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prize. We have represented each sponsor with the expectation that they will fulfill their prize in a timely manner. While we are not responsible, we will make every effort to assist the winner in obtaining their prize.

I received the mentioned product for review purposes only. No other compensation was received and these are my own honest opinions.

From our Hearts to Yours Valentine's Day Giveaway Hop!

Welcome to the 2nd annual From Our Hearts to Yours Valentine’s Day Giveaway Hop hosted by Life With Two Boys and With Our Best. Each blog participating has a prize of at least $25 worth of Valentine-related items so after you have entered my giveaway, I encourage you to hop along and see what the other bloggers are giving away too!

I'm so glad you've made to my giveaway in the From Our Hearts to Yours Valentine's Day Giveaway Hop!

I have some really special prizes, and two lucky winners!

I was blessed to work with two amazing companies that specialize in custom jewelry!

Simple Xpressions

And The Sassy Apple

Both companies offer the best of the best in hand stamped and custom jewelry! 

I was lucky enough to review several pieces of jewelry from these amazing shops! You can check out my review of Simple Xpressions HERE and my review of The Sassy Apple HERE!

Now, on to the giveaway! Each shop has offered an amazing prize to my readers!

One winner will win their choice of item from Simple Xpressions

AND

One winner will win a "Love Thy Mother" necklace from The Sassy Apple!

Two winners will each win an awesome prize!

Just use the Rafflecopter below to enter, and then be sure to go the linky down below and start entering the giveaways all the other blogs are offering up as well!

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Please note that the From Our Hearts to Yours Giveaway Hop hosts and participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prize. We have represented each sponsor with the expectation that they will fulfill their prize in a timely manner. While we are not responsible, we will make every effort to assist the winner in obtaining their prize.

The Sassy Apple~Hand Stamped Jewelry Review!

Most people think that Valentine's Day is only for couples. That's not true. You can celebrate Valentine's with anyone that you love. It doesn't have to be a huge downer, you can make the most of it. If your a single mom, you can celebrate with your kids! Why not make a special dinner, use special plates and silver wear, make each other handmade cards, or sit down with some popcorn and watch a movie! Just because you aren't a part of a couple, most definitely doesn't mean that someone doesn't think  your special...your kids do! And, why not give yourself something special as a gift! Or if you're friends with a single mom, why not give her a gift? Trust me, you will make her day!

A piece of hand stamped jewelry is a great gift for a single mom. Most of the time, her kids are her world, so why not give her something to help her show that off?

The Sassy Apple has so many amazing things to choose from that you will be sure to find something that will be perfect, for someone else, or for yourself!

I could spend hours looking at everything that The Sassy Apple has to offer. I love so many things in their shop, it's hard to pick a favorite. I'm a sucker for hand stamped jewelry, and for photo jewelry, and they offer both!

I'm absolutely in love with the Mini Photo Charm!

This tiny photo charm necklace is the perfect way to celebrate, honor or remember someone special. From new moms to anniversaries to birthdays and memorial gifts, this precious charm keeps loved ones close to your heart. 

Or how about the Guardian Angel Car Charm? 

We take great care to design and glaze this one-of-a-kind designer gift. After you download your photo, we take two days to hand-glaze and cure it in the hanging charm so that it creates a glossy, glassy finish that will last for years to come. 

Another one of my favorites is The Happy Heart Silver Handstamped Necklace!

The Happy Heart is a combination oxidized sterling silver pendant and a hand stamped sterling silver disc. As part of our designer series, this is a fabulous piece of jewelry that makes a stunning gift. We stamp each name one precious letter at a time. Heart pendant has .925 sterling silver markings on back.

I could go on and on about the other beautiful pieces of jewelry that The Sassy Apple has to offer. I have to say that I'm in love with the photo jewelry and  had a hard time deciding which piece of jewelry that I wanted to review.

In the end I received three pieces of jewelry to review...I couldn't believe my eyes when the box came! It was better than Christmas!

I received the "Love Thy Mother" necklace, their new photo ring "My One and Only", and the Baby Steps necklace!

My Thoughts

As I said before, I was like a kid in a candy store when my box from The Sassy Apple came in the mail.

