**thanks to the pr representative who sent complimentary item(s) for review. I was not compensated for this post beyond those items. This is my experience and opinion. Others may have a different experience or view. 

A classic from my childhood, and probably yours too, is A Charlie Brown Christmas. It's something I feel like I've watched every year since I was small. One of the things that makes it so great is the sound track. There is nothing like the nostalgia that hearing this music brings. 

Speaking of nostalgia, I began collecting vinyl records about a year ago after I restored an old turntable. There is something so warm about the sound of good music being played under a needle. You can imagine my excitement when I was given the opportunity to review (AND GIVE AWAY) a copy of the original sound track to A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi Trio. 

Along with the one I restored, I also own a small, portable turntable that sits in my great room. Right now, my 9 year old daughter plays this album just about every day on there. She loves the music just as much as I do. I don't know what it is, but it just brings a smile to our faces.
...
...Maybe it's in the moments when we pretend to dance like the Peanuts characters. LOL

AND...Did you see that pretty GREEN color of the LP?  That makes this treasure of nostalgia that much sweeter.

c

Can you hear the sound of your favorite song right now? 

Head over to Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, or just about any store that sells vinyl to get your copy.

Or...

How would you like to WIN a copy of this LP for your home??? 

THE GIVEAWAY

A Charlie Brown Christmas [Green Vinyl LP!]

A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi Trio is one of the most popular and beloved holiday albums of all-time. This remastered recording on green vinyl includes 3 bonus tracks not on the original 1965 LP plus a 20-page booklet filled with images from the program and liner notes by Vince Guaraldi historian Derrick Bang.

Artist:                   Vince Guaraldi

Title:                     A Charlie Brown Christmas

Config:                 Green Vinyl LP

Item No:             F-8431

UPC:                     025218843119

MSLP:                  21.98 

Release Date:    8/24/2009

Record Label:    Fantasy Records

Genres:                Holiday, Jazz, Soundtrack, Children’s, Nostalgia

Track Listing: 

15. O Tannenbaum  
16. What Child Is This 
17. My Little Drum 
18. Linus And Lucy  
19. Christmas Time Is Here (Instrumental)
20. Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal) 
21. Skating 
22. Hark, The Herald Angels Sing 
23. Christmas Is Coming 
24. Für Elise 
25. The Christmas Song 
26. Greensleeves 
27. Great Pumpkin Waltz 
28. Thanksgiving Theme

The Deets: Winner will receive one vinyl LP that will be shipped to him/her directly from the PR firm. Use the widget below to enter. Good luck!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack Now on Vinyl! #Review #Giveaway #ad

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Inside Novi's Twelve Oaks Mall, is a wonderfully fun adventure just waiting for boys and girls to take. It's called "Santa's Flight Academy" and it is the perfect way to enjoy the tradition of getting pictures taken with Santa. 

This experience really kicks it up a knotch as it has multiple areas for the young ones to participate in helping Santa with hands-on stations. This will definitely help pass the time with making fun memories rather than waiting in a long, boring line. 

(Psst...speaking of lines, you need to head to the Twelve Oaks website and make an appointment so you don't need to worry about it. This will be a busy spot!) 

Back to Santa's Flight Academy. Each child will get their own badge at check-in. This is what he/she will use around the different stations. The kiddos will love when they scan their badge and see their name come up on the screen. 

At the first stop, they'll be able to see what they look like in the flight suit they selected. It all comes to digital life on that big screen in front of them. It's like playing dress up without ruining the outfit you've so carefully selected for their photo. (You've gotta love that!).

Next, they're on to the sleigh where they can help fill the sleigh with gifts, make sure to get Santa to Detroit for Christmas morning, and check the weather for Santa.  