First off, I can't get over the packaging! It was extremely nice, and made the little boxes feel all the more special. This packaging is definitely something that you wouldn't have to wrap if giving it for a gift. The box is just perfect in it's own.

The first thing that I opened was the photo ring. This ring is being called "My One and Only" and is just beautiful.

This ring is just the right size to be worn on any finger, I like mine on my middle finger, and it adjustable too. I like that the adjustment is behind the photo, so you can't tell it's adjustable unless you are really looking for it. 

The photo quality is great, and looks true to my picture. I love silver jewelry, and this goes with anything that I wear. I love having a smile on my face every time that I look down and see my baby's smiling face...not to mention I can show off how cute he is!

The next box I opened was the "Love Thy Mother" necklace. This is a hand stamped necklace, that comes with either the mother's birthstone, or a Mother of Pearl sterling wrapped pearl. It can be stamped with the mother's name or the children's names. 

Mine is stamped with both mine and Luke's name, and the word love. It's a domed necklace, and is amazing. I know sometimes when you order "handmade" you worry about the quality, but this is such a great piece and I can not express enough how professional and beautiful that each one is. 

Inside the box, as a special little surprise is a card that is laminated and has "A Mother's Love" poem written on it, on the other side has "Mary Love Luke". I thought this was such a great way to go the extra mile. A company that takes the time and thought to add something so small but so special, is high above the rest. 

The last box that I opened was the Baby Steps necklace. This necklace is a dainty rectangle with a baby footprint and initial stamped on it. It also comes with a birthstone. 

I think my favorite thing about this necklace is that it is so tiny. It's smaller than a dime, and I just love how delicate it is. Don't get me wrong, this is not  something that is "dainty" in the way that it's going to fall apart, but dainty in the way that it's cute, with just enough special meaning and representation.

Both of these necklaces come with a box chain, which you can choose to either be shiny or darkened. Mine are shiny, and compliment the charms perfectly. And yes, I am impressed with the fact that these come with a box chain, and not a ball chain like a lot of hand stamped jewelry does. This sets this jewelry apart from the others, as in it looks professional, and 100% gift giving worthy!

I can't say enough about how impressed I am with this jewelry and The Sassy Apple. I highly recommend ordering from them, whether it is to give a gift, or just for yourself. There's nothing wrong with treating yourself once in awhile! 

Colleen at The Sassy Apple is an amazing person. Working with her on this has been a true pleasure, she is amazing! I know that whatever you order from The Sassy Apple, will be the one of a kind, special treat that you were looking for.

You can connect with The Sassy Apple on their Facebook page and their Twitter page!

Be on the lookout, because tomorrow you will be able to enter to win your own piece of custom jewelry from The Sassy Apple! Stay tuned!!!

I received the mentioned product for review purposes only and no other compensation was received. These are my own, honest opinions.

Simple Xpressions Hand Stamped Jewelry Review!

Valentine's Day will be here before we know it, and finding the perfect gift for that someone special in your life is high on your priority list. But, you don't have to just purchase a gift for your significant other, why not give a gift to a best friend, your mom, or even your child! Or how about buying yourself something special, no need to go empty handed just because you're single! Whoever your buying a gift for this year, custom jewelry is always a perfect way to go!

Simple Xpressions offers so many beautiful pieces that you will have a hard time deciding which one you want the most!

I love all kinds of custom jewelry, to me there is no sense in wearing jewelry if it doesn't have a special meaning behind it. 

Simple Xpressions offers high quality, custom jewelry that will be made to suit your needs, with the special meaning that anyone would love.

I had so much fun browsing their selection and found so many things that I loved.

This Tree of Life necklace is so beautiful!

You even get birthstones!

They have hand stamped rings too!

This is perfect for your child's name, birthdate or even a special word or saying!

If jewelry isn't your thing, they offer hand stamped keychains as well!

I was lucky enough to receive a ring and a bracelet to review! 

My Thoughts

Like I've said before, I'm in love with custom jewelry, whether it is jewelry with a photo, or with a name, I love to wear things that are special to me, and that have a special meaning behind them.

Working with Simple Xpressions has been a treat, and they made sure that I got just what I wanted. 

For the ring, I chose a spinner ring which has two pieces, one of which spins around the other. 

 The ring is high quality, and you can tell just by holding it that it is going to last a long time. They did a really great job with the stamping, and I love that it has a special meaning for me. The letters are dark so that you can see them very well, and the font is perfect! 

I had this sized to be thumb ring, and it fits just right. I love how it looks! I think it looks perfect as a thumb ring, but also looks great on my middle finger too.

I received the cuff bracelet as well!

I was really excited about this, and it took me awhile to decide what I wanted to have stamped on it. I couldn't make my mind up if I wanted it to be something relevant to Luke, or if I wanted to have it stamped with one of my favorite quotes. 

In the end I decided to go with the quote, which is Proverbs 31:25. I wasn't sure if it would all fit, but with the skill from the people at Simple Xpressions, they got it all to fit. 

Much to my surprise they even stamped Proverbs 31:25 on the inside of the bracelet as well! It's kind of hard to see in the picture but the font matches the font that was used on the outside of the bracelet, and it's dark colored too. 

You can tell how high quality that these pieces are, and I love that they will last a long, long time. I couldn't be happier with the ring and bracelet I received and I'm sure that anyone who would receive either of these as a gift will be over the moon about them!

You can connect with Simple Xpressions on their Facebook page and their Twitter page!

Be on the lookout, on Friday one of my readers will have the chance to win their own piece of hand stamped jewelry from Simple Xpressions! Stay tuned!!!

I received the mentioned products for review purposes only and no other compensation was received. These are my own honest opinions.

Green Smoke E-Cigarette Review & Giveaway!

I guess you could say that this post has been a long time coming. I'm a smoker, and as much as I suppose you could say that I enjoy smoking... the smell is just so nasty and being a smoker is so embarrassing. Not to mention the money that it costs, but if you are a smoker, I don't have to tell you the cons of being a smoker, because you already know them yourself. 

With the new year I wanted to make a change. I started making my own cigarettes, but even that costs money, not to mention it's messy and well, I hate rolling cigarettes. Once I started making my own, I knew in the back of my mind that this wasn’t what I want to be doing, which is why I was so happy that I got the chance to try out Green Smoke electronic cigarettes.

Green Smoke^® electronic cigarettes provide an enhanced smoking sensation unlike anything you have ever experienced. Now you can have it all: Taste, quality and the freedom to smoke virtually anywhere.
Our innovative design consists of a cartomizer (a flavored cartridge) and a long lasting battery which heats the cartomizer to produce a full-flavored vapor. Simply twist the cartomizer and battery together and inhale. It's that easy. Find the starter kit that's right for you with the help of our comparison chart or discover the advantages of e-cigarettes over regular cigarettes.

I've known others who have tried e-cigarettes, and wanted to give them a try for myself.  I was glad I was going to try them myself, it just seemed so scary to take the first step.

My Thoughts

When this kit came in the mail, I was surprised at how much it actually came with. When they say that it comes with everything you need, they were telling the truth. 

I was sent the Pro Kit and it comes with:

• 1 Long Rechargeable Electric Cigarette Battery
• 1 Short Rechargeable Electric Cigarette Battery
• 2 Packs of FlavorMax™ Cartomizers (10 cartomizers)
• 1 USB Cigarette
• 1 USB Charger
• 1 High Powered Home Adapter
• 1 High Powered Car Adapter
• 1 Green Smoke User Guide and Member Card

This truthfully comes with everything you would need. It comes with three ways to charge your e-cigarette and a usb cigarette as well. 

If you've never seen an e-cigarette, they look pretty much like a cigarette. You have the battery part which looks like the white part of a cigarette, and then the Cartomizer which looks like the filter. The Cartomizer is where you get the flavoring and vapor from. There is no smoke or offensive odor from an e-cigarette and, if you wanted to, you could even use them in public as they are not a real cigarette. I've seen many people use them in places like the mall, and at first I was shocked that they were smoking, but then realized that they were, in fact using an electronic cigarette. 