Little ones will then find out that Santa's sleigh is powered by the voices of little kids. They can yell something into the speaker and hear it come out in an elf voice. {This part is so cute. It made me giggle to hear an elf version of myself shouting "Merry Christmas!!". LOL}

From there, you'll learn that it isn't always a good thing to take a break for cookies. The kiddos will sure enjoy hitting the buttons to turn on the booster engines for Santa, though. And they'll get to hear how grateful Santa is for their help right through the speakers there. 

Now that your little one is officially Santa's hero, they can walk right into the sleigh for a dance party. This room has dance lights going, snow falling, and music playing. All around the room are screens where your child will see his/her name and see other elves dancing. And for a bonus? This is the perfect chance for little ones to work out their wiggles before they meet Santa, himself. 

Once you're on the other side of the sleigh, your little one will scan their tag and it will be announced to Santa that they are there to see him. This is such a personal greeting and a wonderful detail that keeps the little ones in mind. I mean, they're not supposed to need to introduce themselves to Santa, are they? ; ) lol 

And this Santa? Oh, my. He's incredible. He's very friendly and his beard sparkles. The little ones are going to love the fact that they got to meet the real Santa. {PS: I may or may not have been given a scolding from a helper elf for taking a Santa selfie...so...don't try this at home. Mmmkay? ;)  }

Pictures with Santa...
Ah, yes!
I have a Giveaway for one of you!!

THE GIVEAWAY!! 

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Good luck!
~Amy

Santa Claus Is Coming To...Twelve Oaks Mall {& A Giveaway}

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Thanks to the company that sponsored this review. I was not compensated beyond the review item. All opinions are my own. Others may have a different opinion or experience.

It's always in the details with JORD.  The moment the box arrives on the doorstep, I feel confident that I chose the right brand to order my wood watch from.  The presentation is what lets me know that I matter as a customer as much as my order matters to me. 

Now, there are many beautiful choices I saw as I browsed through the women's watches. But this time, I chose the Fieldcrest Series Zebrawood & Maple piece. Let me tell you. It does not disappoint. It's a simple look with a little bit of an edge, thanks to the zebrawood. It isn't too heavy and actually makes a wonderful choice for either male or female wrists. 

I pulled the features from the website so you can learn exactly what makes this watch tick.

• scratch-resistant mineral glass
• deployment buckle with push buttons
• case width: 39mm
• case thickness: 11mm
• lug ends: 49mm
• band thickness: 20mm
• band length: 195mm

This beautiful watch wears a price tag of $139. Of course, you can take advantage of their custom sizing {like I did} and get a perfect fit for only $10 more.

It literally goes with anything I wear. I don't even think twice about whether or not I should put it on. But what I really like about it? I love how unique it is and the little hint of "wild" in the rich color of the band.

In my last JORD post, I told you that these watches make a great gift idea. 

BUT!

I had the most fun time actually giving a JORD Wood Watch to someone. Here's the story:

After I got my CORA watch (pictured below on the left), a friend of mine kept commenting on how much she liked it. She even managed to hunt down an inexpensive watch with a wood face - she liked the look that much. 

As soon as my FIELDCREST arrived, I got the CORA back onto it's pillow and put it back in its box waiting to see my friend and give it to her. Now, I want to be respectful of the moment so I won't share many details of how it all went down. I want you to know, it's worth it to share something like this with someone you care about or admire. I received so much joy from her reaction. It really did my heart good...and that's much better than keeping the CORA all to myself. 

THE GIVEAWAY!!

Now, I get to share some JORD love with YOU! 

(Goodness, I love this part)

From today until September 23, you can head to my unique link and be entered to win a $75 coupon. (That would cover over half the price of the watch I featured today!)  And just for entering, JORD will send you a $20 coupon. 

Please see the website for the details and terms and they're hosting it and will be selecting and contacting the winner, themselves. 

Ready to enter??   CLICK HERE!

Good luck!!

~Amy

Get Noticed Wearing JORD & How It Feels To Give {review}

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Thanks to the company that sponsored this review. I was not compensated beyond the review item. All opinions are my own. Others may have a different opinion or experience.