To get started using your e-cigarette, you first need to charge it up. This step is easy with all the different chargers that are included with the Pro kit. I charged mine with the home adapter, and it took no time at all for it to become fully charged. Once it is charged, you pop out a Cartomizer, take out the two plugs on either end of it and screw it into the battery. 

Of course smoking your e-cigarette is much like smoking a real cigarette and different all at the same time. You inhale just like smoking a real cigarette, and blow out vapor instead of smoke. When it comes out it looks just like smoke but it isn't. The e-cigarette is, of course, heavier than a real cigarette, but other than that it's much the same. One of the biggest differences is that when I smoke e-cigarettes, I don’t smell like an ashtray – and neither does my house.

If your looking for a price comparison, each Cartomizer is equal to 1.5 packs of cigarettes, and each Cartomizer is just over $3. That is much cheaper than buying cigarettes!

Green Smoke also offers a variety of different flavors for their Cartomizers, everything from Absolute Tobacco to Vanilla Dreams. You are sure to find something that suits your needs. I think the e-cigarette is a great for those looking for a change  As of right now, I've went 4 days without a cigarette. 

The Green Smoke e-cigarette has definitely been a huge help for me. If you are thinking of switching,  I highly suggest using the Green Smoke e-cigarette These e-cigarettes are so enjoyable that they are easy to get used to. I know it says that each Cartomizer is equal to 1.5 packs of cigarettes, but I've been using the same Cartomizer for the last 4 days and haven't had to change it out yet. The e-cigarette has also stayed charged for 3 days before I had to recharge it. 

You can purchase your own e-cigarette kit HERE at Green Smoke!

One of my readers will win their own Pro Kit, just like the one that I received! 

Just use the Rafflecopter form below to enter!

Good Luck!

I received the mentioned kit for review purposes only and no other compensation was received. These are my own honest opinions.

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Buzz Lightyear Foam Gliders Review & Giveaway!

I have to say that I think that Disney Pixar produces the best Disney movies. I know that a lot of people love the classics, and I do too, but the Pixar movies are my favorite, and they are Luke's favorite too.

Toy Story, of course, is a classic, and Luke has been in love with this movie since he was about two. He has a nice collection of Toy Story toys, everything from action figures to a bike, to a piggy bank. Anything with the Toy Story characters, and the Buzz Lightyear Foam Gliders kit was no exception.

Disney®Buzz Lightyear Foam Gliders comes with easy-to-punchout pieces for five different flyers. The Klutz-clear steps are so simple that even preschool-age Toy Story fans can assemble the gliders themselves. The final step is sliding one of the included Zoomers™ on your glider's nose. These colorful plastic caps provide perfect counterbalance for maximum flight time. And, when they do eventually touch down, the sturdy foam construction ensures that these gliders will have happy landings - whether in the living room or backyard. 

This book comes in the form of a book and contains everything you need to make 5 gliders that feature the Toy Story characters.

My Thoughts

Of course Luke was super excited to try out these gliders and anything with Buzz Lightyear on the cover is ok in his book.

These gliders are so easy to put together. Each page has the parts you need to assemble your glider, and comes with stickers to decorate them too. You put the Zoomer on the front of the glider, which is the part that makes the glider really work.

I was surprised at how well these glider glide. Sometimes toys like these can be hard for little ones to use, but not only was this easy for Luke to put together but they are also easy for Luke to fly too. 

Each glider has a different design, and features a different Toy Story character, and when these aren't being played with, I hang them up in his room as decoration, and they go great with his other Toy Story decorations. Not only are these fun to play with inside, they can be played with outside as well, which I'm sure is a blast too. 

Because these are foam, there is no fear of them breaking anything valuable in your house, which makes them perfect for inside play.

And if there comes a time that they are not played with, I'm thinking that these would be great to make a mobile with and hang it in their room! 

You can purchase your own Buzz Lightyear Foam Gliders kit HERE! 

One of my readers will win their own Buzz Lightyear Foam Gliders kit!

Just use the Rafflecopter below to enter!

Good Luck!

I received the mentioned product for review purposes only and no other compensation was received. These are my own  honest opinions.

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