The school year is wrapping up, the weather is turning warmer, the days are getting longer and many of us are on the hunt for the perfect Father's Day gift. You Too?

Perfect!

Hang in there because I'm about to hit you with an amazing idea, a way to save some money, and a giveaway all in this one blog post. {Psst...if you'd rather shop for yourself than someone else, I'll never tell and I certainly couldn't blame you for it.}

JORD is the name of the brand you need to know. You're writing this down, right? They sell the most beautiful wood watches in many different styles for guys and gals alike. They sent me one to check out. {Did you catch my Facebook Live box opening?} Friends? I fell hard for this watch and get compliments on it everywhere I go. 

Let me share some eye candy with you. I'll begin at the beginning - the first impression. 

In that Facebook Live video, you'll notice me oohing over this fancy, shmancy wood box. It is so beautifully made and something that you don't need to hide away after you get your watch out. This could easily be added to your home decor or sit nicely on your nightstand. 

The top of the box slides off and reveals your purchase. My choice? This is the Maple & Lavender style from the Cora series. It's absolutely as stunning as it looks with its sapphire crystal glass and swarovski crystal markers. I love the rich lavender face contrasted on the more neutral and blond shade of the Maple wood. I also found this to be a perfect option with my fair skin tone. 

The Cora watch retails for $275 and for only $10 more, you can get custom sizing. This option is worth the small cost, especially considering how excited you'll be to put this on once it arrives to your front door. 

The quality of this piece is incomparable to anything I've owned in the past. It's made well enough for me to wear it throughout my day and not think "Maybe I shouldn't be wearing my watch" when I get into my daily chores or playing with my 4 year old. The only time I take it off is to sleep, shower, work in my garden, or do dishes. Otherwise, I find that it's easy to coordinate with whatever I'm wearing...even when I was dressed up for a wedding recently.

{Check out the hashtag on social media to see ways others are loving their JORD watches!}

Y'all? Sometimes it's the "simple" things that make you fall in love. I wanted to show you another one of my favorite details. On the other side of the blond maple wood is a deployment buckle with a push button. You can see a bit of the push button on the left side of the band here. There's one on the right side as well. By squeezing the buttons in, the buckle opens up and I can easily remove my watch. I love simplicity. 

GIVEAWAY!!

NOW ENDED!!!

Can I talk to you about the giveaway now? I've been patiently sharing all the things I love about my JORD wood watch with you but I've been dying to get to this. Ready?   JORD has kindly offered to host a giveaway for you. One winner will receive a $75 e-voucher! {giveaway ends 6-12-16}

AND

Anyone who enters will receive a $20 e-gift card. YES! ANYONE who enters automatically gets $20 to shop with if you're not the $75 winner. 

How do you enter? Go to my Giveaway Page and fill out the simple entry form. Easy peasy. 

I would love it if you came back from your "window shopping" to tell me about what style/color you fell in love with!! 

~Amy

Wood Watches For Men

Father's Day Gift Idea: JORD Wood Watch {Review & Giveaway}

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Hey friends! I have a fun little giveaway for those of you who'd like to add something to my YL order this month. No worries if you're not local to me. I can have items sent right to your door!
Watch this video and let me know you're ONE THING. :)

{I haven't really tried this out here before so I'm testing the waters. :) We'll see how this goes and perhaps I'll be doing this again. }

ALSO! If you want to become a new member and you're ready to order your starter kit, I have a thank you gift just for you to help get you started on the right foot.

Order this:

and I'll email you this:

If you have questions, just ask. I'd love to talk with you one-on-one about this via email or Facebook messaging. :) I'm excited to help you!

~Amy

Don't Miss My Young Living Order Giveaway!

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I'm an introverted follower. By that, I mean I tend to observe things others are doing and try to apply it to my own life, my own way, to see if it will stick or help at all. {Just for the record, I SHOULD NOT have approached this topic that way. DO NOT go out and buy things without doing research.}

This is how I approached essential oils. I remember a time a year or so ago when I had a string of migraines and someone reached out to me telling me I should try essential oils. And then she hit me with the price of her oils. I thought she was nuts. I had no idea if oils would even help so why would I spend ALL THAT money on something....especially when I just found a whole bunch of "essential oils" online for far less. In fact, for the same price she gave me, I found a box of 6 different oils. "Score", right?

Nope. Not at all a "score".

These so-called "100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils" were thrown into my daily life. But I couldn't figure out why the lemon oil smelled only lemon-ish, and the peppermint oil smelled nothing like peppermint and exactly like citrus. I honestly shrugged it off and thought "What do I know about essential oils? Maybe this is what it's supposed to smell like."  And here's the scary part. I kept USING THESE OILS. I put them on my skin and, because the bottle said it was ok, I put the lemon oil IN MY WATER. Guys {and gals}, Knowing what I know not about essential oils, it scares me that I ever did that and I'm so thankful for whatever oily angel was protecting me. {ha, ha}  ;)

Obviously, what I was using in these watered down oils was not working for me...so I began to do research. I found 2 top brands of essential oils, one of which was what my Facebook friend recommended from the get-go. And then I was able to have a brief conversation with someone at my church who sold the other top brand. She told me "Whatever you decide to go with, make sure to do your research first".   Friends, her words were gold to me and that's what actually led me to go with Young Living Essential Oils.

I read about their Seed To Seal guarantee and watched the videos. Then another friend told me that I can call a customer service rep at any time and give them the number imprinted on the back of any bottle of oil and they will tell me every step of that oil's process...from seed to seal. They keep track of it all. I have no problem getting behind a brand that operates their own farms and distilleries while documenting the life and harvest of each plant then testing, testing, and more testing to be sure that the oils distilled meet the standard they've set for themselves above the status quo.

That decided it for me, I made some samples at her house and immediately began seeing results. My son went to bed easier and with less stress, my immune system is strong enough to knock a cold right out of the ballpark, that seasonal gook and stuffiness has found relief, I'm sleeping better, and anxiety and stress levels are now under control.

There are even more things I've seen from using Young Living Essential Oils, but you and I would need more time to chat.

These oils are simply amazing to me! I promise, I'm not one to talk something like this up if it isn't worth it. Had I been mad about my investing in essential oils, I would have told you that too. Be these work to support my system naturally and I'm beyond thrilled. Now I want to get all of that goodness into your hands!

This beautiful kit costs $150 {50% SAVINGS!!!!} and will be shipped right to your home after you order it. And by signing up to be a member, you'll receive 24% off your future purchases with no obligation to do anything more, ever. I chose to become a distributor after trying these out and seeing the difference they made in my own life and home. I have a strict, NO PRESSURE policy. I just want you to love these as much as I do. {honestly, my initial idea was to get that discount and call it a day. And you know what? I would have been able to do that if I wanted to.}

Get to it! And please let me know if any questions every arise, which they most likely will. You can comment here, message me on Facebook, or email me and I'll do my best to get back to you as quickly as I can.

~Amy

**Marketing disclaimer: The link I share may be an affiliate link. I may collect payment from purchases made.
**Disclaimer:  The info I shared is based on my own research and experience(s) with Young Living Essential Oils. I am not a doctor. The FDA has not evaluated my statements, the products I've mentioned, or even the technique I use. Therefore, these statements are not made with intent to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any kind of ailment or disease. Please have a conversation with your doctor before introducing these if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, and/or have any kind of medical condition. 
I'm simply sharing information and my personal story for readers to use as a reference in a "take it or leave it" fashion. My hope is to motivate you in learning more about essential oils as they may pertain to your own life and/or family. Please do your research as you see fit. 

My Essential Oil Story

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Thanks to the company that sponsored this review. I was not compensated beyond the review item. All opinions are my own. Others may have a different opinion or experience.

Hey, friends! I'm so excited to share with you a new initiative from KOHL'S stores to make every dollar you spend count. Yes. For real!

The new rewards program is called YES2YOU. And just to give me a chance to try it out and see how it works, Kohl's sent me a gift card and sent me on my way to earn rewards. Every dollar spent = 1 point and members get a $5 reward for every 100 points earned.  Plus, just for signing up, I got 100 points with my first purchase....plus 10 points for shopping in the store....and if I had put the Kohl's app on my phone, I would have had another 10 points. {Remind me to do that, mmkay?}

Choosing something to buy at Kohl's was easy. I have 7 rooms on my home's first level that need sweeping and mopping....and my current method of vacuuming and hand mopping was getting old. I found a great solution with the iRobot Braava. And? It was marked down from $220 to $179!! The other thing I needed was a good pair of tennis shoes. My previous pair had just turned 7 years old and didn't offer much support. I went with this fun pair of New Balance running shoes. 

As always, I had great customer care while shopping at Kohl's. On this particular visit, I had fallen in love with these turquoise tennies, but couldn't find my size. I found a gentleman working in the section and asked if there were any shoes in back-stock. He quickly grabbed a scanning tool and found that he did, indeed, have my size. I waited as he went back to grab them and he quickly brought them out to me. I love good customer service, don't you?

So, what are you waiting for? Head over to YES2YOU and sign up for your free membership with loads of benefits! 

And to make it even MORE fun, I'm going to get a $250 gift card into one reader's hands. {Card will be shipped by the sponsor upon contest closing.} This giveaway will only last a week so enter TODAY and enter OFTEN! {Think shopping for hosting upcoming holidays or gifts or expanding your winter wardrobe, etc.}

~Amy

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Kohl's Has Something New! #Yes2You {giveaway}

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Thanks to the company or PR firm that sponsored this giveaway. I was not compensated beyond the review item. All opinions are my own. Others may have a different opinion or experience.

Whenever someone asks me what I do, I simply answer "I'm a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom to 3 kiddos". If I'm honest? I totally have to catch my breath after I say that and try to not feel overwhelmed. I do not have a small job at all.

Sometimes that first question has a follow up that goes something like "Wow. How do you do that?".  I give a simple answer. What I do is not for everyone and I certainly don't pass judgement on families who choose traditional schooling for their child(ren). We all have to decide what we think is best for our own homes and that looks different for everyone.

Here's my secret to survival, though. I make sure I take care of myself with "Me time".

Yah, it sounds a little simple-ish, but it's absolutely KEY to hanging on to whatever sanity I have. For starters, I make sure I have myself dressed and ready for the day before I ever venture into school books. We adopt a rhythm here - eat breakfast, make the bed, get dressed, start school. Now, after the school work is done, I move on to chores. I know. You're thinking that this is more work and not at all a strategy for "Me time". Oh, friend. I make SURE this is a "Me time" activity.

I use music as my getaway. I grab my vacuum, or mop, or dusting cloth, or glass cleaner, or bathroom cleaners...whatever the day calls for...and I grab my blutooth headphones. Then it's just a matter of choosing what kind of music I want to listen to. {I usually end up playing one of my radio stations on my iTunes Radio}. And since my headphones have no cord, I stick my phone in my back pocket and boogie my way through my housework.

The sound in these Sol Republic headphones is incredible! They have an amazing quality, even rockin' the bass to keep my boogie going strong. {Please don't ever dare someone in my home to catch this on video, mmkay?} These are also noise canceling, meaning I can't really hear the vacuum over my tunes as I go.  And should someone need to call while I'm dancing working? I can answer with the push of a button and have a hands-free conversation. 

Sometimes, it really is the little things that get me through the day. 

So tell me, how do you survive your day? What are the little things that make a big difference for you?

And since I can't keep something as wonderful as these Tracks Air headphones to myself, I'm giving a pair away to one of you!

~Amy

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The Importance Of "Me Time" {and a Giveaway!}

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